Choosing the right women's bike

The bicycle is a means of transport that is slowly conquering the female world as well. More and more girls decide to buy a travel bike, a road bike, a city bike or an MTB, to follow their husbands or boyfriends on tiring and muddy adventures or simply to start discovering the world more slowly, at a more human pace.

However, choosing a women's bike is not so obvious and in order not to make mistakes, it is necessary to evaluate some important parameters before buying. All the brands have an eye for what concerns the universe of women's cycling. In most cases the frame is unisex but there are cases where there are specific sizes and shapes specifically designed for female ergonomics.

The choice for the women's bicycle is dictated by the customer's needs, based on what she wants to do and last but not least the color which for some is fundamental.

The choice of frame in women's bikes

Without a doubt, the frame is the main part of the bicycle. In recent years, some brands have become aware of the interest that the women's cycling market arouses. The specific collections for cyclists ready to climb passes and cover kilometers by bicycle are constantly increasing.

To create models suitable for the female body, the essential difference between men and women must be taken into consideration: size. According to the statistics collected and studied, women have longer legs, shorter busts and less broad shoulders. But not only! The difference in power must also be taken into account.

This translates into a road bike with a shorter frame and narrower handlebars. In terms of geometry, the brands have modified the length and angles of the different tubes that make up the frame (especially the top tube, base tube and head tube) to favor comfort and stability.

Choice of size

If you're in between sizes, choose the smaller frame. It is always possible to adapt the bicycle and adjust the seat post, saddle and handlebar to find the position, more or less raised, based on what you want to favor: comfort or aerodynamics for maximum performance.

That said, not all manufacturers have decided to adopt the same strategy and some still argue that the differences between men and women are not enough to require different frames. On the other hand, their catalogs include components and accessories designed to favor the comfort of women on the bicycle.

CicliMattio offers in its catalog a series of bicycles specifically designed for the female market.

If women generally have a wider pelvis than men, even the women's road bike saddle will have different characteristics from that for a man:

• Essentially for women wider saddles are used to allow better support of the bones on the sides of the coccyx, which must not be on the outside but rest on the flat part of the saddle.

• Even the adjustment of the saddle, in height (as explained here) but also in retraction and possible inclination, can determine the correct position in the saddle. Handlebar width is important to feel comfortable. The idea is to have the measurement closest to shoulder width.

• A narrower handlebar improves grip on the bike and access to the levers. This also reduces the strain on the shoulders. You can choose a stem and levers that are closer and with a dedicated shape to brake with greater energy.

• As far as relationships are concerned, female models are more versatile. Depending on the level and terrain, you can choose a cassette to go anywhere without difficulty. For example, a Compact double chainring crankset (34/50 teeth) ensures maximum efficiency and versatility on any type of terrain.

• Smaller size means smaller cranks. You need to choose shorter cranks that allow you to reduce muscle and joint extension with a higher and less tiring pedaling cadence. The postural study allows to determine the necessary size.

Basically, top level professionals use the same bicycles as their male colleagues; naturally the sizes will be smaller and with control levers more suitable for women's hands. To distinguish the bicycles, usually based on the color of the team, more showy colors are given.

Here are some bikes with characteristics more suited to the characteristics of the female physique:

• BIANCHI E-Spillo City
• BIANCHI C Sport Checkers 2
• GAZELLE Medeo T10 HMB

However, remember that ALL bikes can also be used by women, it all depends on the geometry and, consequently, the size.