first road bike recommendations for female
sporteve
Posts: 141
in General Chat
it was never going to be easy but the time has come for me to 'fess up to all that yes, i did run my first ever tri on a hybrid....
grovelling follows>>>>> : 'it was my first one, i was not experienced, i didn't know what i was doing.....please have mercy on me all you people with gorgeous fast and sexy bikes....'
ok if just mentioning the H word hanst permanently banned me from the site already i shall continue:
i have since been diagnosed positive with the TRI virus and i think the time has come for the next step: a road bike
i dont think at this stage it should be a tt/tri bike due to my inexperience and because i have gathered that these bike are uber precious and should be kept for serious training (ie in cycling tracks) and racing - pls let me know if i am wrong
speed is something i still have issues with (it freaks me out) so i think something rather reliable and sturdy and obviously not immensely expensive would be a good start for me to take out on the patchy, bumby and potholed roads of london to get clocking in my miles and hopefully do my first OD on too!
i know there is a limited variety of women specific bikes in comparison to mens and also the argument that sometimes a small size mens bike could be just as good ( i am 5.6" and neither my shoulders are too narrow or my hands too small)
all suggestions welcome and if they would not come in pearlised pink, baby blue or lavender even better
thank you!
grovelling follows>>>>> : 'it was my first one, i was not experienced, i didn't know what i was doing.....please have mercy on me all you people with gorgeous fast and sexy bikes....'
ok if just mentioning the H word hanst permanently banned me from the site already i shall continue:
i have since been diagnosed positive with the TRI virus and i think the time has come for the next step: a road bike
i dont think at this stage it should be a tt/tri bike due to my inexperience and because i have gathered that these bike are uber precious and should be kept for serious training (ie in cycling tracks) and racing - pls let me know if i am wrong
speed is something i still have issues with (it freaks me out) so i think something rather reliable and sturdy and obviously not immensely expensive would be a good start for me to take out on the patchy, bumby and potholed roads of london to get clocking in my miles and hopefully do my first OD on too!
i know there is a limited variety of women specific bikes in comparison to mens and also the argument that sometimes a small size mens bike could be just as good ( i am 5.6" and neither my shoulders are too narrow or my hands too small)
all suggestions welcome and if they would not come in pearlised pink, baby blue or lavender even better
thank you!
0
Comments
personally, i'd go with a good-ish road bike. it can be something that you use to get used to going faster, riding in tucked down positions, riding with clip-on tri-bars etc. when you decide you've had enough of it you can get a tt-bike and consign the roadie to winter trainer/hack.
the key thing for getting a good roadie would be fitting and geometry. if you can find a decent local bike shop (if you are london then you should be able to find something - i'll let someone else sat the b-word!) and try some frames out. it's worth bearing in mind that if you haven't ridden drops before then you might find them a bit twitchy, but try not to be put off - you get over it very quickly.
last year i went to buy a road bike and bought something that was probably a bit too relaxed in geometry, it is more of a leisure bike than a real road bike. at the time i tried a more aggressive frame and thought it was way too twitchy - now i sort of wish i'd bought it instead!
The only other significant difference is that the female pelvis is a bit wider... usually.. so a different saddle can be in order. But again, it's about the fit. So a suitable frame, a suitable saddle and off you go.
Of course, if you intend to ride in long flowing Edwardian skirts of course, and it has to be pink..
So, get to a decent LBS, and off you go. Well, budget and making your mind up are the two biggest challenges. Take your time deciding, and ask about specific models/kit etc.
i think i need to get out more.
My orginal road bike is not a womens specific, I just put a womens specfic saddle on it. Im 5'6" aswell, . I have a trek 1.2 double which i would highly recommend for a first roadie which i still have for training (have since brought myself a Trek Madone, which i just LOVE!) Its just a case of finding a bike that you feel comfortable with. Go to a good bike shop & they will help you pick the right size.
Nothing wrong with a hybrid I only just got my first roady it's the getting out there and doing it that counts.
my new bike is not women specific - the only one of those I looked not only didn't fit but was a horrible lilac colour (how can that be fast.......) the only plus side was it wasn't as awful as the mountain bike equivalent which was lime green
So good advice and a good fit is probably everything. I do think a good relationship with the LBS is important too - they're going to have to fix it if something goes wrong.
Good luck with your search, mind you I was almost out of my mind when it came to actually making the decision - sooo many things to think about and I don't really know what I'm doing..........
good to know you also love your madone i am kind of developing a crush on those at the moment but i think i should leave it for when i 'grow up' in a tri kind of way! ..... in the meanwhile i can just dream of a customised 6.9 but only because it looks so cool, i think i should get more riding experience on roadies before i can really appreciate and compare this or any other bike of that level
thank you for your recomendation conehead and yes i find quite patronising the way manufacturers approach women specific bikes especially when they paint them pink (or lilac! i am so with you on this durhamvam!!!) - so if any of you designers are reading this, black is not a boys prerogative and not all women live in a pink bubblegum world..
as for the fit again i'll have to try some myself and see what the fuss is about... i know there are women who love their women specific bikes but i think it applies more to petite ladies who find it harder to find a bike to fit their build
thank you all for your advice - all very valuable - it seems it will be a fun season of research and test drives!
Think like a bumble bee and just do it!
i am really shocked to hear about cracks on ti frames from what i had read so far their big advantage is that they are 'invincible'
i thought it was carbon that is really 'fragile' and cracks easily and also is very hard to repair...no?