Bike Mania Club

WSD Road Bike
"WSD Road Bike" stands for Women's Specific Design Road Bikes. Women's bike sizes generally run a few sizes smaller then men's bikes, accommodating riders from about 4'10" to 5'10" in height. Road frames range from 42cm to 57cm. Taller women can often ride a men's bike, but very short women almost always need a women's bike - if for no other reason than men's frames don't come in very petite sizes.

Why is it important for a woman to at least be fitted to and test ride a women's specific bike?  The biggest reason is that men's bikes have a proportionately longer "cockpit" (the distance from the saddle to the handlebards), as well as wider handlebards.  This puts the woman in an uncomfortable position - as she tries to get a good grip on the handlebars, she is forced to stretch too far forward.  Riding a too-long bike results in neck pain, numb hands, sore back and saddle pain.  Riding stretched out puts tremendous pressure on the soft tissue of the crotch, rather than concentrating rider weight on the pelvic bones.  Shortening the cockpit puts the female rider into a much more comfortable and biomechanically efficient position.  Handlebars on a women's specific bike are narrower, and the bikes come with female-specific saddles which are wider than men's, to better support a female pelvis.  Bike fit is crucial to rider comfort and pedaling efficiency, as well as injury prevention.

Note that not all women are suited for a women's specific bike! Some women have shorter legs and longer torsos, more like men. In those instances, a men's bike is fine (as long as she is tall enough), with the only modification necessary being the saddle and possibly a few adjustments to custom-fit the bike.

WSD Road Bike Manufacturers
All of the big bicycle manufacturers in the USA now offer road bikes designed just for women riders.  The four largest are Trek, Specialized, Giant and Cannondale.  Of the four, Trek and Specialized take the women's market very, very seriously.  They offer women's road bikes for everyone from entry-level to racers, for all budgets and with many component groups to choose from.  There might be a lack of "wow factor" with bikes from the big companies (the name just doesn't carry the status or appeal of a boutique brand) but the ride quality of the bikes is definitely world-class.  Every year, there are more and more women's bikes to choose from.

It can still be difficult to get a female-specific bike from small manufacturers who only offer stock frames (not custom); that said, small "boutique" bike builders may use frame geometry that is female-friendly.  Most women definitely fit better on a female-specific bike with a shorter top tube, narrower handlebars and women's saddle.  Some "unisex" bikes tend to run relatively short in the top tube - so if a manufacturer you're interested in does not offer a women's bike, get sized on their bikes anyway.  You may be surprised!

Of course with custom frame builders it's no problem to get a bike that will be a perfect fit for the woman rider.

The most important thing is to have a bike professionally fitted for your individual needs.  There is simply no reason to ride a poorly-fitting bike.

--------------------------------------------
Source: Women's Bikes - mbikeworld.com

Female athletes interested in performance have their choice of road bikes, time trial bikes and mountain bikes specifically designed for women. Depending on the intended use, components and budget, sport-specific bikes can range from $300 to custom bikes in the tens of thousands. Women interested in casual, non-competitive riding also have many options to choose from. There are plenty of hybrids and comfort cruiser bikes for women to choose from. Now that bike-commuting has become popular, city bikes for women are also becoming more common.

There is no one "best" bike for women - it depends on the type of riding she will be doing, her fitness level, and her budget. Some bikes have the capability of being multi-sport bikes (for road, mountain and city riding), and some are very specialized (such as time trial bikes). If the cyclist has the budget for only one bike, it should be a bike that "does it all". Hybrid and city bikes are probably the best for all-around use. Although they are heavier than road bikes and not nearly as aerodynamic, they are comfortable and can be light enough to ride long distances. Some hybrids are quite heavy and designed only for bike path use; however, city bikes (which are a more road-worthy cousin of hybrids) are more and more present on century rides (100 mile rides) because of their comfort. Hybrids and city bikes are not designed for aggressive trail use, but can easily handle gravel roads or gentle hiking trails if the tires are switched out to knobby cyclo-cross tires for better traction.

Comfort bikes for women are popular with cyclists looking to cruise the bike path or ride around the neighborhood. They are strictly for fun - they are not nimble climbers on the hills, nor maneuverable and responsive as road and mountain bikes, but for a fun, gentle ride that does not blow the budget, they are great.

Although most women's bikes fit most women, there are a few out there who are particularly short, or tall, or have certain physical requirements, that are not addressed in "off the rack" women's bikes. For these women, custom bikes can be an alternative. Expensive, yes, but worth it when their personal requirements are met!

For more information on women's bikes and all aspects of cycling, please visit mbikeworld.com.