"Felt" bikes...anybody know anything?

[bladephotog]

About women's specific designs, again, it all boils down to fit. If a women's design fits better and is more comfortable then buy that one. My girlfriend just got into road cycling and I took her to the shop my friend owns. She ended up with a men's frame because it fit her better. The women's designs were made with the build of a woman in mind. That said, we all know no two people are alike. So they are great for some women, but not all.

She ended up with a Trek 1200 and it's a really nice bike for the money. She also got the shop owner's friend deal though too.

Just a note, most quality road bikes come with 700cc wheels, not 27 inch, so finding tubes and tires is not a problem.

You might be interested in a mountain bike with road tires. My tandem is a mountain bike tandem that I have set up for the road. And I have put 1 inch tires on my MTB for cruising on the road. A normal MTB tire is about 1.75-2.25 inches. That way, if you wanted to ride some trails you could put wider tires back on it. Not the fastest for road riding but it's an option.

 

[CameronMartz]

I think there needs to be a little more clarification on what is meant by "women's" frames. In days of yore, women wore skirts, even while riding a bike. To accomodate this, bicycles were made with a top tube (the tube that runs from the handlebars to the seat post) that curved downward instead of running straight back. The purpose of this design has been lost to marketing, and low-end bikes are still being designed this way and called "women's" or "girl's" bikes. See http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0001J05B4/103-4161050-3057411?v=glance for an example.

Nowadays, manufacturers have realized that, in addition to just being smaller, women have different proportions than men. Some have decided to design frame geometries and sizes with these physiological differences in mind. These designs in no way compromise the structural integrety of the frame. For example, my wife rides a Trek 2200 SL Alpha series WSD (for "women's specific design") that is designed for smaller riders. At 43cm, it was at the time the smallest mass-produced frame available. Shown at http://www.trekbikes.com/bikes/2003/road/2200wsd.jsp (though her's is an older model), there is nothing substandard about this "women's" bike.

So, if you are introduced to one of these women's specific design bike from Trek or other reputable manufacturers, fear not. It might be just the ticket for a proper fit in a great bike.

Cameron

 

[bladephotog]

I think there needs to be a little more clarification on what is meant by "women's" frames. In days of yore, women wore skirts, even while riding a bike. To accomodate this, bicycles were made with a top tube (the tube that runs from the handlebars to the seat post) that curved downward instead of running straight back. The purpose of this design has been lost to marketing, and low-end bikes are still being designed this way and called "women's" or "girl's" bikes. See http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0001J05B4/103-4161050-3057411?v=glance for an example.

Nowadays, manufacturers have realized that, in addition to just being smaller, women have different proportions than men. Some have decided to design frame geometries and sizes with these physiological differences in mind. These designs in no way compromise the structural integrety of the frame. For example, my wife rides a Trek 2200 SL Alpha series WSD (for "women's specific design") that is designed for smaller riders. At 43cm, it was at the time the smallest mass-produced frame available. Shown at http://www.trekbikes.com/bikes/2003/road/2200wsd.jsp (though her's is an older model), there is nothing substandard about this "women's" bike.

So, if you are introduced to one of these women's specific design bike from Trek or other reputable manufacturers, fear not. It might be just the ticket for a proper fit in a great bike.

Cameron

Well said. The frame angles are different as are the angle and length of stem, type of seat etc. But the frame material is the same. They are great bikes designed for women. Kind of like a wetsuit for women versus a wetsuit for men.

 

[ScubaJackie]

Of course this only works if you fall into their average size. I am tall 6', and I wasn't able to get the pretty light blue bike cause everything was so short . But my dark blue mens bike fits me fine and I have a great time ridding it to work (12 miles) and around town and on trails. Its all about fit...

 

[bladephotog]

Of course this only works if you fall into their average size. I am tall 6', and I wasn't able to get the pretty light blue bike cause everything was so short . But my dark blue mens bike fits me fine and I have a great time ridding it to work (12 miles) and around town and on trails. Its all about fit...

Exactly. Which is why my girlfriend, also named Jackie , ended up with a men's frame. Better fit.

 

[Cacia]

this board is a fountain of information. never ceases to amaze me. easier than Googling.

 

[MoonWrasse]

This is what I meant by a "womans" frame:
http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/bik/160168281.html

Too much flex in the frame.

BTW, most gals I know don't ride such a frame, but a properly fitted man's frame.
In fact, logically men are more at risk for serious pain on a man's frame than gals are IMO

 

[Cacia]

okay, silly question:

JB is acting like I should wait till he gets back. i don't know how to switch gears and all that. I do understand gears and ratios and RPM's and can ride a motorcycle, etc.

Is it tricky? the few times I have been on one the chains grind and hop off the sprockets a lot. Do you need a "teacher" or you mess up the bike?

 

[pipedope]

Shifting gears is easy.
You must be pedaling to shift.

If gears are making noise and jumping adjust the lever slightly one way or the other.
On most of todays bikes the shifters are indexed so this does not happen.

The bike shop can show you very quickly how to shift.

When to shift?
If you are pedaling slow and pushing hard then shift to a lower gear.
If your feet are spinning around fast with no resistance from the pedals then shift to a higher gear.

It is generally better to pedal a little faster in a lower gear than pedal slower in a higher gear.
This makes the loads on your legs less and especially is kind to your knees.

 

[bladephotog]

There are a few things to know and your local bike shop can help. Even with indexed shifting you can get a bit of noise which means an adjustment needs to be made. With some bikes you can do this on the fly. Others you need to stop and adjust.

If the chain is jumping off on either the front or back it's usually a just a matter of adjusting the limit screws on the derallieur in question.

Also, you want to avoid cross over gear combinations. This is when you are in the smallest cog in the back and smallest in the front, or biggest in the back and biggest in the front. This puts the chain at a sharp angle and is puts a lot of stress on the bike and chain. Not good.

If you are peddaling up hill sometimes you need to take the pressure off the chain just slightly while you shift to make a cleaner shift. Shifting under intense pressure can be done but it does increase your chance of missing a shift.

Talk to the bike shop about it and I'm sure they'll help you out.