How to Choose a Women's Road Bike

Women typically have longer legs and shorter torsos than men. Many bike manufacturer's make women's specific road bikes with the female anatomy in mind. This article will teach you how to choose a women's specific road bike.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Cycling shorts
• Cycling shoes
• Socks
• Bike shop

1. Determine your budget. Women's specific road bikes are most commonly available in aluminum or carbon frames. Although aluminum weighs a bit more than carbon, if you have a tight budget, choose a bike with an aluminum frame. Aluminum frame road bikes start at around $600, while top of the line carbon frame bikes can cost thousands of dollars. Steel, titanium and even bamboo bike frames are also available, but aluminum and carbon are more commonly available.

2. Decide on a brand of bike. First, identify which bike manufacturers make women's specific road bikes. Trek, Cannondale and Terry Bicycles are just a few examples of companies that make women's specific bikes. Also, some manufacturers use the designation WSD in the model name, this stands for women's specific design.

3. Find a local bike shop. Visit each bike manufacturers website to find out which bike shops in your area carry the brands of bikes you are interested in looking at.

4. Get a bike fit. Your local bike shop will be able to take various measurements to determine what size bike frame you should order. Women typically have longer legs, shorter torsos, shorter arms, wider pelvis, smaller hands and narrower shoulders compared to a man of similar height. A women's specific bike will take all these variations into consideration.

5. Order your bike. Most shops won't have the particular size or model of bike that you want in stock. It can take anywhere from a few days to a few months to get the bike in stock. The bike shop will call their manufacturer's representative to see if they can find an already built bike that can be sent to the bike shop. Otherwise, the bike shop will have to place an order through the manufacturer's representative to have the bike built for you.

Tips & Warnings

• Take a test ride. Contact your local bike store to ask if they have demo bikes available that you can take for a test ride. Many bike manufacturers conduct test rides, or demo days, of their latest bike models at local parks or bike stores. Your local bike shop should be able to tell you if any test ride events are scheduled for your area.
• Features to look for include a women's specific bike frame, smaller brake levers, shorter crank arms, shorter top tubes and narrower handlebars. Also look for a wider seat; as a women's pelvis is wider than a man's. A women's specific seat will be a bit wider than a typical seat found on a man's road bike.
• Many terrific bargains can be found online when shopping around for a bike. However, purchasing a bike from a local bike store usually comes with at least a 30 day warranty. Many bike shops will also provide tune ups for free, or at a reduced rate, for customers that have purchased a bike from them.

Resources

• Terry Bicycles
• Giant for Women
• Trek Women Who Ride
• Cannondale Just for Women
• Specialized Designs for Women

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