Bike Shop Girl focuses mostly on women who ride bikes, but there is a lot of good general information - I follow it and forward links to the half dozen women riders I know.
She comments on "women's bikes" and who they might be appropriate for.
The bottom line is no matter what your sex and size, it makes sense to have a competent bike shop fit you. If you are near her shop and are looking for a new bike, you could probably would do well to schedule a visit - she lives and breathes this stuff. These are the folks you should seek out for advice if you are serious about taking your bike beyond the toy phase.
A few people are special cases. I know one guy who had a custom frame made by Seven largely because he wanted a "perfect" bike and could afford it. Jheri has very long legs and is tall. She is a serious enough commuter that she had a custom frame made too - spendy, but she doesn't own a car. And nothing fits Colleen off the rack (bike on the bottom of the page).
But these are special cases. Almost everyone can probably be fit well with some help from an expert. On the other hand almost no one is going to find something that works in a big box store.
I love my bike. I have a very standard "men's bike" for my commuter. It is Batavus and is very popular here. It was also one of the few bikes that would fit me. I am about 6'3"
My custom bike was made to my measurements and feels much better, but she cost so much that I don't use her for regular commuting. The Batavus is close enough, the custom bike is perfect.
I would strongly suggest getting fitted because it is like getting a suit. It must fit to work well.
Posted by: jheri | January 28, 2010 at 22:37