Dear Bike Companies:

[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.

[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.

[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?

[Aggie_Ama]

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)

From what I can tell? It is pink and has an opening to stick a ponytail through.

I was nervous when I realized the pink was "WSD" but it fits just like my size medium non-gender specific Bell. The Giro "Mens" Atmos had the same dimensions as my Bell. I ordered the "WSD" without being able to try one on.

So my thoughts? It is pink, in a Pepto Bismal box and has a ponytail hole.

[KatyLady]

Several people have mentioned custom paint jobs on bikes. I'm curious: How much does that usually cost? Where does one find a custom bike-painter? (I've thought for a long time flames would be *so* cool on my bike; plus I've had a lifelong love affair with that iridescent green/purple/blue color that you see on really customized cars and motorcycles (I hear that costs $$$ per pint, but how many pints would you need to paint a bike anyway?))

I'm in the process of getting a custom paint job now. I was cautioned by my bicycle frame builder not to take the steel frame to just any auto paint shop. I looked around a bit and found a local automotive paint shop that has the equipment needed for detail paint work. The shop owner is almost excited about the opportunity to paint a bike frame and has taken it on as his personal project. He says he can do flames, fades or virtually anything I want - but I'm more interested in a classic bike design.

[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.

[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.

[imdeanna]

Women cyclists are petite, skinny, little things with tiny hands, tiny feet, tiny heads.

That's why I bought MY bike!!
(sooo...it's been a couple months now...when do I get the tiny bod????)

Does it come in the mail or something?? LOL

[OakLeaf]

Women cyclists are petite, skinny, little things with tiny hands, tiny feet, tiny heads.

They got little hands
Little eyes
They walk around
Tellin great big lies
They got little noses
And tiny little teeth
They wear platform shoes
On their nasty little feet

[teawoman]

That's why I bought MY bike!!
(sooo...it's been a couple months now...when do I get the tiny bod????)

Does it come in the mail or something?? LOL

+5

[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.)