Viewing 37 posts - 1 through 37 (of 37 total)
  • Woman-specific questions
  • Dorset_Knob
    Free Member

    After a day on hire bikes in Sardinia this year, my wife is pleasingly keen on doing more, and I’d like to build her a bike as a surprise Christmas present.

    Never having dabbled in the world of woman’s cycling before, I have some questions about set-up:

    • Woman’s frames: are they a good thing, or is using a short-reach stem about as good?
    • Saddle recommendations?
    • Anything else I need to be aware of as I spec / source components for the bike I’ll be building?

    (I’m hoping to build something as nice as possible out of second-hand/new parts.)

    Any other comments, hints/tips glady received.

    hels
    Free Member

    Tip no 1: don’t build her a bike out of your second hand bits !

    hels
    Free Member

    Tip no 2: well, if you have to ask you will never understand…

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    crazy-legs
    Full Member

    It’s not going to be a surprise – she needs to be involved in the purchase/build of said bike. Do NOT attempt without consultation unless she is a very experienced rider and you know *exactly* what she likes/wants!

    rkk01
    Free Member

    mrsrkk01 got herself a new bike last year after a long absence from mtbing.

    We considered the buy a small SH frame (SC Juliana) / parts bin build, but chose not to.

    Best bet is to try a selection of ready built bikes and see:

    a) What fits best
    b) What captures her imagination / desire the most.

    We typically get to the point of bike builds after having tried a few bikes and knowing what sort of size / handling / spec we are after….

    mrsrkk01 ended up with a lovely Canondale HT, which had a good end of season discount.

    First year she ran it as spec, but this year has put some lighter wheels on (surplus from my broken bike :() The light wheels have made it into a really responsive, flickable little bike.

    Important thing is that she chose it herself and loves it to bits

    london_lady
    Free Member

    Yes wsd bikes can be a good thing especially if your wife is on the shorter side but personally I wouldn’t like to guess at the correct sizing for her. IMO it would be better to come clean and let her try out a couple of bikes for size and then surprise her with a complete new bike.
    Saddles are a personnal choice – the specialized saddles always get good reviews on here but I’ve never got on with them – I prefer bontrager or fizik wsd saddles.

    Any other comments, hints/tips glady received

    buy her some decent padded shorts

    jacksta
    Free Member

    Frame – How tall is she? I’m 5’9 and get on fine with mens frames but if she was small she might be better off with a womens frame – although anything small and light ought to be ok with a shorter stem.

    saddle – anything with a groove or a hole. Unfortunately you cant really say how one person will get on with a saddle. I have had some womens saddles that are really wide, make it harder to pedal and hard to get off the back of.

    you might want to think about brake spec – I found V brakes useless because I didnt have the grip strength (do they even exist anymore?). Having said that you will prob want brakes with adjustable levers (smaller hands, smaller reach). BUT she prob wont need massive rotors…

    Grips – again hand size is a factor. I like ones with less padding / rubber.

    Fork size vs stem size – she is going to find it harder to keep the front down when climbing than you do.

    As for build – I did a similar thing for my BF a few years ago. Bought him a Soul frame and then put basic bits on. As they wore out or he broke them he replaced with more expensive bits…I thought the frame more important in the long term and as a beginner he wouldnt notice deore shifting quality. The Soul has been great and for the same money (once built) a full suss would have been hideous.

    molgrips
    Free Member

    Definitely don’t do it as a surprise. It could be totally wrong!

    You need to try out loads of bikes and sizes. Mrs Grips is a fan of the specialized saddles (as am I) becuase they can measure your bum. We don’t all have the same sized bums, so why all ride the same sized saddle?

    Be prepared to go through a lot of saddles tho all the same.

    Also, women’s frames are based on the fact that women have longer legs and shorter bodies, so have shorter reach. HOWEVER not all women are built like this, so such bikes will not always be suitable 🙂

    cinnamon_girl
    Full Member

    Feel free to aim missiles at me but I find it quite patronising that a person thinks they know what is best for me. 🙄

    For example, I did not leave it to my ex to decide what car was best for me.

    Why not involve her in the project? Explain, for example, the difference between ht and fs, why weight matters, suspension travel etc. etc.

    Going the second-hand route is a good idea as it can mean that she will end up with a better specc’d bike than a new one.

    The mistake that blokes make is proudly presenting their oh with some shonky heavyweight lump of metal and then wondering why they are not interested in riding again. 🙄

    Not being argumentative so please don’t take my remarks in the wrong context. 🙂

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    HOw bigs your budget? The specialized Myka bikes are a decent buy and Fits Mrs TJ really well.

    As others have said don’t do it as a suprise

    LenBuch
    Free Member

    Built better half a bike based around an 15″ Orange Diva frame (dude stickers not the girly ones). The bike is ideal with 120mm forks as she is short(5ft)but with longish legs.
    So womens specific good for her but its not always the case.
    Best to get advice in a good lbswho knows what they are talking about.

    z1ppy
    Full Member

    My g/f couldn’t get on with a 17″ frame no matter what we did with the seat position or stem/bars. Ended up getting a WSD Myka off here & though it’s a lot more sit up & beg position, she’s a lot happier with it & more likely to ride now.

    Seat wise, get her down to a spesh shop that does body geometry, getting a sear wide enough for her sit bones was a major step forward, that didn’t cost the earth.

    cinnamon_girl
    Full Member

    It is always worth asking the girlies on here if they would mind her trying out their bikes for size. I am always happy to do this as I know how difficult it can be with sizes/top tubes.

    Sidney
    Free Member

    I built a bike for my girl which she loves.

    If you see the bike as a bit of an intro to biking why not do it as a surprise if thats what you want. You can always upgrade later if she takes to it. If you’re spending a lot of money then I’d get her buy in.

    I’ve found her hands are quite small so she struggles to reach the brake levers. Its on my list to improve with maybe a combination of slimmer grips and different levers.

    I bought her a new small mens frame and put some of my old kit on their like drivetrain, wheels, fork, stem and handlebars. New seat and pedals and we were off! When I looked women specific frames were in short supply.

    nonk
    Free Member

    Feel free to aim missiles at me but I find it quite patronising that a person thinks they know what is best for me

    this is why he is asking for other women’s thoughts.

    PeterPoddy
    Free Member

    she needs to be involved in the purchase/build of said bike

    Naaa she doesn’t. Load of codswallop! 😀

    I AM the undisputed STW “King of Surprise Bikes for the Missus” as anybody who remembers my threads about Mrs PPs Kona a few years ago will concur.

    If you know your onions, and do your homework, it’s great fun, and worth is for the surprise alone. 🙂
    I spent 3-4 months collecting the parts, and hiding them around the house before builing the bike, hiding it in the car, smuggling it to her Mums house and presenting her with a tiny box with a custom engraved Chris King headset to cap inside, then leading her into another room brandishing an allen key. That hit the spot, let me tell you! 🙂

    There’s been a couple of minor changes on that bike, but it’s been perfect for about 3 years now. 🙂

    mboy
    Free Member

    You need to understand how long her legs are in relation to her body before you can begin to work out a frame size IMO. WSD bikes are all made on the assumption that women have very long legs and short bodies when compared to men of a similar height.

    Fortunately for me, this is not always the case. I’ve got long legs for my height, and a relatively short body, so even though I’m 5ft 11 my hardtail frame is a 17.5″ rather than a 19″ as otherwise it would be too long for me. Now my GF expressed an interest in giving MTBing a go, so I winced as I thought it was going to be an expensive proposition. I lucked out though, cos at 5ft 7 she has a long body and relatively short legs for her height, so she fitted on my HT a treat. I ended up putting a slightly shorter stem on it, and bought a Specialized WSD saddle for her, but otherwise it’s spot on for her, and she loves riding it. The only problem I’ve got now is I can never ride it any more, as she always wants to come out with me!

    The mistake that blokes make is proudly presenting their oh with some shonky heavyweight lump of metal and then wondering why they are not interested in riding again.

    Agreed, but often the flipside is that if you spend a load of money on a good bike, it might only get used once or twice. FAR better to borrow/loan a bike for the first couple of instances IMO to see if she gets it…

    Or find yourself a GF that’s the same height and build as you are! 😉

    molgrips
    Free Member

    Fine advice from PP, as long as you are married to/going out with Mrs PP 🙂

    carlosg
    Free Member

    As above It would be a good Idea to at least take the wife to a few bike shops to try some bike out for size , mrscarlos couldn’t get on woith a women specific frame and ended up with a mens small Cannondale with a ladies saddle and suspension post added.

    Dorset_Knob
    Free Member

    Thanks everyone. I like your style PP and I believe such a grand gesture would go down well with Mrs Knob!

    Not a heavy lump of rubbish C_G! And thanks for the offer. Although The mistake that blokes make is quite a generalisation 🙂

    MrsToast
    Free Member

    Woman’s frames: are they a good thing, or is using a short-reach stem about as good?

    Depends on the frame and depends on the woman! I’m only 5ft 2, but I don’t get on with a lot of women-specific bikes because the top tubes tend to be far too short for me. Conversely, a lot of bloke’s bikes, even in small or extra small, can be lacking in the standover department. It took a lot of demo rides for me to find something suitable.

    If you want to be sneaky but still get a good idea of what she wants/needs, I’d recommend going on lots of trips to places with bike hire and seeing which bikes she gets on with.

    Saddle recommendations?

    Again, really down to personal preference. Very personal preference!

    Anything else I need to be aware of as I spec / source components for the bike I’ll be building?

    If she’s got small hands, remember to consider narrower grips and to make sure the brake levers aren’t half a mile away from the bars.

    Assuming you’re not going fully rigid (not a euphemism)remember to make sure that the forks/rear shock can be adjusted for her weight. Nowt worse than riding a bike with a cheap heavy fork that doesn’t even budge!

    Well, there is worse, but you get the idea.

    Or find yourself a GF that’s the same height and build as you are!

    T’husband failed in that department, he’s 6ft 7. He can use my bikes like they were BMXs. I can use his bikes if I get a step ladder and a pair of stilts. -_-

    hels
    Free Member

    Some women like being told what to do, how to dress,what to say, what bike to ride etc, some will rip your lungs out for it.

    Only you can know what kind you are with !

    PeterPoddy
    Free Member

    FYI: The bike in question, Mrs PP’s Kink Kikapu. 🙂

    FULL XT, incl pedals, brakes, cassette, chain
    Easton Carbon bars
    RS Rebas set at 115mm
    King Headset
    Hope/DT Swiss Wheels, Nobby Nics
    Race Face/WTB/ODI finishing kit
    26.5lb ready to roll…..

    [url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/peter_atkin/4270770805/]kona[/url] by PeterPoddy, on Flickr

    [url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/peter_atkin/4271517104/]Kona_forks_ride_056[/url] by PeterPoddy, on Flickr

    That’s the way it’s done guys, that’s the way it’s done…. :mrgreen:

    malibu_babe_28
    Free Member

    I think a surprise bike is not a idea. Even if you pick the right bike, you might not pick the right size. And she needs to feel bought into the process, so that she ‘owns’ the bike at the end of it. Let her choose which bike/frame she likes best – you can still help/guide her. I know someone who picked the bike for his wife (with the best intentions), and she still doesnt feel like its her bike.

    I’m happy to lend out my steeds for testing – Cotic Soul (16″) and Giant Cypher (16″), and I’m 5ft 5.

    To answer your other Q’s.
    Women specific frames – Seem to be best for people between up to about 5ft 6. If she’s taller than that, she could probably pick equally from mens bikes. At 5ft 5, I can fit most small mens bikes. But really its the positioning on the bike. For instance, a lot of Giants are quite sit up and beg. She needs to sit on some bikes and see what the position she likes.
    I found adjustable brake lever position really useful, as I can’t reach the levers otherwise. Moving the brakes inboard of the shifters for one finger braking also made a big difference to me.

    Saddles are a personal thing – you just have to try them. I like WTB deva, Fizik Vitesse and the Specialized Windie or Charge Ladle. I’ve never come across a saddle I couldn’t use though.

    Shorter crank length can be good for shorter legs.

    There are handlebars that allow super narrow grips if she has very small hands.

    I think generally it matters more to women that the bike isn’t too heavy. We’ve got a bit less power on average, saving a couple of pounds can make a big difference to all day enjoyment.

    I think the main thing is don’t build her a frankenbike from your heavy cast offs, or anything you’d not be prepared to ride with yourself. Don’t christen the bike yourself (unless you know she’d be ok with that).

    Good luck!

    VanHalen
    Full Member

    i sat down with the missus looked online and discussed the merits of teh bits and pieces, what worked, what was rubbish. and i told her which bits she may need to try a few of (saddles grips etc).

    she has ended up with a bike thats about 1/2 the weight of any of mine that she enjoys riding as its pretty much specced by her.

    rode it for a bit. made a few alterations, stem, bar height, lever position etc and its all good. she wishes she could use it more.

    Aidan
    Free Member

    Going against the grain here a bit, but I’d be careful about “involving” her too much. Sure, if you can, get her to try for size etc. But if she doesn’t already ride, she won’t care about choosing rotor sizes, fork adjustments, or anything else herself.

    You could argue that it’s no different than any person starting out mountain biking: You can’t go too far wrong with a £500-ish hardtail.

    A couple of years after building up a small Rock Lobster for her, it turns out that my girlfriend really enjoyed riding a fully rigid 29er SS. I’m sure if presented with both bikes a couple of years ago, she wouldn’t have picked the SS.

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    PP – what were you thinking of with that top cap

    Pass the sickbag puleeeeeeeeze

    namastebuzz
    Free Member

    Dont’t listen to what everyone says. You build her the bike you think she should have and spec it with all the bits you’d like because you know much more about it than her.

    Don’t worry what all the chicks on here say either. After all, as long as they look pretty do we really care what they think?

    molgrips
    Free Member

    You could argue that it’s no different than any person starting out mountain biking: You can’t go too far wrong with a £500-ish hardtail

    Yeah but it HAS to fit.

    jacksta
    Free Member

    You are going to have to do a fair amount of picking for her but how much depends on her – you’ll have to judge. My OH picked the colour of the frame and then pretty much went with everything I suggested based on him not knowing any better and being prepared to “give it a go…”

    You might want to discuss the pros and cons of spending more or less in certain places. That way when she’s riding she can take that into account. You might find she would rather spend less and not feel the pressure of needing to like her bike just because it cost a lot it must be good and its me type thing. Then you can swap out bits later when she knows what she wants.

    mboy
    Free Member

    I think generally it matters more to women that the bike isn’t too heavy. We’ve got a bit less power on average, saving a couple of pounds can make a big difference to all day enjoyment.

    This matters a LOT more to women from what I’ve experienced than it generally does to us guys. I’m 3 stone heavier than my GF, so I don’t mind a bit of extra heft on the bike, especially on the wheels or tyres normally as I can tend to crash about a bit. Went to Glentress the other weekend with my GF though, her on my hardtail, and her comment was “thank god that bike is pretty light” at the top of the Innerleithen climb. It’s about 26lb as is, could go lighter, but I’ve put light wheels (stans 355’s on Hope Pro2’s, with Bontrager tubeless tyres) on it, Rockshox Revelation dual air’s (easy to adjust to her weight), carbon bars, decent kit etc on it. I’m sure she’d have struggled more on something 5lb heavier, especially as on most cheaper bikes the extra 5lb would manifest itself as 3-4lb in the wheels and the tyres, with only 1-2lb elsewhere. And it’s the wheels and the tyres that make the biggest difference!

    nonk
    Free Member

    away with you TJ
    nowt wrong with that PP.

    Skoolshoes
    Free Member

    My girlfriend and I visited a few bike shops, so she could see what type of bike she’d get for her money if we bought one new from a shop.
    Unimpressed with the options available, we bought a secondhand 15″ frame which was in new condition, and all other components were bought new.
    Over the course of 4 months, we compared a lot of components and I explained the differences in function, weight and value etc… Final cost £605 and she’s real pleased with it.
    Only thing I’ve had to change is the height/angle of the saddle 🙂

    Skoolshoes
    Free Member

    PeterPoddy; where did you get the top cap from and how much was it please?

    crotchrocket
    Free Member

    don’t **** about, get her something at least as light as yours (pref. lighter/better) as you will prob. find she has less strength than you and needs the help to keep up.

    I got my bitch an Orange Diva, she is well pleased & can nearly stay in the same county as me (while I’m riding the steel singlespeed one legged up Jacobs Ladder)

    cinnamon_girl
    Full Member

    OK, am properly chilled now cos I got out on my ‘new’ bike. 🙄

    I think hels and I are coming from the same angle. It should not be a bike that YOU feel is right for her. For example, I know a good male rider whose SO rides what I can only describe as a poorly fitting bike. He obviously thought it was OK, perhaps it was if HE was riding it! Even I could see that the setup was wrong.

    Tell us your wife’s height, whether long/short body and legs and we can come up with some suggestions for you. 🙂

    I would say, however, that the most important components (after the frame) will be forks and wheels – lightweight is good. Hardtail would be best and certainly steel will be more comfy.

    Apologies, too, for making assumptions about men. 😳

    Edit: we also often hear of frames and components for sale too. Some of us have been known to change on a regular basis!

    Dorset_Knob
    Free Member

    Edit: we also often hear of frames and components for sale too. Some of us have been known to change on a regular basis!

    Excellent! Let me know!

    I must admit, I’m finding some of the assumptions — that I’ll build my wife a bike that’s built to my requirements not hers, or made out of my cast-offs, or whatever — quite funny. If I made a bike for me, not her, that would make me an idiot. 🙂

    I would say, however, that the most important components (after the frame) will be forks and wheels

    Thanks for that – I’d been wondering about the forks, hadn’t got as far as wheels. I’d also been thinking that a hardtail, possibly with sus post would be about right.

    I must admit, I am now wondering if a trip to a bike shop might not be the best approach after all; maybe it’s just my male ego telling me I can build her a better bike than an off the shelf job (haven’t bought a bike like that for myself for so long, I’d forgotten all the advantages).

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