Mountain Bikes for Women: What's the Difference?
If you're new to mountain biking, you may be puzzled as to why some manufacturers make it a point to create specialized bike lines for women. You may be tempted to ask: is this discrimination? Does the existence of mountain bikes for women somehow mean that female riders should be marginalized in the sport of cycling?
This is not so. Mountain bikes for women exist because there is a need for them. Female cyclists can benefit from bikes that were especially customized to accomodate their generally smaller physiques. Mountain bikes for women are typically shorter than mountain bikes for men. The sizes lie somewhere between bikes for kids, and bikes for adult males.
Just like mens' bikes, the sizes of womens' bikes are carefully measured in order to optimize comfort and maximize performance. A bike that is not properly proportioned will cause the rider's body to be strained, after all, doing more harm than good. And cycling is supposed to be an energizing, healthy exercise!
A rider on a mountain bike must not stretch too far forward to reach the handlebars, or have difficulty reaching the ground with her feet. When pedaling, a rider's knees should not lock, as this could be dangerous on offroad trails. This means the pedal should not cause the rider's legs to be stretched out straight. All these safety measures go for any biker, man or woman.
When it comes to design, womens mountain bikes may only seem more petite, but they are no less streamlined for speed. The gear used for the suspension and disc brakes are similar to any other type of mountain bikes. What's more, everything from the bike frame itself to the spokes on the wheels are just as customizable, depending on the rider's preferences.
Rugged mountain bikes for men may seem like kings of the off-road, but there's no reason to believe they can outperform mountain bikes for women. The performance of a bike depends greatly on the way it is ridden. And if the rider is both skilled and comfortable with the vehicle, a woman's bike can reign over the off-road trail as well!
