Perhaps it's better said as "adapt for the trip, rather than wrestle with mechanical details. Woman two wheel travelers seem to get that part so right. Why can't us men seem to just hop on and not over-think things?
Pavel, I think you're touching on something very important here in terms of how cycling resources have been divided (and made available) according to gender (and stature). Bike fit -- for anyone -- is so important to enjoyment, endurance, and injury prevention. I think that's what so many people obsess over it...when solutions are in reach.
Some ruminations...
Back in the day (late 1970s, early 1980s), I led tour groups professionally. Typically, the men in the groups had their bikes all personalized as to fit and components, yet continued to fuss with setup, trying one thing after another "to fine-tune and improve performance". At that time, the female members of my groups were saddled (sorry!) with equipment that was unsuitable at the most basic level: Bikes were too tall or mostly too long and when the top tubes were suitably short they had wicked toe overlap (falls were frequent and terrible) because the frame geometry was "off". Handlebars were too wide, brake levers too big, cranks too long...but the "problems" were not because they were women. The problems occurred because at the time most production bikes sold in 'Merka were a) made for men of average dimensions (not ideal for the extra-large or small riders) and b) it was cheaper to make all frames with the same length top tube and parallel angles, so frame sizes could be adjusted simply by making the seat and head tubes shorter. These "one size for all" top tubes were too long for short people, too short for tall people and really only close for those in in the middle. Really short stems were hard to come by and taller riders fitted stems that looked like tillers in order to stretch out properly as they reached for the handlebars.
The women in my tour groups did not have these bicycle fit problems because they were women, but because they were smaller in stature and a majority of bikes were not sized ideally for them. One man in the group was similarly small and had the same difficulties. A taller woman in the group was able to ride a borrowed men's bike and she found it a remarkably good fit. I usually brought a number of stems of various lengths with me to try, but in the days before hatch-plate stem clamps the changeover was time-consuming -- moreso once the "aero" craze took hold and cables were routed under handlebar tape.
When there are no alternatives for bike fit -- and you very much want to ride or have paid the money to do so -- you soldier on with what you have and usually in some degree of pain, which means doing the ride and putting aside insofar as possible what can't be changed. The "average" size guys in the group were spoiled for choice finding any number of bikes that could be fitted pretty easily...and had the luxury to fine-tune them to the nth degree as they sought perfection. I think it is true that once a bike fits properly, then ever smaller niggles become apparent. For example, my sister found a ready fit in the rear compartment of my tandem so the basics of posture and reach were quickly sorted for her; not so the saddle. We went through more than 30 of them before she found a good match. Now she has it (Bell Sports from Walmart at $18), she increased her distance/endurance by about 5x simply 'cos saddle-caused pain was no longer the limiting factor. Once that was resolved then things like stoker grip position could be fine-tuned. These lesser things seemed fine initially because they were overshadowed by the saddle pain.
Me? Over time, I "tune the pain" out of all my bicycles. While I readily concede I get tired and muscles may hurt from use and exertion, I don't believe the bicycle itself should hurt the rider and cause pain. If it does, then adjustments need to be made till it does not. My particular bugbear was always quill stem height -- until Nitto's Technomic arrived, an awful lot of stems stopped at 150mm above the insertion mark and I needed 180mm to get the handlebars level with the saddle-top or no more than 2in below on a properly fitted frame. Thank goodness for the long, uncut steerers available on some threadless forks these days. Their hatch-plate stems also make swaps miraculously quick and easy these days.
Sizing and fit are where Thorn really excels in offering a generous range of seat tube lengths and top tube lengths -- and components -- to match their bikes to riders' body types and make
rider-specific bikes. In general, there's a lot more awareness in the market now of how important bike fit is and there are more ready means to achieve it -- so we can and do...or come ever closer as we search for that pain-free ride. Still, it is not always so easy and sometimes a person has to think unconventionally to solve the problem. Some examples for riders at the edge of the fit margins:
http://dirtragmag.com/feature-coming-up-short-in-search-of-the-truth-about-womens-specific-bikes/https://www.bicycling.com/bikes-gear/bike-fit/why-men-should-try-womens-specific-bikeshttp://www.bicycle-touring-guide.com/difference-between-men-womens-road-bikes/https://www.icebike.org/the-womens-mountain-bikes-scam-why-you-should-not-buy-a-womens-mountain-bike/https://momentummag.com/find-bike-short-people/http://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/latest-news/are-women-specific-bikes-necessary-164672Even when the bike is professionally fitted, other factors come into play...personal preference, what makes one comfortable, even style/fashion. For example, a change of handlebars can make a world of difference toward comfort or discomfort...or add novelty by making a bicycle feel totally new and fresh. Fitness plays a role too. My bikes always feel "wrong" when I start putting in higher mileage at winter's end, but always feel "right" after I have been on them awhile. Bike fit is the most important factor in each of my bikes and once I get that sorted, I am obsessive about marking things like seatpost height, saddle rail placement and angle, and so on. Cycling is a repetitive-motion activity and if things are a little off, joints and such take a pounding. Same for posture on the bike. You've got to be comfortable in terms of where you sit and how and the longer distances you ride, the more important fit becomes.
Best,
Dan.
