I think you need a new bike. If something doesn't feel right then it's not the right bike for you.

I have had both WSD & "regular" bikes. They both fit me well. I'm currently riding a WSD Orbea. I found the men's frame top tube had me way too stretched out.

I think you need to go and test ride a bunch of different bikes. Keep test riding until one feels right. All brands have different geometries so it's hard to compare without actually riding them.

While you may never be the best descender, a bike you feel confident on should help a lot.

Find what works for you.

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DISH is how we do it.

I am currently riding my first WSD, a Trek Domane. Previous to that I had a Giant TCR1, then a tiny Cannondale, and before that a Schwinn. Those (except perhaps the Giant) all pre-dated WSD.

Here's my advice. Find a shop that is trusted by many in your area. Get a fitting on a bike machine thingie (technical advice, I know) that'll give measurements that would then be used to find a bike frame size/geometry that should work for you. Here is why I say this.

While I think testing many bikes is sound advice, not all shops are equal with regard to how they try to do a good job for you, vs how they try to do a good job for themselves. You want to avoid any shop that'll try to sell you a bike just b/c it's what they have on the floor and you can clear the top tube.

Based on the twitchy comment, I wonder if you might like an endurance/touring bike. I think they may have longer wheel lengths and so may feel more stable to you.

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To breathe, to feel, to know I'm alive.

Pardon my soapbox!
Everyone needs a Human Specific Bike. If the concept of WSD went away tomorrow I would be happy.

I know, I know, Women want to be special, and treated differently because we're different! So the industry responds with a Solution, yet we still end up with turducken bikes and Women with less-than-enthused experiences.

While there may be a nod in the general direction when a bike is marketed as "WSD", the true question of what bike fits you best is not addressed.
You do not need marketing, you need someone to treat you like any other rider, and work with you on finding a position that is biomechanically appropriate, efficient and comfortable. I've certainly told some exceptionally petite Men that were it not for the WSD sticker under the clearcoat, or the Pink accents, that a particular bike fits them perfectly. I did have one guy who didn't care that it was purple!

'Twitchiness' in handling has to do with weight distribution (your weight/center in relation to the front-center of the bike), not with how a bike is marketed. That Domane can be just as twitchy as the Madone if you and 'it' aren't balanced. Case in point: Jens Voigt taking a faceplant here (@:51), here in the Tour. I love Jensy, but gdamn that guy was unbalanced on every bike his entire career.

Using a road bike for Tri is always a bit of a compromise in regards to weight balance/comfort/efficiency, especially when asking the intended design to behave in a way it isn't designed for. TOo much weight over the front end (from trying to steepen the seat angle, lower the torso for tri) will kill the rake and trail of the fork. Not enough weight and same effect. On top of the fact that the frame is too small, and you're probably trying to ride at a steep seat angle. It is inevitable that you will feel the way you do while descending.

Clip-on aerobars are not 'aero'. They are armrests. This is good for resting your arms after swimming. You should be able to ride in the drops comfortably for an extended period of time for a 'regular' road setup. If you do setup the bike for tri, you have to lower the bar height to get the chest down, but not so fare as to not be able to use the brakes/shifters.

however, if the question is "where do you want to be in space" rather than "how can you attach yourself to this thing" all will be good. Balancing the load (the rider) between the hubs (in relation to the bottom bracket), then seeing how the bike is up underneath you.

Don't buy a marketing tool, get a bike fit from someone who will work with you on achieving what you need.

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Anne Barnes
ABBikefit, Ltd
FIST/SICI/FIST DOWN DEEP
X/Y Coordinator
abbikefit@gmail.com

I miss the old days when the original Cervelo owners used to respond on ST regularly. I remember one old post where they mentioned that painting a bike model pink doesn't make it "woman specific". The thread mentioned that what you need is a bike that fits you as an individual and your gender has little to do with it. Most people can be fitted on regular bike size frames be them male or female. Only a very small portion of the population with unusual body proportions actually need a custom frame. With cycling, "women specific" clothing is more significant than the bike. My wife has unusual long legs/short torso but still fits comfortable on both her regular tri and road bikes.

Obviously you're not comfy with what you're riding so should be looking at an alternative whether that be a different bike fitter or another bike. If you have a long torso then a longer stem or some road bikes have longer top frames than others. You've got to shop around a bit and hopefully find someone who can help you out with the fit.

I've always ridden standard frames (although the frame I had for my first road bike is now marketed as a children's frame) and been able to find a comfortable position, except for the first tri bike I got, which was too big for me (but that was because the whole frame was too big, not because of the geometry). There's a surprising amount of variation in bike geometries, though, so I imagine that you'll be able to ride many standard frames, maybe a few women's-specific frames. Just try 'em out, like you would running shoes; hopefully you have a bike shop nearby that will work with you on test riding to help you find something in the right ballpark, then you can adjust the fit (up to a point) with stem and saddle adjustments.

Thanks for the replies. I'm still in the process of testing. I tried a Trek Domane 52cm but it just wasn't right...it felt wobbly and I had hand numbness and neck and knee pain. Which was too bad because damn that was a sexy black bike! Next up was a 51cm women's specific Cannondale Synapse. This felt better than the Domane right away. The handlebar width was better, and I actually felt somewhat comfortable descending on it. I think the frame was a touch too small though. Then I tried a Trek Silque 54cm. Really like the colors (yes that is important to me, if you can't be fast you might as well look cute!) and the components were a step up from the Cannondale (Ultegra vs 105). It felt very unsteady though...kind of like a sail in the wind. I think the frame was too big. So.....next up is the Silque in a 52cm size. Took it for a quick boot yesterday and it feels good so far. Need to go for a longer ride on my next day off to make a judgement. I really wanted to stay away from the women's specific bike but after trying these, I think geometrically speaking they are my best option comfort wise. LBS is awesome, I feel like a pain in the arse though, coming and going with requests for different bikes and stem lengths, etc....hopefully this one works!

As I am sure you are aware, you can switch the handlebars on any bike. I have had to go to a smaller width on almost all of my bikes. The stock bars were just too wide. A good fitter will be able to make a size recommendation for you.

Good luck with your bike shopping. It took me a long time to find a road bike that worked for me.

This is not what makes a bike "women's specific". If you think it is, then you are misinformed.

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Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

painting a bike model pink doesn't make it "woman specific".
"This is not what makes a bike "women's specific". If you think it is, then you are misinformed. "


Uh? I think I used the word "doesn't" not "does". You might want to reread that


But to my original point, Cervelo has never had a "women's specific" bike because they feel that its mostly marketing.

I'm your exact same weight/height combo and have been very happy with my quintana roo kilo, size M. They originally wanted to see if the S fit me, but I felt like a giant sitting on a snail.
Just saying, check it out, its a fun bike and handles very easily
But its not pink, so im guessing its not women specific ;)

I'm a hair under 5'7" with a similar inseam and I ride a 54" Cervelo R3. The 52s and 51s were way too small.

I tried a few of the WSDs but the Cervelo just felt great from the moment I got on it.

I wouldn't get caught up in WSD vs. "regular" bikes. Just go in with an open mind and try a variety of designs. Go with the one that feels best.
I ended up on a "Men's" road bike because my torso was too long for women's design. Other than maybe wishing it was a different color, it doesn't matter to me at all.

Id say no. The bike companies just put low end components on them and personally I prefer the fit of a "men's" bike better anyway. More of a race geometry

It all depends on your body. I have a long torso, so men's bikes fit me better. On a WSD bike, I need a long stem and have to move the seat as far back as it will go for the same standover clearance. I also have broad shoulders, so for a road bike, men's handlebars fit me better. However, the saddle is the gender-specific contact point. For the last two bikes that I have bought (one touring and one road), they were both men's bikes, but I had the shops put on my favorite saddle before I picked up the bikes.

I work for a bike shop and I never look at a women and automatically just grab a women's model. People come in all shapes and sizes, personally I have a short torso for a man and a "women's" 54 fits me perfectly. Your description of your body type would make me reach for a men's model immediately. Also keep in mind that a "54" from one manufacturer may fit entirely different than one from another maker.

Find a good shop who will look at you first, not what they have in stock. I always tell my customers that I am not trying to sell them a bike, I am trying to sell them the right bike. If that right bike happens to be a Trek (we are a Specialized/Giant dealer) then they should go buy the Trek and bring it back to us for fitting and service. I'd much rather make a life long customer than a single sale. Took a couple of conversations with the owner to make him see this. It's not something I do everyday, but if something we sell is not the right bike it isn't. The bike retail industry is about more than just bikes, it's a service industry and more shops need to realize it.

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Jim

**Note above poster works for a retailer selling bikes and related gear*

Thanks everyone for your input. I tried the Trek Silque 54cm and it felt way too big and wobbly. I figured out that bigger isn't necessarily better. I ended up with the Silque in a 52cm. So far I am enjoying it!