Do you have a question for Specialized Women's Product Team?

[Alex]

Welcome! I appreciate any company that is interested in the woman cyclist and I hope you find some good information here.

I have no questions at the moment, but I will tell you I love Specialized gloves (both the fingerless gel gloves for road riding and the full fingered gloves for mountain biking). I am also very happy with my Ruby saddle. :-)

There are MANY friendly folks here, but sometimes we just lurk....

Alex

[KnottedYet]

I don't think there's anything in particular I'd like to ask Specialized, but I (like Alex) want to give you some praise.

Love LOVE the Body Geometry gloves. Women's sizes don't fit me right, but the men's are great! Likewise the Body Geometry Taho mtb shoes. I can't wear the women's (too narrow in the toes) but the men's are fabulous.

The Body Geometry line is wonderful, and I recommend it to my patients fairly often. Especially the shoes: having the built-in medial post in the forefoot is such a good idea!

[rlambert]

Thank you guys all for the super friendly introduction to the page and site. And thanks also for all the praise on the product. I am pretty excited to get started with this and also field any product or general riding related questions (of course I will be needing some help too I am sure with questions of my own ) I am really excited to hear and learn from female cyclists from all over the country!

Hey NY Biker! If you do come up with some saddle questions, let er rip. We just got done doing some really interesting saddle testing with a pressure scanner!

[rlambert]

Welcome! I'm new too and love reading the posts. I have learned so much. I ride a Cannondale but wear almost all Specialized stuff. Silly, I know but I love what Specialized does for women. Have been glancing at the 2010 Specialized Riata shoes that support the Susan Komen Foundation.

That's awesome! The Riata were my first pair of clipless shoes! I used them on a road bike and then started mountain biking in them. I upgraded a few years ago, but kept them for so long as my back-up pair.

[redrhodie]

That's awesome! The Riata were my first pair of clipless shoes! I used them on a road bike and then started mountain biking in them. I upgraded a few years ago, but kept them for so long as my back-up pair.

Riatas were mine, too! I just got new BG carbon pro Mtbs 2 days ago. They're awesome! I'll still use the riatas for winter. They're great in freezing cold.

[KnottedYet]

Hey NY Biker! If you do come up with some saddle questions, let er rip. We just got done doing some really interesting saddle testing with a pressure scanner!

OOH! OOH! Data! I want data!
Trek funded some studies I was able to get a hold of, but I found their protocol to be pretty badly flawed. When a rep was demo-ing their amazing new concept in women's saddles at a shin-dig in SF, the only other woman in the group and I were both grimacing in anticipatory pain. (they've since trashed their amazing new concept and wisely moved on to a different but assuredly equally amazing new concept)

Is Specialized's data going to be trade secret, or will it be published? Can you share? (I won't tell, I promise!)

[rlambert]

OOH! OOH! Data! I want data!
Trek funded some studies I was able to get a hold of, but I found their protocol to be pretty badly flawed. When a rep was demo-ing their amazing new concept in women's saddles at a shin-dig in SF, the only other woman in the group and I were both grimacing in anticipatory pain. (they've since trashed their amazing new concept and wisely moved on to a different but assuredly equally amazing new concept)

Is Specialized's data going to be trade secret, or will it be published? Can you share? (I won't tell, I promise!)

We are trying to get some pics or video of the demonstration and testing here soon. It is super interesting to watch. The craziest part is how aware women are of exactly what is bothering them. They will describe something and sure enough it is right there substantiated on the screen!

[Trek420]

The craziest part is how aware women are of exactly what is bothering them. They will describe something and sure enough it is right there substantiated on the screen!

What a surprise. Women say "ow ow ow that hurts!" and by dang gum it does

Thank you for the shoes I have a broken toe and can't wear road shoes anymore or at least have not found a pair that don't cramp my boo boo toe. Specialized Tahoe are supportive, fit nice and tight and still room for that one broken toe. Without 'em I'd be wearing cycling sandals, or buying two pair of shoes to have two different sizes and then trying to sell the spare shoe on TE not that there's anything wrong with that.

Thank you!!

I have one question: Bike Snob NY thinks this video:

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=33018

is produced by Performance bike co. Any inside scoop?

[crazycanuck]

Hey Rachael,

I love the Spec BG Gloves BUT please stop making them ONLY IN BLUE with flowery stuff on them!!!! (Also, i'm not sure what the Australian market gets compared to the US market??)

I'm not a girly girl & don't like blue stuff. Please continue to make them in black.

Other than that, tis coolio that you're asking opinions!!!

C

[OakLeaf]

Welcome - sorry you kind of got off on the wrong foot with some people, but yeah - the best way to become part of this community is to jump in and talk about YOUR riding, not ours! But as to your post, are you looking for questions or requests? Because I think a lot of us have requests...

I do have a question though. How exactly are your saddles measured? I've been riding a 155 mm Lithia and doing pretty much okay with it (although I would have a couple of requests for a different saddle...) but when I measured it, I really couldn't come up with 155 mm any place. I just got a Jett that I haven't tried yet, and it says 155 mm also, but looks narrower in back than the Lithia. If it turns out when I ride it that it really is narrower than the Lithia, I'm going to have to send it back - the Lithia is just barely wide enough for me.

[Triskeliongirl]

I have a sadde question. I know very little about specialized saddles, but I am always on the lookout for a saddle that supports me like the brooks finesse (so the width and T-shape is good) but has longer rails in the front for more setback, and is lighter in weight for performance. Do you folks make such a thing, or are you thinking about such things? I find most saddles out there are too narrow for my sit bones.

[Kris]

I was over on the Commuters thread reading about hair problems, and thought, "Maybe this is a problem some company could work on." And then I thought of this thread. So here's my question for Specialized: Since a lot of women are reluctant to ride, or to ride more often, because they don't want to have flat, frizzy or wet hair with dents in it when they get where they're going, are there any helmets or other products that will help us have work-worthy hairdos, and, if not, could you put someone to work on inventing some?
I'm aware that many women couldn't care less, but if we want more people out of their air-conditioned cars and on bikes, someone needs to address this.

[SpinSpinSugar]

Hi Rachel. My question is - why does Specialized not produce a WSD steel road/touring bike? My local specialized dealer told me "Oh... you're looking for steel? Hmmmmm.... no..... nope.. nothing in steel."

There are racks and rows of Carbon & Aluminum WSD bikes, but not steel? It's a shame because I'm having a devil of a time trying to find a bike that fits.. One of the size 51cm WSD aluminum models fit me like a glove.... (can't remember which) but I would never buy an Aluminum bike for touring in a million years.

Surely not all women are interested in being roadies only?

/Rant over

SpinSpinSugar

[Eden]

I know you're in the mountain bike division, so this isn't really your field, but my question is why does it look like you've all taken two steps back with your women's racing bikes? Last year you finally had small bikes equal to the men's models. Now I see the new Amira only goes up to the "Expert" level model and comes with a compact crank standard. Give us a little credit...

[rlambert]

Hey Rachael,
Welcome to the boards! I also joined the facebook group
Glad to have you finally joining in. I love what Specialized does for women(I want to work for them b/c of that actually!). From the products, to the demo reps and diva nights at shops, you gals are very great at engaging women into cycling.

That is awesome, thanks for being a part of the facebook group! Have you seen our job boards?

http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/sbcJobs.jsp