Do female-specific bikes really make the difference?

[IBrakeforPastry]

The issue is partly the fault of the manufacturers who are stocking such ridiculously short stems on WSD bikes. We get it all the time people who want to go UP a frame size to get a longer reach. This is such a huge mistake and bikes end up looking like the attached pic. A bike set up like this will NEVER be able to achieve a normal upright riding position. Much better to put a normal stem length onto the proper fitting frame.
Secondly customers need to be willing to change STOCK parts on production bikes rather than getting "freaked out" that it doesn't fit straight off the shelf.
The other issue is the plethora of incompetent people who call themselves "fitters"

I'm not sure if the part I bolded was directed at me, but I have changed out the stems and the handlebars on two of my bikes already this summer. And I don't "freak out". As a matter of fact, I really dislike that term and usually roll my eyes when I hear/read it.

I'm not sure of the different "fitting" programs out there, both the men I spoke to seemed very knowledgeable and competent (and had a few certificates on the wall). I have a quasi engineering background and we had some interesting discussions.

Interesting what Muirenn said about the no-offset seatpost. Something for me to consider.

[IBrakeforPastry]

Offset is only used for KOPS (knee over pedals), the stem is corrected afterwords. If you have the wrong offset, it may damage your knees. Be careful.

Are your femurs short compared to your overall leg length?

I think so. I started to suspect it when one of the fitters said, "Wow, you have short femurs!" But I don't think it's dramatic. My KOP alignment is good now. No knee problems. I just find the whole bike engineering discussion very interesting, whether or not it applies specifically to me.

[Seajay]

Please don't take offense IBFP. Wasn't intending to make any comment about any one person in particular. I chose your quote because I found it very shocking to hear a fitter say that someone who is 5'0" could fit on a bike made for someone who is at minimum 4 inches taller than you.

[IBrakeforPastry]

Please don't take offense IBFP. Wasn't intending to make any comment about any one person in particular. I chose your quote because I found it very shocking to hear a fitter say that someone who is 5'0" could fit on a bike made for someone who is at minimum 4 inches taller than you.

Not a problem - I didn't take any offense. What he meant was given my proportions, I could fit a men's bike, if there was one small enough.

Anyway, I'm very comfortable in the cockpit. My lower body is fine when I'm riding. I'm just very sensitive to any upper body discomfort. I have arthritis in my neck, and some weird structural thing in my shoulder. I'm not saying I'm "special" - we are all unique - it's just that I've dealt with headaches my entire adult life and try to do everything to help minimize the risk.

[estronat]

I'm going to have to have my stem raised or otherwise have higher-rise handlebars put on my Specialized Vita (hybrid). I'm experiencing a lot of neck pain and hand numbness. I finally realized the geometry is just not right for me and I need a more upright position as I have a shorter reach. Not sure what my options will be but I'll be heading to my LBS tomorrow to see what they can do for me.

[Seajay]

I'm going to have to have my stem raised or otherwise have higher-rise handlebars put on my Specialized Vita (hybrid). I'm experiencing a lot of neck pain and hand numbness. I finally realized the geometry is just not right for me and I need a more upright position as I have a shorter reach. Not sure what my options will be but I'll be heading to my LBS tomorrow to see what they can do for me.

This is a very common upgrade for Vita's here at our shop. We get great results. We usually change the handlebar to one with around a 40mm rise. If you have the base VITA take a look at Profile Ultra FR riser handlebar. About $40

[estronat]

This is a very common upgrade for Vita's here at our shop. We get great results. We usually change the handlebar to one with around a 40mm rise. If you have the base VITA take a look at Profile Ultra FR riser handlebar. About $40

Thanks so much for the response, Seajay!

I have the Vita Comp aluminum frame/carbon fork, (not the base Vita). I dropped my Vita off for it's 1st tune up and talked to the repair guys for awhile. They said it might be that I need a lower position with more arm extension which will change the angle of my arms reaching for the handlebars, achieved with a longer stem, rather than raising the height of the handlebars, though that might seem counter-intuitive. If the stem is swapped out for a higher one, then the cabling will have to be redone as the cables will otherwise be too short.

He said it's possible the frame is too small for me though when I got on the bike to show him he said it looked pretty good. I'm so short (5'0") that the height of the XS frame is what I needed to be able to stand over the top bar, though I have zero space between me and the handlebars when I jump off the seat, as one would do after coming to a stop, and then stand over the bar. My fat tummy goes right into the handlebar stem. The seat is moved back some, but not all the way. The measurements were taken when I was looking to purchase this bike and the gentleman who did the measurements at another of their stores spent a good 90 min working with me and checking the measurements and angles on everything. But total hand numbness is not something we could anticipate even though the setup "looked" correct to him.

Anyway, this store's certified fitter is on vacation for the next week so I'll have to wait for him to get back and then have him take a look and make recommendations.

It would be very nice if it could end up being a relatively inexpensive solution. I don't claim to know what is needed to fix the issue, only that the problem is coming from my neck and shoulders, combined with weak core strength, and resulting in a lot of numbness, not just in a few fingers but my whole hands (both of them).

[nuliajuk]

I'm inclined to the belief that the women-specific bikes are aimed as much at bike shop owners as at female riders. A lot of the things that women typically have to swap out when they buy a bike - handlebars, stem, saddle - come already swapped on a female-specific model. The brake levers are already shimmed for smaller hands. So it tends to save a little time and effort for shop owners, at least in the smaller sizes.
In larger sizes, there isn't that much difference between most women's and unisex bikes, in my experience. My newer road bike was a unisex model. I had the stem swapped for a shorter one, but the handlebars were already shallow drop and narrow enough, and the brake levers felt fine as-is. The saddle didn't work, but then not many saddles do.
Very small riders pretty much have to go with women's models, as unisex models just don't come small enough. I've never seen a 44cm frame in a unisex model.

[Koronin]

I'm inclined to the belief that the women-specific bikes are aimed as much at bike shop owners as at female riders. A lot of the things that women typically have to swap out when they buy a bike - handlebars, stem, saddle - come already swapped on a female-specific model. The brake levers are already shimmed for smaller hands. So it tends to save a little time and effort for shop owners, at least in the smaller sizes.
In larger sizes, there isn't that much difference between most women's and unisex bikes, in my experience. My newer road bike was a unisex model. I had the stem swapped for a shorter one, but the handlebars were already shallow drop and narrow enough, and the brake levers felt fine as-is. The saddle didn't work, but then not many saddles do.
Very small riders pretty much have to go with women's models, as unisex models just don't come small enough. I've never seen a 44cm frame in a unisex model.

I think you're correct about the stuff typically swapped out. For my unisex bike the only thing I swapped out was the saddle, but not to a women's saddle, but a different brand, make/model men's saddle. Obviously I would have swapped out the saddle reguardless of what bike I bought.