Dear Bike Companies:

[OakLeaf]

even with my love of the helmet I was completely annoyed with the Giro "Women's" Packaging.

What's different about a women's specific helmet???

(honest question from someone who's never heard that the crowns of women's heads are shaped differently from men's)

ETA, my 2 cents: Women and men ARE shaped differently, and not just from chest to crotch, and I think manufacturers SHOULD label their products when they're made to fit a set of proportions that is much more likely to belong to a woman than to a man (and my understanding is that the difference in frames is more in the STA and the top tube length). What I have a problem with, is when WSD products are labeled as such, but products designed specifically for men's bodies are not labeled. As though everything is "really" unisex but there are some b*tchy feminists who refuse to accommodate their bodies to wearing men's clothes and riding men's bikes.

[GLC1968]

What's different about a women's specific helmet???

(honest question from someone who's never heard that the crowns of women's heads are shaped differently from men's)

In my experience? Nothing, except that they are in 'pretty' colors and they don't come in 'Large'!

I'd be curious of the real difference, too...maybe they have ponytail openings?

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

In my experience? Nothing, except that they are in 'pretty' colors and they don't come in 'Large'!

I'd be curious of the real difference, too...maybe they have ponytail openings?

Men's helmets in small are too large for me. Women's helmets in small fit me just right.

[GLC1968]

Men's helmets in small are too large for me. Women's helmets in small fit me just right.

Really? Interesting! I never bothered trying on any women's helmets for the reason I mentioned before - they never come in Large. Well, then...even more reason for me not to bother looking at them.

But see, now that pisses me off! Women have smaller heads? Says who? Jeeze!! Why can't they just make helmets in head sizes like they do hats? Why should a men's small be any larger than a women's small? That's just stupid unless there is a real shape difference (like for shoes).

[Flybye]

Dear Bike Company,

Thank you for making such a wonderful bike. You put hours of research and design into putting together a great bike. It is evident that many in your company must love to ride as much, if not more than I. I love everything about the bike. I love the freedom that I get from riding such a great piece of equipment. I love to walk by it when it waits in the rack. I love the way it looks. I love that I can ride it 75 miles without worrying that it is going to fall apart. I love the fact that the women's specific brakes are easy on my hands. Thanks for putting a great seat on the bike, too. How great is that? Thanks for having such a passion to build something so awesome and sturdy that can bring so much delight, freedom, and fun to my life. You have done a fantastic job with metal, rubber, carbon and grease!

In Gratitude - Fly

[teawoman]

My big square teutonic head fits a men's medium helmet.

Ditto on the girly colours. My bike is a wsd, but I don't think the colors are especially girly except for maybe the saddle. I'd prefer black.



I'm not fond of the pink and flowery stuff though...maybe the odd time in a jersey.

[mimitabby]

Really? Interesting! I never bothered trying on any women's helmets for the reason I mentioned before - they never come in Large. Well, then...even more reason for me not to bother looking at them.

But see, now that pisses me off! Women have smaller heads? Says who? Jeeze!! Why can't they just make helmets in head sizes like they do hats? Why should a men's small be any larger than a women's small? That's just stupid unless there is a real shape difference (like for shoes).

the average woman does have a smaller head (and a smaller brain, smaller feet and smaller hands) than the average man.
Those are undisputable facts.

It never occurred to me to buy a woman's helmet. The Bell small fits me with a slight adjustment off the rack.

[GLC1968]

the average woman does have a smaller head (and a smaller brain, smaller feet and smaller hands) than the average man.
Those are undisputable facts.

It never occurred to me to buy a woman's helmet. The Bell small fits me with a slight adjustment off the rack.

Well, sure...they also typically have smaller bodies. But my point is - is the head shapped any different? Why have two different standards? Why not just go by hat size (in inches or cm)?

Women's shoes make sense since women's feet are not just smaller, they are shapped differently. Same with women's bodies, obviously.... But heads? I wouldn't think so. Maybe women's heads are more oblong or more narrow...or there is some other differentiating characteristic. It just doesn't seem like there would be any developmental reason why they would be different, you know?

[7rider]

Women's shoes make sense since women's feet are not just smaller, they are shapped differently. Same with women's bodies, obviously.... ?

Smaller??? Ha! Try FINDING women's bike shoes in size 11.
Ain't gonna happen. Oh yeah...it's that bike thing: Women cyclists are petite, skinny, little things with tiny hands, tiny feet, tiny heads.

[CarbonCandy]

Men's helmets in small are too large for me. Women's helmets in small fit me just right.

Me too! I've got an uber small head...and can pretty much fit in kids helmets.

And to throw in my two Lincolns about color and what not, a couple things. Now I dont want to make anyone angry and Im 100 positive there are going to be some of you disagreeing with me, but I work in a LBS and we had this Trek pink 2200 in a 47cm that we just couldn't sell. No one wanted it. Scratch that. Everyone who wanted it, wouldn't fit on it. So any women who were along the lines of my size (5'8" or so) LOVED the bike. Anyone who could fit on the 47cm didn't want anything to do with it. Anyone see where I'm going with this...?

For myself, I bought a men's Trek 5000 (before I knew the new Madones were coming out grrrrrrr) and plastered it in pink. As you can see from my avatar.... pink pedals, cages, and bar tape :]

I've got a bone to pick about Trek hybrids. All the wsd 7000, 7100, 7200, and 7300 bikes, all come in a step through frame. That means if you want a womens specific bike that fits you well, you have to get a step through?? Come on cant we just have a proportional "mens/unisex" frame??

Now Im rambling....

[uforgot]

I also find that the wsd helmets fit me better than men's. The men's were too big and the kids were too small. I also look for the ponytail holder. It's so much more comfortable.

As for the Trek step through frames, it's not like that is the only line that Trek makes. I think there are probably a lot of women who would like those bikes for their retro feel, and it's good that there are options for everyone. Personally, I'm not crazy about those bikes. No problem as I wound up with a 7.2fx a few years ago. Not a step through, and there are many other options for women in the Trek line also. I like the fact that there seem to be so many choices out there, and the choices are growing!

I guess I'm just tired of the whole WSD, pastel color debate. If you don't like a certain bike, or product, then don't buy it! It's not like you can't find something else, or another year with a different paint job. Not everyone is going to like the same thing, and why would you want everyone to be the same? I think that you should just ride.

Hey, I can ramble too!

[OakLeaf]

Well, here's one who specifically wanted the mixte frame on my Trek hybrid (Navigator 200). That's the bike I use for going out to eat and church, among other things, and sometimes I like to wear a skirt.

But it's not pink, it's maroon, the exact same color as DH's diamond-frame Navigator 100.

Back in the day I used to ride a diamond frame bike in dresses all the time, but it had to be a pretty full skirt, and it was awkward regardless.

[Torrilin]

I've got a bone to pick about Trek hybrids. All the wsd 7000, 7100, 7200, and 7300 bikes, all come in a step through frame. That means if you want a womens specific bike that fits you well, you have to get a step through?? Come on cant we just have a proportional "mens/unisex" frame??

After a year of struggling with a diamond frame, I got a step through. I am *tired* of staring at my bike, dreading having my hip scream at me for daring to throw my leg over the top tube. On really bad days, I'd only have 1 leg joint out of the full six not *****ing at me. Ow. Such are the joys of a 17 degree hip rotation and malformed bones in your feet. The arthritis kicked in when I was 16.

I'd be pretty ticked if I *had* to get a diamond frame again. Once I'm *on* the bike, the movement helps my arthritis. Take that away and I'd get pretty stabbity.

The part that ticks me off with step throughs is that taller men can't get them even if they need them. They're "girl's bikes" not "bikes for people with bad hips". (same thing with WSD in general... no WSD bikes are made large enough for someone 6' tall. that means my dad with a WSD body can't get a good fit very easily. he's riding a diamond frame bike that's just about perfectly sized for me and I'm 6" shorter.)

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

What I have a problem with, is when WSD products are labeled as such, but products designed specifically for men's bodies are not labeled. As though everything is "really" unisex but there are some b*tchy feminists who refuse to accommodate their bodies to wearing men's clothes and riding men's bikes.

Tell me about it. I was in a nice bike shop 3 weeks ago helping a woman friend to bike shop- she's not overly bike savvy. I asked the man there (who seemed very nice and somewhat knowledgeable) if they had any women specific bikes there, and he said "No, but all these bikes are Unisex and we can fit them to either men or women."....(basically meaning that all the MEN'S bikes in the store would fit all women).
GGGGRRRRRR.........
It's the old syndrome of thinking that any body can be made to 'fit' any bike in their general size regardless of frame geometry or body proportions....it can all be made to fit perfectly by tweaking stems and other minor adjustments. Hogwash I say. This dogma is all to the advantage of bike shops wanting to sell what they have on the floor- which is usually an abundance of long top-tube men's bikes made for long armed guys. Pfffftt.
My friend is still shopping around, but she knows more now than she did 3 weeks ago.

[indigoiis]

Dear Bike company (okay, Specialized...)

Did you really need to put a bright red sticker that says, "Always wear a helmet for safety sake" on the top tube of my bike? A non-removable sticker? I tried to get it off and it was like removing nail polish.

The red doesn't match the blue.

I ride along and look down and read that and then, as is the way with thoughts while riding, it becomes a chant. "Always. Wear. a helmet..."

And then my brain screams out, "I AM ALREADY!!!"

It's all wrong.

*SIGH.*