Originally Posted by
PDKL45
Yeah, they're UK-based, though. Step-throughs were traditionally women's bikes there due to the length of skirts around the turn of the 19th century I believe. That's not the case universally, however, as evidenced by Rivendell and Jones. Even Marin is doing a cool step through (for the US market I guess) as reviewed by Russ from PLP. Don't let stuff like that get to you! The rest of us are doing just fine with things like comfortable unisex saddles (I refuse to ride anything else) and step-through designs.
It's okay, I'm not going to get hysterical or anything; gender-based marketing for things that aren't really gendered is just annoying. The Marin and Riv bikes are pretty cool, and don't forget Soma's mixtes. Saddles are a pain, until you find the right one.
Originally Posted by
PDKL45
One thing I would say though, even while agreeing about the top tube or lack thereof, is that woman's specific bikes often feature wider saddles with cut-outs appropriate for female anatomy and geometry/frame sizing that may be a little more friendly to female bodies. I am male, however, and I really can't comment with the authority of lived experience. From riding buddies, though, and an ex-girlfriend who had a memorable name for a disliked saddle on her bike, I can state with a lot of confidence that female specific saddles with female specific cutouts greatly help with comfort for female riders.
Whoops, and here I am on a Brooks B17 with no cutout. The trick for me was to lower the nose, and it was comfortable right out of the box. Anyway, the wider saddles are for the upright riding position found on most step-thrus, as well as for perceived "comfort". Having ridden one of those couch seats, I can say they are not comfortable for anything over five miles.