Women’s Road Bike Buyer’s Guide

​Looking for a women’s bike? There are more options than ever, with plenty to choose from no matter what kind of cycling you are planning on doing.

What’s the difference between women’s and unisex/men’s bikes?
Nearly every bike company makes bikes specifically targeted at women. Some will have a distinct frame design that the companies say suit female riders better, while others will have a unisex frame.
All will have contact points (the points where the rider touches the bike) that are designed for women, such as a women’s specific saddle.

Because each brand has its own approach to women’s bike design, there isn’t a universal consensus on what makes a bike women’s specific. However, there are a few features most will have in common:

• Smaller sizes: Small, X-Small and XX-Small cater for smaller riders. Sometimes these are the small sizes of the men’s/unisex bike, other times it’s a dedicated women’s frame with a unique geometry.
• Lowered top tube: This mostly applies to hybrid or commuter bikes. They have a lower or sloping top tube, which allows a lower standover height, making it easier to get on and off.
• A shorter reach: This refers to the distance from the saddle to the handlebars. Bikes with a frame designed for female riders will sometimes have this when compared to equivalent men’s or unisex models. This sometimes means, combined with other frame elements such as a higher front end, the result is a more upright position for the rider.
• Shorter crank arms: For riders with shorter legs, shorter crank arms (the part linking the pedals to the spindle around which they move) reduce the stretch that the leg needs around the pedal stroke, which reduces strain and makes pedalling easier. Shorter cranks can also be pedalled faster.
• Narrower handlebars, shallower drops on road handlebars: Narrower handlebars are designed to suit narrower shoulders, and the shallower drop on road handlebars means a shorter reach from the seat to the bars.
• Smaller range choice: Women’s bike ranges typically have three or four models, whereas a unisex range can have more. This often means less choice for women if they are looking for a women’s specific bike, but many women find unisex bikes suits them fine.
• Lighter shock tune: Mountain bikes that feature suspension will have this set up to accommodate the on-average lighter weight of female riders.
• Women’s saddle: Women’s bikes usually come with a saddle designed to be comfortable for female riders. However, because saddles are a personal thing, you may still want to try something different. Our buyer’s guide to women’s saddles is a great place to start your search for the perfect perch.

What are these design differences based on?
Bike companies have carried out research into physiological differences between male and female bike riders, and some conclude there are significant enough differences between the riders of each gender to warrant a specific frame design.
Meanwhile, others conclude a unisex bike fitted to the rider is a better solution.

Do I need a women’s bike?
Some women have a better fit on women’s specific models, while others find no difference between women’s and unisex bikes, or prefer unisex bikes completely.
It’s worth testing out a few bikes, if you can, to compare how different brands or different sizes fit because there are always slight differences in the way brands size up their bikes.
Having a bike-fit will ensure your bike is right for you, whatever type you go for. A bike-fit is where an experienced bike-fitter takes measurements including leg length, flexibility and how far you reach forward when seated. They will also observe as you ride the bike on a static trainer.
From this, they can adjust elements of the bike, such as saddle height, handlebar reach, etc, to give you the best fit possible.
This may require swapping out certain parts for others, such as handlebars with a deep drop to a pair with a shallower drop, or a long stem to one that’s slightly shorter.

What size women’s bicycle do I need?
Most bikes are sized as Small, Medium, Large, etc (usually mountain bikes and some hybrid bikes), or numerically as centimetres or inches (e.g. 54cm, 17in, etc).
Like clothes, sizing isn’t consistent across brands so don’t expect one brand’s Medium to feel exactly the same as another’s.
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Most brands have an online size guide that will recommend a size based on your height, or other areas such as your inner leg length. This is where you should start.
Try to demo the bike if you can, so you can see how it feels when you ride it. This is particularly important if you sit between sizes because it will help you work out which size to go for.
For more information we have created a simple guide to women’s bike sizes that may help.

How can I get my bike to fit better?
If you want to make the bike you already have fit better, or adapt a unisex bike, there are some simple changes you can make.
​The six most common tweaks for a better bike fit are:

1. Fitting a women’s-specific saddle
2. Changing the seatpost
3. Swapping in a shorter stem for the handlebars
4. Checking the width of your handlebars
5. Changing to shorter cranks
6. Adjusting the reach of your brakes

Many of these adaptations are easy to do yourself, or if you buy a bike from a shop then the staff should be able to help.

Reference: Bike Radar