BikeBiz

In the pink

Hope Hope’s Mini X2 pink brakes are priced at £165 per brake, including unique laser etching and even a flowery rotor design for an eye-catching look. CNC machined in Barnoldswick, it features a superlight Mini Lever and a Goodridge braided hose.

The caliper is machined from 2014 T6 aircraft spec aluminium alloy and the unit benefits from a durable anodised finish to withstand weather, cleaning and trail use.

Raleigh Raleigh supplies Avenir women casual shorts (AVS03) that feature lightweight, soft touch and durable fabric with a multi-density insert. The casual jersey (AVS08 and 09) from the same range includes a handy integral rear pocket with zip and boasts a female-specific cut. The Vaude clothing range includes lady-loving jackets – all featuring reflective detailing, while the Uvex Helmet line-up of the best-selling Supersonic RS and Onyx are both great value MTB helmets. The Missile features an LED Dial fit retention system while the Raleigh Style – boasts lightweight grey EPS.

Buff The headwear specialist’s latest – the Merino Wool Buff – is specifically designed for women. It’s longer, softer and 100 per cent natural and can be used as a scarf, cap, facemask, balaclava, headband and more. The 100 per cent natural wool from the finest Merino sheep makes it soft to the skin and free of pesky itchiness, all while being environmentally-conscious high-quality fibre. It will be available from August at £21.00 RRP.  Buff’s Women's Slim fit has a circumference slightly narrower than standard in 12 lady-specific designs.

Avocet Sports Avocet Sports has a Reflex 20” wheel pink unicycle on offer. Pitched as being perfect for beginners and those looking to master tricks, this all-rounder has an RRP of £49.99 and cotterless 127mm steel cranks. The saddle also features a removable grab rail which is mounted to a 300mm knurled seatpost.

On the slightly less quirky side is the 20" Wheel Single Speed Tag – perfect for the family cycling experience it’s priced at £99.99. Quick release mounting makes attaching the tag to adult bikes an easy and tool-free, experience. Finally the 26" Viking ladies Salerno tandem 17" front 15" rear is priced at £399.99 and features a lightweight alloy tube frame.

Greyville Acor’s pink brake blocks fit any ‘V’ brake arms. The pink compound for the pads passes DIN standards and it’s priced at retail at £18.95 for a four-piece set. The BBB Winner Glasses are ideal for the summer. These Pink Crystal framed versions of the Winner glasses feature interchangeable polycarbonate lenses in clear, yellow and 100 UV protected smoke.

Also sporting a Grilamid nylon frame material, the Winner features a new adjustable nose-piece and scratch free bag, all in for an RRP of £44.95. The cunning Rixen Kaul Allegra Ladies Fashion Bag is inspired by the classic concept of the Shopper Fashion model. Fixing to the bikes handlebars (with an adapter plate hiding beneath a padded textile cover when carried) the bag has pouches for the necessities – including mobile phones and more. The Allegra retails at £64.95.

Madison Madison’s own brand of clothing has only recently made its way to retail, and naturally includes an extensive ladies range.

The Stellar Women’s Waterproof Jacket, priced at £69.99 SRP, is light, breathable, waterproof, reflective and ideal for commuting.

The Path Women’s three-quarter length short, RRP £39.99, is suitable for a wide range of applications. Madison’s Trail women’s full-finger XC Gloves are durable mitts designed to withstand everyday wear and tear. Four-way stretch material keeps them durable, while an ergonomic palm design provides essential grip. A soft lining affords the bike rider extra coverage and an ‘easy-off’ feature ensures mitt removal is effortless after rides. The XC gloves are priced at £19.99 SRP.

Finally, the Giro Skyla women’s helmet features a specific ladies fit with optimal sizing, adjustment and comfort. A one-handed micro-adjustment Acu-Dial can be altered on the move for a perfect custom fit. The Giro Skyla has an SRP of £39.99.

Cannondale The environmentally conscious Re-Spun clothing line uses polyesthelene terephthalate (or the less of a mouthfull PET) – a polymer most commonly used in soft drink bottles. Processed into yarn, the recycled PET material provides a lightweight fabric with moisture wicking performance. Re-Spun’s 2009 spring/summer collection is available now. The Ride jersey (pictured) is priced at a modest £35. The distributor also supplies a feminine MTB range, with models ranging from £469 to £2,199, including the Rize Feminine at £1,699.

Elsewhere the Synapse Feminine bike range goes from £849 to £2,249, with the Synapse Carbon Feminine Ultegra SL at the top end.

A women’s specific track pump is on offer at £27 – the Airport Gayle Force – with a smaller diameter soft touch handle.

ISON Ison stocks the Passport Upper Class Ladies saddle – a taste of first class luxury comfort, according to the company, and all for £22.99. It boasts extra wide/short shape to better suit the female anatomy.

Ison also supplies TSG Butterfly & Dolly designs of the best-selling Evolution helmets made for women with increased protection around the temples and ears. Heat-quashing ventilation rushes air from the front to the back, and with bags of other features it’s a bargain at £34.99.

The distributor also stocks TSG women-specific pads, including the All Terrain Elbow – a slimmer fit pad tough enough to take on all-terrain missions with neoprene back straps for comfort and support (priced at £24.99 and available in S, M and L). The Knee Gasket and All Terrain Kneepads are also on offer, at £34.99 and £29.99 respectively.

Haro Haro’s Heartland makes comfort a priority. Using lightweight aluminium frames, it gets cyclists upright with a cushy seat, front suspension fork and suspension seatpost. The most modestly priced of the series is £299.95 RRP. For an extra £100, the DLX uses an exclusive upright back-saving riding position that is more friendly to the cyclist’s body. The Express and Express LE retail for £329.95 and £389.95 respectively, with both featuring the Heartland Lightweight Alu Comfort Frame. The LE boasts a SR Suntour NEX-4110 63mm travel Suspension Fork as opposed to the CR-750 50mm travel Suspension Fork or Express.

Fisher The firm’s own bspoke line includes four female pieces including the water and wind-proof Angel jacket. A fully removable hood is on hand when needed, while a colour matched 3M Scotchlite tape and reflective branding keeps visibility subtle yet effective. The Angel is priced at £129.99 RRP. The Hyde Knitwear with half length zip can be used as an inner or outer garment, all for £89.95 RRP. The Kensington Top uses 100 per cent Merino wool and the Richmond Casual Trouser boasts a robust stretch cotton for movement, a handy Velcro hem tab to keep fabric from snaring on the chain and zip fastening pockets, all for £59.95.

Fisher also offers the Santini Wave range and Basil’s bike bags. Fisher offers is a female designed Protein Smoothie from Maxim too, ladies bikes from Norco and Met helmets designed for women. 

Paligap Paligap is distributing the funky Sombrio Wingwoman Jacket. The slim-fit hooded jacket protects the wearer from the elements using DWR Coasting wind shell, and then handily rolls up and stows away in the unlikely event that the sun is out. The Wingwoman’s SRP is £69.

Also up from the distributor is the Kona Women’s Patchwork Long-Sleeved Jersey. Priced at £45 it comes in black and brown, avocado or eggplant. Kona Women’s Patchwork Short (£58), comes in black and brown, black and avocado and black and eggplant.

Paligap also offers a girl-centric rack – the Saris Bones Three Boot Rack. Made from 100 per cent recyclable materials this rack, apart from coming in pink, also supports Breast Cancer Research.

Oxford Products Pink versions of the popular Comfy and Snug ranges of headwear are hugely popular with the female market, according to Oxford Products. The Comfy – a line up of products that is made entirely seam-free – is perfect for cycling and other outdoor activities. Clever material FibreTec is wind resistant and takes moisture away from the skin for an improved experience for the cyclist.

As the name suggests, the Snug is built for optimal warmth and comfort for the neck. The Snug, otherwise known as the Oxford Polar Fleece, also uses Fibretec –a lightweight, wind-resistant and breathable material. In the case of the Snug, the Fibretec section is long and stretchy, so it can be used to cover specific areas of the face to protect from the cold, the wind and even dust.

The seamless construction of the Snug keeps comfort a key feature of the product. Both the Comfy and Snug retail for £12.99.

Rapid Racer Products The new neoprene mudguard – the NeoGuard – is designed to prevent mud and spray from getting in your face and eyes. Unlike some traditional mudguards, the Neoguard throws off the accumulated mud every time the fork compresses, ensuring bike performance isn’t compromised. Ideal for downhill or cross country, the Neoguard is available in NeonPink.

The new resized large version of the guard is 10mm shorter to better fit Boxxer and Fox40 forks, while at the other end of the scale the extra small has been shortened by 5mm to improve fit on short travel forks.

Hot Wheels The Summer Picnic is Hot Wheels’ pick for leisurely spins. This green machine takes on the hills with a Sturmy Archer three speed rear hub and the classic style bicycle includes a wicker basket with a complementary leather style saddle.

This Picnic is one pence short of £300, comes dressed in deep metallic paint with gold details and features 700c wheels.

Moore Large Tifosi Optics’ women’s collection is tailored to serious female athletes with high impact resistant multiple lenses or variable tint options for changing light conditions. The tough Grilamid TR-90 frames are virtually indestructible and carry the standard Tifosi Optics life-time guarantee and 100 per cent UVA and UVB protection. Lake has been in the cycling business since 1982 and has a range of specific lady fit cycling shoes for road, triathalon, MTB and leisure/touring sectors in an array of sizes, including wide fit.

Knog has also shed some light on the women’s product sector with its Beetles, featuring two super-bright LEDs and a choice of eight eye-catching colours. nog Skinks include four LEDs, have six functions and come in just as many colours. Limar helmets boast female-specific designs for Race, Sport Action, Youth and Kids helmets as part of there comprehensive range. Finally, ML also supplies Outeredge ladies clothing.

Pashley The Pashley Poppy is based on the firm’s classic Princess frame with Sturmey Archer 3 speed transmission but with a flatter handlebar with cork grips, giving the nifty ride a modern look. Available in blush Pink and Pastel Blue, the Poppy boasts a low cost SRP of £395.

At the higher end of the market comes the Limited Edition Guv’nor Plus Four. It features brass plated lugs, a Sachs Duomatic rear hub and Speed Drive front chain wheel – which the product’s name alludes to. SRP is £1,495, though that will be no obstacle to sales, especially as only 50 Plus Fours will be made. 

Velorbis Velorbis’ Bikes are designed to bring style, elegance and grace to cycling, and women are firmly in the company’s plans. The Dannebrog is a Danish red bike designed for ladies.

Sporting a reduced weight, steel lugged frame, this upright traditional bike sports enclosed hub gears and comes with mudguards, Brooks leather mud flaps, grips, saddle and other essentials, including a ding-dong bell. The Danish-influenced bike is available with three speed Sturmey Archer hub gears and is pitched as a ‘traffic-stopping vehicle’.

Zyro Zyro’s own Altura Dayzee range sees short-sleeved jerseys, subtle stretch shorts and gloves in mix and match colours. High performance Synergy lines are designed for a great fit on bike, while the women’s ensemble includes multi-panel stretch Jersey and Gel gloves. “It is Altura’s aim to provide excellent value, high quality clothing for all types of rider, male and female,” says brand manager Ian Young.

Abus has released all-rounder helmet ARICA in three colours – blue, coffee and pink –styled for women. Camelbak’s new revolutionary hydration category Racebak is a quick-wicking, lightweight, close-fit vest, with all Camelbak’s female products designed to better fit a female torso.

Prologo’s Choice Dea (£84.99) is designed for women racers, as is Intake’s Esprit Airflow Gel – a durable, cooling and comfortable saddle (£34.99). The Bodyfit 100 per cent waterproof comfort saddles sees the Tourlite Gel for women tourers, the i-Flex Voyager for commuters and Spring Flex for leisure riders.

Fox Fox has a big range of gear for girls, including an MTB line-up. The Women’s Gaia Jersey is available in marshmallow and light grey and retails for £35, while the Diva Short (in Walnut and Charcoal) is priced at £55 and he Women’s Digit Glove comes in at £25, in black and graphite.

Also on offer from the Foxy firm is the Omens Tempo S/S Jersey in black and ultraviolet at £25, the Tempo Short at £40 and the Reflex Gel Glove (in marshmallow and graphite) for £23.