And now to put out my women specific soap box:

Women specific is designed for a specific body type, which if you fall into that range ( long legs, short torso) is great. But do not buy one just becuase you are female. Unless you are spending a lot of $$ on one, as a rule they have a more crappy component set than the same bike, non, wsd version.

irulan[/QUOTE]


Irulan:

I'm with you on that. I actually do fit the description for a WSD bike (long legs, short arms and torso) but have brought "man" bikes and modified the stem to get the fit I want because the components were better on the "man" bike. Generally bike manufacturers think all women who ride weigh less than 120 lbs. That might be but I'm tall and well, large, and need a substantial front fork. I checked with Specialized on their WSD bikes and unfortunately the forks are not interchangeable (I wanted the Fox on the "man" bike not the Manitou on the WSD). Something one needs to consider when buying a bike.

And to all newbies, this has been mentioned time and time again, fit is essential no matter what. If the bike doesn't fit you, it's no good to ride no matter the deal and components. It's not enough you can stand over hte bike and have clearance. The most important measurement is the top tube. If you have difficulty reaching the hoods, the bike is too big or needs adjustments!