From ancient times the differences between males and females had driven the arguments of what men can do as opposed to what women can do. In modern times the barrier of equality across the sexes has been widely broken, and you will find that more and more women enter into what was once male-only professions. The same goes for men, who have since explored avenues once only reserved for women.
When it comes to product design and creation, for certain undeniable differences, changes have to be made to products to suit both women and men.
The design for male and female bicycles vary, and here we will be discussing the reasons why, as well as the characteristic differences between designs. If you are buying a bike for your child, it might come in handy to keep in mind these design differences.
Color and Styling
The first difference that is perhaps the most obvious is in the styling of female and male bicycles. This is perhaps more commonly found in the design of bicycles that are made for younger children. Female designed bicycles come in a variety of feminine colors. These include red, pink, purple, and some in beige.
Some designs will even have flower patterns and other decorative qualities that can be considered more feminine. Male bicycles will vary in darker, masculine colors such as black, grey, silver, and blue and will feature different decorations like fireballs, lightning bolts, and more.
However, despite these styling differences, taste among children will greatly vary, and it is not uncommon to find boys and girls riding on bicycles that do not seem appropriate to their gender.
Styling is not of great concern, but keep in mind when choosing a kid’s bicycle that their preferences would be the key to making the right choice. Remember, too, that children often change what they are interested in. You might be tempted to purchase a bike with their favorite designs on it, but in just a short time they might not be so keen on them anymore.
The Frame
Now, aside from styling differences, male and female orientated bicycle designs do vary to conform to a comfortable fit. The design of most bicycles would seem that it could only be an optimization choice to alter between frame styles. There are many frame styles. Some are specific to mountain biking, others are designed to improve the racing quality of the bicycle.
Others are made for stunt action, but there is a variable difference in the frame design designated for women and men, even in children’s bicycles. The purpose behind this stems from older traditions. In general, it is was not considered that men wear dresses or skirts, although in more modern times women have adopted the fashion to wear pants.
Traditional Frame
For this purpose, the tradition of designing the frame with a higher crossbar, as seen in diamond-frame designs, has carried on into the present day. Female orientated designs would make use of frames that would not have a high bar connected to the seat. This allowed them to get on and off the bicycle without raising their legs so high that the dress or skirt would lift and cause embarrassment.
However, this was not the only practical side to the change in design. Men tend to weigh more than women, in most cases, so it required bicycle manufacturers to build a frame that would support a heavier person. Thus it forced manufacturers to construct a reinforced frame that used a higher crossbar.
The other change for the differences in this design was to prevent women from getting their dresses tied up or snagged on the frame. Most female bicycles will not have a higher crossbar and, in most cases, will feature a looped frame or a lowered crossbar.
Many don’t know that these differences in design designate that one is male orientated and the other designed for females. However, now that more progressive attitudes persist, these design differences do not matter, since most women and girls would wear pants or shorts these days, more than they would wear a dress or skirt. It is more practical to wear pants when riding a bicycle in any case.
Height
The third variable to keep in mind is the height of the bicycle. Most men tend to be, on average, longer than women, especially so in children. For this reason, when purchasing a bike, it would be wise not to consider that it is unisexual in design.
A higher frame and seat would make it difficult to ride the bicycle for any shorter person. Thus, female bicycles tend to be made both smaller and shorter. When buying a bicycle for you or your children, keep this in mind, and if it is their first bicycle, you should do so even more. If the design is not suited for him or her, it will make it that much more difficult to learn how to ride it. This will frustrate your child and could lead to disinterest.
The Seat
The last but not least difference is the seating. It may be exchangeable, but to prevent the accidental purchase of the wrong seat and the need to spend more money on buying the correct one, ensure that the seat that is fitted is suitable for your or your child’s gender.
In most modern designs, you will likely encounter seats that are designed for both sexes, which is good, but some are made for men and some for women. Trying not to get too deep into the anatomic differences, these changes are there for comfort and safety. Female seats are broader and shorter, with adequate comfort provided for hip placement.
Male seats would usually be longer and much narrower, and could possibly have triangular center holes to provide comfort against sudden shocks and avoid harm to the scrotum.
Conclusion
There you have it! The design differences in male and female bicycles are not intended to be discriminating; they are simply there for safety and comfort. When buying and choosing the perfect bicycle for you or your family, keep these factors in mind. It might mean the difference between a comfortable, relaxing trip and an uncomfortable, even dangerous, ride that could suck the fun out of everything.
