For a very long time, most cycling enthusiasts and professionals stuck to road bikes. Bikes meant for urban payments remained the most sought after type of cycles in the market. While this is still true, other types of bikes, especially mountain bikes, are increasingly becoming popular among cyclists. Over the last two decades, the sale of mountain bikes has grown in double digits, including in the women segment. A large number of companies, which until recently were making only male bikes, have also diversified their design and production setup to include women-only bikes.

When it comes to mountain bikes for women, there are dozens to choose from. In fact, there are so many mountain bikes available in the market today that it is impossible to select one without help from a professional. Don’t worry; we have you covered. If you’re looking to buy a mountain bike, here is a list of the ten best bikes for women in this biking segment. Go through it and decide which one suits you best.

Trek Marlin 5

• It’s a mountain bike but can be customized for daily commute on any surface, including flat urban pavements.
• Marlin has included models in XS and S frame sizes on popular demand. These models have a curved top tube and a lower standover height to make mounting and dismounting for smaller riders easy.
• Bike’s smaller frame sizes (XS and S) have short-reach brake levers that make braking easier for riders with smaller hands.
• The bike comes with rack and kickstand mounts which make it easy to accessorize.
• The bike also has Trek’s lifetime warranty.

• Size: XS , S , M , ML
• Derailleur: Shimano Tourney TY300, 34.9mm clamp
• Crank: Shimano Tourney TY301, 42/34/24
• Cassette: Shimano HG200, 12-32, 7 speed
• Chain: KMC Z7, 7 speed
• Pedal: VP-536 nylon platform
• Handlebar: Bontrager alloy, 31.8mm, 5mm rise
• Grips: Bontrager XR Endurance Comp, lock-on

If you’re not a very tall rider, you need a specific geometry to be comfortable with your cycle. Marlin has taken care of it with this bike. As already mentioned, it comes with two small sizes (XS and S) that have geometry to suit smaller riders. Among other things, these models have a curved top tube and a lower standover height to make mounting and dismounting for smaller riders easy.

Designed from scratch as a mountain bike for women, Marlin 5 from Trek is a fairly popular mountain bike amongst female riders. Its women-friendly geometry, coupled with unbeatable style, have put it on this list of best mountain bikes for women. Have a look at its features and technical specifications.

Cannondale Tango 5

• The bike has a simple yet sophisticated aluminium construction which makes it one of the lightest mountain bikes.
• The strategically engineered flex zone of the bike ensures a smoother and more controlled ride.
• Slack 68 degree head angle gives the riders a sound aerodynamic posture and allows them to control the bike better when changing course.
• While the smaller sizes of the bike have 27.5’’ wheels, the larger ones have 29’’ wheels. This ensures that the riders get fast, fit and fun rides.

• Chain: KMC Z72, 8-speed
• Crank: Prowheel alloy, 42/32/22
• Derailleur: Shimano Altus, 34.9 clamp
• Fork: SR Suntour XCT DS, 100mm, Coil, 42mm offset
• Frame: SmartForm C3 Alloy, SAVE, 1-1/8″ headtube
• Headset: Semi Integrated, 1-1/8″ reducer
• Hub: Sealed Alloy Disc, QR
• Rims: WTB SX19, 32h
• Brakes: Tektro M275 hydro disc, 160/160mm rotors
• Handlebar: Cannondale Riser, 6061 Alloy, 25mm rise, 8° sweep
• Saddle: Cannondale Stage 2 Women’s

Cannondale Tango 5 is a popular mountain bike not because of its affordable price or the choice of colour that the bike maker offers in this model. It is popular because it’s a technology-driven product that adapts to the needs of its user. The bike offers more customization options than almost any other mountain bike in the price range.

Over the last decade, Cannondale has built a good reputation and brand value with its highly successful line of road bikes. It is now trying to replicate the success with its mountain bikes, which have become very popular in a short span of time. Tango 5 is on the top of Cannondale’s list of its best mountain bikes. It is high on technology and derives the best characteristics from Cannondale’s range of road bikes.

Canyon Spectral WMN AL 6.0

• The Spectral WMN 6.0 comes with a lightweight aluminium frame.
• The suspensions used on the bike have been tuned for lighter riders to provide them better control and agility.
• Top of the line parts, including Fox suspension and reliable 1×12 Shimano shifting, have been used in the bike.
• The bike has a 510 per cent gear range, which means that the rider gets the ratio for any gradient – technical descents to steep climbs .

• Frame: Canyon Spectral WMN AL
• Material: Aluminium 6061
• Shock: FOX FLOAT DPS Performance
• Derailleur: Shimano SLX, 12-speed
• Cassette: Shimano SLX, 12-speed (10-51)
• Chain: Shimano CN-M7100 12s
• Disc Brake: Shimano MT420
• Wheel: RaceFace AR30; Shimano MT510 SH12

When buying a mountain bike, most riders look for comfort. Finding a bike that provides comfort is of utmost importance because mountainous terrain can be harsh on the rider’s body. Canyon has taken care of this aspect in Spectral with a high gear range that works both with steep climbs and technical descents.

Although it has evolved from a bike made for male users, Spectral WMN from Cannon is a perfect mountain bike for women. It comes with updated modern geometry with full-suspension Triple Phase Kinematics to allow its riders to push the limits of their experience even when riding on the most difficult trails.

Liv Pique 29

• The bike has cross-country geometry designed specifically for women.
• It comes with a PowerCore bottom bracket for ideal pedalling efficiency.
• The bike has 100 mm of front and rear travel, tuned for women.
• It is equipped with a dropper post.
• It is designed to accommodate downtube water bottles of all size.
• It has been built with lightweight ALUXX SL-Grade aluminium.
• The bike’s 29-inch wheels ensure bike handling is stable and fast.

• Sizes: XS, S, M, L
• Frame: ALUXX SL-Grade Aluminum
• Shock: RockShox Deluxe Select+ [165/45], RT, Solo Air
• Handlebar: Giant Contact SL XC Flat, 31.8
• Seatpost: Giant Contact Switch dropper with remote
• Shifters: Shimano Deore
• Brakes: Shimano MT410 hydraulic 4-piston, 180mm
• Brake: Shimano MT-401

What is better than a perfect combination of style and technology. On both those scales, this bike gets a near perfect score. But if you really want one more reason, check  the colour options that this bike is available in. It’s insane, right?

Pique 29 by Liv is a perfect combination of style and technology. Its premium looks beat everything else in the market and put it at the top of the list when it comes to style. On the technology front, it is ahead of most other bikes in its price range. It has high-end tech like tuned suspension for women and cross-country specific seatpost.

Julian Maverick

• The bike has 145mm of supportive rear travel.
• It has 150mm of front suspension and 29” wheels.
• The lower link VPP suspension on the bike is designed to soak up big bumps.
• The integrated flip chip in the bike allows you to slacken the headtube and drop the bottom bracket in a minute.
• It has space for a water bottle inside the front triangle.

• Weight:53kg / 32.03lbs
• Material: Carbon C
• Fork: RockShox Yari RC, 150mm, 29″
• Shock: FOX Float Performance DPS
• Shifter: RAM NX Eagle, 12spd
• Crankset: SRAM Descendant Eagle DUB 30t
• Cassette: SRAM PG1230, 12spd, 11-50t
• Chain: SRAM NX Eagle, 12spd
• Brake: SRAM G2 R

If you’re not already convinced that this is the best fit for your mountain biking needs, consider this: you have to go to trail in gently rolling terrain instead of the tough mountain setting where your last bike race was. In such a situation, you’d want to modify your bike according to the new needs. Doing that is easy with Maverick.

Over the last few years, Julian has emerged as a source of some of the best bikes for women. It has built a good reputation in the market with its continuous innovation in areas which had not seen much change over the last few decades. This innovation has helped Julian to come up with Maverick, a bike that can be modified at a moment’s notice to suit your needs. Check out the specs for some innovative technology.

Cannondale Habit Women’s 3

• The bike comes with Cannondale’s SmartForm C1 Alloy frame.
• It is equipped with RockShox Recon RL 130mm fork / Deluxe Select rear shock for enhanced safety and comfort.
• The bike’s head angle is slack and the seat angle is steep.
• It has a low modern geometry.
• It comes with Proportional Response technology that allows the customization of suspension layout depending on the size.
• Size-specific center of gravity data has been studied to enhance the stability of the bike.

• Frame: 130mm travel, SmartForm C1 Alloy
• Bracket: Race Face Outboard BB
• Chain: KMC X11, 11-speed
• Crank: Race Face Ride Cinch, 30T
• Derailleur: Shimano SLX GS
• Shifters: Shimano SLX, 11-speed
• Headset: Integrated, 1-1/8 to 1.5″, sealed angular contact bearings

A look at the features and technical specifications of the bike will tell you that it offers some unique capabilities. The one that stands out is the Proportional Response technology that allows the customization of suspension layout depending on the size. This technology is not available in other premium bikes at the given price range.

Habit 3 by Cannondale is a bike that is revolutionising the mountain bike segment. It has a progressive design that enables easy use by women, playful agility that lets the ladies enjoy the ride and killer capability that helps them give a tough time to their competitors. It thrives on challenging trails and is made for rough conditions. In other words, it is a tough mountain bike designed from scratch for women.

Pivot LES 27.5

• The bike has optimized geometry with stand-over clearance, weight, and ride tuning.
• The bike maker provides this bike in Small and Extra-Small sizes to ensure it fits every rider.
• With size-specific carbon molds, the bike can use lighter frames with high strength for a compact frame design.
• The bike has an oversized, box-section downtube and bottom bracket area.
• It is equipped with stiffness enhancing Boost 110 and 148 front and rear spacing.

• Fork: Fox 32 Performance Stepcast 27.5″
• Drivetrain: Shimano XT 1×11
• Brakes: Shimano SLX M7000
• Seatpost: Phoenix Race Aluminum
• Wheelset: Sun Ringle Charger Comp
• Standover:50”
• Reach: 13”
• Frame Material: Carbon fiber

LES 27.5, unlike what its name suggests, is a gift from Pivot that continues to give. Anyone who has invested in this bike has not regretted it. There’s a reason for it: the bike is so good that many professional racers have ridden it to victory around the world. If you’re someone who wants to go pro one day, this is the bike for you.

Pivot’s LES 27.5 is a women-only bike that has been developed to provide ladies the opportunity to try high-performance race bikes with the comfort and stability of a road bike. To achieve this perfect combination between adventure, comfort and safety, Pivot has poured in the decades of experience it has in making bikes for women. The bike has derived elements from some of Pivot’s costliest and most successful bikes.

Salsa Timberjack

• Salsa has used 6061-T6 aluminium tubing, which is double- and triple-butted in the main triangle.
• The 66-degree head tube and long wheelbase of the bike ensure that rides are stable ride.
• The bike’s long reach and 75-degree seat tube balance weight distribution for efficient pedalling.
• The bike comes with 130 mm of suspension travel upfront.
• The bike allows 30 mm of tool-free travel adjustment.

• Frame: Timber jack v2 Aluminum
• Fork: Rock Shox 35 Silver TK Air, 130 mm
• Cassette: Shimano Deore M6100 10–51t, 12-speed
• Crankset: Shimano MT510-1, 32t
• Shifter: Shimano SLX M7100
• Brakes and Rotors: Shimano MT401, Shimano RT10 Center Lock rotors

With Salsa’s Tibmerjack, you can conquer anything, from rowdy trail rides to bikepacking trips and everything in between. With many mounts, the bike allows you to kit yourself well for every journey. If you’re up for some adventure, this bike should be your first choice. Go ahead and buy it with confidence.

Timberjack by Salsa is a widely used women’s mountain bike. Salsa was one of the first companies to introduce mountain bikes for women. As a result, it had a headstart on women-specific technology and is ahead of its competitors in many areas like comfort, safety and stability. It also uses off the shelf equipment of best quality.

Jet 9 RDO

• The bike has a contemporary frame geometry.
• It comes with short stem lengths to provide quick handling and maneuverability.
• The bike’s slack, at 66.5-degree front end and long, contributes to stability.
• Pedalling chops of a cross-country bike have been blended with the suspension and geometry characteristics of a trail bike.

• Frame Sizes: S, M, L, XL
• Frame: Niner RDO Carbon Fiber
• FORK: FOX 34 Float Factory Grip 2 EVOL
• SHOCK: FOX Float DPS Factory EVOL 3 Position w/adjust
• WHEEL: DT Swiss XMC 1200 Spline 30
• BRAKES: SRAM G2 Ultimate Brake Levers

The bike has the best suspension system of all the mountain bikes in the given price range. Jet has wide and flat surfaces on the top and downtube to absorb frontal impacts and vibrations. It also helps in resisting deflection and twisting under torsional load. The result is an easy and smooth ride, even in rough terrain.

Launched recently, Jet 9 RDO has been one of the best selling mountain bikes for women over the last few months. It has been consistently receiving positive reviews on various platforms, including Twitter and Facebook, for revolutionary stability and comfort even in mountainous terrain. The maker, Jet, has broken away from traditional bike making practices to make this product and the result is sweet.

Julian Furtado

• The bike’s modern geometry ensures that it provides unmatched manoeuvrability in rough mountainous terrain.
• The bike comes with 27.5″ inch wheels fitted with grippy 2.4″ tires.
• It has 130mm rear travel and 140mm front travel.
• The bike’s lower link suspension keeps the traction high.
• It provides a relaxed 65-degree headtube angle.

• Frame: Carbon fiber
• Fork: Fox 34 Float Rhythm EVOL
• Drivetrain: SRAM NX 1×11
• Brakes: SRAM Level T
• Saddle: Juliana Segundo Saddle

If you’re serious about mountain biking and have the resources to afford a truly premium bike, this one’s for you. It offers everything a biker can ask for – safety, stability, comfort and maneuverability. It is these elements that make the bike perfect for beginners. If you are one, what are you waiting for?

Furtado is the second bike from Julian in this list. This shouldn’t come as a surprise as Julian has made a name and space for itself in the mountain bikes segment with some revolutionary technology and innovation. The company says that it doesn’t make bikes, it makes partners for tough journeys. If that’s the philosophy the company works on, it’s only natural that its bikes will receive attention in the market.