Quote Originally Posted by jessmarimba View Post
I just wanted to chime in and say they aren't necessarily "men's" bikes. Some bikes even have separate women's models that are the exact same geometry, just different colors (I have one mtb bike in mind but can't think of the company right now). So don't necessarily rule out a bike because you think it's a "man's" bike without actually taking a spin on it.
+1 on this.

Depending on how you are built, a "mens" version of a bike might just be perfect for you. I would ride some and try it out. And remember, you don't have to take a bike exactly the way it comes out of a box. If the frame fits but the bars are too wide (for example) you can just put narrower bars on the bike. Pretty simple.

Also, you may be able to get the color you want if you talk to your LBS and get them to find an older version of a bike you like. That's how I ended up with my new hot pink and black bike - it's a 2008 frame that was leftover in the factory and I got a good deal on it and built it up from scratch - all because of the color.

HTH!