# What's the take on women's specific frames?



## santacruzchick (Jun 27, 2007)

Hi girls,
I am wondering what is the communities opinion on women's speicfic frames. 
The reason is this: The back swingarm of my santacruz blur frame just got crushed in a car accident. Insurance replaced the whole bike so I got a new one for my all mountain riding. I am wanting to get into xc racing and was thinking of buying a new swingarm for my blur and just racing that. However, I could also use most of the components on my blur on a santacruz juliana frame instead.

I am very wary about so called "women's specific" gear. Coming from my years and years of skiing experience (I know, I know, skiing is not mtb'ing but it's what i have to go off of) I have found that hard goods gear marketed as women's specific is usually pretty crappy, lighter, squishier, generally lower performance stuff. After years of being dissappointed I wrote the whole category off. Perhaps this is because I'm 5'11" and 140lbs and tend to be hard on gear.

So. .. what is the deal with women's specific mtb frames? has anyone had the same experience I had with ski gear? Is it even worth trying it out?


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## santacruzchick (Jun 27, 2007)

Oh, and one more important fact: my blur frame was a size large and it fit my vertical measurements very well, but I found myself really reaching for the handlebars even with a short stem.


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

Hi and welcome. You'll find a lot of links to old threads on WSD in the FAQ. Here's the short answer to your question. WSD has a place in mountain biking, but the consumer really needs to be educated as to what it is, and it not, and what kind of rider it's designed for. At 5-11, it's *highly *unlikely that you are a candidate for WSD.

~formica


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## Bikergal (Oct 10, 2005)

I have a Giant Anthem. Its WSD. I love this bike, but at 5'3 128lbs, its very different for me then someone with your height. 

You already have a great bike, I say go check out the Juliana if your really interested in seeing if there is a difference. See if thats what you want.  

Good luck


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## verslowrdr (Mar 22, 2004)

JMO (and that of my LBS): WSD works for some women better than others, it just depends on their build. If you've got long legs and short torso/arms, you're a WSD candidate. Some women with narrow shoulders prefer a narrower bar setup. And gals with small hands might also like shorter pull brake levers.

I happen to be a 5'8' Clydegirl. My torso is long, my shoulders broad, shirt arms are ALWAYS too short for me, and I can reach an octave + 2 on a standard piano keyboard. No WSD for me! But just because *I* don't need it doesn't mean someone else won't.


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## xtremewriter (May 21, 2007)

I just had to exchange my WSD GF Cake for a guys Caliber. I didn't even realize that I felt scrunched on the cake till after a few rides, so make sure to demo. I'm not that tall 5'7, 130 pounds, but I still felt scrunched up. Demo, demo, demo!


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## MissMTB (May 21, 2007)

I have a Specialized Stumpjumper WSD and really like the way it fits me. I was a little surprised because, at 5'9, I've heard that WSD wouldn't work for me. I'm riding a size large and absolutly love it. I tested out a men's medium to compare the fit, and I just felt really awkward on the men's bike. I am a lot more comfortable on the women's bike and am able to handle/control it much easier. I rode a Rocky Mountain Slayer before (men's design) and never really liked the feel of that one either. My road bike is also a Specialized WSD. I think it really depends on the brand of bike as well. I think some companies downsize their men's design, whereas others actually change the geometry, like Specialized. When I bought my bike, I was told that when they first came out with WSD bikes they only came in small and medium, hense why people thought tall girls couldn't ride WSD. Now they come in large (yay!) so taller girls can use them too. If I were two inches taller, I can't say for sure that the bike would still fit well, but my overall experience with WSD has been great.


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## santacruzchick (Jun 27, 2007)

Thanks for all your help girls! This forum is great! I think I will give the WSD a tryout after all.


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## Bikergal (Oct 10, 2005)

santacruzchick said:


> Thanks for all your help girls! This forum is great! I think I will give the WSD a tryout after all.


Lets us know how it works for you.  I'm interested in hearing if it fits any differently for you


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## womble (Sep 8, 2006)

stripes said:


> Interesting. You have a Santa Cruz Juliana. That's WSD. Why would you have
> an issue with others? Or are you thinking of getting a Santa Cruz Julianna?


WSD is depedent on manufacturer.

There was a discussion on the SC forums a while back where everyone agreed that the Julliana was simply dowsized version of a Superlight (i.e. zero geometry differences, just some changed size designations). One of the online stores had Juliana frames on sale, and the guys were snapping up the Large size as it was simply a Medium Superlight.


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## grungePoodle (Jul 3, 2007)

Also check the BB clearance on women specific. And all the geometry for that matter. A friend of mine that is 5'7" had a Juliana. She was always hitting stuff and getting caught. We roll down a lot of ledgy stuff. Her BB was a lot lower than mine even though we rode the same bike, but hers was WSD. She eventually cracked the frame and moved onto a different bike altogether and is much happier. But really, it's what's comfortable for you IMO. If you like the fit and performance, go for it.


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## mbmojo (Aug 9, 2004)

womble said:


> There was a discussion on the SC forums a while back where everyone agreed that the Julliana was simply dowsized version of a Superlight (i.e. zero geometry differences, just some changed size designations). One of the online stores had Juliana frames on sale, and the guys were snapping up the Large size as it was simply a Medium Superlight.


I was told that verbally and by email from Santa Cruz employees. Only thing different is the paint and the sticker and the Julianna is available in an XS frame.


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## DH Diva (May 25, 2004)

WSD has little to do with height, and almost everything to do with body proportions. For example, I am short. WSD bikes do not fit me, even though the common misconception is that WSD bikes were designed for short people. Not true. What is true is that usually women's specific bikes come in smaller sizes then "men's" bikes, which is were the idea that they are for short people tends to come from. It also depends on the manufacturer, as they all fit differently to begin with. I have found that most women's bikes are designed around the idea that the majority of women have longer legs and shorter arms. So for obvious reasons, women's bikes don't fit all women. I often wonder if they should ditch the women's specific title and just offer those few models in two different size runs, one for each body type the cater to. I know men who would fit a lot better on a women's bike. It should be more about body type and less about gender IMO.


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## Smashley49 (May 18, 2007)

I've been riding a WSD for about a month now and I hate it. Since I learned on a "guys" bike the WSD frame feels too short for me and the handlebars being so close together just feels odd. I'm 5'7" with long legs so the pedals don't feel that bad, but everything else just isn't up to snuff for me. I'd recommened trying a WSD if you want and see how it fits your body.


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## pixy (Nov 8, 2005)

I have to agree with just about everything said here. WSD is not for everyone and every company has a different take on it. A small tweak in geometry can help one woman and ruin the ride for the next. So do read all the details from each mfg. and make sure you need that fit. A professional bike fit can help you determine your needs, if you can not figure it out yourself. IMO, at 5'11", I doubt a WSD would be needed.


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## Di_bear (Sep 3, 2006)

formica said:


> Hi and welcome. You'll find a lot of links to old threads on WSD in the FAQ. Here's the short answer to your question. WSD has a place in mountain biking, but the consumer really needs to be educated as to what it is, and it not, and what kind of rider it's designed for. At 5-11, it's *highly *unlikely that you are a candidate for WSD.
> 
> ~formica


I partially disagree. WSD is not height-related (ok, in reality it is partially due to the availability of frame sizes), at least it shouldn't be. I ride the Trek WSD Fuel EX7 and I LOVE IT. I'm 5'6" with long legs and a short torso. I wear tall pants and I can't find a fitted shirt that fits because they're designed for women with longer torsos.

I started out on a Giant Yukon and it was fine until I started getting better. I then realized that I couldn't get my body over the handlebars for steep climbs and I couldn't get it behind the seat for steep descents. I tried a few different bikes. At the time, the Cake just didn't feel right. I couldn't pinpoint it. When I tried the Trek WSD, I took to it immediately. It was designed for *me*. My riding has improved dramatically because I found a bike that fit.

My frame is 18". Unfortunately, that's the largest frame for WSD. For more info: http://www2.trekbikes.com/us/en/WSD/WSD_Difference.php Hmmm....maybe the tall, short-waisted women should start pestering the bike companies to make larger WSD frames. :-D

By contrast, there are women who are shorter than I, who ride men's frames because they have a long torso and shorter legs. I guess the Cake was very popular with the short-waisted guys in my area.

Also, keep in mind that the average men's bike won't fit every guy. So, check out different brands of WSDs to see which one works for you.


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