Ladies Specific Bikes

[GrahamG]

I'm not all that sceptical - even on photos you can tell the frames are shorter in the toptube and appear to have a taller head-tube. In fact, I think a WSD bike would suit me better if that's the case!

 

[walker]

they do appear to be different but for what reason I don't know. My GF has a longer body and (only by 2 inches) longer legs than me so she should fit on my bike with ease, the only difference is she can't quite reach the gears and brakes very well. I might get her a mans bike with a shorter stem

 

[Kirstie]

WSD only has benefits if you're short ie under 5'2".
As your other half is a lot taller than that she has the choice of pretty much every make of bike out there. Don't restrict her to WSD.
Women generally have longer legs and a shorter reach than men, so for road frames, compacts work well, although she'll probably run more seatpost than a guy of equivalent height.

 

[Kirstie]

You can also get short reach road bars for women. Bontrager do a good set, and there are others too. I have some on my tourer. They're not expensive. On the road my guess is that it's best to run at least a 100mm stem for stability, so if you want to shorten the reach go for the short reach bars.

 

[andy_wrx]

You think it's important to be 9-speed rather than 8 ?

Sora is 9-speed in 2008, so Spesh Dolce which is about £500 will be 9-speed http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=32300 and presumably the same will apply to other manufacturers as well.

 

[Kirstie]

About Sora: I'll just add that they are the best STI levers I've used so far for small hands. I have comedy small hands, and very short thumbs (one of which doesn't work too well because of surgery), and with Sora I don't need to move my hand at all to reach the thumb button shifter thingy (don't know the technical term). With Campag I actually have to move my hand to change gear and with anything higher than sora it's all in the brake levers which is a pain in the bum.

 

[andy_wrx]

Yes, with Sora (this year's 8sp, am guessing next year's 9sp will be same), not only is there the thumb lever, but there's an obvious screwhead on the back of the shifter which adjusts the brake lever reach too.

WSD bikes, if done properly rather than just being painted pink, not only will have a shorter top tube and narrower bars etc but will also have shorter-reach shifters for smaller hands, like R500's/R600's/R700's rather than just ordinary 105/Ultegra/etc

 

[walker]

it does'nt have to be 9spd but I have some good wheels that I can put to at least a 9spd and if she wanted to upgrade the wheels I don't know that many manufacturers that still do 8spd compatable hubs

 

[Kirstie]

I *think* I've got some 8spd road wheels...pm me if you're interested.

 

[Paulus]

Sora brake levers are easy to adjust to accomodate smaller hands such as ladies have. There is a small screw on the front of the hoods that adjusts the reach. Sora, although the bottom of the groupsets is very good and works extremely well.

 

[walker]

I *think* I've got some 8spd road wheels...pm me if you're interested.

I'll let you know once I got the bike

 

[mickle]

Eight speed and nine speed hubs are the same.

 

[mickle]

WSD only has benefits if you're short ie under 5'2".
As your other half is a lot taller than that she has the choice of pretty much every make of bike out there. Don't restrict her to WSD.
Women generally have longer legs and a shorter reach than men, so for road frames, compacts work well, although she'll probably run more seatpost than a guy of equivalent height.

Yes, yes, yes ,yes.

 

[mickle]

White makes you look fat...don't go for white. Black's the way forward.

White is the new black.

 

[Kirstie]

Yes, yes, yes ,yes.

Mickle has a 'when harry met sally' moment