Question for lady cyclists

[mudskipper]

That'll be Dallas then

I'm doing my Christmas list.

Is there any real advantage in getting a ladies' bike rather than a men's?

Much more choice of men's frame - apart from the pinker colour scheme, is there any reason to go for a ladies specific model?

I'm 5'7" and always ridden a man's bike (with a girl's saddle) -what am I missing?

[Pondlife]

I'm 5'7" and always ridden a man's bike (with a girl's saddle) -what am I missing?

A basket on the front and a little bell?

[AtW]

Is there any real advantage in getting a ladies' bike rather than a men's?

Less likely to be stolen?

[mudskipper]

A basket on the front and a little bell?

No, I've got those.

[Freamon]

How often do you ride wearing a skirt or dress?

[mudskipper]

Less likely to be stolen?

My new bike, should santa oblige, will be a nice road bike - not one that I'm going to leave locked up outside Aldi.

[mudskipper]

How often do you ride wearing a skirt or dress?

I'm not really after the Miss Marple look.

[Moscow Mule]

Have an ask on bike radar. Better advice there I'd say...

[SueEllen]

I did some research on this and the only conclusion I came up with is get what fits you best

Edited to say: Often with sports specific clothes i.e. jackets, t-shirts I just buy men's because they are cheaper, there is a bigger variety and they fit. I often wear mens' sports shoes as well again because they are cheaper, there is a bigger variety and fit. Plus proper sports clothing and shoes comes in a variety of sizes, widths etc. and with men's you can avoid just having pink and blue.

With a bike I got a women's one but I had hassle finding one I liked and that would fit. There as if I just brought a mens' one I could have avoided the hassle as I have ridden bikes of blokes I know that fitted.

[Freamon]

I'm not really after the Miss Marple look.

From Wikipedia:

Step-throughs were popular partly for practical reasons and partly for social mores of the day. For most of the history of bicycles' popularity women have worn long skirts, and the lower frame accommodated these better than the top-tube. Furthermore it was considered "unladylike" for women to open their legs to mount and dismount - in more conservative times women who rode bicycles at all were vilified as immoral or immodest. These practices were akin to the older practice of riding horse sidesaddle.