E-Bikes & Bikes Customised to You
Hey, guys, Dustin here, CEO of sixthreezero. Today, I'm here with our lovely model, Alana. And today, we're gonna talk a little bit about the best bike sizes for women. There's a lot that goes into choosing the right bike size, especially your height, your body shape, arm length, leg length, things like that. It can sometimes be challenging to find the exact bike that's right for you. If you're considering an electric option, you can also browse our women's electric bicycles to find the right electric bike for your height and riding preferences. Now, the good thing about sixthreezero bikes is, our bikes are generally made to be able to be adjusted for a varying height range. I would say most of our bikes can suit women 5 feet to about 5'11", depending on how you adjust the seat or the handlebars. Any women taller or shorter than that really, are going to need to explore either a larger bike or bicycles for short & petite adults.
All of the sixthreezero bikes for women have four customer adjustment points. This isn't found on all bikes and it makes sixthreezero bikes very unique for a woman. The handlebars can tilt and raise and lower, the seat can tilt and raise and lower, making it easily adjustable for a woman's body. This adjusting capability makes it a suitable bike for a 5-foot woman up to a 6'2" woman and is a great option for anyone looking for bikes for tall people.
Let me show you. Right here we have the Evryjourney 26" Women's. Alana is actually 5'1". We're gonna have her get on the bike, and we're gonna show you how she fits this bike. Now, Alana and I spoke before this video, and she said, "I ride a 26" bike." Now, at her height, it can really depend on if you're comfortable on a 26" or not, depending on arm length and leg length, also. You're gonna see Alana hop on.
Now, we have the seat all the way down. And go ahead and put your right foot down. Now, you can see, she's actually in a great riding position. Zoom in on those toes, right there. Nice. You can see, she's up on the pad of her toes, which is exactly what you want. Now, any lower might be too low. Any higher would be too high. You can see she needs the seat all the way down. Somebody who's 5 foot, they could still ride the 26", as well. However, they're gonna be a little bit more on their tippy toes. If you have shorter legs, I would definitely recommend a 24" if you're 5 feet.
The EVRYjourney is actually a forward pedaling bicycle for women; what that means is the pedals are actually shifted forward 6" from where they typically are on a bicycle. This allows the seat to be lower to the ground while still providing ample leg extension for the rider when pedaling. With the forward pedaling design bike, riders 5'2" and above can get their feet flat on the ground when stopped. But still get ample leg extension when riding. Now riders 5' to 5'2" won't be able to get their feet exactly flat on the ground with this setup but they will still have a comfortable, safe ride. That's the benefit of the forward pedaling design for shorter women. It lowers the seat to the ground and makes it possible for them to ride a full-size 26" bike.
Now, if you're 5 feet and say, you have average leg length or average arm length, 26" should be great for you. You can see, everything is perfect for her. Back's upright, the leg is great, arms bent and relaxed, and she's ready to ride. Now, hop off this one, Alana, and I'm gonna bring in the 24". Now, it's not to say that Alana couldn't ride a 24", or to say that some women may not be better suited for a 24", but it's a little bit of personal preference.
You can see on this one, the seat is higher. She's actually now, about in the same foot position on the 24" as she was on the 26", because of the seat height. This is gonna give her a little bit more flexibility, in terms of, she could lower the seat a little bit more. It's gonna give her a wider variance of adjustment potential. You can also see, this bike fits her pretty well. Again, it's really personal preference. The women that are 5 feet, 5'1" range, it's a personal preference between a 24" or a 26". And then also, if you have shorter arms or shorter legs, that's gonna depend, too. Shorter arms or shorter legs, if you're 5 foot or 5'1", I'd recommend a 24". If you believe your legs are average length, 26" is a great bike.
It can be difficult to find the perfect bicycle for a woman's body, especially if you are closer to 5' tall. Bikes are not designed with short women in mind. The EVRYjourney actually has a unique frame that can accommodate both tall and short women. For taller male riders, you can also browse our bikes for tall men to find options designed around a comfortable fit. And it's not only women it fits — sixthreezero also carries bikes for big guys — bicycles for big & tall men built around the same adjustable, comfort-first philosophy. For the 5' rider, it most likely comes down to your inseam to find out if you will fit a full-size bike for women. Some 5' tall women have a longer inseam than some 5'3" or 5'2" riders. It really depends on your unique body, but the great thing about the EVRYjourney is that it can be custom adjusted to a wide range of heights.
Alanna is a 5'1" woman, and she fits on the EVRYjourney 26" perfectly, a great example of why it's one of the best EVRYjourney models for shorter riders. By adjusting both the seat and the handlebars, we found the perfect fit for Alanna. Alanna's gonna take off and go for a ride here.
E-Bike Sizing Guide for Petite Women
Electric bikes follow the same core sizing principles as standard bikes, but battery and motor placement can shift weight distribution, which matters more for petite riders. Look for an e-bike with a step-through frame and a low standover height, since this makes mounting easier when the added weight of the motor and battery is factored in.
For petite women, a foot-forward pedal design is especially useful on an e-bike; it lowers the seat closer to the ground while still preserving full leg extension during pedaling, similar to what's found on adjustable hybrid frames. Combined with a frame size suited to your height (see the chart above for general guidance), this ensures the e-bike feels balanced and manageable rather than front-heavy or difficult to steady at stops.
Remember, check out our website. You can enter your dimensions in our body fit tool. You put in your height and your weight, and it'll give you the thumbs up or thumbs down on all of our bikes. It will tell you what size women's bike is best for you. Ladies' bike sizes are a difficult thing to figure out, but our fitting tool can be a big help. Don't mind Alanna, she'll be all right. It'll give you a thumbs up or thumbs down on all of our bikes. It will tell you if you're a fit for that particular bike. If you have any questions, feel free to email or call us, and we can help you get fitted perfectly to your body, because that's what we want to do here at sixthreezero, is make every bike fit perfectly to your body. And if you ever need to shop replacement parts for your bike, our replacement parts collection has you covered. And Alana will be okay, I promise.
Size Chart For Best Bikes For Women
Picking the best bike size for women is important for their comfort. Thus, this chart helps women choose a bike with the correct size. So, here is a brief size chart that you can use while buying a bike for women.
Mountain Bikes
Inches
General
Rider Height
15 to 16-Inches
Small
5' 2 inches to 5' 6 inches (158 to 168 CM)
17 to 18-Inches
Medium
5' 6-Inches to 5' 10-Inches (168 to 178 CM)
19 to 20-Inches
Large
5' 10 inches to 6' 10 inches (178 to 185 CM)
21 to 22-Inches
X Large
6' 1-Inches to 6' 4-Inches (185 to 193 CM)
Road Bikes
Centimeters
General
Rider Height
49 to 50 CM
X Small
5' 0-Inches to 5' 3-Inches (152 to 160 CM)
51 to 53 CM
Small
5' 3 inches to 5' 6 inches (160 to 168 CM)
54 to 55 CM
Medium
5' 6-Inches to 5' 9-Inches (168 to 175 CM)
56 to 58 CM
Large
5' 9-Inches to 6' 0-Inches (175 to 183 CM)
58 to 60 CM
X Large
6' 0-Inches to 6' 3-Inches (183 to 191 CM)
Hybrid Bikes
Centimeters/Inches
General
Rider Height
47 to 49 CM (13 to 14-inches)
X Small
4' 10 inches to 5' 1 inches (147 to 155 CM)
50 to 52 CM (15 to 16-Inches)
Small
5' 1-Inches to 5' 5-Inches (155 to 165 CM)
53 to 54 CM (17 to 18-inches)
Medium
5' 5-Inches to 5' 9-Inches (165 to 175 CM)
55 to 57 CM (19 to 20-inches)
Large
5' 9-Inches to 6' 0-Inches (175 to 183 CM)
58 to 61 CM (21 to 22-Inches)
X Large
6' 0-Inches to 6' 3-Inches (183 to 191 CM)
Getting the right bike makes riding fun. Use this chart to find the best bikes for petite women that fit your height so you can enjoy every ride!
What Size Bike for a 5'2" Woman
A woman at 5'2" typically falls in the small-to-medium range across most bike types roughly a 15 to 17-inch frame on a mountain bike, or a small on a hybrid or road bike, based on the size chart above.
That said, exact fit still depends on inseam and arm length, not just height alone. A 5'2" rider with shorter legs may find a smaller frame more comfortable even if the height chart suggests a medium, while a rider with a longer inseam at the same height might size up. Bikes with four-point adjustability (seat and handlebar height and tilt) offer more flexibility here, since they can be fine-tuned within a size range rather than requiring an exact frame match.
Why Do We Need The Right Bike Size?
Picking the best bike size for women is important for their comfort and safety. It further helps women have a fun and easy ride.
- Stable At High Speed: A bike that fits you well helps keep it steady, especially when going fast. So, your bike does not bubble and shake at all.
- More Responsive: When your bike is the right size, it is easier to steer. Moreover, it also allows the rider to react to bumps and turns.
Taking the time to choose the best bikes for women makes riding better. Furthermore, it keeps the rider safe and helps them enjoy every ride.
Bike Frame Size for Women with Short Legs
Height alone doesn't always determine the right frame size, inseam length matters just as much, and the two don't always match up. A woman with a shorter inseam relative to her height may find that a frame recommended for her height still feels too tall, particularly when it comes to reaching the pedals comfortably or getting feet flat on the ground at a stop.
In these cases, sizing down a frame or choosing a bike with a lower standover height and adjustable seat post often provides a better fit than following height alone. Pairing a smaller frame with a foot-forward pedal design can further help, since it lowers the seat without sacrificing leg extension while pedaling.
How To Decide The Best Bike Size For You?
Picking the best bikes for petite women is important for comfort and performance. So, let's now look at how to find the best fit for you!
- Check The Bike Size Chart: The rider should look at the size guide from the bike maker. Hence, it matches your height and leg length for the right bike size.
- Stand With Your Legs 15-20 CM Apart: Stand with your legs apart and measure your inner leg length. Thus, this further helps find the best bike size for you.
How to Measure Standover Height for Women's Bikes
Standover height is the distance between the ground and the top of the bike's frame at the point where you'd stand over it with both feet flat on the floor. To measure your own clearance, stand with your feet flat and legs slightly apart, then measure from the ground to your crotch; this is your inseam measurement.
Compare this number to the standover height listed for a given bike (often found in the product specs). Ideally, there should be one to two inches of clearance between your inseam measurement and the bike's standover height, giving you room to stop and dismount safely without straining. This measurement is especially useful alongside the height-based size chart above, since it accounts for individual leg length rather than height alone.
Having the right bike size makes riding more enjoyable. So, make sure to measure yourself and test the bike before you buy one. And when you're ready, browse our cruiser bikes to find one sized for you.
