"I hope these bikes aren't as long as the ones I've ridden so far." The sigh of relief in Stephanie Hermann's words before the start of the test rides on Lake Garda was unmistakable. The 23-year-old, who we have engaged as a test rider for the six women's racers in this comparison, has been actively racing for four years. The fact that she has owned no less than four different racing bikes during this time is by no means due to the budding two-wheel mechanic succumbing to the constant temptation of new equipment. Rather, it is because there was never a bike that fitted her perfectly.
Hermann is not alone with this problem. We know from many letters from TOUR readers that female road cyclists have greater problems than most men in finding a suitable bike. Even among female racers, overly stretched seating positions, uncomfortable to painful saddles and inappropriately curved handlebars are often a topic of discussion, confirms Hermann. However, she has observed that female riders tend to blame themselves if they don't get on with the equipment. "I know some women who say that you just have to grit your teeth. They would never think of themselves that a different bike or even just a different saddle or a change in riding position could solve the problem." Which brings us to the typical irritants that can put women off road cycling.
You can find the test results of these road bikes for women around 1500 euros as a PDF download below:
- Bulls Night Falcon
- Corratec Dolomiti Ultegra Miss C.
- Giant Avail Composite
- Haibike Challenge Life
- Lapierre Sensium 200 Lady
- Specialised Dolce Comp
Downloads:
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