Best Women’s Cyclocross Bikes (Top 4 Models + Choosing One)


Cyclocross bikes are built for off-road and racing environments and equipped with wider tires for better traction on a variety of terrains. Women-specific cyclocross bikes are designed with lightweight frames, responsive handling, and stable geometry to balance power and control, ensuring a comfortable and confident riding experience.

The best women’s cyclocross bikes are the KABON Carbon Gravel Bike and the Tommaso Sentiero Gravel Bike. the KABON Carbon Gravel features T800 carbon fiber frame with responsive SHIMANO SORA R3000 2*9 speed shifter while the Tammaso Sentiero comes equipped with an effective Avid BB5 disc brake.

In this article, I will explore the top women’s cyclocross bikes available with a shorter top tube, narrower handlebars better suited for women’s body proportions. 

Best Cyclocross Bicycles for Women

Compare Top Cyclocross Bikes for Women

ProductOverall ScoreBottom LinePrice
Raleigh Bikes RXC Cyclocross Bike - 4 Best Women’s Cyclocross Bikes
Raleigh Bikes RXC
Cyclocross Bike
79Budget Buy
Available in a wide
range of frame
sizes and colors
Check Out On
Amazon
Giordano Trieste Gravel Bike - 4 Best Women’s Cyclocross Bikes
Giordano Trieste
Gravel Bike
77Requires very little
assembly
Check Out On
Amazon
KABON Carbon Gravel Road Bike - 4 Best Women’s Cyclocross Bikes
KABON Carbon Gravel
Road Bike
84Top Pick
Features Shimano
SORA R3000 2*9
speeds shifter
Check Out On
Amazon
Tommaso Sentiero Gravel Bike - 4 Best Women’s Cyclocross Bikes
Tommaso Sentiero
Gravel Bike
81High End
Equipped with
high-quality Avid BB5
disc brakes
Check Out On
Amazon

Detailed Analysis of the Best Women’s Cyclocross Bikes

Getting a cyclocross bike that works for you may take time and effort. But as long as you have all the information you need, it should be easy to spot and buy some of the best women’s cyclocross bikes.

This is why we’re here.

Our team did a comprehensive research on cyclocross bikes out there and came up with several options that are perfectly suited for women.

1. Raleigh Bikes RXC Cyclocross Bike

Raleigh Bikes RXC Cyclocross Bike - 4 Best Women’s Cyclocross Bikes Review
Budget Buy

Overall Score: 79

The Raleigh Bikes RXC is an extremely versatile cyclocross bicycle that should appeal to both experienced and beginner riders.

It’s designed to glide through several different trains with utter ease. It features a low bottom bracket and well-designed tube angles that should deliver impeccable stability.

The bike is also super light at just 17.8 pounds. It’s fitted with an SRAM Force 1X and also comes with a 42t chainring and a 32t bailout cog. The frame is also available in different colors and sizes.

You can go for either a white frame or a black one with beautiful sky-blue accents all through.

The frame size is available from as low as 48 centimeters and as high as 62 centimeters. Let’s not forget this is a Raleigh product so there’s that bit of reliability and quality.

But based on these features alone, you’ll agree that this is one of the best cyclocross bikes for women.

Advantages

  • Snappy and lightweight design that offers easy handling.
  • Comes with high-quality American classic hurricane disc wheels.
  • Fitted with an SRAM Force 1x drivetrain with a total of 11 gears.
  • Available in a wide range of frame sizes and colors.

Disadvantages

  • Very little customer feedback so far.

2. Giordano Trieste Gravel Bike

Giordano Trieste Gravel Bike - 4 Best Women’s Cyclocross Bikes Review

Overall Score: 77

The Giordano Trieste Gravel is a quality bike that comes in three main sizes; small, medium, and large. The bike should be adequate for people ranging from 5’4” to 6’4” in height.

Besides, it comes at an affordable price and offers good value for money.

You’ll also love to know that the bike ships already assembled. This is especially important for beginners who may not have the handyman skills needed to do some assembly.

The Giordano model features reliable mechanical disc brakes and a highly responsive Shimano Claris STI shifter that works great in any terrain.

You get a super-strong Chromoly steel frame and fork and large 700c tires for superb handling and stability. The bike also offers durable 32-hole double-walled alloy rims for that smooth ride.

Advantages

  • Highly durable steel frame and large 700c wheels for easy handling.
  • Comes with powerful mechanical disc brakes for safety.
  • Responsive and easy-to-use Shimano Claris Shifters.
  • Requires very little assembly when it arrives.

Disadvantages

  • The inner tubes on the front tires go unusually fast.

3. KABON Carbon Gravel Road Bike

KABON Carbon Gravel Road Bike - 4 Best Women’s Cyclocross Bikes Review
Top Pick

Overall Score: 84

We all know that KABON Bikes has a very good reputation for offering high-quality women’s cyclocross bikes.

Although there are many options we can go for, no doubt the KABON Carbon Gravel ranks quite high as far as cyclocross bicycles go.

Even most women’s cyclocross bike reviews put this bike up there with the best and for some good reasons.

First, the bike features mechanical disc brakes and offers impeccable acceleration even in bumpy terrains.

It’s also fitted with a 72-degree head tube angle and large 700x40c tires that should offer excellent stability and handling on the road.

KABON Bikes has done well to lighten up the frame on this bicycle. Just to put this into perspective, the entire bike weighs about 19.2 lbs, making it one of the lightest cyclocross bikes you can buy.

Despite this, the frame is super sturdy. It’s constructed from reliable T800 carbon fibre combined with carbon fork,handlebar and seatpost for added vibration dampening.

The great news is that you pick between several frame sizes to suit your physique. Raleigh Bikes Willard offers frames ranging from as low as 52 centimeters to as high as 58 centimeters.

This bike is also super affordable and offers way more value for your money compared to other competitors in its category.

Nonetheless, it would have been great if the manufacturer had routed the chain internally to avoid mud buildup. But other than that, there’s no doubt this is one of the best women’s cyclocross bike models.

Advantages

  • Comes with a lightweight T800 carbon fibre frame for comfort and stability on every ride.
  • Features responsive SHIMANO SORA R3000 2*9 speeds shifter lever.
  • You get a lifetime warranty from the manufacturer.
  • Large 700 x 40c tires for smooth rides on gravel and pavements.

Disadvantages

  • The bike doesn’t feel right for experienced riders out there.

4. Tommaso Sentiero Gravel Bike

Tommaso Sentiero Gravel Bike - 4 Best Women’s Cyclocross Bikes Review
High End

Overall Score: 81

The Tommaso Sentiero Gravel Bike is one of the major cyclocross bikes customized fully for women. The bicycle features several innovative features designed to enhance comfort and handling for women.

It also has a lightweight and sturdy design and comes with a long-lasting carbon-alloy disc brake fork.

The Sentiero Gravel Bike is manufactured by Tommaso, one of the most reputable bike companies in the world.

The company has been producing bikes since 1985 and with that kind of pedigree, you can be sure you’re getting a highly reliable product.

The bike is also fitted with Shimano Claris shifters and effective Avid BB5 disc brakes for extra safety.

It’s available in four different sizes to cater to people of different heights. The sizes range from 5’3” to 6’5”.

The Sentiero Gravel Bike is often the number one choice for women pro cyclists and it’s not hard to see why. It’s packed with a series of premium features that make it one of the best women’s cross bikes. 

Advantages

  • Lightweight design for easy handling and maneuverability.
  • Highly durable thanks to its sturdy metal frame.
  • High-quality Avid BB5 disc brakes for safety.
  • Excellent for racing and commuting under high speeds.

Disadvantages

  • Very few reviews online.

How to Buy the Best Women’s Cyclocross Bikes

There are several important factors you need to remember as you start shopping for a cyclocross bike. This will likely make it easier for you to find the best women’s specific cyclocross bike out there.

Here are some of these factors:

Weight

The weight of your bike will also play a very key role in determining maneuverability, speed, acceleration, and handling. The rule of thumb is often to get as much of a lighter bike as you can.

But in most cases, super light bikes tend to cost more. However, even with your budget, consider doing extensive research and get a lightweight bicycle.

Purpose

It’s important to decide the primary purpose of the bike before you buy it. Do you want a racing bike or perhaps you just want something to commute with?

Answering these questions will help you pick a bicycle that’s perfectly suited for your needs. After all, bikes meant for city pavements are less likely to do well in rough trails in the wild.

Tire Type

Cyclocross bikes will either feature tubular tires or clinchers. Tubular tires are sewn closed around a tube. The tires are then glued around the rim to protect the tube.

Fixing a flat on tubular tires is extremely hard. It requires a lot of time and special tools. However, tubular tires tend to be more lightweight. Clincher tires, on the other hand, can either be tubeless or tubed.

However, if you’re going to choose, go for tubeless tires. These tires rarely go flat and when they do, they are easier to fix. The tires can also run under low pressure.

You can check out my article on the best tubular tires to learn more about tubular tire options that offer lower rolling resistance, greater smoothness and are great for high-speed riding.

Tire Width

The size of the tires will determine the stability and handling of your bicycle too. Large thick tires tend to do very well in many terrains.

However, they won’t offer the same acceleration as small and thinner tires. You need to decide what you will use the bike for before choosing the tire width.

If you intend to use the bicycle for outdoor wild trails somewhere in the woods, choose thick and large tires. They may not go fast but they will give you outstanding stability on rough roads.

However, in case you want to use your bicycle for racing or for commuting to and from work, go for cyclocross bikes with small and thinner tires.

Thinner tires will offer excellent speeds and tend to look more stylish and sleeker.

Tube

Typically, cyclocross bikes tend to have flatter bottoms. This is done specifically to ensure the bikes are easier to carry around your shoulder or put into a Yakima bike carrier. Some trails out there can be rough.

There may be times where you need to carry your bike across a certain patch of land or water. This flat-top tube design makes it easier for you to do so.

Brakes

There’s no arguing that the brakes are indeed the most important safety features of any bike. Brakes come in three main options as far as the best women’s cyclocross bikes are concerned.

The first one is the cantilever brake system which is standard for lower-end bikes. You can also pick mechanical disc brakes which are very reliable or hydraulic ones that are high-end.

Drivetrain

The drivetrain differs greatly from one bike to the other.

However, if you want reliable and affordable cyclocross bikes that can ride on several terrains, you may want to choose a drive train of either 1×10 or 1×11.

A single chainring upfront is always easy to handle and maintain.

However, the drivetrain depends on the cost of the bike. Higher-end options will often have higher-end drivetrains.

Cable Routing

It’s always advisable to pick bikes that have internal cable routing. This protects the chain from mud and other debris while you’re out there on the road.

Additionally, bikes with internal chain routing are far easier to carry.

Budget

Finally, you may also need to consider the price of the bicycle before you buy it. But this doesn’t mean you should buy the cheapest bike you can find.

A good rule is to have a clear budget and try to find a bicycle that offers the best possible features for that price. The great news is that there are plenty of high-quality entry-level bikes that you can go for.

Feel free to check my article on the best budget cyclocross bikes that offer a great blend of mountain biking and road racing at affordable prices.

Cyclocross Bikes Feature Disc Brakes for Better Stopping Power in Wet or Muddy Conditions…

Cyclocross bikes work great for several different roles. They are extremely versatile too and there are dozens of options to pick from.

However, if you’re looking for a bicycle that delivers outstanding features, then you must go for the KABON Carbon Gravel Road Bike.

It’s lightweight and easy to handle too. It comes with a reliable SHIMANO SORA R3000 2*9 speeds shifter lever.

The bike is highly durable too and is available in a wide range of frame sizes to meet the needs of different people. It’s definitely worth your consideration.

Shailen Vandeyar

A proud Indian origin Kiwi who loves to plant trees and play with my pet bunny when not out cycling through the best routes, reviewing the latest gear, and sharing tips on everything biking.

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