Women specific Full suspension or not?

Mustang Sally · February 2011

I'm having a little bit of difficulty deciding on my first full sus with a few questions I keep coming back to. Sorry if this is the umpteenth post about this kind of thing, you can tell me just to go demo them and find out, but I would appreciate your knowledge and experience of the bikes if you've ridden them.

How much of a real difference is there between the many blokes bikes and the handful of girlie ones, is it just the comfortable saddle, shorter stem and colours? I'm 5"6 so I don't think I have the trouble of size, I currently ride a 17" Specialized Rockhopper (woman specific) and not noticed too much difference to riding blokes ones of similar size.

I've been looking at the Cube Stereo/AMS, Orange Five Diva Pro, Trek Fuel 8 or the Lapierre XC something! (but these are massively pushing the financial boundaries!) I love my XC and do a fair bit on the Seven Stanes and other trails as well as getting into endurance races.

Any thought recommendations or knowledge of demo places in northern England, Scottish Borders would be ace!

Oh and if you're a biker in the borders who would like some company, let me know!

Cheers

Mrs Toast · February 2011

It varies a lot between makes and models. For example, when I tried out the Specialized Safire a couple of years back, I found it had a ridiculous short top tube which left me very uncomfortable on the bike. I ended up getting a 2009 Specialized Stumpjumper FSR, which reach-wise is perfect for me, but I do admit I’d like a bit more standover.

The Trek full-sussers vary – the lower end ones (Fuel 5.5) have ‘women specific’ geometry (shorter top tubes) but the higher end women specific ones are actually the same as the standard ‘male’ equivalent. There are more sizes for women, though. I should also add that this is based on the last couple of years, I don’t know if it’s the same this year. I didn’t really get on with the Trek Fuel 8, but I think that’s because I demoed it on a very muddy day, at the end of the day – the gears were grinding and the brakes were rubbing, and it had stupid pedals that were flat on one side and SPD on the other. I ride with flats, so the fact the pedals kept swinging SPD side upwards was very annoying. Not really fair to judge the bike on stuff that’s so easily remedied though!

I tried the women’s Lapierre Zesty a few years back, and it was lovely, as was the Orange 5 Diva L. Can’t remember if I liked the Santa Cruz Julia or not…

Dunno if any of that’s useful, and please bear in mind it’s all from demos I did 2 and 3 years ago!

Thewaylander · February 2011

With all this it's about fit, Women have some varied sizes shapes,

Most ladies i know over say 5"6 have generally dound the mens bikes a better fit and the smaller ladies i know the reverse prefering the ladies fit. But it is a really a sit and see because it depends on body shape more than anything

idiotdogbrain · February 2011

My other half is a smidge under 5'6" but has a longer torso than usual for her height - she rides a Medium Spesh Camber as the Myka FSR just felt too cramped for her.

However, if you're proportioned more typically for a girl, you could do worse than look at this: http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.p ... b4s24p2384 - don't think you'd get much better spec for the money (if it fits!)

Gingie · February 2011

Heya,

I'm not sure if you've seen these Demo Days coming up...

http://www.thedemoseries.co.uk/index.php

Looks like you'd be able to try the Trek out.

In regards to women specific bikes like the others have said it's all about the fit of individual bikes really. I'm 5'9 and ride a Trek Remedy and love it to pieces, so it's probably best just trying different bikes women specific and mens ones and just see which one fits you the best :-)

good luck!

miss notax · March 2011

Ad the others have said it's all down to personal preference really...

I'm 5ft 4" and rode a small (16") frame Santa Cruz Superlight (unisex) for years without any problems, although I did feel a little 'stretched' on occassion. I then custom built an Orange 5 Diva Pro (14") and I love it - for me it's a much better fit. Because of the smaller frame it's also much easier to throw around and jump etc, although whether I would also think that with a non-female specific Orange I don't know! All I can tell you is that, for me, a female specific frame and build has worked for me

I would try as many as you can, but I definitely recommend the Orange 5. I know they are quite *ahem* common (I prefer 'popular'

), but there's a reason for that

Oh, and I know this is blatant 'look-at-my-bike-ism', but they come in pretty colours too

Mustang Sally · March 2011

Thanks for all the comments, a lot of useful stuff. I've just been and tried a Cube Stereo Pro 16" Mens, which was great fun, but felt the handlebars and the location of the shifters and break levers didn't work out. I then jumped on a Cube AMS ladies, lower spec and more a cross country, it felt much better in terms of sizing, but the ride wasn't that much different than my hard tail!

The Orange 5 Diva Pro, is just a tad too expensive for me and I'm not a big fan of the frame shape, don't get me wrong I think they are great, quality bikes, but just not for me.

I'm at the point of choosing now between an all-mountain or a more cross country style bike. On the All mountain I felt I was just wasting energy on the up hills, but enjoying the comfort and down. Whereas the XC required a lot less effort. Would I just get used to the difference and adjust with more pedalling on the ups. I think I've now narrowed my search down to 2.

*The Cube Stereo Pro 2010 (9 speed not 10 and a better colour)
*Lapierre X-Control 314 (just can't find anywhere that demo's it at all!) Might try the wheelbase Lapierre day and try the 514.

Any more thoughts of those would be ace!

Cheers

Sal

Lizzie77 · March 2011

Hi there mustand sally, I live down the road from you at Rowanburn.

Anyway, Im 5ft 7 and medium build, long arms and legs and find blokes bikes better for me. One reason being they are often better spec for the money!!

I have a specialized xc comp (Full sus) size M and I love it, does pretty much everything, even did Nevis last year reasonable well ( red down hill, not brave enough for the comp black yet)

I also then got a specialized Pitch pro, more travel for the downhill, again size M, not really had much use yet but again feels a good fit from what I have done on it.

So none of what I have written really helps but had to post as your a local lol lol

Mustang Sally · March 2011

Thanks for that, yeah I have noticed that there is a better spec and because of the choice the range is more to pick form, as for womans there low end or high end pretty much.

I think I'm still aiming to try a Lapierre, but have unfortunately missed booking onto the demo day at wheelbase, cos of work, so just trying to hunt them down in shops and not having much luck!

my search shall continue

Oh and if you like riding with company and are heading to one of the stanes I'd happily jump on board, but not in March cos I'm snowboarding in Switzerland. If not, happy riding and it's nice to fine someone local on here!

Cheers

Lizzie77 · March 2011

7 stanes or switzerland??? Hmmmmm, no copetition really, enjoy!!!

I will let you know, not been out on mine since June so think I best improve my fitness before I dare tag along lol lol

Good luck with the bike:)

Mustang Sally · March 2011

Thanks to all for advice and stuff, I've now got myself a shiny new bike, maybe a little bit in the moment, but I'm happy. Its the Whyte T120s, so a lot of fun to be had!

If anyones in the location of a seven stane or a northern bike ride and wants some company give me a shout, later in the season!

[url=Cheershttp://www.bikeradar.com/forum/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif]Cheershttp://www.bikeradar.com/forum/im ... on_lol.gif[/url]

Women specific Full suspension or not?

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