# Help with Women Specific Bike Conversion



## powerdan5 (Apr 27, 2006)

I bought a Scott Speedster 6 for my girlfriend a few years back when she expressed an interest in going on easy rides with me. She's a runner by nature and the bike she got was entry level XS mens bike with a 100mm stem, triple crank with Sora parts. 

I originally set her up on SPD-R pedals because I bought a lot of those pedals. She hated getting in and out of those. She seems to like the new SPD-SLs a lot better because they are easier to get in and out of and she can use them at her gym for spin classes.

She likes riding and wants a better fit. She complains about pain in her neck and shoulders and that she has to reach with her fingers to use the brakes. The Sora is really cheap. Even little things like moving the bike around the apartment is hard because I can't seem to backpedal with the Sora. 

I think the smarter thing to do is upgrade the Sora and keep the frame but I'm open to suggestions. For now, what I am going to do is upgrade the 6 degree 100mm stem to a 90mm 17 degree stem which should reduce the amount she leans forward. I am also going to get her some of those new Shimano R700 10 sp. triple brifters and a Ultegra 10 sp. rear derailleur. I want her to have 10 sp so she can always use my wheels. Maybe a new saddle but she doesn't complain of saddle problems. 

Am I missing anything else that may be obvious? Thanks.


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## Spinfinity (Feb 3, 2004)

*Before you upgrade*

Add up the cost of wheels, brifters, stem, derailleur(s), and anything else you may have to change. It's very likely you could do better with careful shopping for a new bike. If your girldfriend is involved in the shopping you may also do better in terms of her enjoyment of cycling.


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## powerdan5 (Apr 27, 2006)

Spinfinity said:


> Add up the cost of wheels, brifters, stem, derailleur(s), and anything else you may have to change. It's very likely you could do better with careful shopping for a new bike. If your girldfriend is involved in the shopping you may also do better in terms of her enjoyment of cycling.


The girlfriend is involved the process the whole way; in fact, I enjoy explaining to her why something is more suitable to her based on the feedback she gives me and I think she is learning more as she goes along but she is still too green to think about specifics such as a higher rising stem or shorter reaching levers. Once I explain to her why, she gets it and enjoys learning about it. 

As far as getting her fitted for a new bike, we went to get her fitted when we bought the bike so I'm more inclined to take her feedback and apply it as we are doing now more than going to get her fitted again by a bike shop. Also the cost of a new bike would be around $800+ where as we can get the brifters ($200), derailleur ($70), stem ($25), and cassette/ chain (have them) for a lot less.


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## JayTee (Feb 3, 2004)

Seems like a lot of work and $$ to put into an entry level frame. Entry level bikes actually have pretty good resale value (ironically, holding resale value better as a percentage of purchase price than higher end bikes do, in part because demand is high). This is a hot time of year for resale, too.

If she likes to ride and knows it, then I'd recommend selling the Scott outright and getting her something quality that fits. If she really needs a +17 9cm stem, the frame doesn't really fit that well. Why drop a bunch of coin jury-rigging it? PS, if reach is an issue, she would also probably need new bars with an easier reach. By the time you do all that stuff right, you'll have dropped $400 or more.


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## sarah (Jul 29, 2004)

Whatever you end up doing I would look into smaller bars and the short reach shifters. I know you can get the Ultegra's in a short reach version. 

I have the same problem on one of my bikes. I can't grip the levers that well because of the bars / shifters and it can really tire you out and make you uncomfortable when descending. 

Good luck!
Sarah


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## Doggity (Mar 10, 2006)

She's screaming fer something with a shorter TT. I concur with the others. Get her a WSD that she'll be happy with. She'll ride a lot more, and probably kick your butt.


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## powerdan5 (Apr 27, 2006)

Doggity said:


> She's screaming fer something with a shorter TT. I concur with the others. Get her a WSD that she'll be happy with. She'll ride a lot more, and probably kick your butt.


I've thought about it. Looked at similar equipped bikes, and the best my girlfriend would get is $300 - $350 for her aluminum, Sora-equipped, XS bike. I think even after dropping $400 on new parts, I'm pretty sure it's still better than what a comparably equipped new WSD bike would cost.

I know she needs a shorter TT; the sales genius we worked with thought it was a perfect fit and she was so stoked to be getting a new road bike for the first time, I think anything would have been pretty good. Basically, this is now going to be a trial and error process, and I'm hoping she likes riding enough that we can upgrade and she wears out parts. Until you guys suggested getting a new bike, I hadn't even entertained the idea but after looking at prices, I think trial and error positioning on her current bike will have to be the way to go for now. Coming from a running background, I think the idea of dropping hundreds on equipment is foreign to her and she doesn't want to commit those kind of funds for a new bike herself. 

The girlfriend is a runner by nature. Just not a cyclist, and not great with the bike skills. She's trying though. I would be happy if she kicked my butt but its not going to happen anytime soon.


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## JayTee (Feb 3, 2004)

You might want to double check your math if you think the conversion you propose is truly the best financial approach.

You could sell her bike and get $350 (maybe even $400 because of the time of year... entry level bikes are very very hot items in the spring). Put another $500 with that and you can probably find a Tiagra-equipped (or even some 105) bike that is a perfect fit. Or, you can drop $400 jury-rigging her current bike with new shifters, bars, stem, derailleur, cassette, yadda yadda and it will still not be worth a whole lot more than $400. Meanwhile, she'll have some super-short stem with mega rise, etc. and a mediocre frame. 

You can find WSD version of the Giant OCR1 out there for for $900-ish on sale, esp. if you can find a 2006 (I saw one online for $749). Put her on it and see if she really prefers saving $100 - $150 to ride a jury-rigged entry-level Scott. 

I'm just not seeing it. But sounds like this is not the advice you want. Putting $$ into an entry level bike rather than reselling it rarely makes financial or functional sense.


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## powerdan5 (Apr 27, 2006)

JayTee said:


> You might want to double check your math if you think the conversion you propose is truly the best financial approach.
> 
> You could sell her bike and get $350 (maybe even $400 because of the time of year... entry level bikes are very very hot items in the spring). Put another $500 with that and you can probably find a Tiagra-equipped (or even some 105) bike that is a perfect fit. Or, you can drop $400 jury-rigging her current bike with new shifters, bars, stem, derailleur, cassette, yadda yadda and it will still not be worth a whole lot more than $400. Meanwhile, she'll have some super-short stem with mega rise, etc. and a mediocre frame.
> 
> I'm just not seeing it. But sounds like this is not the advice you want.


Nope - that's the exact advice I'm looking for. I don't know that much about bike fit for me, so thinking I can do it for someone else is just stupid of me. But I do listen to her complaints and try to think of ways to fix it. 

I already ordered the shorter stem and we can see how much that changes things around. That's a cheap test for $21. Like I said, we went to the shop and they thought this was the a good fit for her. I want to see what she thinks is a good fit over a long period of use. If she says she likes the more upright position, then that's one more criteria we can use. If she says its just as painful, then we start from scratch.

I'll look some more for $900 - 1,100 bikes but it's a slippery slope. I know I'm going to see something for $1100 with Tiagra, then see it with 105 w/ and Ultegra derailleur for $1,400 and end up getting that. I just need to keep myself in check.

I'm reluctant that we are going to see anything great in that +-$1000 price range but I'm open to suggestions as well as entertaining the idea of anyone else who has had positive experiences with adjustments to make a men's bike work for a woman.


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## RHRoop (Nov 1, 2006)

*GIANT is not really WSD*

You can find WSD version of the Giant OCR1 out there for for $900-ish on sale, esp. if you can find a 2006 (I saw one online for $749). Put her on it and see if she really prefers saving $100 - $150 to ride a jury-rigged entry-level Scott. 

QUOTE]

Buy an entry level Giant and you will end up adapting the frame the same way you would a Scott. WSD at Giant is little more than marketing combined with an XS frame, small handlebars, shortreach shifters and plush seat. Check out the Giant site and compare geometry for the TCR frames. They are same for "Womens" bikes as for men. Buyer beware! Trek on the other hand does actually change geometry but geometry is only part of the equation. The differences in physique that many assume between men and women are based on stereotype rather than science.

I think the approach to adapting the Scott is just as effective and as the OP says more economical. Change the stem, try the Salsa Poco handlebars, get some Shimano short reach shifters and upgrade the rear mech. The shop where you bought the bike should be willing to help you upgrade and perhaps knock some money off of the cost of the stem and perhaps seat. If they had done their job properly to begin you wouldn't be shopping for parts anyway.


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## dom3333 (Mar 1, 2006)

My wife and I basiclly just went through this whole process. We found that for us it was better to dump the old bike and buy a new one. We got her a Raleigh Route 66 ( not WSD and flat handelbar ) and just changed the stem and seat and it became perfect for her. The bike with changes was under $800 and has a very good group on it. For us it was much easyer and cost effective than trying to make the other bike work. Check out Raleigh I believe they have some nice bikes at resonable prices. Good luck


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