Womens or mens bike?

[Janie]

I'm looking to buy my first road bike for use mainly in triathlon. I've been recommended to look at the Specialized range but am getting conflicting advice as to whether to buy a Dolce (womens) or an Allez (Mens). I'm 5'6" with a 29" inside leg and have been recommended to buy a 50cmish frame. Can anyone help????? Thanks!

[gar]

I have never understood about women's bikes.
Get the real thing, not a weakened variety.

[bikerdave]

Janie
There's nothing weakened about the bike you describe. Men typically have different body shapes to women and whilst i don't have specific knowledge of Specialized womens specific bikes usually have a shorter top tube narrower bars and maybe shorter cranks. Individuals vary hugely however and some men would fit a womens specific bike fine and the other way round too. Can you have a ride or at least a sit on both? if your arms feel very stretched on the allez the dolce may well be best.
dave

[Janie]

Thanks Dave, the main problem is trying to find a stockist who actually has the bikes in the shop - the other problem is that most of the bikes are too big for me as they are around 56cm so I can't get on them in the first place! I'm going to do some serious damage soon!!!

[bikerdave]

No problem. Smaller shops tend to have 54 and 56cm bikes in stock because they know they'll sell them, you might try Evans if there's one nearby they keep a bigger range than most and do sell Specialized.

[gar]

Do you ever see female triathletes using a woman's bike?

If you are petite and looking for triathlete bike it may be a problem.

[bikerdave]

Of course you do have a look at the dolce on Specialized's website. Modern female specific bikes aren't anything like the step through frames i suspect you are imagening.

[Tim]

Perhaps you should seek guidance from one of the smaller british makers who can measure your back, legs and arms.

Thorn do their frames in small, medium or large, but with short, medium or long top tube options! Then further variations with different stem and crank lengths.

Orbit measure you too.

[bikerdave]

All frame builders will measure you Tim and you should end up with a bike that fits you individually regardless of sex and uses the right geometry and materials for your type of riding. Janie knew her riding type and wanted to know the difference between mens specific and womens specific off the peg bikes which are thankfully becoming more common.
You can of cours change crank length, handlebar width and brake lever reach (on mountain bikes) to your hearts and wallets content but if the top tube is too long many women will find the reach too much, if you drop a frame size to shorten the top tube you can end up with the seat too high in relation to the bars and this is where womens specific frames really help.

[bikepacker]

Janie. Take no notice of those who put down step through frames they are just showing there ignorance.

If it wasn't for such a frame my wife would not now be cycling as an injury makes riding such a bike, neccesary.

Orbit do a ladies tourer called the Ventura. Check this our with them or Gearshift. Thorn do a ladies version of the Raven Tourer. Both of these would be adequate to carry the heaviest touring loads.

I had the frame for my wife's bike specially made our of 531 tubing to my specification. I then built the bike myself. She does abour 7000 miles a year and used it on the Bayonne to Gibraltar and Venice to Orange tours on www.by-bike.co.uk

Get back to me if you want to know more.

[Janie]

There's some really great advice here thanks - got back from work to read it all, I've got loadds to think about now. Does anyone know of a good shop in the Cardiff/Newport/Bristol/Bath area?