Advice on WSD Mountain Bikes

[philip.maree]

I am looking to get my wife a new mountain bike. The budget is 4K - 8K. She has Silverback Reno at this point but it's heavy and the 7-speed group has reached their ceiling.

 

Any advice on what to look at?

Is it worth while going for the WSD option?

[Kiwi]

Usually WSD means shorter top tube and some times more upright seat tube. Oh, and pink stickers too  Just go for what fits rider and wallet!

[PPWTF]

WSD is often under played in LBS simply because they don't carry any.... Reality is there is a fair degree of anatomical difference (aside from the obvious )

 

Shorter torso = shorter reach

shorter reach = shorter top tube and / or stem

 

This has a major impact on the way the bike rides, and feels to the rider. Whilst this won't apply to every female rider (remember; one size fits nobody) major manufacturers are well aware of it, hence Trek and others do offer WSD.

 

As for which bike, Silverback, Giant and Merida will give you most bang for buck in the price range. The closer you are to the top of the budget, the more upgradeable the bikes frame will be, as and when all the other bits start wearing out... What every you do, remember - 'buy cheap, buy twice!' Buy smart, look for a frame that is worth upgrading components on as and when and you'll 'save' in the longer term

 

[slowpoke]

i agree with kiwi. when i decided i needed a new lighter more manouvreable mtb last year i started by testing out the WSD bikes... didn't like them.

[philip.maree]

I am just looking to narrow down the search criteria and not shop around forever

 

The merida's look really good value for money in general

 

[HomerSimpson]

Also consider the Scott Reflex range.  More relaxed geometry than the Scale hardtails and good value for money (IMHO).

[GoLefty!!]

There is only one company who builds a proper Womens bike (Iwon;t use WSD since that is a registered trademark of one brand).

 

That Company is Titus. Thetubeset is custom drawn for a smaller woman's bike. The tube walls are thinner and therefore the frame is lighter. The seat tube is steeper, the reach is shorter, the cranks are shorter (on petite size),the head tube is longer and the brake levers are closer to the bars.

Some company's mere;y change the spec on their small sizes.

 

Almost eeryone else WSD bikes are merely a petite size, i.e. a smaller version  or the small bike. and the resulting geometry is a resultof the size of the frame and not that it's tailored to a woman. Woman will find it more comfortable because they are on average shorter.

 

Cannondale make two sizes specifically for women. The Petite and the Woman's medium which is a cm longer than a man's "Small".  This is because taller women will have longer legs than a male of the same height.

 

At the lower end of the market, I think "WSD" is just amarketing gimmick of girly decals and colours. The bikes are generally cheaply spec'd and offer lowvalue, andthey are heavy.

 

[PhilipV]

At your price range i would look at the spcialized. a Buddy of mine just bought a spaz myka comp for his girlfriend. She loves it, apparently the shorter ladies struggle on the normal bikes to reach the bars comfortably. Oh, and she likes the pink frame and the butterfly stickers. Oh and the rockshox fork is fitted with a lighter spring rate, which I approve of.

happy shopping...

 

[philip.maree]

that is the one problem with the woman specific bikes. the coloring and butterfly stickers are not to everybody's liking.

 

but heard only good things about the myka's. maybe there is a less "girly" version out there somewhere

 

 

[GoLefty!!]

of the budget bikes the Myka  is probably the best of whats available locally.

Cannondale Rush and Scalpel femine are also supplied with lighter negative springs in the Lefties but they cost a lot more than the Myka.

 

Just remember that the weight of the bike means a lot more to a woman than to a man. They are generally lighter and are not as strong so a 13 kg bike to them feels like a 16kg bike to us.