Yes, many brands make female versions of their best models. The main difference is that the geometry is altered to accommodate a woman’s body properly. This can get you a better fit and enhance performance and comfort.
Best Bicycles for Short Women: Buyer’s Guide
Written by: Nick Cowie | May 30, 2026 | Time to read: 5 min
When frame sizes typically cater toward mid-range to taller riders, smaller female riders can feel left out. Here are some bike features that shorter women can look for to get the perfect fit on their next bike.
More about the Author: Nick Cowie
Nick is a writer with seven years of experience in the cycling industry. In his free time, he enjoys swimming, Jiu Jitsu, and spending time outdoors.
Finding bikes specifically for women is hard enough; finding a bike as a small woman is even harder. It might seem like brands just don’t cater to shorter riders, and oftentimes that is true. Luckily, there are plenty of bike brands that are willing to help find a bike that will fit your body. Look out for these bike features and finally ride a bike that fits!
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Table of Contents
What features do I need?
The first thing that small women should look out for is small frame sizes and additional features that will keep them comfortable during a ride. Make sure that getting on and off your bike is comfortable and that the components and riding position suit your needs.
- Small frames: Some brands will have XS or XXS frames that can accommodate women under 5’0” tall. Most brands will have a sizing guide, so take a look at how that brand fits. Don’t use a general sizing guide, as brands can vary greatly.
- Step-through frames: A step-through frame can be a great choice for a short woman, making it easy to mount and dismount the bike. This is especially handy for a commuter who might be wearing a dress or carrying cargo.
- Components and geometry: Every piece of your bike needs to cater to your size, not just the overall size of the frame. Shorter women should aim for a smaller crank size, around 160mm, to avoid their knees coming up too high. Small 26-inch wheels can also be considered. Look for short reach on the geometry chart to avoid stretching too far.
Which bike brands have extra small frames?
Unfortunately, not every brand has something for small women. Let’s take a look at a few brands that are notorious for keeping shorter women in mind when they make their bike models.
- Liv Cycling: Liv is a female-specific bike brand that is the sister company of Giant. They have road bikes, mountain bikes, electric bikes, and more, catered specifically to women. This includes smaller sizes than you might find with other brands, along with geometries more suitable to your body type.
- Scott: The Scott Contessa line is designed specifically for female riders to get a bike that fits properly. This line features women-specific versions of many of their premier bikes and offers them in sizes as small as XXS.
- Canyon: Another performance company that puts effort into their small bikes is Canyon. They even have 3XS road bikes, which are good for riders as small as 4’10”. Most of their other bikes, like mountain bikes and gravel bikes, will still go to XS or XXS. Many of these models include 26-inch wheels to go along with the small build.
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Keep an eye out for small bikes on Upway
Upway has a loaded catalog full of electric bikes, and we are currently expanding our selection of non-electric bikes. We buy used bikes and refurbish them, meaning we get bikes of all sizes in our inventory. Go to the website and sort by size to see what the smallest bikes in our inventory are— you can just enter your height and see all the bikes that match your measurements. Our bikes even come with the company’s sizing charts and geometry charts, so you can compare your needs to the listed bike.
While buying a bike as a smaller rider is always a challenge, the good news is that the prices are often lower since they are less in demand. The prices at Upway are already low, so you might find an amazing deal on a bike that fits. Buying online can be stressful, and you might worry about whether the bike will feel right when it arrives. With Upway, there is no need to stress. You can try the bike for 14 days and send it back for free if it does not suit your needs. Upway looks out for riders and wants you to love your new bike.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there such a thing as a female-specific bike?
What features keep smaller women comfortable while riding?
Smaller women should look for smaller crank arm lengths, small standover heights, step-through frames, and a shorter reach measurement.
Where can I find a small bike for sale?
Look online for the brands mentioned above if you want a brand-new bike. If you want a great deal on a refurbished bike, check the Upway website regularly to see what we have in your size.
Key Takeaways
- Know who accommodates smaller women: Extra small frames can be found, but not every brand has them or does them well. Brands like Liv, Scott, and Canyon cater specifically to women and are a good place to start your search.
- Know your measurements: A lot of choosing a bike will come down to looking at geometry and size charts. Make sure you know your inseam to determine your standover height, then go from there.
- Look for great deals on Upway: Upway refurbishes used bikes and get you a great price on a like-new bike. These prices can be even lower for the least sought-after sizes, so you might be in luck.
