Many products in this world don’t need to be gender-specific: TVs. Computers. Baseball caps. However, many other items do need to be made to the specific proportions of one gender or the other: Clothes. Multivitamins. And, yes, bikes and e-bikes. Human anatomy is a fascinating thing.
Within each gender, there is wild variation in sizes and even proportions. Consider Laurel and Hardy. Despite all that variation, themes and trends do emerge. As a (very) general rule, for a given height, men will have shorter legs and a longer torso, plus longer arms. Also, on average, men are taller than women. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the average man in the U.S. is 5 feet 9 inches, while the average woman in the U.S. is 5 feet 3.5 inches.
Because most of all bikes and e-bikes are bought by men (What’s up with that?), the majority of all one-size e-bikes are made for a man’s proportions. Practically speaking, what this means is that while many women will be able to adjust the saddle height on an e-bike to suit their needs, they will be left with a long reach from the saddle to the handlebar that will force them to lean forward more than may be comfortable. The more a rider leans forward, the harder it becomes to control the e-bike and to maintain enough comfort to ride for more than a short time.
We’ve selected a collection of e-bikes that cover a gamut of uses, everything from cruisers and commuters to special-use e-bikes including eMTBs and even a road/gravel e-bike. Almost all of these e-bikes feature step-thru frames to make them easy to mount and dismount, while a few of these fit with more traditional expectations of what constitutes a woman’s design.
Only one of these e-bikes was specifically made for women; that’s more a reflection of the fact that we’ve chosen to focus on e-bikes priced in the $1,000-$2,000 range than what is available. The fact is, the more you’re willing to spend, the more options women are afforded. Yes, that’s sadly sexist; our job is to help point out the best opportunities we see.
No matter what sort of riding you want to do, there are options to suit your needs.
Wehn you visit a manufacturer’s site, take some time to look at their sizing recommendations. The broader the range they suggest, the less likely the e-bike is to work at the extremes of that range. Few e-bikes can really fit a range of heights broader than 5 inches. Would you want to buy a pair of pants that comes in only one size? The more different sizes a manufacturer offers, the more likely you are to find a size that fits you.
We’ve assembled a terrific collection of e-bikes; let’s dig in.
*Electric Bike Report aims to help consumers find the right electric bike for their needs. When you buy a product we recommend, we may earn a commission.
