| When somebody mentions the words "ladies bicycle" | | | | This has the effect of bringing the handlebars closer to |
| perhaps the first image that springs to mind is one of | | | | the saddle, which makes them easier for a woman to |
| those old, really heavy bikes with a very low top tube - | | | | reach. On many cruiser bikes, the top bar attaches so |
| to make it easy to mount, even wearing a long skirt - | | | | low to the saddle tube that they look like those vintage |
| and maybe with a wicker basket attached to the front. | | | | ladies bicycles where the rider can simply step over to |
| Actually this is a fairly outdated image. The woman | | | | mount while wearing skirts or summer dresses. |
| riding this particular ladies bicycle is probably middle | | | | Another change that is apparent on the women |
| aged or older. The truth is that there is a huge range | | | | specific design (WSD) bikes is narrower handlebars |
| of different women's bicycles on the market these | | | | often made of thinner tubing to accommodate a |
| days, and many look just like men's bikes to the | | | | woman's smaller hands. The brake levers are |
| untrained eye; these are the road racing bicycles that | | | | generally close-reach for the same reason. These |
| may have a shorter, slightly lower top tube, or | | | | modifications all make for a safer ride, both because |
| narrower handlebars. | | | | they stop the female rider from having to stretch in |
| The question remains though, are ladies bicycles a | | | | order to steer, which makes pulled muscles a high |
| necessity, or is it just as good for a woman to ride a | | | | possibility; but also because maintaining a comfortable |
| bike designed for men? The answer is that it really | | | | riding position allows better overall control of the bike. |
| does not matter; what is important is that the bicycle | | | | On the subject of comfort, ladies bicycle saddles are |
| fits you. After all, all women are not built exactly the | | | | also different to those made for men. They are wider |
| same - of course, certainly they are all different from | | | | to better support a woman's sitting bones and |
| the men! What is perfect for one woman might be a | | | | generally have a cutout in the center to provide a |
| horribly uncomfortable cycle for another. | | | | more comfortable riding experience. In some of the |
| Nevertheless, the average woman will have longer | | | | leisure bikes, the saddles are also padded or have their |
| legs, a shorter torso, shorter arms and smaller hands | | | | own shock absorbers. |
| and feet than the average man of comparable height. | | | | So ladies bicycles are not a "must" have for women, |
| This means that there are certainly some beneficial | | | | as it pays its own rewards for each individual to find |
| modifications that can be made in the design of | | | | the best bike for herself. However, the frame |
| bicycles for ladies. As mentioned briefly above, the top | | | | geometries and other women specific modifications to |
| tube can be shortened and made to slope | | | | these bicycles probably does warrant labelling them a |
| downwards from the handlebars to the saddle tube. | | | | "should" have. |