BIKE FITTING FOR WSD BIKES
In addition to a completely fresh geometry on a WSD frame, the parts mounted off a women’s specific bike are likely to be differently proportioned as well.
WSD BIKE SADDLES
The contact points are quite different. To accommodate differences in pelvis shapes, women’s specific seats are wider, giving better support for the sit-bones, and shorter in length. The saddle category illustrates the differences between and men's and women's seats.
HANDLEBARS
The same applies to the front end of the bike, where the handlebars are narrower, aiding control of the bike and better matching the narrower width of female shoulders. Stems are also usually shorter, both as a further measure to keep the reach to the handlebars manageable, but also to sharpen the bike’s handling in smaller sizes and counteract relaxed head-angles which can be necessary to avoid toe-overlap with the front wheel.
CRANK LENGTH
Crank lengths also tend to be shorter on ladies bikes, again based off a proportional scaling down to factor in smaller sizes.
KEY TAKEAWAY: BIKE SIZE MATTERS
Every woman is different, so these guidelines may not apply to everybody – and the benefits are likely to be most appreciated at the smaller ends of the sizing spectrum where women are going to struggle most to get a suitable fit on a men’s bike. Nonetheless, for a majority of females, there is a real benefit to a WSD bike.
In practical terms, differences in length of key components like the cranks will improve your climbing ability and pedalling efficiency, as you’ll be able to maintain a more comfortable cadence with reduced strain on the hips and knees. So when you roll up to the office or the end of that trail, you won't experience any unnecessary pain or soreness.
The handling of the bike will also be easier to control, granting more confidence at higher speeds and whilst descending; you’ll be able to more easily reach the brake levers and steer the bike more fluidly. This is especially great for fast-paced cycling. In short, it’s a win-win.