What Is With All The “Lady’s” Frames (Step Through)
Only in The U.S. do people refer to step through frames as, “Lady’s” bikes. In reality, these are step through frames. They’ve never really caught on in The U.S. and for a while went out of style around the world because of the emphasis on competitive cycling. To me, the most lovely frame ever was the Mixte Step-Thru frame offered in the late 70’s for women wearing skirts (gotta wonder who thought anyone was going to want a high performance frame when wearing a skirt). The one pictured is going for $16,000.
As practical cycling becomes more and more common in The U.S, you will see more and more step through frames. It is hard to find many practical bikes that don’t have, “Step-thru” or “Low Step” frames.
Traditional diamond frames became popular because they are slightly more efficient. Even small differences can be huge in racing, where a few tenths of a second can mean the difference between first and third place. For the average cyclist, it just doesn’t matter (less than a second over a hundred miles).
Step through frames provide a slightly more compliant ride. Obviously, they are easier to get on and off for folks like me, with bad legs, backs or balance issues. They are also easier to handle when completely loaded for touring or carrying other loads like groceries.
The odds are, if you see a guy riding around on a bike with a step through frame that this is their main means of transportation or they are touring. Cut ’em some slack; you may get a great story out of it.