Gravel bikes hit the cycling world, and nobody knew the impact they were going to have. As soon as they hit the shops, everyone wanted one. It was the do it all bike we never knew we needed. With such popularity, every manufacturer jumped on to making their own gravel bike, and we now have many options to choose from.
When it comes to women’s gravel bikes, the market is more diluted, and finding the best for you can be challenging. A lot of manufacturers design for men, and the unisex bikes don’t offer quite the same experience for a woman as a proper women’s specific bike. In this article, we’re going to be speaking about:
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Are Gravel Bikes Unisex?
Unisex is a term used by many manufacturers when it comes to selling bikes. A unisex bike is for both men and women design wise, and not only is this excellent for a company to maximize sales, but it keeps the brand focused on both the male and female gender.
When it comes to bikes in general, women can use men’s bikes, and men can use women’s bikes. There’s no rule to say that one wouldn’t work for another. It’s not at all rare to see women riding men’s bikes and unisex bikes.
Women might find they will get a better experience from a women’s bike. It is designed for them and differs in many ways, such as sizing, geometry, saddle, and even crank length.
What size bike should a woman ride?
It really depends on the size of the woman themselves. When looking at a bike, we highly recommend going onto the sizing charts and finding the perfect bike for your size. Most websites will display these. If not, head to the manufacturer’s website. We highly recommend never compromising when it comes to size. The wrong size bike will never fit properly and can ruin the cycling experience.
Related Reading: 6 Best Gravel Bike Carbon Wheels
The Best Women’s Gravel Bikes
Here’s the list of our best women’s gravel bikes. On this list is a compilation of women’s gravel bikes, not unisex bikes.
Liv Devote Advanced
Frame: Carbon Fiber
Forks: Carbon Fiber
Gearing: SRAM Force AXS
Brakes: Hydraulic Disc
Wheels: 700c Giant CXR
Tires: 40c
Liv is a women’s only bike brand and the sister to Giant Bikes. They make incredible bikes with women in mind and continue releasing bikes that impress the cycling world. The Devote Advanced is their flagship gravel bike, and it’s excellent.
The gravel bike frame on the Liv Devote Advanced is carbon fiber, and so are the forks. It’s an incredibly lightweight bike and is going to feel very agile. It has a sloped top tube to suit a woman’s geometry and comes in a deep purple giving it a stealthy look.
It is also packed with incredible components. The gearing comes from SRAM and is a high-end wireless electronic groupset paired with powerful hydraulic disc brakes. The wheels are Giant CXR tubeless-ready wheels with large 40c tires. It’s everything you need in a gravel bike and more.
Canyon Grizl 7 Women’s
Frame: Aluminum
Forks: RockShox Rudy 30
Gearing: Shimano GRX600 / GRX800
Brakes: Hydraulic Disc
Wheels: DT Swiss Gravel 700c
Tires: 45c
Canyon is not shy of a great bike. They are on the road and trails in masses and on the podiums held by professional cyclists. The Grizl 7 women’s is an incredible bike that is ready for the trails and to give you one of the best cycling experiences possible.
It comes with a lightweight aluminum frame and is equipped with RockShox Rudy 30 suspension forks, like what mountain bikes have. This setup gives you amazing ability off-road and makes the bike not just a lot of fun but incredibly comfortable and easy to ride. It comes in two colors, a grape or a matcha green.
It comes with a Shimano gravel groupset with low-range gearing and hydraulic disc brakes to help you slow down no matter the weather conditions. And it doesn’t stop there. You also get DT Swiss 700c wheels paired with 45c Schwalbe tires to add to the grip and comfort. It’s a great women’s gravel bike and excellent for off-road adventures.
Juliana Quincy GRX
Frame: Carbon Fiber
Forks: Carbon Fiber
Gearing: GRX800
Brakes: Hydraulic Disc
Wheels: DT Swiss Gravel 700c
Tires: 40c
Juliana makes performance bikes that are purely focused on women riders. The Quincy is their version of a gravel bike, and it is beyond the competition. Not only does it look the part it can perform. It is a race winning bike with the right rider behind the bars.
The bike is incredibly stiff and agile, with a carbon frame and fork. It is light and fast, and the whole bike comes in at 8.58kg, which is very light as far as a performance gravel bike goes. It comes with components to match, sporting a GRX800 gravel groupset and hydraulic disc brakes.
You get DT Swiss gravel bike wheels, and you get to pick if you want 700c or 650b, which is a great option from Quincy. We recommend 700c for road and 650b for off-road. You get either 40c tires or 2.1” mountain bike tires, which are going to give amazing ability when it comes to riding off road.
Btwin GRVL 120 Women’s
Frame: Aluminum
Forks: Carbon Fiber
Gearing: MicroShift XLE
Brakes: Mechanical Disc
Wheels: 700c Btwin
Tires: 38c
If you are looking for a bike that is more budget-friendly, then consider the Btwin Triban GRVL 120. It’s much less expensive and can still pack a punch on a trail or the roads if required.
The frame is made of aluminum, and it comes with a relaxed geometry. To give it a sporty feel, you still get the carbon forks. The MircroShift groupset gives you 10-speeds, and what makes this groupset special is that it has a large range making the hills easy and the descents fast.
The brakes are mechanical disc brakes. They are not as powerful as hydraulic brakes but are much cheaper to maintain and easy to work on. It comes with 700c wheels which have 38c tires that are tubeless ready, meaning off-road riding is easier with lower pressures.
Cannondale Topstone 4 Women’s
Frame: Carbon Fiber
Forks: Carbon Fiber
Gearing: Shimano GRX800
Brakes: Hydraulic Disc
Wheels: 700c WTB
Tires: 37c
Cannondale is one of the world’s biggest bike brands, and we have only come to expect the best from them. The Topstone 4 they delivered has features that no other bikes on this list have, and we can’t wait to tell you all about it.
The frame and fork are carbon fiber, and what’s special about this setup is the kingpin suspension system. This gives the rider soft suspension while perfect for dusty trails and gravel riding. Ideal if you want to get off the tarmac and on the dirt.
It comes with that excellent Shimano GRX800 groupset for excellent gearing and lots of climbing ability. It comes with WTB (Wilderness Trail Bikes) wheels which are made to tackle off-road terrain, and with 37c tires stays agile on the road too. The Topstone is a great bike for gravel roads and many riders even replace cyclocross bikes with them.
Bombtrack Hook Women’s
Frame: CroMo Steel
Forks: Carbon Fiber
Gearing: Shimano GRX400
Brakes: Hydraulic Disc
Wheels: 700c WTB
Tires: 40c
Bombtrack bikes are a big brand when it comes to adventure cycling, and they make a bike that is perfect for those tough trails and epic journeys bikepacking big miles. The Hook is one of their most popular models, and not only does it look great, but it’s going to ride excellently.
Most gravel bikes tend to be made of aluminum or carbon fiber. This is the only bike on this list made of CroMo steel, giving a forgiving ride. Steel is heavier, but with lightweight components and a carbon fork, it won’t feel weighty. It has a 10-speed Shimano GRX400 groupset for solid gravel gearing and hydraulic disc brakes to stop you fast.
The WTB 700c wheelset offers a solid pair of off-road wheels, and with 40c tires, you get a huge amount of traction. It’s a fun bike, and it will be a great all rounder when it comes to trails and tarmac. It’s an amazing women’s specific gravel bike.
Related Reading: Gravel Bike Wheels: 700c vs 650b
Which ladies bike is the best?
We often get asked what ladies’ bike is best. This is very challenging to answer as it depends really on what you want it for and who will be riding it. Road bike for road riding, mountain bike for off-road, and gravel for a mix of both. The best bikes you will find come from the top brands. They have strong components, and they ride well.
What is the best bike for an older woman?
The best bikes for older women are bikes that have a relaxed geometry, have gearing, which is designed for getting up and down hills easily and should be suitable for the riding that older women want to do.
A Final Note
There are currently some amazing gravel bikes on the market for women, and we are seeing more being released all the time. If you are a woman, we highly recommend going for a gravel bike designed with women in mind. Thanks for reading our article today, and we hope you found the perfect gravel bike for you.
Read More: How to Start Gravel Biking