Off Ice Cross Training… Pedaling into Fall, Part II
So now that you have a new helmet, maybe you're ready for the next level of getting a women's specific bicycle. About 4 years ago, that was almost unheard of. Back in the day, you were simply fitted on a smaller framed men's bike and made the best of it. The problem with this is that women are built different than men - the typical woman having a shorter torso, shorter arms and longer legs than a man of the same height. She also has a wider pelvis and smaller hands and feet. Therefore simply moving to a smaller men's bicycle isn't going to address these proportional differences. This is what contributes to a sore back and overall body strain.
If you are in the market for a new bicycle, consider a women's specific model which is made to fit the female body. A good example is the Symmetry by Terry Precision Cycling. This bicycle is engineered with a shorter top bar to compensate for a woman's shorter arm reach. Perfect for women under 5"10, it is very comfortable to ride having smaller hand grips and brake / shifter levers. The Symmetry has twenty seven speeds and weighs about 20 lbs. Developed by a woman cyclist Georgena Terry, this bicycle leaves nothing to the imagination down to the pedals which are rat trap on one side and clipless STD compatible on the other. This sort of forethought gives you the option to ride with or without road shoes. The Symmetry, however, is not a condescending gesture at women cyclists. If you've ridden a real road bicycle, you'll appreciate the details which tell you this is some serious equipment. My husband had a English road bike and you can't believe how, sleek, stiff and light they are. The Symmetry is a sport-road bike but Terry also makes pure road bicycles such as the Fast Woman. Still for price, versatility and quality, the Symmetry is hard to beat. The inventor, Georgena Terry now 54, has put a lot of research into her bicycles. "I started riding at age 14 so it delayed me from getting a car." Terry has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and a masters in Finance. She first joined a Pittsburgh area cycling club with a Schwinn and by the 1980's was building bicycle frames. "Women began to ask me to build frames for them and I started listening to what they
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