Are Women's Specific Mountain Bikes Necessary?

Christina takes an in depth look to see whether women's specific mountain bikes are still needed in 2023.
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3:24 - Liv
6:16 - Specialized
9:02 - Trek
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[@pinkbike]

Super happy and thankful to get to talk to these fine folks about bikes! Hope yall enjoy the genuine chats as much as I did. Happy Women's Day! Now go shred!!!! -Christina

[@owensnicholas]

It’s a great video. I’ve been curious why some brands have dropped models specific to women while others have created whole new brands. Thanks for what you do.

[@mrvwbug4423]

I'll say one thing about Liv, they have some amazing paint jobs on their bikes, much nicer than the paint jobs on the standard Giant models they're based on. I've also noticed that some new versions are hitting the Liv lineup before the Giant lineup, an example, the latest version of the Liv Intrique 29 came out a year before the current version of the Trance 29 so the Liv bike got the updated travel and geo a year early.

[@JeremyFacer]

Specialized and Trek have the best take on it. It’s size specific issues not women specific issues. Women ride just as hard as men, specifying bikes by gender is pandering for marketing purposes. If she fits on the bike, it’s a women’s bike.

[@biggaywizard]

I think Trek just changes the saddle now? At least that's what I was told when I worked for Trek.

[@JeremyFacer]

@@biggaywizard That's probably the only part that makes sense to swap out

[@jojodroid31]

@@biggaywizard Tbh bikes should come without a saddle. They come without pedals too, so with something even more specific like the saddle it would make sense.

[@JoshuaTootell]

My GF rides an Epic and a Transition Patrol. And wants to buy a Stumpy. Hardest part is she is 5' tall.

[@pietrocampanocruz5071]

@@JoshuaTootell S1 SJ will definitely fit her, the seat tube is pretty short at 385mm.

[@kirkwester]

As a dad of an aspiring young female racer, the main issue I have found is that while she trusts me to help her select the best components with her input, at the end of the day she just wants a unique and cool-looking bike. When she looks at most of the "unisex" brands, she sees what she interprets as male-oriented color schemes. Her first real race bike, a Trek Top Fuel 9.8 WSD (before they destroyed this bike by basically making it a Fuel EX) it was a popping powder blue color that really made a statement. Now its mostly blacks and dark blues. The second issue we found in searching for a new bike are finding bikes that fit a short torso. After trying a dozen brands only the Liv seem to fit right. Finally, and probably the biggest issue is that at 100lbs, only the suspension on the Liv bikes seemed to be ready to go out of the box without requiring to send it in for a change in fluid or other adjustments that would allow her to actually use her suspension. I have a hard time not interpreting the comments by Trek and Specialized as "all our bikes are women's bikes" as a spin on marketing.

[@newttella1043]

Glad brands are making size specific frame builds like different tube thicknesses, differing chain stays, shorter cranks. As a shorter than average male, I hated how 175mm cranks came stock on bikes for so long. More women mountain biking has helped me get the right size bike out of the box. Btw-I have a bin full of 175 cranks from the 1990s to early 2010s in case anyone wants one.

[@thenatesimon]

I don't understand why 175mm cranks are standard on MTB's. Iideally there shouldn't even be a standard, it would be size specific. But if they are going to spec one size on all bikes, why not make it 170mm? at least that's a middle of the road option

[@newttella1043]

@@thenatesimon I agree! Especially on full sus bikes. Pedal strikes are ridiculous.

[@stujm8376]

😂

[@jonathanhowson6420]

I am a man. I just checked and I definitely am. I ride a Kalimotxo pink V2 bronson with pink Burgtec finishing kit. I love it. It is pretty short compared to my big 29er enduro bike, but its so much fun. From what I understand, the Juliana range are standard Santa Cruz frames with a lighter shock tune and carefully considered components and contact points. I have met a lot of female riders who have just bought a Santa Cruz frame instead because they have a much greater resale market.

[@newttella1043]

That lighter shock tune is really smart. I had a Fox fork and shock overhaul where you send in your weight and riding style, it cost almost $300 for a tune (changed the shim stack) and what a difference. It's smart for Julianna bikes to come with this tune as stock since women are on average much lighter than men. I wish all brands' size small bikes have this tune.

[@pronewbofficial]

​@@newttella1043Air forks make it easy for the rider to tune it.

[@Scottatnord]

All this "Christina content" lately has been on point! Keep it coming!

[@pinkbike]

Cheers, just trying to mix it up ever so slightly. Stoked you're enjoying it! -Christina

[@adrianclifford2545]

Surely a wider range of sizes helps everybody. Not every male is 6ft tall weighing 200lb. A wider choice of colours is good too. Love the content and thumbs up to the manufacturers considering size and weight as the most important factors.👍

[@MrSEANDEERE]

I've been putting bikes together for people for the better part of 7 years now. I run a little side hobby hustle and build bikes for people on budget and whom are starting out in mountain biking. I often build bikes for women, more often then not the girlfriends/wives of friends. Here in Quebec, the Average women is not very tall, at max maybe 5'8 and they are more often 5'2-5'6. Back in the mid 2010's when I started it wasn't so bad, DH frames weren't very big to start with and the 26 inch wheel was still going strong. But when the 29ers and 27.5s came into play...bike started to get bigger and smalls adult bikes started to get a little too big even. I found myself using frames from 5 years prior cause the small frames with 26 inch back then were a good fit. And I did this alot for women in my area. These days I'm happy to see the wide variety of sizes may it be for women or men. It now allows anyone to ride comfortably and to have a good time. Also it awesome too see mtb gals out there shreading the knar and hanging out in the greatest sport on earth! Shread on Ladies!!! YEEEEEEWWWW

[@alexh.4068]

Women in Canada/USA average 5'4.

[@Eclectimo]

Christina content is an instant watch. Loads of charisma and authenticity.

[@anthonywalters7434]

I bought my wife a Liv Tempt 1 when she said she wanted to get into mountain biking. She’s on an XS and it fits her super well. I took it down one of our local trails and it was surprisingly capable for having 80mm of travel. The frame has a nice ride quality to it and fits her perfectly. For me it feels like a DJ with bigger wheels.

[@siwata9652]

As a 5ft woman mt. bike rider for 20-ish years, love this video! It is has been soo hard to find a bike that fits me and doesn't restrict me. Part of difficulty is just finding one to ride/test. After all that, I have to give Trek kuddos. All of my bikes have been Trek. This is because of the fit, both geometry and capability and availability to test. I have ridden a few other manufacturers, and found they didn't fit mostly geometry. I would also say that not all sizes are offered in all bikes. Thanks so much for this content!

[@307.William]

I wish component manufacturers would broaden their range for those who are super light and those who are heavy. Many bikes do work better if your within a certain range.

[@dixxonbutts1093]

Been working in the ski industry for over 10 years. Nobody does or talks to woman like that when purchasing a equipment. And PB knows this.

[@Norththeninja]

with my favorite color being purple I feel this in reverse. i just want some 5-10s in purple in my size

[@Titot182]

Biggest issue I have about "women's specific" is the fact that they do not facilitate for the stockier, curvier women. My wife's 5'9 and a size 14/16 with thunder thighs, quite a well endowed chest and a thin waist. None of the big brands cut clothing for this sort of physique... and mens trousers are definitely not going to cut the mustard because of said thighs and hips. Sort it out peeps #CurvyMTB

[@chimps4gimps]

I used to work in men’s clothing retail. We held a massive size range 34” chest to 64” in suits but there were always some outliers. Even offering a free alteration service there were a few people we just couldn’t cater for. It’s just how it is unfortunately.

[@janeblogs324]

I've never found a pair of jeans that fit off the rack, all needed alterations

[@Titot182]

@@chimps4gimps It's funny that both my wife and I are the outliers. I'm your typical dorito/lifter build. I go well in a tailored suit and slim fit work shirts, but I find that in order for me to get a 17" collar, 33" sleeve, all other proportions are too restrictive. Same goes with trousers. Thunder thighs like my wife's means that I need to size up to a 36" when I'm really only a 33-34". That being said, my OH is a seamstress, so she totally understands the disparity in clothing options for outliers.

[@chimps4gimps]

@@Titot182 I fitted up a bunch of rugby players once, that was interesting! Couple of them were Kiwi/Maori dudes so different build again. The guy from the UK 44 chest, 34 waist looked tiny by comparison.

[@Titot182]

@@chimps4gimps haha I'm 44" 34" and look like a Pacific islander. Folk assume I'm Samoan. I dread to think what a Maori would look like

[@OpeKoney]

This kind of video journalism is some of the best content I've ever seen in this space. Amazing work!

[@JESSEPINKMAN74]

Stick around, they make some really good stuff

[@jwsmithyou]

Thank you so much for this video. You rock!!!

[@jonathanwilliams5976]

How does this only have 17 likes so far. Great video, well done!

[@riseauto9551]

Just got into mtb this month wanted to include my Gf picked her up a liv embolden and she’s been loving it, even went through some fast single track in (unknowingly) 😅

[@alexh.4068]

Specialized guy is 100% on point by the way. It isn't a "sex" based issue, people just come in very different sizes and shapes.

[@itr0863]

My wife is 5’2. I got her a Liv Tempt 2 on sale. I got it because it was the best bang for the buck for an entry-level Hardtail with a 1X drivetrain, internal cable routing and hydraulic disc brakes for $588. To be honest, I did not care it was a female specific bike. I was honestly just looking at the specs and where her size was available lol

[@adrianborcherds]

Great video!

[@franciscorenteria5025]

Great conversation, there’s a style that fits whoever needs it and it will continue evolving, the current tendencies dictate where to lean the balance. There’s no right or wrong , we just have to adapt to the demands of the customers.

[@jamesweldon8118]

I loved the opening scene

[@shushamen]

it is really good that brands are making more sizes, but in the case of my country , local distributors does not want to risk so they mostly import everything in M and L (sortof) , mi wife is about 156cm (5 foot ) when we went to local shops trying to find a good XC bike all sellers !! lie. !! and said : M should fit her , we just have to make a few changes.

[@Bushido192]

Great video! And sadly it hits some pain points. In my country, the best bang-for-your-buck brands are Marin and Giant... And they don't make hardtails in any size smaller than S. I have a friend who measures 1.50 m and she can't find a hardcore hardtail (her fave) because they just don't make those small enough, or don't bother bringing those sizes (yes, even S). Even though it's a country of small people ffs

[@I_Am_Bone]

Interesting conversation. We recently went looking at bikes for my wife. She was wanting a serious upgrade, and was looking at e-mtb specifically. (we're not 20 anymore...LOL) With all the options out there she ended up choosing a Liv Tempt E+ 2. Not because it was the women's version, although she does like there clothing options etc, but because she felt it fit her, and her riding interests and goals. Her 2nd pick on the list was a Norco Storm non-electric, unisex, correct size, and very appropriate bike in every way, save for the e-bike part. The gender specific engineering is great, if that's what ends up suiting you, but I highly doubt she will ever encounter a single person who will give her kudos based solely upon choosing the Liv bike because it's a Liv bike. I guarantee she will however, encounter people asking about the e-bike choice, why she chose it, and enjoy the smile on her face when she talks to them. All-in-all, being involved in a couple different recreational activities, I find the biking world to be far more unified in the acceptance that we all ride bikes. Sure, I see the different types of bikes and riders playing with each other and taking pokes at each other, but honestly haven't really noticed the divisiveness from any direction often found in other sports/activities. Except when talking about the acceptance for E-Bikes. Just as snowboarders were looked down upon, so are e-bikes. Let's change that.

[@newttella1043]

I hate assumptions that are made about people riding ebikes (that they'll tear up the trails, blow by people on climbs, that it's cheating some kind of inaginary race, etc). Ebikes simply allow people to enjoy a longer ride and keep up with stronger riders. People can now ride with who they want to, not just who they can keep up with.

[@jwsmithyou]

AMEN TO THAT!!! @@newttella1043

[@jwsmithyou]

I am 63 and ride with my 23 year old son!! I have a specialized superlight and I can keep up with him and riding some blacks trails too. I ride it on eco mode and it still gives me a hella workout but just a little edge that I need to keep up with him. He is an awesome mountain biker by the way and this time together with him is worth everything to me. I'm madly in love with my SL!!

[@alaskathespeedofplay2724]

Happy International Women’s Day! Thanks Christina!

[@stujm8376]

I knew women’s snowboard we’re a thing (which I don’t understand tbh), but I never knew women specific pro mountain bikes we’re a thing. You learn something new every day. I just like seeing women ride, because the skill of women riders is amazing, before anyone makes snide comments, I wish I had a 100th of their skill. I was raised to respect everyone, and I really respect all riders in the sport, why should we differentiate?

[@LCNismo]

Santa Cruz Juliana!!! I bought my Ex a Juliana. It’s just a de-tune rear shock and wider saddle that’s it!

[@janeblogs324]

Lol, I learnt quickly that wider seats make riding comfort worse. Your thighs clip the wings and you just slide forwards onto the completely unsupported section which in turn blows your knees out

[@mq1506]

Inclusive sizing is more important to me than "woman's specific" bikes

[@JeremyFacer]

But it’s Jade green and called Embolden 😂

[@nunyabiznes32]

My wife and all my daughters love their Juliana bikes. Although the frame geometry is the same as the Santa Cruz bikes, it's the color options that made the difference.

[@alexh.4068]

Regarding the INTRO.. how do you think guys feel when they go shopping for something much more universal such as CLOTHING only to find out the men's section is what only 15% the size of the women's section lol. Or guys that are average sized.. 5'9-5'10.. and the only sizes left are for overweight/huge dudes. LOL.

[@jackiegammon2065]

I've worked in the bike industry for 31 years now, and it has certainly been a journey. As a shop owner, things have changed but not as much as we think. Some of the conversations here all saui the same thing, so often times fitting a woman or a small person is rather hard. I find that there are too many men making decisions based on women's product, that should be mostly accomplished with women. One of the "big" brands that you spoke with here, simply made very little "eye" contact with you and kept looking at the ceiling and the room that they were in... body language from him was the same as the snowboard sales person that was shown earlier in the video.( I realize that was staged, but as you said it still is happening today.) There are some great women's models out there, and the thing to do is for all of us to educate ourselves and talk to many people. It is not only the smaller rider that has an issue with bikes or clothing, it is also the larger rider. While there are starting to be more companies offering clothing, have you ever seen how little is offered to larger women?? We still have a long way to go in terms of making all women and truthfully all people comfortable...those behaviors that we see in this video do still exist, so let's make sure that we stand up for ourselves and find companies and shops that support us.

[@paulsoa1]

I have the same problems mentioned here… except it’s the opposite. I’m too tall for most everything

[@mikejones420]

I am a guy, a bit on the smaller side at 5'6" with a 29" inseam, and I have owned both a Liv Intrique, and Giant trance, personally my preference was the Liv, it fit me perfectly, and I could ride with more comfort, therefore a better rider for it, guys don't be afraid to throw a leg over a liv, or juliana, it just might surprise you. Try a Liv Christina feel the difference for yourself :)

[@GrayGarage]

I love women specific bikes because I'm 5ft and weigh 50kg and most other bikes simply just aren't small enough! I also don't love them because barely any of them come in big spec, big travel 😔 I don't need it to be women's specific, I just wish that more brands catered to smaller riders. Commencal is the only brand I've seen make a specific XS downhill and big travel Enduro bike (and they aren't cheap!)

[@olgaluca2198]

Respect !

[@mtbendurog4617]

Women Should not be limited when it comes to tire choice or modern technology, making XXS bike and putting a 26er tire feels like limiting there choices, This is what LIV bikes cater they do really develop bike frame and geometry that can fit modern Technology so Women can also enjoy modern Technology. We as Asian country have hard time looking for a bike that fits perfectly for women, mostly when it comes to gravel bikes with bikes that are not women's specific bikes the stand over height is really a problem when you are 5'2" and below. So I applaud LIV Bikes for Developing and Making Bikes

[@laurah108]

As a petite female (5'2") I started out with only Liv bikes. Why? Because I knew they catered to my size and there was a Liv shop fairly nearby so I could actually try them for size in person before committing. But I don't want to be restricted to riding Livs forever! Easier said than done though. When I upgraded my gravel bike, there was very limited choice of other brands in XS, in part because the UK has had serious issues with getting stock, but also because some brands (eg. Scott) call their bikes XS but they're still much too big. I finally got lucky after months of waiting and got hold of a Cannondale in XS; it didn't fit perfectly right out of the box, but just needed a couple of tweaks to make it right. I absolutely love it! From now on I'll be branching out from Liv, but I'll have to accept that it could take me many months longer to find a bike that fits. For now, due to finances, I'm stuck with a Liv mountain bike, which I bought second hand. It does the job but I absolutely despise the hot pink detail on it. 🤮

[@olirufiange]

Christina's the best

[@benfrazer856]

Big fan of the brand, Julianna. My wife purchased her first women’s specific mountain bike and we absolutely love it. Unfortunately it seems that the brand is a little neglected behind the Santa Cruz shadow My wife is 5’3 and I’m 5’0 and there’s so many great brands out there BUT because of the geometry they go after it typically doesn’t workout for me or my wife’s very short torso’s. Big fan of women’s specific. On top of all of that, the BIGGEST neglected area is these companies using the excuse of frame design to NOT fit 29” wheels on XS or S frames.

[@cranksnspokes6405]

Believe it or not my favorite bike that I currently own happens to be a women's bike ....a Gary Fisher sugar 3+ ...it literally has a sticker that says woman's best friend ...and a wtb speed she saddle it fits me perfectly 🤷🏻🤷🏻 and I can throw it around very easily ...it's fun to ride

[@ej1_drew]

Liv bikes are awesome! a small man =/= a small women and they are doing it right. height doesn't dictate a bike's overall geometry bc we are built differently

[@the_blair_bike_project]

I would have enjoyed seeing an overlay of a Liv frame and its' Giant counterpart in the same size to understand the geometry difference. I didn't learn what makes a women's bike frame different

[@janeblogs324]

I compared a giant trance vs the women's version once, only difference was the seattube length was longer on the women's version

[@the_blair_bike_project]

@@janeblogs324 thank you! It's interesting that no discussion on long torso/short leg vs short torso/long legged people regardless of gender. I am in the former so i need lower standover height but longer reach

[@janeblogs324]

@@the_blair_bike_project I find stand over irrelevant as I have a seat to sit on when resting. But seattube angle really effects pedaling, so different top tube lengths are calculated at the stack height. Either way, I also ride road bikes and I just find a frame with the stack to reach ratio I like/need. At no point do I pay attention to size letters or gender of frame

[@the_blair_bike_project]

@@janeblogs324 I'd prefer low standover to allow for dropper post, otherwise I'm still somewhat elevated in a descent even if the seat is fully dropped

[@Warmagon]

I'd suspect there may be some differences in proportions between men and women of the same height on average which may make slightly different bike things more ideal even if they'd generally want the same size. OTOH, few people are exactly average, and most bikes already support a variety of ways to adjust various parameters. Of course, even in an ideal world where a bike of the basic appropriate size can be adjusted to perfectly fit either a man or women, there may still be room for dedicated brands that are essentially removing part of the fit and adjustment process for their target market by having the defaults get everything closer out of the factory.

[@josiahmedina4972]

Heck yeah! I would have gone with the danger pony. 😂

[@HeretiCflow]

I feel like frame-wise there is plenty on the market to suit all kinds of riders - male and female. But when it comes to suspension, mostly it's a one size fits all. And I've heard how much lighter riders and women struggle to get their suspension working at low PSI. Maybe there should also be a greater variety aiming at the WEIGHT category of the rider.

[@concrerto]

“Those who identify as a woman” Well… identifying as something doesn’t change your body size or geo needs 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@LeonvanRensburg]

Agree. The whole idea is to cater to a different sort of body geometry than what unisex / "mens" bikes cater to. Whether biologically a guy or a girl doesn't matter, as long as the bike fits. But let's say I start identifying as female and my body geometry gets included in that pool (6', 260 lb, shorter legs than my height suggests, has male genitalia), I'm obviously going to skew the data, saddles will fit differently, bars will be to wide, etc. If lots of men like myself, Caitlyn Jenner and that knob that entered women's sport and made a mockery of those highly trained female athletes decide we are all women now and bikes need to fit our 'female' geometry, it's surely going to ruin it for people who actually benefit from proper data? I thought that was an unnecessarily silly thing to say.

[@TheDavidjakeson]

Specialized must not pay their heating bills if Same Benedict has to wear a fully zipped up puffy jacket indoors

[@bullit4x]

I just watch this for Christina. That is all. Night.

[@M1keBLR]

I had wls (woman like series) Cube for 3 seasons. Absolutely perfect bike. Same as unisex, same shimano xt brakes and transmisson, but 1k $ cheaper... I just throw away wmn saddle and grips.

[@tylerausthof7882]

My girlfriend is in between a small and XS so she though there were limited options for a bike to race enduro on. Thanks to your bike check she realized that a 29er long travel enduro bike can actually work for people about her size, and she bought a trek slash because of it. She absolutely loves the bike and doesn’t want to go back to 27.5 any time soon. Mike and Mike do a great job reviewing bikes but know that showing bikes in a size other than large once and a while makes a difference.

[@JoshuaTootell]

My 5' girlfriend is also hooked on the wagon wheels now. Buying an Epic and demoing a Stumpy did it.

[@jwinboston]

My front suspension is just kinda there, I use about 2 inches of travel on a typical ride

[@winklertribe5268]

I say Womens specific saddles are key!!! And then cockpit/controls - I can ride a medium size frame just fine, but the distance between the brake levers, dropper post lever, gear levers requires A LOT of customization for my hand size.

[@stefanodruetta]

I'd really like to see Christina and Anna from GMBN Tech do a collab video on the topic!

[@whiskyo]

Looking for my next bike. It’s hard. I’m 5’1” (without shoes) and 130 lbs of muscle. I want a mulletted bike with minimum 160/150 travel-ideally 170/160. But some brands (Specialized unfortunately) drop their suspension from 160/150 to 150/140 on XS. That’s not enough for high-speed chundery terrain in the Rocky Mountains.

[@alexh.4068]

Trek has 8 sizes.. think they have all the bases covered lol.

[@BrandonBaecker]

As someone who recently bought a unisex bike for my girlfriend and had to immediately spend over $100 on a new saddle for her, I wish they at least let you pick what saddle the bike came with. In the case of mountain bikes, they should not come with 800mm bars on every damn size either. Sure you can cut them down, but only to a point, and they're going to be stiff as hell with limited control setup options if you cut them down a lot.

[@yengsabio5315]

Average person-specific vs. individual-specific. I'd rather dwell on this vs. the issue at hand. I think it will be best if a person can have a bespoke bike for him/her. The only problem is that not all are the position/opportunity to own a bike that is built & fitted for himself/herself. Lots'a love, cheers, & Mabuhay, from tropical Philippines! #RideOn #KeepBiking

[@Ihateyoufailtube]

The danger pony is actually a badass board made by the legendary Jess Kimura.. She made that design as a kind of parody, earlier versions were pink with shirtless guys on it as a clap back to all the men's boards with half naked women on them.

[@molybdnum]

When it comes to "why did the women's-specific frames go away" - The Trek reps said it best by mentioning the efficiencies of a non-specific SKU. If it costs the same to add a tooling production line for any given frame, be it a non-specific XS "Marlin" or a women's-spec L "Marlynne", you save in all kinds of ways with a neutral frame because of fewer things to spread your marketing, training, retail floorspace, pro bike, etc budgets across. Support for women riders is probably just a perk to optimizing costs. The approach is to standardize the most expensive component for efficiencies and then make up for any shortcomings in fit with wheel size (that's why so many size M frames are now 27.5 OR 29), plus the actual "fit" components (stem, bars, seatpost/saddle, pedals) which are cheaper to support.

[@patrickglenn2969]

This somewhat applies to bikes, but more to accessories. I find myself wishing I could find women’s colors in my size (shoes, helmets, etc). So often the men’s stuff comes in black, gray, or white.

[@xTOP_L3V3Lx]

i just got a new specialized status and that interview just made my day its hard for a company to talk about this topic i can understand but they are 100% correct and i have much more respect for them geometry and suspension data is all just preference its not like a thong/bra vs boxers its a bike change the color and use the same bike theres no difference other than size and thats not at all gender specific

[@SpineShank7]

A bunch of dudebros clearly hit the dislike button without watching. This was a well put together look into the topic. Nice work Christina!

[@thezonemtb]

My wife is 4'10" and has a very difficult time finding bikes that fit. Pivot makes a great bike that fits her and she has an "adequate" Liv that doesn't fit as good as the Pivot. Specialized and Trek have nothing for her.

[@derDKP]

Bike brands/shops that have a variety of saddles/seems/bars available to customize to fit at checkout would be rad. With no upcharge.

[@antiblabla1208]

im looking for an e-mtb with low overstand. the liv embolden is no option for me, as you cannot turn/steer the handlbar enough. you can not do small curves. its terrible if you want to use it not only going straight. - the trek powerfly fs is also quite low-overstand, but its seems to be bad quality, it makes a lot of rattling noises and if you knock on the material (it should be aluminum, not carbon), its sounds like plastic. it seems to be made of very cheap material and its very heavy.

[@eugenearchibald7375]

Yep. Exactly opposite problem. Try size 14 shoes and 270lbs. All is to small and weak! Wtf!!

[@spamgarbage6999]

Making a female specific bike with people that identify as women defeats the entire purpose of sex specific geometry. Skeleton sizing doesnt change with hormone changes. Ill stick with whatever frame feels good to me I guess,

[@stug45]

My girlfriend is 5'1 and it's nearly impossible to find her an e MTB....it was a dip into savings just to get her first second hand MTB!

[@wvjeepguy8178]

Women are typically shorter, have smaller bones, as well as less muscle mass. Even as a small framed guy who is only 5'7", a lot of bikes are pushing the boundaries of what I can handle on weight and sizing. My medium Trek still feels too big sometimes, even though I am in the middle of the their sizing range for a medium.

[@moozeamos]

Hello im curious i juste receive a bike as a gift but its a specialized jett and i read its a women bike only is it thru or m'en can ride it too

[@spongesurf]

SADDLE is important and a must standard swap option imo. I'm a small female but even then a men's saddle is just not wide enough for my sit bones. Other than that? Meh.

[@bikesense3867]

The woman from Trek is right on. Other than overall height, there is more difference in relative body proportions between me and my riding buddies than between me and my wife. I do applaud that women’s brands helped promote and expand the culture of inclusivity and also hiring more women.

[@TeamCykelhold]

It's a hilarious topic considering there are bigger difference in weight and height within a gender (be it men or woman) than there are between the genders in general. It's just that woman in general are a bit smaller and lighter, but you can find men that are that size too. It's mostly marketing, and in reality brands just need to make more smaller sizes instead of gender specific sizing. Specialized dude was spot on.

[@darkness789]

It’s all marketing

[@Ashley-wi4ng]

As a dude with a female name, using it as my online tag for the last bit I cant imagine the amount of this BS like clip at start actually happens.

[@marysullivan1588]

Unfortunately companies still don’t make women’s clothing in all sizes , if you are not a size 6 you pretty much sol .

[@norgtube]

TBH most women paint schemes are straight up better. I ride a women's frame purely for the paint, with my normal contact points instead of the factory stuff.

[@Mo-mu4er]

Had that thought myself; so many men's bikes were black or grey, or some other boring color, while the women's bikes were all these great, vibrant colors.

[@AppleJack76]

69° = best degree

[@mattgilbert9277]

Only thing I didn't like about this video was disrespecting Jess Kimura's old pro model in the intro!

[@1972mdc]

Legs like noodles…how did you keep a straight face?!

[@nostr8ghtlinzs596]

Size range, height is not the only thing, woman for same height, have longer arms and legs then men, but shorter torsos. lower center of mass, and many other things. those two factors alone affect how the lady will work the bike. irrespective of gender, like your guests says, there is costume tunning , handle bars, cranks will make a difference. With respect to snowboarding, things like body shape where taken into consideration, woman have a far wider range body shape, this affects all aspects of board performance. The better board brands will test 16 different woman, 1 in each of the base body types, and try to make a board that most woman will 'fit', and can work to there advantage..... and list goes on

[@ish474]

I think LIV bikes just look cool I'd ride one as a man

[@C.Breeezy]

But Jess Kimura shreds tho… danger pony ftw

[@cheut]

I get the point but Christina's definitely not gonna be riding a 156

[@Tequila628]

12:37!!! Did you people even watch the video???

[@E.T_rode_bikes_As_well]

When we can ride unisex trails in unisex forest i guess we can also customize unisex bikes and be happy. Don’t be lazy picking the bike brand that doesnt offer to swap some parts to sell u bike.

[@delaneywaltman]

Liv spokesperson said they have taken data from all people to build their women specific bikes, including those who identify themselves as female. That seems counterproductive and hilarious. Trek spokespersons seemed to be on point. Well thought out philosophy and implementation.

[@Eric.V.]

Pinkbike has been very clear about the type of bike they recommend we ALL should be riding in recent months. That would be a 55lb+ E-Bike with integrated headset cable routing. Christina’s face in response to the snowboard salesman is identical to many of our faces when Pinkbike recommends we ALL ride super heavy, super integrated E-Bikes.

[@planeandsimple431]

The only thing different about women, bike wise, is they have proportionally shorter arms. A 5'6" man is typically going to have slightly longer arms than a 5"6" woman- the reach difference is negligible and not really worth big brands making a woman specific bike. That's why Liv bikes are a thing. Now the colors that a lot of companies are using are just full on girly, but it is 2023 so....

[@Max-dj5qj]

It's really hard to find xs small frames with smaller wheels and nice parts on it. Xs 29er are not the best for the non pro women....women specific bikes are mostly complete worse parts on and no nice paint jobs. It's not that hard dear companies...

[@brianrand7191]

Why doesn’t Toyota make women’s specific trucks?

[@DirtlovR]

Women are not aliens, they don't really need a specific bike. Size choice is all that matters.

[@MarioXcore1]

honeslty im probably gonna get a juliana just to flex on people

[@invisibleazn9330]

omg, a company that actually wants to use women's data to make a bike that is more comfortable for women to ride! How dare they make a women's bike!

[@JanBanJoovi-ol1qv]

I will never understand why there’s still gender on bicycles (and why there aren’t on motorcycles). In the old days, women always wear long gowns/dresses when going out so the dutch bike/mamachari makes sense as the absence of crowbar makes it easier for women hop on as their long dresses will fit in to the deep gap between the seat and the handlebar. However those days are gone. The first time I heard women category on Trek mountain bikes these days, I’m scratching my head, as I don’t see the point of gendering mountain bikes these days. Basically any person (men or women) whose body proportions fit the size of the bike will be able to comfortably ride the bike. If it really does makes sense, then why there aren’t women category on motorcycles? Basically it’s the same style of transportation, only it has an engine. It’s nothing but a cheeky marketing gimmick.

[@edrcozonoking]

“Woman specific” bikes are based on old bogus science about women/men proportions. And now most “woman specific” bikes are just rebranded and repainted “men’s” bikes. Which proves the point.