Where Have All the Women’s Bikes Gone?
Based on a quick review of bike manufacturers’ websites, women’s bikes don’t seem to have gone anywhere, but a little probing shows the industry might to be in retrograde mode. Having made so much progress in the last 25 years, it would be a shame to lose sight of the goal: bountiful offerings for all riders. Although there are more choices than ever for female cyclists, the true distinctions between those bikes and unisex bikes are disappearing quickly.
Last month, Bicycling magazine’s annual Buyer’s Guide hit the news stands and for the first time in years, there was no mention of women’s bikes. Poof! Gone with the wind! I haven’t been able to find the reason for this -- so far, all Bicycling will say is women’s bikes will be covered in their Editor’s Choice and in individual bike reviews. Gone, but not forgotten. Now, add to this the fact that, with the notable exception of Specialized, in the past most smaller women’s bikes have offered 650c wheel sizes to fit the rider properly. (At Terry, we go a step further with not only 650c and 700c, but 24” wheels as well.) But recently, 650c has been disappearing from the lineup faster than real sugar in soft drinks.
No more 650c for Cannondale, Trek, Orbea or Fuji to name just a few. So what’s going on??? I spoke to some manufacturers -- those who continue to carry 650c and those who have dropped them. They all told me the same thing. 650c wheels are a must-have for a properly built small bicycle. But there is mounting pressure to build small bikes with 700c wheels. Some told me the consumer herself is driving this change. Apparently there are quite a few women who would prefer to ride an ill-fitting bike with 700c wheels than a properly-fitting 650c bicycle. This may be driven by hesitancy about the availability of 650c or the need to conform.
Others think the “push back” is from those dealers who don’t really understand how a 650c wheel makes a difference in bike fit and choose to stay in the 700c comfort zone rather than educate the consumer. Once a manufacturer has decided to embrace 700c wheels exclusively, just how will women’s bikes be differentiated from “unisex” bikes? Expect to see a lot more of this: “...a shorter crank and stem length, along with narrower handlebars, give it a women-specific fit”. Gee, that’s just what we did in the good old days of unisex! I can guarantee you that women on the tail of the bell curve, i.e. those very petite women are in for a rough time of it. As 700c returns, stand over heights are rising. Are manufacturers really reading the market correctly? Is there indeed a trade-off between the desire for a properly fitting bicycle and wheel size? What say you, dear reader?
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24 Comments
Torry Templeman
Having ridden both – a ‘sized down’ bike and a Terry with a 24" wheel – I can say that there is NO comparison! You simply can not alter the geometry of the bike in the same way unless you make that wheel smaller. I think the average consumer relies a great deal on what the salesman at the bike shop tells them. Few are familiar with the 24" wheel when you ask them about it. HOw about more articles in bike magazines on the subject?
Jane Hansen
24" (520’s and 507’s) tires are available in a much wider range of widths, 19mm to 2.4", than the 650’s. Small bikes with 650 wheels still have front tire/toe touch problem, unless the front end is designed with incredibly strange geometry. The 520 wheel allows design of a bike with reasonable standover height, front end geometry and handling, and NO toe touch. Georgena, you are to be commended on producing the 24" (520) road bike and (507) mountain bike. There is a slight increase in rolling resistance with smaller wheels, however, the torque required to turn a 520 wheel is way less than the 700, which is especially evident when sprinting or climbing! I switched 6 years ago to a bike with 24" (520) tires and love it. It’s a custom designed and built bike, because no manufacturer offered one. I’ve traveled extensively on it, after years of torment on 700’s and 650’s.
To have these sizes available through Terry Bicycles is devine! Spread the word to all your small bicycling friends!!
Gretchen
Unfortunately, I think it’s about supply and demand and profitability. I do think we need to continue to ask for what we want/need, educating ourselves so we can go into the bike shops with confidence. So many bike shop employees are educated by the sales reps and from within the shop, and instead of expanding their inventory to carry (or at least be willing to order in) the not-so-popular parts, they talk us into getting something that’s not right for us, but available and profitable because they can make it in quantity.
I am able to ride unisex road bikes (I’m 5’11’ with a 34" inseam), but I have a custom Kent Eriksen Mountain bike with 650b wheels. I absolutely love this size wheel for mountain biking! Not quite the 29er (I don’t like the handling, even though I’m bigger than most women), but better than the 26er. I am running into the same issue: Minimal choices for tires and wheels for replacement. I’m in fear that this size wheel set up will be discontinued because there is not growing demand for it. I wish I could create that demand! I guess spreading the word is the best way. I’d love to see the growing technology improve and expand the choices in the 650b Mtn bike wheel market!
Judy Toelle
It is disappointing. I own an Isis- 16" with a 24" front tire. I have ridden in two STP rides. Seattle to Portland- 203 miles – as well as numerous other century rides. I also have a woman specific Cannondale. At my size there is no way I could ride a man size framed bike. We need to let the manufacturers know that they are making a huge mistake. I think that they are ignoring such a large share of the market. They may find that they could indeed do better if they addressed the other half of the population’s needs. Therefore I guess it does indeed boil down to education- not only the manufacturers but the public as well. Thank you Georgena for all that you do.
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Cindy
Great article! I am 5’0 and have been looking for a new bike. Ive been riding an ill fitting bike for 3 years and have decided to go for a good one – but am having a bad time finding one. I rode 8 bikes at a shop and only one really came close – I had no idea why. I will start being more specific about what I’m looking for. Maybe if we all do that, more people will start carrying what we need…… doubtful but worth a try