Quote Originally Posted by Lesley_x View Post
how essential is it to get a woman's specific design road bike?
Don't worry about the WSD label - just find a bike that fits your body.
I know that I belong to the minority here - but I find the WSD label a marketing hype.
Fit is based on finding the correct bicycle geometry for your body proportions, and not based on gender. There's men that fit on WSD labelled bikes and women that fit on regular stock bikes (which most people believe to be built for male bodies).
Find a reputable bike fitter, and test ride many bikes until you find the right one for you. When you know what geometry and size you need - go shop for the colors you like.
And don't worry if it does not say 'WSD' on the frame