The term 'women's specific bike' gets thrown around a lot by various bike brands, retailers, pundits and commenters, but what does it actually mean when it comes to designing bikes?
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Sadly, if you were expecting there to be a unified agreement as to what 'women's specific bike design' entailed — other than the obvious 'a bike designed for a female rider' — you'll be disappointed. Unsurprisingly, just as each brand has its own approach to designing bikes in general, they also have their own approach to designing bikes for their female customers, of which there are ever growing numbers.
What's more, these approaches have changed over the years, generally for the better, as brands have taken a more sophisticated and evidence-based approach to designing for women. Again, this isn't surprising, after all, bike design in general has changed over the years as manufacturing techniques, information on biometrics and ergonomics, and the market itself has evolved.
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So here's a very brief rundown of some of the ways the term 'women's specific bike design' has been applied, both in the past and currently.
1. 'Shrink it and pink it'
This evocative term refers to a design approach that does exactly what it says; take a men's (or unisex, depending on your point of view) bike, make it smaller and add 'feminine' touches — such as a pink paint job, a few floral flourishes and perhaps a butterfly or two.
2. Short and high
3. Unisex frame, women's specific finishing kit
4. Activity specific design
5. 'True' women's specific design
It's a complicated picture
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