What is a unisex bike? Are all bikes unisex?

Every bike is unisex. Any bike can be ridden by anyone as long as they fit the frame. Men’s bikes are men specific, but that doesn’t mean women can’t ride a men’s bike. Same goes for women’s bikes. They can also be ridden by men. So why not make a bike that fits every one’s needs. The solution is the unisex bike. To be honest it is a marketing solution. Yes, the bike has a few different features, but mostly it’s just marketing. In this article we are going to talk about unisex bikes, more importantly “what is a unisex bike” and its features.

What is a unisex bike?

A unisex bike is any bike built and designed specifically for all genders. Any gender can use this bike. The typical men’s bike used to be the unisex bike. The bikes design with the horizontal crossbar. Then the women’s bike came and changed the generic design of the bike with the curved crossbar. But nowadays many bike companies have started making bike designs specifically for all genders. They focus on keeping the crossbar in a neutral position.

It is designed to fit all gender types. The main concept was to break the stereotype in society about gender based products. Since it is a bike, no one really bothers with the gender stuff. People just want a bike.

What do Unisex bikes look like?

In this modern era, we are certain that gender is not two types. So it will be unfair if bike designs were specifically made only for the 2 most common known genders, male and female. To suit the modern society bike companies came up with a new design called the Unisex bike. It can be used by anyone.

It has an angular vertical crossbar. The bicycle frame looks a little V-shaped. It is the combination of both men’s and women’s bikes. Men’s bike has the horizontal crossbar and the women’s bike has the downward curved crossbar to support their skirt. Though many women now don’t wear skirts, the design is still considered best for women, because it also supports women’s short torso. 

Unisex bike, on the other hand, supports every one’s body demand. Its crossbar is vertical and kind of angular, which allows both men and women to use this bike comfortably. It is designed to support every one’s torso, which means anyone can sit on it and reach the handlebar with ease. Height is still an issue though. It’s also fashionable for everyone because of its neutral coloring.

Difference between men’s bike and women’s bike

The main difference between men’s bikes and women’s bikes is the crossbar and height. Men’s bike has a straight horizontal crossbar. Women’s bike has a curved U-shaped crossbar. Women’s bikes are designed this way to support the skirt they wear. Back in the days when ever women would mount a bike, they had a high chance of exposing their legs. For this reason the bike manufacturers curved the crossbar on their bikes. 

Another difference is the height of the bike. Men’s bikes have larger wheels but women’s bikes have shorter wheels. On average women are shorter than men, so they made bikes that are shorter. Average women’s bikes have 24 inch wheel size.

Women’s bikes have vibrant colors too, like pick, cyan etc. Men’s bikes have darker colors.

Aren’t all bikes supposed to be unisex?

Technically, all bikes are unisex. All products are unisex. This means any product can be used by anyone, generally speaking. When it comes to bikes, there is no difference in gender. The only difference is in height, reach and torso. Men on average are taller, and women on average are shorter. Men have longer torsos, and women have shorter torsos. But for the marketing’s sake, we had to make a difference in bike design.

The bike that we now call men’s bike is the unisex bike. Only exception is that the crossbar is slightly tilted on this one, instead of going full horizontal. That is the only change. 

We don’t think we have to say this, but we will say it anyway “Off-road bikes and mountain bikes are unisex too”. No surprise there, because they are bikes, just like any other bikes. 

Difference between unisex bike and women’s bike

Differentiating a product segment makes marketing easier. This is the motto behind all product classification and variation.

Unisex bikes are typical bikes. The only visually differentiating factor is the crossbar of unisex bikes. The crossbars on unisex bikes are like V shaped. They are kind of angular vertical from the pedal to the handlebar. The handlebars themselves are elongated to make it easier and comfortable for the rider to steer. They come in different colors, all of which are neutral. So they can suit everyone no matter their gender.

Women’s bikes, on the other hand, are also different in the crossbar section. Women’s bikes have curved crossbars. The frame of the bike looks U shaped. This is to help ladies who wear skirts get on or get off the bike easily. Some bikes have a basket in front of them or some accessories to indicate that that is a women’s bike. They also come in vibrant colors like pink, cyan, green etc. 

The problem is that now most women do not wear skirts or dresses while riding a bike. Everyone wears jeans now or just regular trousers. This allows women to ride bikes easily and do athletic feats on bikes. Also the U shaped crossbar makes the bike frame weaker, according to some. For these reasons, women don’t really need women’s bikes. They can just ride any bike they want to as long as they fit the bike. No to mention men can ride women’s bikes as well. 

To be honest there is no particular boundary to bike riding. If you fit a bike you can ride it. You can already imagine where the concept of a unisex bike is coming from.

Are mountain bikes or road bikes Unisex?

Unisex bikes can be any bike. To answer the question, yes, there are unisex mountain bikes and road bikes. There are unisex mountain bikes, unisex road bikes, unisex cruiser bikes, unisex electrical bikes, unisex acro bikes etc.

The main difference between all the gender specific types of bikes is the crossbar. Unisex bikes have vertical angular crossbar. Some bikes don’t even have a crossbar. Some don’t even need a crossbar, because the bike frame is just too strong. So, again we will say, ‘yes, all bikes are unisex’ and ‘yes, there are unisex specific bikes out there for each category’.

Are Unisex bikes any good?

Unisex bikes work just like ordinary bikes. They offer the same features an ordinary bike offers. They’ve just designed it in a way to fit everyone’s need no matter the gender. Height and torso size might be an issue, but there are different bike sizes for that. The common size of the wheels is 24 inch. A bigger size of this would be 26 inch. 

To answer the question, are unisex bikes good or not, we say they are good. A high quality bike that suits your needs will always be good.

F.A.Q.s

How much do unisex bikes weigh?

Unisex bikes weigh around 15-20 kilogram.

Can a woman of 5 feet 1 inch ride a unisex bike?

Yes a woman of 5 feet 1 inch can ride a unisex bike. She will need a 48 cm frame.

Are there unisex mountain bikes?

Yes there are unisex mountain bikes.

What colors are unisex bikes?

They come in a variety of colors. You can always pain them to the color of your choice later.

Final words

Unisex bikes are just like any ordinary bike. There is no added feature, no special quality. If it’s a regular unisex bike, you will have to pedal it. If it is an electric bike, then you just sit, relax and steer it. The unisex part does not bring any change. It is a general marketing effort to lure in more customers to increase sales.

No matter what the product description says and no matter who it is for, bike riding is for everyone. It is not only a great transportation but also a wonderful activity. It is great for physical health and mental health, as it keeps a person fit.

The marketing of bikes should be to encourage people to ride a bike besides the increase of sales, because everyone deserves a bike. Go try one or try one of our recommended ones and give the answer yourself, what is a unisex bike.