The best women's bikes for the city

There are many interesting offers in the budget range of women's city bikes. One of these is the Author Thema 28 2023 - a balanced bike for riding on hard asphalt surfaces with occasional forays into light off-road conditions.

The frame of the model is made of 6061 aluminum alloy using butting and hydroforming technologies to minimize weight. When equipped, the city bike weighs a little more than 12 kg, thanks to which even a fragile girl can handle it. Additional accessories will add a little extra weight to the bike: fenders on the wheels, a kickstand and other attributes of a “city dweller”. However, they are not supplied as standard - please be aware.

The feminine ins and outs of the model are given away by the sloping top tube, which provides a comfortable fit for fair sex riders in dresses and skirts. The bike flexibly adapts to terrain conditions due to the presence of 21 speeds. Moreover, the transmission is assembled from high-quality components of the amateur rank Shimano Tourney. The bike's 28-inch wheels are mounted on Quando hubs, and classic Tektro rim brakes are responsible for quick deceleration in city traffic.

When driving a city bike, you achieve an upright position with a slight tilt towards the straight handlebars. The fork of the model is rigid, it is made of steel - this material has high-strength characteristics and effectively smoothes out the smallest bumps when driving on bad roads. On weekdays, the Author Thema 28 2023 can be used for commuting, shopping, or running errands; on weekends, the model will serve as a faithful companion for walks in the open air.

Behind the abbreviation ASL in the name of the city bike in question is the decoding Author Sport Lady - this means that the frame of the model is designed to suit the anatomy of the female body. Visible confirmation of this is the beveled shape of the top tube.

The bike belongs to the category of “hybrids”, which are equally good in the city and on light off-road. 28-inch wheels guarantee the bike excellent rolling, and the RST Neon T spring-elastomer front fork effectively handles uneven road surfaces and small potholes. The travel reserve of the fork is small (about 60 mm), but more is not required for a city bike, otherwise the rolling will inevitably worsen.

The attachment for the bicycle was a 21-speed transmission made from entry-level Shimano Tourney components. It contains 3 sprockets of the front system and 7 sprockets of the rear cassette; to change gears, trigger shifters are used on the right grip of the straight steering wheel. Also, control levers for V-brake rim brakes were placed on the steering column handles.

The bicycle is delivered practically “naked” - among useful accessories it is equipped with only a chain guard. But in the city you can’t do without fenders on wheels, a bike rack and lighting equipment. The trend of abandoning such standard equipment, frankly speaking, is not encouraging, but it is becoming more and more common.

Having a cross-country frame geometry, the Marin Kentfield ST 1 2023 bicycle belongs to the category of road models for the fair sex. The bike steers easily at any speed, confidently maneuvers in traffic and provides a fairly high level of riding comfort.

The model has the required minimum gears - the city bike is equipped with a 7-speed transmission made from amateur components Shimano Tourney and Altus. The bike performs best in flat terrain, but if you need to climb a steep hill, it won’t let you down either. And trouble-free disc brakes with mechanical drives ensure the bike stops quickly.

The design without a front derailleur significantly reduces the weight of the bike. An aluminum frame with a lowered top tube geometry is also aimed at minimizing it. The cables for the transmission and brake system were routed inside the frame to reduce the likelihood of damage and make cleaning the bike easier after riding in rainy weather. The frame provides mounts for fenders, a trunk, and a bottle cage —these bike accessories are not supplied as standard.

The city bike has rolling 28-inch wheels and universal tires of 700x40C caliber, created in collaboration with Vee Tire. A distinctive feature of the rubber design is the beige retro-style sidewalls, which harmoniously combine with grips of the same color on the straight handlebar. The bike has a stunning appearance and behaves confidently in the urban rhythm of life.

The Giant Liv Alight 3 2023 model harmoniously combines the qualities of a city bike and a “road bike” for conquering mid-range boundaries.

The bike from Giant is built on an open-design aluminum frame with a lowered top tube geometry. This is done for the convenience of boarding the female audience of riders. The front wheel of the bicycle is mounted on a rigid steel fork, which partly absorbs vibrations and minor irregularities in the road surface. The model has 28-inch wheels - the “gold standard” for the city bike class. In addition, they are shod with Giant S-X3 branded semi-slick tires.

The model’s 21-speed transmission is assembled from a groupset of basic-level Shimano components: an Altus series front derailleur and a Tourney line rear derailleur. The braking system of the Giant Liv Alight 3 2023 consists of classic “V-brakes” on both wheels. These are traditional mechanical brakes that are pressed tightly by pads onto the wheel rims, thereby slowing down and stopping the bike.

The equipment of the bicycle is as ascetic as possible. The only mandatory thing the model has is a chain guard. Everything else will need to be additionally installed in a separate order, because neither fenders, nor headlights, nor even reflectors are included in the standard configuration of a women’s city bike. And for comfortable and safe trips in the city they will come in handy.

Merida Crossway L 40 2023 is a universally designed bike aimed at female riders. The model is equipped with simple and reliable components, and it is designed both for everyday trips and for fitness training.

The competitive advantage of the bike over its peers is the shock absorption system, represented by the front spring-oil SR Suntour NEX HLO with a travel blocking mechanism (lockout) and an auxiliary shock absorber in the seatpost. On roads with poor surface quality, the bike allows you to feel as comfortable as possible, while at the same time its 28-inch wheels provide a good roll on a flat road surface.

For sensitive dosage of pedaling force, the city bike is equipped with an entry-level 27-speed transmission made from Shimano Altus components. In combination with it, trouble-free and highly efficient disc brakes with hydraulic drives work. The model does not care about any changes in terrain in the urban cycle - the bike confidently picks up speed, holds it firmly, quickly slows down and stops.

The model is classified as a women's city bike due to the structural features of the aluminum frame - its top tube has a beveled shape and is slightly lowered for ease of fit. Also, for a comfortable fit, the bike has an adjustable handlebar stem. The only thing missing from the model is all sorts of small things like fenders on wheels, headlights and a parking stand - yet this is a mandatory weapon for almost every city bicycle.