Women's Specific Designs

[katherine]

And this is why I dislike the terms "men's" "women's" "WSD" and "unisex".

No, they aren't "built for dudes" or really "built for women". "men's" or "unisex" bikes are simply built the way bikes have been built for a very long time (with some modifications), and during that time it's not as if women were simply not riding them. Bikes were just made without huge amounts of thought put into different body proportions (and the assumption that stems and seatposts could make up the difference). What this actually means varies WILDLY with frame size and manufacturer (a size 44 "men's"/"unisex" bike is NOT built the same as a 54 which is not built the same as a 62 even in the same bike and as you get to the extremes of sizing (44, 62 as examples) the "men's" bike and the "women's" bike show VERY LITTLE IF ANY difference even today)

A "WSD" bike is just as much "unisex" (with the exception of the girly flower graphics and pastel colors some manufacturers insist on using) as a "men's" bike, frame wise. Only big difference? A shorter top tube relative to other bikes with the same seat-tube measurement (and ok, typically available a size or two smaller)

Now, that is a SIGNIFICANT difference, I will not argue with that. But calling them "women's specific" means many MEN that could benefit from this geometry change (and/or availability of smaller frames) never consider it. It also means many women (myself included) that actually fit better on a "men's" frame don't get a good fit either because the marketing (and sales-people uninformed in advanced fitting) tells them "but this was made for you"...when it wasn't it was made for a stereotype (and I'm not even convinced a well understood one at that).

What they really are are different sizing schemes. A "longer relative reach" and a "shorter relative reach".

Honestly, it makes more sense to market them this way, much the way Trek now has a "performance" fit and "Pro" fit (with the only real difference being headtube length) to accommodate different types of rider. Of course that marketing strategy won't take off anywhere near as well as having a whole different line of bikes and saying they are "women's only"....because for some reason our brains think that if it's gender specific it must be better (which is true in some cases, but I don't think it's true in bike fit).

Well that will teach me to venture an opinion.
The original question was is it worth it to look at WSD bikes if you're a taller than average, or even average height woman. As a woman who is taller than average and rides a variety of bikes, my favorite is a WSD. Just my experience.
Also I would like to remark that my brain is unlikely to be fooled by marketing strategies that paint things pink, decorate them with butterflies, or otherwise girlify them. My mind is not so limited by gender binaries, now if you excuse me I must get back to that thesis I was writing, you know, the one on post-modern feminism.