The Best Step-Through Ladies Bikes That You Can Buy For Cheap
Touring and Hybrid Bicycles Designed for Women
What is the difference between a man and a woman-specific bicycle? Do I need to buy a woman’s bike for my tour? These questions often come up when ladies begin thinking about a bicycle tour.
Let’s start from this: it’s an absolute truth that women can ride any “men’s” bicycle, just adapting the contact points to fit the unicity of your body, just like everyone needs to do, no matter the gender.
So don’t be afraid to purchase a bike that you like just because it is supposed to be a man’s frame. If you’re looking for a new bike and are not willing to sell a kidney you can also check our article about 21 great touring bicycles under 1000$.
So, if I can ride every kind of bicycle, what’s the meaning of having women-specific models? Well, while sometimes it can mostly be a matter of marketing, it’s undebatable that, generically speaking, women and men have different physiologies.
Women usually have a comparatively shorter torso and arms, longer legs, narrower shoulders, and less muscular mass (some say they are also usually shorter, but I think it strongly depends on ethnicity, when I was living in Nederland I quite felt like a dwarf compared to most women).
So bicycle brands built woman-specific frames and bikes with these generic parameters in mind, meaning a shorter reach (distance from the saddle to the handlebars), shorter top tube, smaller frame sizes, narrower handlebars, and so on…
Keep in mind that this might not be your case, so always try to have at least a test ride before buying a new bicycle.
The Trapeze Frames or Step-Through Frames
Back in the early days of bicycle manufacturing, women use to wear skirts much more often than nowadays, and they were long skirts, usually to the ankle.
That’s the main reason for the so-called Step-Through frames, the kind of frame geometry where the top tube goes diagonally that are usually recognized as women’s frames.
Nowadays there’s almost no reason (besides the skirt/dress fact) for a step-through frame to be used exclusively by women, but still, people see them as girly bikes, that’s why many brands still produce women’s specific bikes in this fashion.
The main advantage of this geometry (also called “Trapeze”) is the easiness to mount on, you don’t have to stretch your leg above the whole bike (and panniers!).
The main downsides are an alleged weakness and less stiffness, compared to a diamond frame, that basically results in a few hundred grams more of steel to match the diamond geometry’s features.
The 10 bikes in this article are not the best women’s specific bicycles out there but represent a good and cheap starting point to enter the world of bicycle touring on a relatively low budget.
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The Best Touring & Hybrid Bikes for Ladies – in a nutshell
Step-Through Bicycles with Rigid Fork
- Creme Echo Mixte Solo – Most Stylish Hybrid Woman Bike
- Creme Echo Mixte Uno – Best Ladies Urban/Light-Travel Bike
- Dawes Karakum 2019 – Great Budget Women’s Touring Bike
- GT Transeo Sport 2020 – Budget Sporty Woman MTB Hybrid Bike
Woman Hybrid/Touring Bikes with Suspension Fork
- Fuji Traverse 1.7 ST – Cheap Suspension Step-Through Hybrid Bike
- Specialized ARIEL 2020 Disc – Great Women Hybrid Gravel Bike
- Cube Touring Trapeze 2020 – Sturdy City Bike for Girls
- Ghost Square Trekking – Best City/Trekking Bike for Women
4 Best Rigid Fork Bicycles for Women
Creme Echo Mixte Solo 2020 [+/-] $ 800
The Echo Mixte Solo Bike is built around a lugged mixte frame with a CrMo front triangle for fine handling and great looks.
The bike features a 16-speed drive-train with reliable components, and you will find some nice touches such as polished rims and a classic 1” quill stem. Not a lot of gears, but enough if you’re not planning to climb Alpine passes.
The Echo Mixte Solo Bike is suited for light touring.
Creme Echo Mixte Features
| Bottom bracket: Square taper, 68mm shell |
| Brake front: Promax caliper, dual pivot |
| Brake rear: Promax caliper, dual pivot |
| Cassette: Sunrace 11-25, 8-Speed |
| Chain: KMC X8 |
| Crankset: Fsa Tempo aluminium crankset, compact 50:34t |
| Derailleurs: Shimano Claris |
| Fork: Lugged Steel, 1″ steerer |
| Frame: Lugged steel frame with Chromoly front triangle |
| Grips: Velo bar tape |
| Handlebar: flat bar width: 580mm, barbore: 26,0mm |
| Headset: First, threaded, 1” |
| Hubs: Joytech road hub |
| Tyres: Schwalbe Lugano 700X25C |
| Rims: Aluminium double wall 700C, road racing |
Creme Echo Mixte Uno Urban Bike 2020 [+/-] $1100
The Echo Mixte LTD Bike features a lugged, full CrMo mixte frame, and together with CrMo forks, it is one of the sexiest bikes out there.
This bike blends classic looks with the convenience of a modern Shimano STI shifting system, and the moustache style handlebars provide a more upright, less aggressive riding position.
On the technical side you will find an 18-Speed drivetrain for getting up to speed and climbing hills easily, and for comfort, the famous Velo saddle.
Creme Echo Mixte Uno Urban Bike – Features
| Frame: Lugged Steel |
| Fork: Lugged Steel, 1″ steerer |
| Brakes: Promax caliper, dual pivot |
| Crankset: FSA Tempo aluminium crankset, compact 50/34T, 167.5mm (51cm frame), 170mm (54cm frame), 172.5mm (57 and 60cm frame) |
| Bottom bracket: Square taper, 68mm shell |
| Rear Derailleur: Shimano Claris 8-Speed, short cage |
| Cassette: KMC X8 |
| Chain: KMC X9 9-Speed |
| Grips: Velo grips |
| Handlebar: Creme flat bar |
| Shifters: Sunrace SLR80 R8 DT |
| Headset: First, threaded, 1” |
| Hubs: Joytech road hub, 32H, QR |
| Rims: Aluminium double wall 700C, road racing |
| Saddle: Velo |
| Seatpost: Aluminium 26.6mm |
| Tyres: Michelin Dynamic Classic 700x28c |
Dawes Karakum 2019 Women’s Touring Bike [+/-] $700
Let’s get into more proper touring rigs. The Dawes Karakum 2019 Women’s Touring Bike features a lightweight alloy frame and Chromoly fork.
Distinctive because of the butterfly handlebars it offers multi riding positions on those long tours. A roll call of quality components consists of Shimano Alivio 27 speed gears, Shimano hubs, Shimano V-brakes, Schwalbe Silento II tyres and a woman-specific Dawes saddle.
It seems this product has been discontinued by Dawes but it is easy to fin a good second hand deal.
Dawes Karakum Step-Through – Specifications
| Frame: 6061 Alloy |
| Fork: Cromoly |
| Front Derailleur: Shimano Alivio FD-T-4000 3spd |
| Rear Derailleur: Shimano Alivio FD-T-4000 9spd |
| Number of Gears: 27 |
| Shifters: Shimano Alivio Rapidfire Plus SL-M4000 27spd |
| Chainset: Shimano Acera FC-T3010 170mm Cranks / 48-36-26T Chainrings |
| Chainrings: 48-36-26T Chainring |
| Cassette: Shimano Cassette CS-HG400 9spd 11-32T |
| Brakeset: Shimano Alivio BR-T4010 V Brakes Alloy |
| Brake Levers: Tektro Alloy Lever |
| Handlebars: Dawes Alloy Multi-Hand-P31.8mmition bar / 585mm Wide |
| Stem: Adjustable alloy Quil Stem |
| Headset: 1 1/8″ Aheadset |
| Rims: ALEX Ace19 Double Wall Alloy CNC Single Stainless Eyelets |
| Hubs: 32H Shimano HB-RM70 Quick Release, alloy |
| Tyres: 700x32C Schwalbe Silento with Kevlar Guard |
| Seatpost: 27.2mm x 350mm suspension Seatpost |
| Weight: 15.4 kg |
GT Transeo Sport 2020 Hybrid Bike [+/-] $ 400
The super-cheap GT Transeo Sport Women looks like a nice entry-level bicycle. With its lightweight Hyrdoformed alloy frame the Transeo has all the bases covered.
GT has made all models equipped with powerful disc brakes and mounts for both mudguards and racks. The Triple Triangle™ geometry was developed to extend the frame life, stiffen the rear triangle and thus create a faster, more responsive ride.
The Shimano 7 speed drivetrain is a good combination of performance and durability, with the Tourney rear derailleur to enhance the gear indexing and the chainset to reduce weight but maintain the strength. These both will ensure the classic Shimano reliable shifting and performance.
Mechanical disc brakes with a 160mm rotors on both front and rear, offering high stopping power for tracks that you might not normally hit up. Finishing kit is GT’s own brand All Terra using a 6061 aluminum riser handlebars, stem, and micro-adjust seat post.
About the GT brand
GT Bikes, based in Southern California, has been in the business of making great bikes since 1972 when Gary Turner launched one of the first performance BMX race bikes.
Developing world-class bikes in conjunction with the world’s best BMX rider such as Greg Hill, Eddie Fiola, Jamie Bestwick, Clive Gosling, and Dave Mirra, GT grew into one of the biggest brands. GT used the same model of developing performance bikes with the best riders, pioneering new suspension technology, and the use of carbon fiber in MTB frames.
Winning numerous World Championships in downhill and cross country racing with legendary riders such Nicholas Vouilloz, Steve Peat, and more recently Atherton Racing, with Dan Gee and Rachel Atherton.
Hans “No Way” Ray has been one of the figureheads of GT’s longstanding team rider program, setting the record for the longest sponsorship deal of 26 years and counting. In the mid-’90s GT build track bikes for the USA Olympic team.
GT Transeo Sport – Specifications
| Mudguard Mounts: Yes |
| Rear Rack Mounts: Yes |
| Number of gears: 21 |
| Frame: GT Transeo Triple Triangle 6061 Alloy frame |
| Fork: GT fork with steel raked legs, rack, and fender eyelets, steel steerer |
| Wheel Size: 700c (622) |
| Shifters, Front and Rear Derailleur: Shimano Tourney |
| Brake Callipers: Mechanical disc, 160/160mm |
| Cassette: Sunrace, 11-28, 7-speed |
| Tyres: GT Pavement, 700 x 40c |
4 Best Women Bikes with Suspension Fork
Suspension fork bikes are not very common among long term tourers. Despite that, they are well appreciated by occasional tourers who seek comfort, also on uneven surfaces. We also met some long-distance travelers who love that cushioned feeling.
The biggest downsides of suspension forks are the added weight and the possibility of a failure. If you can cope with that, take a look at this deals.
Fuji Traverse 1.7 ST Hybrid Bike [+/-] $ 400
The Fuji Traverse 1.7 D is a women-specific hybrid bike designed for family fun rides, riding country paths, all-weather commute, and light touring. With suspension forks for added comfort and fender mounts to keep you clean and dry.
It features a wide range of gears, Tektro cable operated disc brakes with 160mm rotors, the light and stiff Oval concept alloy flat bar and an Oval Concepts women saddle.
Fuji Traverse 1.7 Woman Hybrid – Specs
| Mudguard Mounts: Yes |
| Rear Rack Mounts: Yes |
| Number of gears: 21 |
| Frame: Fuji A2-SL custom-butted Alloy |
| Fork: SR NEX suspension, 63mm travel |
| Front and Rear Derailleur: Shimano Tourney |
| Brakes: Tektro M280 mechanical discs, 160mm/140mm rotors |
| Chainset: KMC HV500 |
| Cassette: Shimano Tourney HG200, 14-32T, 7-Speed |
| Handlebar: Steel, 30mm rise |
| Tyres: Kenda Drumlin, 700 x 40c |
Specialized ARIEL 2021 Disc Women Hybrid Bike [+/-] $ 1000
Specialized is a brand that doesn’t need presentations, appreciation by bicycle tourers worldwide is all you need to trust their bikes.
The updated Specialized ARIEL Disc takes care of safety with powerful disc brakes, while control is provided through a women-specific geometry and a Multi-Circuit Damping fork with 60mm of travel, that’ll have you tackling workouts on paved or dirt surfaces with equal confidence.
Specialized have also included their light and tough A1 SL Premium aluminium frame tubing, workhorse components that are sized and designed specifically for women, and a wide range of gears that’ll take the sting out of steep trails.
Designed for women who want to mix adventure with fitness, the hard-working, sturdy A1 SL Premium Aluminium frame features Specialized’s Women’s Fitness Geometry—meaning that you’ll go faster with maximum efficiency, only without the discomfort of an aggressive ride position. The more comfortable you are, the longer you’ll ride.
Specialized ARIEL – Specifications
| Frame: Specialized A1 SL Premium Aluminum |
| Fork: Carbon monocoque, 12x100mm flat thru-axle, Future Shock-compatible steerer |
| Front Hub: Alloy, high-low flange, sealed cartridge bearings, 12x100mm spacing, 24h |
| Rear Hub: Alloy, high-low flange, sealed cartridge bearings, 12x142mm spacing, 28h |
| Spokes: Stainless, 14g |
| Rims: 700C disc, double-wall alloy, 22mm depth, 21mm internal width, 32h |
| Shifters and Derailleur: Shimano Deore, 10-speed |
| Brakes: Shimano BR-MT200, hydraulic disc, 160mm |
| Cassette: SunRace, 10-speed, 11-42t |
| Stem: Specialized, 3D-forged alloy, 4-bolt, 7-degree rise |
Cube Touring Trapeze City Bike 2021 [+/-] $ 700
Cube intentionally ditched complicated features with this model, but not the ergonomics. The Touring is a great all-rounder well suited even for long term touring.
The light, double-butted aluminum frame features Cube’s Efficient Comfort Geometry, specifically developed for touring bikes to provide a comfortable ride position with the best energy transfer to make the best possible use of long days in the saddle.
The Touring has bosses for bottle cages and for Cube’s ingeniously simple Cube kickstand, while internal cable routing helps reduce maintenance and keep gearshifts smoother for longer.
The Cube Touring has been built in accordance with StVZO regulations. The LED lighting system up front and the small but powerful red LED at the rear both get their power seamlessly from the hub dynamo – which means they’re ready whenever needed, regardless of the weather.
The Shimano 24-speed drivetrain is reliable and perfectly suited to everyday use. The Suntour suspension fork makes cycling comfortable, even on uneven and bumpy surfaces, while powerful Tektro V-Brakes bring you safely to a stop in any situation.
Cube’s in-house Cube components add the finishing touches without adding extra weight. This bike passed all their exhaustive test procedures, guaranteeing safe and reliable cycling for many years to come.
Cube Touring Trapeze – Specifications
| Frame: Aluminium Superlite Trekking Comfort Double Butted |
| Fork: SR Suntour NEX HLO, 63mm |
| Headset: Cube FPH863, semi-integrated |
| Stem: Satori Up2 Plus, 31.8mm, adjustable |
| Handlebar: Cube Rise Trail bar |
| Grips: Cube Performance Grip |
| Rear Derailleur: Shimano RD-M360, 8 speed |
| Front Derailleur: Shimano FD-M310, Top swing, 31.8mm |
| Shift-Brake-Levers: Shimano SL-M315, Rapidfire Plus – Shimano BR-MT200, hydraulic disc brakes (160/160) |
| Brake System: Shimano BR-MT200, hydraulic disc brakes (160/160) |
| Crankset: Shimano FC-T801, 48x36x26T, 175mm |
| Cassette: Shimano CS-HG200, 12-32T |
| Chain: KMC Z51 |
| Tyres: Schwalbe Range Cruiser, Active, K-Guard, 47-62 |
| Saddle: Natural Fit Sequence Comfort |
| Seatpost: Cube Performance Post, 27.2mm |
Ghost Square Trekking City Bike 2020 [+/-] €750
This all-rounder offers some unique technical features such as the Ghost central suspension fork, integrated cable routing, super-stiff fenders, and a fully integrated rack carrier that accommodates all common panniers.
All frames in this line feature the revolutionary sandwich belt-drive-ready dropout, enabling you to start simple and upgrade over time as you choose.
The high-quality equipment guarantees years of use for both every-day commuting and week-long excursions. Shimano dynamo hub keeps you safe in the evening and can juice up your electronic devices during the daytime.
Ghost Square Trekking – Features
| Fork: SR Suntour SF14 NEX DS 63 mm |
| Stem: GHOST SQUARE Dia. 31.8 mm |
| Handlebars: GHOST SQUARE 680 mm Rise 25 mm Dia. 31.8 mm |
| Rear Derailleur: Shimano Altus RD-M310 8-S |
| Front Derailleur: Shimano FD-TX800 |
| Gear Lever: Shimano SL-M315 |
| Crankset: Shimano Tourney FC-TX801 48-38-28 |
| Cassette: Shimano CS-HG31 11-30 |
| Brake: Tektro HD-M285 2/2 Piston 160 mm Disc |
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