Bike setup for women


Welcome to the second and final part of our bike fit guide for women.  If you missed the first part about bike setup you can find it here

Part Two – the contact points

So you’ve now selected your bike from the WISE women’s range that fits you best.  Now, how do you make it fit you even better?  Most decent women’s specific bikes will have all the below covered off, but it’s worth checking and assessing the below contact points as there may be even better alternatives out there if you’re not 100% happy with yours.  After all, none of us are the same and bike components are certainly not ‘one size fits all’ items.

If you’re currently riding around on a men’s bike and not in a position to purchase a women’s specific bike at the moment, consider the below as ways of making your current bike more comfortable for you.

A happy cyclist is a rider “at one” with their bike. Being at one with your bike means it’s comfortable, it handles the way in which you expect it to and it’s a pleasure not a chore to ride. There are 3 main connection points between you and your bike. Your arms on the bars, your upper body on the seat and your legs on the pedals. Making sure each one of these connection points is set up just right for you will allow you to harness the utmost performance potential out of your bike and your body.


Contact point 1: The handle bars.
 
Female hands are generally smaller than males, our fingers are shorter and we have less grip strength. Our shoulders are narrower and our arm strength is less. On sport and mountain bikes, ergonomic bar grips give a flatter rest area for the hand. This allows less strain on the wrist joint and more powerful grip as the contact area on the palm of the hand is greater allowing the muscles of the forearm and hand to work more effectively.

On road bikes a narrower, women’s specific, handlebar with less depth and height to the hook of the bars allows for better reach to the brakes whether on the hoods or drops. Shims within the brake lever itself can also bring the lever closer to the bar and therefore easier to reach. Stems with various angles of rise can also be utilized to bring the bars up higher and therefore soften the handling of the bike on corners etc. This is often a good option for a women moving onto their first road bike as the stem can then be changed as the rider become more confident in handling the bike.


Contact point 2: The saddle.

The most common saying I hear from women new to cycling is “how does your bum cope with that?” Traditionally bicycle saddles are narrow and rather firm, fine if your bottom is also shaped that way! Women are generally wider in the hips, not because of fat but because our ischeal tuberosities (sit bones) are wider apart. Women’s specific saddles are wider at the back, stubbier at the nose, and have padding in slightly different strategic places. Smaller females may not necessarily need the greater width at the back but may appreciate the change of shape and padding in the nose. Choosing your saddle should never be based solely on your sit bone width.  Even if your pelvis is narrow enough for a generic saddle, you may still want to consider a narrow women’s saddle because its other attributes.

Also consider a pair of women’s specific shorts or bib shorts. Women’s specific shorts have padding specifically constructed for the female anatomy and are generally a bit roomier round the hips. Bib shorts appear quite daunting to a lot of women but in fact what they do is hold the shorts and padding in the correct areas better than an elastic waist band. They also come up over your tummy better and hide any unwanted bulges!


Contact point 3: The pedals

Through my physio practice I often encounter cyclists with uncomfortable feet and/or painful knees. Painful feet are often due to irritation of the structures in the forefoot due to the firmness and often lack of structural support in a cycling shoe.  Women’s feet are generally narrower and the forefoot is more mobile than a male’s. We also tend to put more stress on our feet day to day with high heels etc. A women’s specific cycling shoe is generally narrower allowing for a more snug fit and better support to the foot. Innersoles are also now readily available to give more arch support to the foot supporting it further.

Females generally have wider hips and longer femurs (upper leg) creating angles and forces at the knee (known as biomechanics) that differ to males. Accordingly knee pain may result.  Position of the seat in terms of fore and aft and height play an important role in your knee biomechanics as do pedal width and cleat position. There are a number of things that can be adjusted at the pedal, the seat, and the shoe to help maximize the biomechanical efficiency of your knee. All AvantiPlus stores have staff trained in bike fit so pop in and have a chat with them if you’re having knee issues.

Hopefully now you’re all armed with the knowledge of why you love your women’s specific bike so much. Either that or you’re enthused to pop down to your dealer make a few changes to your current bike or have a look at a new one. Happy pedalling everyone!

Kirsty Walker is an ex-professional cyclist and physiotherapist who is passionate about women’s cycling.

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