Building the perfect bike
The perfect bike fit may seem a little tough to obtain, but Michelle Arthurs-brennan has the measure of it
Most women will buy a Venus over a Mach 3, but both razors will do a perfectly good job at removing leg hair. It’s not uncommon to carry this buying pattern over to bikes. However, buying a new bike is a far more significant purchase than buying hair removal products, so it’s important to bear in mind that focusing on women’s specific machines will – rightly or wrongly – limit your options. Whether you decide you want to opt for a bike with a women’s specific focus will come down to personal preference. What matters is that you’re enjoying every mile, on a bike that’s perfectly suited to you and your riding. So how do you achieve that?
FRAME
The frame is the heart of your bike, invest here and the rest will follow.
The best way to hit the geometry jackpot is to start with a bike you know you like the characteristics of, before using this as a benchmark to compare potential new machines – sites like geometrygeeks.bike make this easier.
If you’re really struggling to find the perfect geometry for you, then don’t discount the option of going custom, particularly if you’re outside the ‘average’ height range catered for by bike brands (which is, shorter women, and taller men).
A custom frame will have every tube length, layup and shape, every angle, tailored to you. Custom frames are an investment, but they’re not always more expensive than market-leading off-the-peg options. Back in 2018 I had a carbon Werking frame custom built in the Dolomites to my exact requirements, the frame RRP was £3,500, including the cost of a detailed fit analysis. Isen Workshop – the brainchild of Caren Harty and Matt Mcdonough – offers steel frames from £1,999 on its website, with custom geometry an added £380.
There is sometimes hesitancy among women to invest in expensive equipment, particularly when they’re starting out.
Physiotherapist and bike fitter at Velophysio, Nicola Roberts, noted, “I tend to find that some women, in particular women that are new to riding, have less disposable income to spend on a bike, either that or they choose to spend less on the bike.”
Whilst we wouldn’t advise our readers to spend more than they have, we would advocate for the opinion that no one – male or female – needs a gold medal to earn the right to enjoy riding a bike they love.
WHEEL SIZE
The idea of dressing smaller bikes with smaller wheels is not new - former time trial world champion Emma Pooley, who measures in at 5ft 2in, famously raced with 650c wheels on her time trial bikes, though opted for a 700c in road race for ease of neutral service. More recently, Canyon began speccing 650b wheels on its smaller women’s bikes.
The reason is simple: in order for a smaller frame to accommodate ‘standard’ sized wheels, designers have to make compromises. These include a shallower head angle and higher stack, which means shorter riders don’t benefit from the same nimble handling as those riding larger bikes and can’t get as low at the front end.
Having hung up her racing shoes, Pooley had a custom Wyndymilla Massive Attack road bike built for her, featuring 650c wheels.
“The smaller wheel has been
revolutionary – not just for the obvious reason that I can get lower (which is why I always used to use 650c for time trialling) – even more important than that is how much it has improved handling characteristics,” Pooley told us. “Riding a 650c wheel has transformed my enjoyment and speed downhill. I love descending now!”
A smaller wheel makes space for the ideal frame angles to be applied, without risk of toe overlap when turning the front wheel. The shorter circumference is countered with higher gearing, and though there is a slight rolling resistance penalty for the smaller wheels, quicker acceleration is a happy benefit.
The only major argument against speccing a smaller wheel size for a shorter rider is that wheel and tyre choice is limited, as is your choice of bike.
STANCE WIDTH & CRANK LENGTH
The joys of childbirth mean that most women have wider hips than standard bottom brackets are typically designed for, but the distance between the pedals on most bikes remains the same. Phil Burt, who was the lead physiotherapist at British Cycling for 12-years, said: “All bikes come with the same stance width, all pedals except Speedplay, come with the same 53mm axles.” But this can cause knee pain for some women if it doesn’t correlate to their hip width, causing their knee to go inwards as they pedal.
At present, Speedplay pedals offer axles in 50mm, 56mm, 59mm and 65mm – so, if you think you would benefit from a wider stance width, then the little egg beater pedals are the way to go.
Crank length is another area to consider. “I have seen an entry-level bike with 172.5 cranks on an extra small/48cm frame, which is ridiculous and reflects on the manufacturer simply churning out bikes without thought for those riding them,” says Nicola Roberts.
Buying from a brand that specs shorter cranks, or will allow you to choose your own spec (like Ribble, with its bike builder) could save you the cash involved in an update. Shimano offers the most crank variation, beginning at 160mm.
HANDLEBARS & LEVER REACH
Most bike fitters agree that bar width should mirror the distance between your AC joints. This will create the most comfortable line from shoulder to wrist. Women usually have narrower shoulders
compared with men of the same height, so average for the market spec is not always optimum.
“I ride narrower [than standard specification] handlebars on my road bikes as it provides comfort and better saddle health,” says guest editor Elinor Barker. “As a general rule, I wouldn’t want my hands to be any wider than my shoulders when on the hoods.”
Narrower handlebars come with the aero advantage of reducing frontal area, too, Barker added: “I use a range of different handlebar widths, depending on the race. For bunch races, I’m currently testing bars between 26-32cm width.”
Reach from the bar to the lever is equally important, if you want to be able to use the full range of bar positions your drops afford you.
“I have encountered a number of women who would not ride on the drops with the main reason being they cannot reach the brakes in this position,” Roberts told us.
Both Shimano and SRAM offer adjustability on most lever set-ups. The adjustability only goes so far though – Shimano also makes specific short reach levels on its
Ultegra R8025, 105
R7025 and Tiagra
4725 levers.
SADDLE
Saddle discomfort is a topic of conversation that often dominates the discussion on women’s-only bike rides and within social groups. But there are brands out there working to improve the situation.
It was feedback from Evelyn Stevens, the Wall Street investor turned pro cyclist who became the Women’s Hour Record holder in 2016, which helped Specialized to create the short-nosed Power saddle shape that has become so popular in recent years.
A saddle cut-out can go a long way to reducing soft tissue pressure for some women. However, it is the channel itself that can cause discomfort for others, as the harsh edge and propensity to ‘fall in’ to the space can cause swelling. To counter this, Specialized created ‘MIMIC tech’ a soft, memory foam insert in place of a hole.
The rear of the saddle also needs to be wide enough to support your sit bones, many bike shops have tools to help you measure this.
A saddle that is too narrow can result in uneven support, creating a tilt at the pelvis and the appearance of a leg length discrepancy – and that can have a ricochet effect throughout your bike fit.
“Some women won’t ride on the drops as they can’t reach the brakes”