Chloe Hosking: Pioneering Ground-Up Bike Design for Women and Shorter Riders
In high-performance cycling, design teams have historically been male-dominated. That is changing at Hosking Bikes. Australian Olympian and co-founder Chloe Hosking is one of the first women to design a high-performance racing bike from the ground up. Her process combines elite racing experience, expert collaboration and a rider-first focus - shaped in part by her lived experience as a short rider. The result: bikes that perform at the top level and fit a wider range of riders.
A collaborative, rider-led approach
Chloe's method blends practical race experience with targeted industry partnerships and manufacturing expertise. She intentionally sought guidance from world-class specialists and translated that knowledge into production-ready frames.
- Learning from industry leaders: Chloe consulted with experts at Ventum, Time, Onguza and more to learn best industry practices in areas such as materials, logistics, and more.
- Manufacturing partnerships: She worked closely with Jayu Yang to ensure the design could be manufactured to demanding tolerances and performance targets while meeting performance and value expectations.
- Rider-to-design feedback: Her WorldTour, World Championship and Olympic experience informed choices around stiffness, compliance, cockpit ergonomics and handling.
Designing with a 161cm rider in mind
Chloe's height - 161cm - gives her a real advantage when designing bikes for shorter riders. Too often, performance frames are optimised for taller proportions and 'scaled'. Chloe designs geometry, cockpit layout and stack/reach combinations that improve fit, control and comfort without compromising speed.
Key outcomes include:
- Small-frame size geometry optimised for shorter riders that improves handling and confidence.
- Cockpit and reach configurations that preserve aerodynamics and power transfer while improving comfort.
- Ride feel tuned to a broader range of body types so smaller riders get the same high-level performance as taller athletes.
Why female leadership changes design outcomes
Chloe's role demonstrates that diverse, rider-led design delivers measurable benefits. Female leadership in product development challenges assumptions, drives new ideas and helps produce bikes that better match the needs of real riders - from elite athletes to club riders who have previously struggled to find a good fit.
What this means for Hosking Bikes riders
Under Chloe's guidance, Hosking Bikes focuses on frames that are:
- Engineered for elite performance.
- Accessible and comfortable for smaller riders and women.
- Developed in collaboration with industry experts and experienced manufacturers.
- Built around a rider-first design philosophy.
Want to see the results? Explore the range of frames Chloe helped design and learn more about our development process.
View the Chloe-designed range