RichardHaas

I have a few bikes but the most comfortable for now is a cruiser style bike. Someone gave me a womens mountain bike and am now going through it for maintenance and cleanup.
I have a prosthetic left leg and sometimes the cruiser is a little hard to get on and off by swinging my good or bad leg over the saddle and top rail.
I am just wondering if many men ride a womens bike for ease of getting on and start going. Once I am going, I feel good with the cruiser but it is only a 7 speed and inclines give me a little trouble if I haven't built up enough speed to compensate for the incline.
I am 73 years old and just bike for the exercise and scenery viewing along local greenways. I don't ride roads because I don't trust my riding and others in cars don't seem to care or lookout for a bike rider.
The gearing would be great with the mountain bike since I would have many more to choose from and getting on and off would be a lot better also.
Do many men ride womens bikes**********?
Just something that popped in my head while working on it and just wondering about it.
Any comments about this would be great.

Thanks
Richard

fietsbob

I get the step thru convenience of a 'womens' bike with my folding bike..

Several years ago 2 guys from Sweden passed thru, down the Pacific coast , they had started in Alaska,

and had loaded their gear on a commuter bike, 8 speed IGH , step thru frame,

planned to ride across the southern US and fly home from Florida..


really, metal has no gender..






...

dabac

For energetic, dedicated riding I prefer the traditional Diamond frame.
Step-thrus are flexier and/or heavier for a comparable price/level of engineering.

For more casual riding, beater bikes etc I’m quite happy to use step-thru frames.
A good quality mixte frame can be a decent compromise. Lower instep, with considerably less drawbacks in added weight and lost stiffness.

CliffordK

One issue is that often women's bikes are made in smaller sizes than men's bikes.

But if you hunt, you'll find one that you like. And, at age 73... you may well be smaller than you were when you were younger.

fietsbob

By the way, a workaround for diamond frame bikes .. with leg mobility issues..

lay it on the ground.. stand over it, pull it up underneath you, then off you go..

I've had to do this myself..


70

RichardHaas

Thanks all for the comments. I am going to check it out farther and see what actual size I need. The one given to me is a 26" tire size and it is a walmart type bike. I think I will enjoy riding more with one than with a high framed one. Looks like I need to visit my LBS and check what he has to offer and try one on for size also.
For me, riding a bike is a lot easier than walking since I don't have the weight on the leg. I don't normally stand while riding. Just sit and pedal.
I am 5'9" and 155 lbs.
Are we having fun yet? I sure am.

Richard

merziac

Also keep in mind that by definition "mixte" literally means universal, not women's. Many bike makers only offered them in the one form as utility bikes for all. The diamond frame as we know it was primarily borne out of racing and of course became the standard for its machismo since we all think we are so fast.

khyricat

DH has to lay his bike down as he can't lift his leg over the top bar of his mountain bike.. he was looking at womens frames yesterday when we were ordering my new trike.. he was also looking at e-assists,,, his hips are worse than his knees and he can pedal more than walk, but lifting the leg over doesn't work so well anymore.. I have a feeling his next bike will be a step through frame of some sort.. he's due soon too but I made him promise to try riding a bit more before we get him a bike as I am not sure he'll really use anything right now and what he is looking at is up there in price..

Aubergine 

If it is any help, in Europe men and women ride step-through frames of all sorts. Being able to mount and dismount easily is a benefit for everyone, not just women.

It is regrettable that sexist notions could get in the way of getting the bike style that works best for you.

RichardHaas

Yes it is regrettable that it seems to be the norm. When I was growing up it was almost a sin for a boy to ride a girls bike and it seems to be a lot better now days on that thinking. Back then he sure didn't want his friends to see him ride one and if he did, they would give him a hard time.

Thanks
Richard

jimmie65

You're 73. Ride what you want!

RichardHaas

My way of thinking also.
Thanks

SquidPuppet

Same in my childhood neighborhood. You'd be ruined forever if you were spotted on a girls bike.

Now that I'm older, and realize how stupid we all were, I'd love to have a mixte or a step through. I think the frames look cool.

ThermionicScott 

I like to ride my wife's mixte once in a blue moon. And we've talked about getting a Soma Buena Vista that could be shared.

fietsbob

Shared Oma with a Baby seat makes sense, because you have that child in the seat..

Vs Duck kid !

grayEZrider

After a year of experimenting and adjustments I determined my "best fit" measurements only to find out there was a near perfect match. A "women's" model Specialized in a 57cm. Found one. Bought it. Best fit ever. And used women's bike sell for less also. And this old ex-army NCO is not threatened by a little pink paint trim either.

RichardHaas

Yeah I've thought about painting the pink black or white. Never cared for pink anything. I'm thinking enamel paint would work oK.

JanMM

A woman's bike is a bike owned by a woman.

Crank forward or flat foot technology (Electra) bikes often have lower top tubes and some are also available in step thru styles. These bikes have the advantage of the rider being able to place both feet on the ground while still sitting on the seat. (While stopped, of course.) https://www.bicycleman.com/crank-forward/

jefnvk

I've ridden plenty of step-thru bikes. Never once had an issue with any of it.

I'd actually like a nice mixte as a city bike.

Milton Keynes

As long as there's not a basket on front with plastic daisies stuck to it, it's not a "women's" bike. Not a thing wrong with a man riding a step-through. In fact, in a sane world, a step through bike would be a man's bike if you think about it for a bit. Much better than having a high bar so close to the boys.

RichardHaas

I agree with that. I have never understood why there had to be a difference but for some reason it started out like that for the gender's.

Happy Feet

My daily commuter

jimmie65

Skirts. Women wore skirts and dresses in the 1800s, and a low bar kept them from having to hike the skirt up to get on the bike. Wouldn't want to expose the knickers accidentally.

Also,dropping the top bar weakened the frame. Since it was assumed women would only ride recreationally and not competitively, this wasn't an issue for women's bikes.

jimmie65

What's wrong with plastic daisies?

rumrunn6

hey thanks for this!