How to Choose a Women's Bike

Choose a women's bike that is right for you.

From a surface perspective it would seem that shopping for a woman's bicycle is a relatively easy task. All you have to do is test the bike out in the store to see if it it's a good fit. Right? Not exactly. Because a woman's body is generally proportioned differently than a man's, there are some things to consider when purchasing women's bikes. Three things you want to consider when buying women's bikes are height, length, and comfort.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure

Instructions

1. Determine the distance from your feet to your crotch area. You can have someone that you trust to take the measurement for you to ensure accuracy; if not, do it yourself. All you have to do is take a pair of your favorite long pants and measure the distance from the bottom of the pants to the crotch. Write down the measurement in feet and inches.

2. Measure the length of your arms, from the shoulder to the end of your fingertips. Add two to three inches to your measurement to allow for “reaching.” Write down the final measurement in feet and inches.

3. Visit a store that has a wide variety of bikes to choose from. Take your tape measure with you. Look at the bikes until you find one that suits your taste. Use your tape measure to measure the distance from the bottom of the wheel to the top bar of the bike. The top bar is the long tube that runs from the handle bar post of the bike to the seat post. It may extend straight across or it may be slanted downwards.

   If the distance from the bottom of the wheel to the top bar is shorter than the measurements in Step 1, the bike is a good height. If the distance from the bottom of the wheel to the top bar is longer than the distance in Step 1, the bike is not a good fit.

4. Measure the distance from the bike seat to the bike's handlebar brakes. To be a good fit the distance should not be longer than the measurements in Step 2. Flat bar handlebars are more upright, and allow for a shorter reach. With that in mind, you may want to look at bikes that have the flat-bar instead of drop-bar handlebars.

5. Examine the seat on the bike. For a woman, choose a bike that has a wider seat. This is because the wider saddle is made to fit the proportions of a woman's body better than a narrow one.

6. Test ride the bike. Once you have found a bike that meets all of the aforementioned criteria, it's time to give it whirl. If the bike feels right during the test ride, it is likely the right bike for you.

References

• REI: How To Choose A Bicycle
• What To Look For In A Women's Bike
• Beginner Triathlete: Female Bike Saddles, Designs & Medical Issues

Resources

• TrekWomen: WSD Bikes
• Cannondale: Feminine Bikes