Why do women's mountain bikes have a sloping frame?

Question

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Answer 1

Actually, you'll find the sloping frame on low entry girls bike. The tube was there because as the other posters said, women wears skirt and having a higher top tube would be cumbersome, and unlady-like.

But that too low top tube makes not a too strong frame. Most mid to high level bikes designed for women are sometimes different from mens, but not in the top tube, more in how the geometry is (probably shorter top tube length) and other things.

Answer 2

Quite frankly, not all women's specific mountain bike designs have such a pronounced slope to the top tube. Looks to me as if that particular bike was designed less for off-road use and more for cruising around town. As such, it seems to harken back to a time when women's bikes were all designed in such a way.

Hope this helps.

Answer 3

Also in many cases the tube is downsloped to provide extra standover height, since women are normally shorter than men. My men's road bike actually has a slightly downsloping top tube which works well for me because it fits me like a glove when I'm on it, but if the bar was straight I wouldn't make the standover.

Answer 4

Um . . .Well it could be alledged that some women (or indeed men! ahem!) are more likely to wear a skirt and it's been traditional etiquette that swinging legs over high saddles(and crossbars) are not lady-like! But it's not at all true is it?



(Phew! . . . had to be careful how I answered that,- incase I upset the ultra politically correct, outspoken feminist, dungaree wearing, skin head wimmin !)

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