FEMALE-FRIENDLY BIKE TWEAKS
Tweaks to boost comfort and control
Many so-called ‘women’s bikes’ are just ‘unisex’ models (which is in itself a bit of a misnomer, because the frames tend to be designed around typical male proportions) with some flowery colours and a wider saddle. They may be available in smaller sizes, but generally have the same geometry (Canyon, Cube and Liv are the only brands currently offering female-specific MTB frames). And choice is often distinctly limited, in terms of the different models and specs available. All of this means that buying a unisex bike and fine-tuning it to suit can often be the best route to go down, especially for more serious, aggressive, taller or heavier female riders. Here are some set-up pointers...
01 SADDLE
Saddle soreness may just be the most talkedabout topic in women’s cycling, so itting a decent female-speci ic seat is the irst thing you should do if you opt for a unisex bike. There are tons of options out there – our favourites include Specialized’s Power models with ‘Mimic’ technology, i’zi:k’s Luna X5 and Bontrager’s Yatra. Don’t be fooled into thinking that thicker padding will equal more comfort. Getting a perch that has a cut-out to reduce soft-tissue pressure and is the correct width for your sit bones is much more important. You should be able to get advice and itting help at your local bike shop.
02 SUSPENSION
If you’re a smaller, lighter rider you may struggle to use the full travel of your fork or shock, even with the correct sag for your weight. Try removing one or two volume spacers, to make the spring curve slightly less progressive. You may also ind the preset rebound/compression tune too irm, in which case you’ll need to ask a suspension specialist to tweak the internals.
03 HANDLEBAR
Most modern bikes come with wide bars (760mm+), for extra leverage and control. Bar width should increase with shoulder width though, and because women are generally less broad than men, you may need to get the hacksaw out.
04 GRIPS
Smaller hands require narrower grips. Trying to hang on to grips that are too big in diameter will tire out your hands and make your forearms pump up. A few women’s-speci ic options are available, but it’s generally just a case of picking some grips that suit your hand span.
05 BRAKES
Many brakes offer lever reach adjustment, via a built-in dial or an Allen/ Torx bolt. This allows you to move the lever blade closer to the bar, making the lever easier to reach with smaller hands.
06 STEM
If you fall between frame sizes or have a short torso but long legs (or vice versa), a longer/shorter stem can be used to increase/ decrease the length of the cockpit slightly. But it’s worth noting that, for aggressive riding, you’ll sacri ice control with anything longer than 50mm. Similar results can be achieved by itting a bar with less or more backsweep.
07 TYRE PRESSURES
Women are generally lighter than men and can get away with running softer tyre pressures for extra grip and (especially on a hardtail) comfort. How low you can go will depend on your weight, riding style, wheel size, tyre width and casing, whether your wheels are set up tubeless or with inner tubes, and the terrain you’re riding. As a rough guide, start at around 25psi and adjust downwards until you reach a pressure you’re happy with, where your tyres are able to conform around small trail obstacles but don’t squirm in corners and you’re not getting lots of pinch punctures.