For many, ideas about women’s bicycles are limited only to the fact that they are models equipped with a ladies’ frame. This is where knowledge about the technical specifics of bikes ends. But there are much more design features that distinguish female models from male versions. It is important to know them in order to choose the bike that will best suit the individual characteristics of the cyclist.
Models of such bikes are created with a focus on the specifics of the female body. Bicycle technology developers take into account such important anatomical features as leg length, average height, width of the pelvic bones, the nature of weight distribution and other parameters that distinguish the fair sex. All this ensures a comfortable fit and ride comfort.
Women’s frame and its features
The specifics of the structure of the frame of a ladies’ bicycle depends on its type and purpose. The classic open-lower frame design that womenswear is traditionally associated with is the prerogative of city bikes. The upper tube in such bikes is either lowered as much as possible, running almost parallel to the lower one, or removed altogether. Convenience in this case comes at the expense of strength characteristics, which is why such bikes are not designed for aggressive riding.
The frame of women’s mountain bikes outwardly differs little from men’s. But the difference, albeit imperceptible at first glance, is still there. To increase the rigidity and adaptation of the bike to aggressive operating conditions, the designers keep the top tube of the frame as high, but the front triangle of the frame is usually made a little shortened, which provides a comfortable fit for the cyclist.
The correct size of the bike is selected in such a way that in a standing position the distance from the groin to the top tube is about 5 cm. When choosing a bike, it is recommended to give preference to options equipped with an aluminum frame. On average, such models are 25-30% lighter than iron counterparts, which makes them more practical in everyday use.
Steering and pedaling
Nature ordered in such a way that the shoulders of women are significantly narrower than those of men. This feature influenced the design of the steering wheel, which is made not so wide. On the one hand, this slightly worsens the handling of the bike, but at the same time makes the landing more comfortable. In bikes designed for extreme disciplines, the length of the handlebars for men’s and women’s models is usually the same.
An important difference between bicycles for girls is the shortened size of the connecting rods. Given that the average height of riders is usually shorter, this provides an optimal pedaling radius, contributes to greater comfort and less fatigue when riding. For those who, for some reason, decided to change the connecting rods on their bike, it is important to remember this feature and choose shortened versions of these components.
On the issue of women’s seats
During cycling, the main percentage of the load is redistributed to the protrusions of the ischial bones. When sitting on a bike, it is important that the buttocks are on the seat. The structure of the female body is such that the distance between these anatomical protrusions is on average 35-45 mm wider. This feature was reflected in the design specifics of ladies’ saddles: they are wide and at the same time shorter.
When purchasing these components, it is important to remember that the seats selected without taking into account the anatomical features of the rider can not only cause numbness and pain discomfort after long trips, but also cause certain harm to health.