Womens vs mens road bikes: any real difference?

mariamartinez

Is there any true difference between women's and men's road bikes for a man vs a women of the same height. Obviously reach, saddle height, crank length etc could be tweaked but I would view this as individual tweaks according to the individual not the gender. I see a lot of bike manufacturers producing gender specific bikes but the difference seems to be the color scheme. Are there are reliable known differences in terms of materials / gearing / frame geometry? thank you.

StillGoing

mariamartinez wrote:

Is there any true difference between women's and men's road bikes for a man vs a women of the same height. Obviously reach, saddle height, crank length etc could be tweaked but I would view this as individual tweaks according to the individual not the gender. I see a lot of bike manufacturers producing gender specific bikes but the difference seems to be the color scheme. Are there are reliable known differences in terms of materials / gearing / frame geometry? thank you.

Generally no. There are a few manufacturers that specify bikes/models as women's, but often its down to a paint job rather than the geometry of the frame. I'm sure Domenico Pozzovivo and Quintana don't ride a womens frame.

Zendog1

There are differences in geometry. The average women has longer legs and shorter torso than the same height average man. Womens bikes reflect this - well if the manufacturer is honest that is.

BUT this says nothing about how your body compares to the average. It is quite possible given the range of proportions around the mean that a mens geometry will suit you better.

The only way to find out is sit on a range of bikes and see which one fits.

Materials / gearing are about cost.

Steve

daniel_b

Some do, and some do not.

The ones that do will have a shorter top tube for sure, and are designed for a woman who has longer legs versus shorter torso.

Me and my gf go against the mould, I have a 34" inseam, and a pretty short torso, whilst she has a longer torso, so she has always been fine on mens bikes.
The 'ladies' Scott CR1 I built up for her, has identical frame dimensions to the 'mens' equivalent.
It does have a cracking white/purple/lime paintjob though :-)

StillGoing

Zendog1 wrote:

There are differences in geometry. The average women has longer legs and shorter torso than the same height average man. Womens bikes reflect this - well if the manufacturer is honest that is.

BUT this says nothing about how your body compares to the average. It is quite possible given the range of proportions around the mean that a mens geometry will suit you better.

The only way to find out is sit on a range of bikes and see which one fits.

Materials / gearing are about cost.

Steve

The number of manufacturers building specific womens models is drastically reduced from what it used to be. The days of a steeply sloping cross bar/top tube for women are long gone. With compact frames available from most manufacturers of road model bikes, there's no need for a women specific model. The Liv Envie is no different really to the Giant Propel. It's just a shorter top tube and taller head tube basically. Unisex bikes are nothing more than mens bikes with a different name.

Sarah Storey and Lizzie Deignan both race mens frames.

proto

Zendog1 wrote:

There are differences in geometry. The average women has longer legs and shorter torso than the same height average man. Womens bikes reflect this - well if the manufacturer is honest that is.

Steve

Got any evidence to support this?

proto

philthy3 wrote:

Zendog1 wrote:

The number of manufacturers building specific womens models is drastically reduced from what it used to be. The days of a steeply sloping cross bar/top tube for women are long gone. With compact frames available from most manufacturers of road model bikes, there's no need for a women specific model. The Liv Envie is no different really to the Giant Propel. It's just a shorter top tube and taller head tube basically. Unisex bikes are nothing more than mens bikes with a different name.

Sarah Storey and Lizzie Deignan both race mens frames.

I believe Deignan rides an Amira which is a unique design aimed at women riders, and different geometry from the equivalent Tarmac models. However, other than Boels-Dolman team, just about every other women pro team rides standard 'gender neutral' (men's?) bikes. Drops, for example, all ride Emonda or Madone H1 Pro Fit frames. WNT are on standard SWorks Tarmacs.

StillGoing

proto wrote:

philthy3 wrote:

Zendog1 wrote:

The number of manufacturers building specific womens models is drastically reduced from what it used to be. The days of a steeply sloping cross bar/top tube for women are long gone. With compact frames available from most manufacturers of road model bikes, there's no need for a women specific model. The Liv Envie is no different really to the Giant Propel. It's just a shorter top tube and taller head tube basically. Unisex bikes are nothing more than mens bikes with a different name.

Sarah Storey and Lizzie Deignan both race mens frames.

I believe Deignan rides an Amira which is a unique design aimed at women riders, and different geometry from the equivalent Tarmac models. However, other than Boels-Dolman team, just about every other women pro team rides standard 'gender neutral' (men's?) bikes. Drops, for example, all ride Emonda or Madone H1 Pro Fit frames. WNT are on standard SWorks Tarmacs.

Interesting; I'm sure it was a video of Deignan I watched where she was asked the question as to whether she uses a womens frame bike and got quite curt at the suggestion.

proto

fairly sure she's still riding one of these, but now in Boels Dolman team colours. The geometry chart shows it to be different from Sworks Tarmac.



Alice Barnes's bog standard Madone H1 (50cm, smallest one they make)