Best Mountain Bikes For Women Reviewed And Ranked 2024

The surge in the number of women mountain bike riders has forced manufacturers to realize that women have specific body builds and types. And that led to the creation of mountain bikes that are specifically designed for women. Now, don’t get me wrong. You can surely ride a men’s mountain bike if you feel comfortable with it! 

Women’s mountain bikes have shorter top tubes, narrower handlebars, wider saddles, and shorter seat posts to accommodate them better. Anyhow, here are some of the best mountain bikes with stellar performance and features. 

Best Mountain Bikes For Women Ranked (2024)

I want you to experience only the best that’s why we took our time to compile this list. After more than 25 hours of research, we came up with this exquisite selection of amazing mountain bikes for women. Since we wanted to cater to everyone, there are a lot of different bikes on this list, we hope that you get what you are looking for!

1. Canyon Exceed CF 7 WMN- Editor’s Choice

Are you looking for a speedy mountain bike that can handle almost any kind of trail? You are going to feel so much lucky with the Canyon Exceed CF 7. This is a newer model of the series so you can expect a lot of advanced features which will allow you to perform better in the wild. Canyon has done a wonderful job with the Exceed CF 7, it comes with its own saddle, gear ratio, and females can even adjust the handlebar width according to their preferences.

This mountain bike is purely made for speed and the carbon wheels are installed to help you accelerate more quickly. For maximum efficiency, different-sized rims are used for the bike: in the front you have 30mm rims that offer great traction while in the front, the 28mm rims help reduce the rolling resistance. Some of you might be confused with this combination but it really helps in staying upright and moving smoothly regardless of the terrain. After all, this is what everyone wants, right?

Pros:

• Perfect Gear Ratio For Women and Contact Points 
• Different-Sized Carbon Rims Offer Ultimate Handling And Control
• Installed With An Impact Protection Unit and Streamlined Seatpost 
• 6 Years Warranty 

Cons:

• Availability Issues 
• Some Users Have Reported Fitting Problems 

2. Liv Pique 29 2

We just can’t get enough of the Liv Pique 29 2, which happens to be an amazing full-suspension XC-oriented bike. You can trust this bike enough to fly over all sorts of terrain and that too with 29er wheels and 100mm suspension. The bike is constructed with the ALUXX SL-grade aluminum frame which proves to be very lightweight and durable. This structure is then combined with Boost spacing and 15mm bolt thru-axles, no matter what kind of trail you ride this bike on, it will handle every pressure of XC Racing!

Liv Pique is filled with components, let’s take the Shimano SLX 1x gearing for example. There is a wide range of gears that can be used to climb hills, when combined with the Fox 32 Float SC Performance fork, it helps the user stay always in control even on technical trails.

One of the standout features of the Liv Pique is how all the bike models come with 29er wheels, even the XS size. This is something both unusual and empowering, short riders are able to enjoy the same benefits as tall riders. 

Pros:

• All Frame Sizes Come With 29er Wheels
• Lightweight and Durable Frame
• Made For Technical Terrains
• Comes With Shimano SLC Gearing

Cons:

• Limited To Medium Frame Size

3. Juliana Furtado

Juliana Furtado is one of the very rare all-rounder trail bikes that you will come across. Juliana, the sister company to Santa Cruz has done a wonderful job designing this beast of a bike, and we want you to experience everything this bike has to offer. It has a progressive geometry that stands out from most of the competition, the slack head angle, and steep seat angle will bring a lot of benefits to users.

We love how the bike pairs 27.5-inch wheels and 2.4-inch Maxxis Minion DHR II tires to provide amazing traction even on wet surfaces. Apart from this, the 130mm rear and 140mm front suspension allow the bike to fly over technical surfaces. Even when put to the ultimate test, Furtado emerged victorious, this is one of the rare bikes that should always be in your collection.

Users are going to fall in love with the flip chain component/feature of the bike as it practically allows you to adjust the geometry of the bike, which can cater to a lot of different riding styles. You can even convert the Furtado into a capable XC bike, depending on the right settings of course!

Pros:

• Adjustable Geometry Mechanic
• Unique Features For Tall Riders (Spacious Geometry)
• Lifetime Warranty For Frame and Bearing

Cons:

• Stock Brakes Are Not Powerful (Need To Be Upgraded)

4. Juliana Roubion CC X01

Christened after one of Anka Martin’s favored stages, the Juliana Roubion is a brawler mountain bike that does not mess around. This here is a bike that just gets better the harder you push it, it actually pushes you to go beyond your absolute limits. Let’s take a look at some of the notable features of this bike, RockShox Super Deluxe Select Ultimate shock (With 150mm travel), RockShox Lyrik Ultimate Fork (With 160mm), and all of this is topped with a 65-degrees slack head tube angle. With these amazing features, even the hardest descents will feel like cutting a cake, you will also be able to tackle the most grueling trails without any repercussions.

Since you are going to be paying a lot for the Juliana Roubion, you will be getting a lot of value, so there’s nothing to worry about. Some of the components are highly impressive: SRAM X01 Eagle Drivetrain, Carbon Reserve Wheels From Santa Cruz, and let’s not forget about the RockShox Reverb Stealth Dropper Post. With these features, you will experience a stellar race performance like none other. 

Juliana Roubion adopts the Santa Cruz Pivot Point (VPP) suspension design to produce amazing results. Users will now be able to find the perfect balance between being rowdy and getting the maximum pedal efficiency. The trajectory of power is going to be fueled by every turn of the pedal. Roubion benefits from a lower-link mounted shock configuration capable enough to meet the heaviest of demands. You don’t have to worry about getting to your destination with the Roubion, it feels like a knife cutting through butter, even on the most challenging terrains.

Pros:

• Santa Cruz VPP Suspension Design Provides The Ultimate
• Filled With Premium Specifications
• Tires With 2.8-Inch Clearance

Cons:

• Very Expensive

5. Trek Marlin 5 (Gen 2)

Although Trek isn’t offering its specific WSD designs anymore, we are glad that the Marlin is still being updated (Gen 2). This is the kind of bike that offers a very comfortable fit, power transition, stability, and control. This is the kind of all-rounder mountain bike on a budget that women have been waiting for!

You can easily use the Trek Marlin 5 for both commuting and adventures all around the weekend, both kinds of experiences will be extremely fun to have. We love how the bike comes installed with mounts for fenders, a rack, and even a kickstand. While riding the bike, users will always get to experience an upright riding position which adds to their comfort level.

Some of the highlights of this bike are Tektro hydraulic disc brakes which provide smooth and responsive stopping power in every kind of weather, SR Suntour XCE 28 suspension fork to null the nasty bumps on the trails, and the 21 gears for climbing hills effectively. This is a premium experience that you will be investing your money in, completely worth it! We love how the bike comes with short-reach brake levers in small frame sizes, this proves to be a big help for women that have small hands, increasing their control over the bike.

Pros:

• Includes Mounts For Fenders, Racks, and Kickstand
• Women-Specific Design Offers A Very Comfortable Fit
• Short Reach Brake Levers For Women

Cons:

• Heavy Fork Is A Big Letdown

6. LIV Intrigue Advanced 

LIV Intrigue Advanced proves to be a moderate all-rounder for smaller riders. You can use this mountain bike for almost everything, given that it isn’t too intense. You can go commuting on the Intrigue Advanced and have adventures on hills on weekends, a perfect combination! It is constructed with a carbon frame which is both lightweight and durable, lighter riders are also going to love the fine-tuned suspension.

You don’t have to worry about the stopping power when riding this bike, it is installed with powerful brakes. There is also ample travel on the suspension for technical terrains. Users also get to experience a comfortable riding position. LIV bikes are known for their amazing attention to detail and women-specific frames that enhance the overall experience.

This bike isn’t twitchy at all, which is something you will find rare. Smooth handling and stability are guaranteed which is a big win, especially for smaller riders. If you want to get started but want to have moderate fun then the LIV Intrigue Advanced is the best mountain bike for you!

Pros:

• Full-Suspension and Well-Rounded Bike
• Lightweight and Durable Frame
• Impressive Stopping Power
• Covers Moderate Technical Terrain

Cons:

• Not Suitable For Intense Action
• Doesn’t Maintain Speed

7. Scott Contessa Scale 930

Scott Contessa is a really big deal for me, it made me love Scott Bikes like no other brand. The Contessa provides a unique way of mountain biking and that too without breaking the bank. It is constructed with an aluminum frame, which keeps the bike stable and responsive. 

Some notable features of this bike are Shimano disc brakes and a 30t chainring with 10-51t chainring. 

You will find the Scott Contessa well-rounded for technical terrain but not too much technical, just keep that in mind. This is a budget-friendly bike with great features but don’t expect it to perform miracles. We recommend this bike to people who want to get into biking but don’t want to spend a fortune.

Pros:

• Affordable Price
• Good Fit For Overcoming Obstacles

Cons:

• Availability Issues

How To Choose Mountain Bikes For Women?

Choosing a women’s mountain bike can be extremely hard or ridiculously easy, it all depends on your knowledge. You need to know what makes a women’s mountain bike different from the rest, failure to do so will just waste your time and your hard-earned money.

We all know that there are differences in the geometry and suspension tuning of these bikes but what more? The special bikes that we are looking for have women-specific contact points: such as the handlebars, saddle, and cranks. This may seem small but these components can make or break the whole experience for you!

1. Handlebars That Offer More Control 

You might have noticed this yourself but handlebars on a women-specific bike tend to be narrower than other bikes, this isn’t the same case with mountain bikes. However, if you are going to use mountain bikes for the first time, the handlebars will feel quite wider. The normal size of handlebars for women is between 740mm and 760mm.

Why are mountain bike handlebars wider than other kinds of bikes? Wider Handlebars offer more control than any other type of bike, and in rough adventures, you need all the control that you can get. You want to have that sweet spot of control, there can even be too wide handlebars that will just ruin the experience for you, sometimes they might even seem very hard to control.

We always recommend and advise our readers to try out the bike that they are planning to purchase, and check the handlebars especially, if they feel too wide then just get them trimmed down by your local bike shop. Many women also have small hands, so make sure that the bikes have narrow grips on the handlebars that allow for a comfortable experience.

2. A Comfortable Saddle Makes The Experience Worthwhile 

Another important aspect of women’s mountain bikes is the saddle, it is the most personal component too. Women-specific mountain bikes will come with saddles that are best suited for the female anatomy, you will be able to feel the difference when you sit on them.

These saddles will be more comfortable than saddles on a unisex bike, but that doesn’t mean you will be able to adjust to it. Since all of us are shaped differently down there, saddles become a very intimate and personal component that we need to pay attention to. Look for saddles that give maximum comfort without any kind of “Intrusions”.

If you start experiencing any chaffing or discomfort of any kind then get the saddle fixed or choose another one.

3. Frame Size Needs To Be Appropriate 

Frame Size is a very critical aspect that you need to pay attention to, since women are shorter than men, you need to look for a frame size that fits perfectly. Go for a frame size that matches your height, being comfortable will allow you to enhance your bike performance.

4. Look For A Unique Suspension System 

Some bike manufacturers just ignore the whole gender system while designing bikes, which is why we don’t see a lot of women-specific shocks in bikes. We applaud bike brands like LIV and Juliana that specially tune their shocks in bikes for the comfort of women, this accounts for their lighter weight, and these bikes absorb the bumps and shocks while being comfortable.

Then there is the case of full-suspension bikes, riders can fine-tune them according to their preferences. Women will find this feature very useful when trying out different riding styles, especially if they want the experience to be different than others.

FAQs

Also Read:

• Best Mountain Bikes Under $300
• Best Mountain Bikes Under $500
• Women Vs Men Bikes: What’s The Difference?
• Best Hybrid Bikes For Women

Recap 

A women’s specific mountain bike can make or break the whole experience for you. Since we are not playing favorites here, I want you to go with the mountain bike that suits you the most and enhances your biking performance. Giving each bike a test drive is what I recommend to each of our riders, make sure that you can ride the bike perfectly before purchasing it.

From the list of bikes that I mentioned, the Canyon Exceed CF 7 WMN stands out from the bunch. It has a perfect gear ratio for women and contact points and the impact protection unit takes all the worry out of biking. You need to give this bike a try!

I also shared information regarding how to choose a mountain bike that fits perfectly for women, there are some critical aspects that you need to pay attention to. Just keep that in mind and your whole experience will go peachy. Be safe out there and happy trails!