It’s no surprise that the 6700 WSD caused a stir when it hit the trails and the Trek WSD range this year, finished in striking Crystal Pink it certainly turned a few heads.

It wasn’t so long ago that women were offered bikes that may have had a fancy pink colour finish, but rarely did they offer a specific design and components selected for a woman’s needs too. Luckily for us, Trek have a massive WSD (Women Specific Design) range of bikes for 2005, with 23 models on offer in the UK, ranging from commuter bikes to full suspension mountain bikes, and all in sizes to suit even the smallest of female riders. Mountain bike frame sizes range from 14” to 18” giving even sub 5 ft tall women a bike with loads of stand-over room and a comfortable reach for the bars.

So what makes WSD bikes suited to women riders? Firstly the riding position is tailored to suit a women’s size and proportions, and takes into account the female pelvic position being very different to a mans. WSD bikes have a shorter top tube and prevent riders over-stretching thereby offering a more natural riding position for women, the 6700 WSD shares this philosophy and not only offers a good fit but more comfort too. Then there’s the choice of components, each contact point, be it saddle, handlebar, brake lever or crank-arm is chosen to suit smaller riders and a woman’s form. WSD is a range of bikes that fit properly and work well for women riders!

Alpha SLR Aluminium is a popular choice for Trek’s mid range bikes, it’s lightweight and stiff tubing is also compliant and forgiving on the hard stuff too. Most importantly for women it’s lightweight and designed with a reduced length top tube and slightly shorter wheelbase to accommodate smaller riders well. The bike is disc brake equipped and just as we’d expect comes with the relevant cable routing for a tidy appearance and good cable runs to get the most efficient braking and gearing.

Hayes HFX-9 brake levers are highly adjustable and offer a short reach from the bar, perfect for smaller hands who need controlled and easy reach braking. Coupled with the hydraulic brakes and 6” rotors, braking is precise, predictable and powerful. Trust in your brakes leads to increased riding confidence and faster riding overall, all levels of rider will appreciate the braking potential and ease of use with this system. SRAM components provide a good gearing choice on the WSD 6700, with the X-7 shifters and X-9 rear derailleur making a reliable combo that is easy to use and shifters are within easy reach of smaller fingers. The gearing was set-up well straight out of the box and carried on providing us with smooth changes throughout the test period.

Forks are RockShox Tora 318 Solo Air with plenty of adjustment to suit rider weight, changing the fork set-up with the air pump allows riders much more scope for getting the fork action right. Compression and rebound adjustments are simple to make and the fork also offers a lock-out facility should you want to do some road or smooth terrain riding. The fork has 80mm of travel, not a huge amount by today’s standards but plenty for general XC use and being as the fork can be set-up for all rider weights it does ensure full use of the travel and a personal feel.

The 6700 WSD has well chosen components to accommodate female and smaller riders including a women specific Bontrager CRZ saddle and short reach brake levers for starters. The saddle has a honeycomb-gel base and dual-compound foam with a sleek profile and well designed nose to allow you to put the hammer down on the pedals without the saddle getting in the way. The CRZ portion of the name stands for Comfort Relief Zone, an important feature that helps prevent pain and numbness in delicate areas.

Other components designed to help women riders stay comfortable and in control are the Bontrager Crowbar Select handlebars, slightly narrower than standard unisex of men’s bars and allowing a more comfortable reach when cornering and steering. Slim and comfortable Bontrager Race FIT grips allow smaller hands good cushioning and a firm grip without stretching. The 10° rise stem with suitably short length provides a comfortable riding position without feeling cramped or compromising on handling.

Bontrager make lightweight and reliable wheelsets and because women tend to be smaller and weigh less than our male counterparts lightweight bike components help reduce the overall weight of the bike . Any additional and usually unnecessary weight on the wheels can be really noticeable when riding so thankfully the Bontrager Select Disc wheels didn’t give us anything to moan about. In fact they were smooth running and haven’t required even a glance from a passing spoke key despite a few harsh landings over rocks and roots. The 2.2” Bontrager Jones ACX tyres help comfort too, being voluminous enough to take the sting out of sharp rocks without causing unnecessary drag when you fancy a bit of speed or smoother terrain. The tread gives good reliable grip on all surfaces and conditions except in extreme mud, you can’t really ask for more than that. Unlike some tyres on other bikes in this price range we wouldn’t be changing them in a hurry either so you won’t be needing to spend any more money on your new purchase if you opt for the WSD 6700.

The WSD 6700 rides like a more expensive bike, the good quality frameset and equipment help keep weight low and make climbing easier and more fun. The low top tube allows plenty of space for the rider to move around and makes getting on and off easy too. Being able to reach the bars without stretching puts you in a more upright position, so you get to see the trail better and creates less pressure on the neck too. Also cornering stability is enhanced with smaller riders feeling more confident leaning over whilst maintaining good contact with the bar and steering accurately. Contact points are comfortable and well thought out, just right for smaller hands, feet and bums. We liked the shape and width of the Bontrager Crowbar Select handlebars, with a good sweep and just enough rise ensuring a comfortable position yet with a sporty feel still.

Verdict

• Performance 8
• Value 8
• Overall 8
• All in all the WSD 6700 is a good value and strikingly attractive bike
• Good: Women friendly design and spec, great for smaller riders too.
• Bad: An extra colour option might go down well with those who don’t like pink
• Specification
• Price: £900
• Frame sizes: 14, 16, 18
• Size tested: 16”
• Frame tubing: Alpha SLR Aluminium
• Fork: RockShox Tora 318 Solo Air
• Components: Hayes HFX-9, SRAM X-7 shifters, SRAM X-9 rear mech
• Contact: www.trekwsd.co.uk