Women's Mountain Bike Guide
How to Choose the Best Mountain Bike for You
By: Lacy Kemp, Mountain Biking Marketing Aficionado and Writer | Last Updated: July 11, 2024
Choosing a Women’s Mountain Bike
Mountain biking’s popularity is rapidly growing, and the number of women getting into the sport is at an all-time high. Companies are excited about the growth of women in the sport and are making more products than ever before that cater to women. This means bikes are coming in a broader size range with more options for different wheel sizes, lower standover heights, and in some cases, spec that is tailored for women.Choosing a mountain bike that best fits the terrain you’ll be riding, your size, and your riding style can be overwhelming. Good news! We’re here to help!
Some Basic Questions
Find a bike that makes you feel the way Blake Hansen feels here.
There are a few main things to consider when selecting a bike, and there are many options to choose from. Questions you should be asking are:
- What kind of mountain bike best suits you?
- What kind of terrain will you be riding?
- What is bike geometry?
- Do you need a women’s-specific bike and what does that even mean?
- How do you know what size bike to get?
- Are there any specific features that women should consider?
What kind of mountain bike best suits you?
All mountain or enduro? DH or DJ? What does it all mean? There are a lot of different kinds of bikes, so it’s helpful to understand what these categories mean and where the bike will perform the best. For a detailed explanation of the differences between the types of bikes available and for help selecting a bike for your specific needs check out our How to Choose a Mountain Bike guide.
Ebike or Dirt Jumper?
Read on for more info on how to choose the best bike for you.
What is a women’s specific bike? Do I need one?
Many bike companies make unisex bikes in smaller sizes that may feature a lighter suspension tune, which can be beneficial to women as they’re often lighter than men. On the other hand, women’s specific companies such as Juliana, make bikes that feature components uniquely spec’d for smaller/lighter riders such as narrower bars, thinner grips, and a lighter suspension tune, which makes it simple to find the right bike without needing to swap out components.Ultimately, the right bike for you is the one that fits you the best and feels great when you’re riding.
Geometry & Sizing
When researching and buying a bike you’ll read a lot about bike geometry. Essentially this is what makes up the sizing and angles of a bike and it’s important to understand how your body proportions will have an impact on the size of the bike that works best for you. Learning bike geometry and why it matters can feel confusing at first, but we’re here to distill it down so it all makes sense. Things that may be useful for women to consider are standover height and reach, as some bikes chassis are taller and longer on all sizes.Be sure to check out our guide dedicated to guide to mountain bike geometry and fit
.
Women’s Mountain Bike Size Chart
Our mountain bike frame size chart below is a good starting place, helping you find the right size mountain bike based on your height.
Please note, sizes vary by manufacturer and model due to differences in design philosophy and geometry - so we recommend looking at the size chart that is specific to the model you’re considering. On each of our mountain bike product pages, we have the size chart for that specific model.
| Rider Height (in) | Rider Height (cm) | Frame Size | Frame Size (in) | Frame Size (cm) |
| 4' 10" - 5' 2" | 148cm - 158cm | XS | 13" - 14" | 33cm - 37cm |
| 5' 3" - 5' 6" | 159cm - 168cm | S | 15" - 16" | 38cm - 42cm |
| 5' 7" - 5' 10" | 169cm - 178cm | M | 17" - 18" | 43cm - 47cm |
| 5' 11" - 6' 1" | 179cm - 185cm | L | 19" - 20" | 48cm - 52cm |
| 6' 2" - 6' 4" | 186cm - 193cm | XL | 21" - 22" | 53cm - 57cm |
| 6' 4" + | 194cm + | XXL | 23" + | 58cm + |
Riders between sizes may size up or down according to riding style, body proportions, or personal preference. The best thing you can do is to compare the sizes in person - and check out our full guide to mountain bike geometry - but here’s some quick pointers:
Riding Style
- Sizing up provides greater stability at speed and through rough terrain. On the flip side, it can be more cumbersome to navigate tight corners and obstacles.
- Sizing down can make a bike feel more playful, nimble, and sensitive to rider input. However, it will require more precision with body positioning to maintain proper weight distribution.
Body Proportions
- Riders with longer torsos or arms often size up to avoid feeling cramped.
- Riders with shorter torsos or longer legs often size down to get the best fit.
Types of Bikes
Let’s get a bit deeper into the various types of bikes to help clarify the difference between all of the different categories. We’ve already created an in-depth guide explaining the difference between bikes, but here’s a brief rundown.
Blake enjoying the descent on her all-mountain bike.
All-Mountain/Trail Bikes
- Balanced climbing and descending capabilities
- A good “quiver-killer” bike
- Typically feature between 130-150mm of suspension travel
- Neutral geometry makes these bikes comfortable to ride in almost any terrain
Pros
- Balanced climbing and descending capabilities
- A good “quiver-killer” bike
- Typically feature between 130-150mm of suspension travel
- Neutral geometry makes these bikes comfortable to ride in almost any terrain
Cons
- Not the best climber, not the best descender
- The quiver-killer mantra means it doesn’t excel in any one particular area
Blake getting some airtime aboard her enduro bike.
Enduro Bikes
- Excellent descenders that are still climbable
- Excel in rowdier terrain
- Bigger brakes mean excellent stopping power
- More travel provides a cushier ride
- Typically have between 16-180mm of travel
Pros
- Excellent at descending
- Powerful braking for ultimate control
- Longer travel means a smoother ride
Cons
- While they can climb, it’s not their strong suit
- Will feel clunky in less aggressive terrain
- Can be heavier than XC or all-mountain bikes
Downhill Bikes
- Designed specifically for downhill travel only
- Ultra plush suspension eats up chunky terrain
- Capable of extremely high speeds
- ·Downhill bikes usually have between 190-210mm of travel
Pros
- Eats up chunky terrain on descents
- Incredibly capable at high speeds
- The go-to bikes for mountain bike parks
Cons
- Not practical for any kind of riding other than downhill
- Are not good climbers
- Can be heavy due to their stout builds
Cross Country/XC Bikes
- Cross Country bikes are made to be light and fast.
- They are excellent at climbing hills and fast on rolling terrain.
- These bikes are great for people who plan to be out on long, all-day adventures and are not planning to ride technical downhill terrain.
- Cross Country bikes typically have between 100-120mm front and rear travel.
Pros
- Incredibly efficient climbers
- Light weight & easy to maneuver
- Great for all-day adventures
Cons
- Not great on technical, steep descents
- Can cause hand fatigue due to less suspension travel
- Smaller, less powerful brakes
Electric Bikes
- evo sells Class-1 pedal-assisted electric bikes which only move when you’re pedaling·
- Open up an entire new world of riding
- Are available in many different categories of bike
- ·Check out our complete guide to Electric Mountain Bikes
Pros
- Ridiculously fun to ride
- Unlocks a ton of terrain you might not be able to access with an analog bike
- Excellent for a quick lap, training to learn terrain, a recovery ride, or just getting back into biking
Cons
- Heavier than non-electric bikes
- Can be expensive
- Requires charging and maintenance of the battery
Blake riding her dirt jump bike on a Bellingham pumptrack.
Dirt Jump/Pumptrack Bikes
- Made to ride on dirt jumps and pumptracks, or urban missions.
- These bikes feature no rear suspension (also called a hardtail).
- This kind of bike is very specific for skill-building, and if you’re planning to do a variety of mountain biking, it is not the best option for your “only” bike.
Pros
- Excellent at pumping and jumping
- Less expensive than most mountain bikes
- Great at building valuable skills that will stick with you forever
Cons
- Very niche usage
- Not a great all-around bike
- Can take some getting used to the handling
Blake makes quick work of a technical climb with her electric mountain bike.
Now that you’ve got a better idea of what types of bikes are available, the next thing to do is pop into your local evo and try a few out or check out our bike finder to help choose the best bike for you! We’re here to help ensure you have the best experience possible.
LACY KEMP
Mountain Biking Marketing Aficionado and Writer
Lacy Kemp has over 20 years of experience in the mountain bike industry, including working for Kona and Nukeproof bikes and contributing to NSMB.com, Bike Mag, Vital MTB, and Pinkbike, among others. As an award-wining writer, producer, and director, she has made significant contributions to women's mountain biking. Lacy is also a yoga instructor, dog mama, wannabe surfer, extrovert, traveler, and dad joke connoisseur.