The Rumor Elite is part of Specialized’s range of women’s specific mountain bikes. It is an alloy, dual-suspension 29er, featuring 110mm of travel front and rear. Specialized describe it as an “XC Trail” bike, meaning it offers a touch more travel and trail oriented geometry than a traditional XC bike such as the Epic (or the women’s specific Era), allowing the rider to get a little more playful and confident on the trail.
I have developed an interest in women’s specific bicycles and equipment as a direct result of my own quest to find the right bike. The process involved trying and testing as many bikes as I could get my hands on, and reading as many reviews as possible. Obviously if you are a woman lucky enough to fit comfortably on a man’s bike: problem solved. Better chances of resale, plus a wider range of options, usually with higher spec componentry mean you have a lot more to choose from. If like me, you struggle to find a comfortable fit on a man’s bike, then you are left sifting through the “shrinked and pinked” department. Fortunately for me, the Rumor saved the day, and what follows is what I have found during my first few months with the bike.
I tried both the Era and the Rumor on the same trails, and have to say I loved both bikes. The Era offers lightning-quick handling and acceleration, while the Rumor feels more stable at speed, and a little more forgiving of rider error.
First Impressions:
The Rumor Elite comes in stealthy black with aggressive red decals. I love that it does not look girly or insipid. It looks mean and capable: a bike that is meant to be ridden hard. Up front is a Rockshox Revelation RC fork, and the rear suspension features a custom Fox Float CTD. A huge plus for me is the Command 3-position dropper seatpost, as I like to be able to drop my saddle on the fly for trickier descents. My only concern is the extra weight of an alloy frame. I enjoy both trail riding and marathon races, and want to keep climbing as manageable as possible.
Riding:
Since my first ride the Rumor hasn’t stopped surprising me. I expected ponderous handling, and to struggle on the climbs with the 29er “wagon wheels”, compared with my old 650b hardtail. While I have had to learn to be a bit more committed in turns, I have not found the handling to be a problem. Similarly, the comfortable geometry and extra traction from the rear suspension has made climbing easier (just don’t ask me to say this after 70+km).
With the dropper post lever, front and rear shifters, and having to remember to adjust suspension settings while riding, I initially felt a bit like I was piloting the Deathstar. I have however, gotten very comfortable with adjusting the settings on the suspension while riding, depending on the situation (climb mode on the shock is particularly useful for jeep tracks), and have grown to accept the cluttered cockpit, since I find the 2X10 setup invaluable when my legs give up.
My only gripe with the standard setup of the bike was the sizing of the front chainrings. The bike comes with 34-22T front rings and an 11-36T rear cassette, which I found to be an unnecessarily gentle ratio, seemingly based on the assumption that women riders can’t turn a bigger gear. I found I was spinning out on gradual descents where I would have liked to pick up some speed, and the granny gear was not entirely necessary. I suspect the same would apply to most other riders. A 1X11 setup (such as is found on the Rumour EVO model) would be ideal, but I went for a more budget friendly option- to upsize the front rings. I also swapped out the standard stem and bars for a shorter 50mm stem and the 720mm bars that I prefer.
I have found the women’s specific Myth saddle to be very comfortable, even on long days out. I also appreciate the low standover height, which makes getting on and off in awkward situations a lot easier. I don’t know how the designers at Specialized managed it: but I can still fit a normal bottle in using a side entry cage, although I do sometimes knock the CTD lever on the shock when I pull the bottle out in a hurry.
Verdict:
I have found the Rumor to be the perfect all-rounder for my varied needs. It has seen me happily bashing up and down all my favourite trails, as well as suffering through a few marathons in (relative) comfort. In an ideal world I would love a carbon frame, but since this isn’t an option for the current Rumor models, and my budget probably wouldn’t stretch to it if it was, I am happy to work a little harder and enjoy the security of not worrying about damaging an expensive frame every time I hug a tree. In fact, I can’t wipe the grin off my face most days after a ride.
2015 Specialized Rumor Elite specification:
FrameM5 hydroformed alloy, Women’s XC Trail 29er Geometry, women’s tubesets w/ tapered headtube, DMD mounts, SRAM FD adaptor, 110mm travelShockCustom FOX Float CTD Performance w/ AUTOSAG, Climb, Trail, Descend settings, rebound adjust, 197x48mmForkRockShox Revelation RC 29, tapered alloy steerer, w/ lockout, compression, rebound adjust, 15mm thru-axle, 110mm travelHeadset1-1/8″ and 1-1/2″ threadless, Campy style upper with 1-1/2″ lower, cartridge bearingsStemSpecialized XC, 3D forged alloy, 4-bolt, 6-degree riseHandlebarsSpecialized XC, mini rise, 6000 butted alloy, 8-degree backsweep, 6-degree upsweep, 10mm rise, 31.8mmGripsSpecialized Women’s Enduro XL, lock-on, closed end, 125mmBrakesShimano SLX BR-M675, hydraulic disc, metallic padsBrake leversShimano SLX BL-M675, hydraulic, alloy leverFront derailleurSRAM X7, 2×10, S3 direct mountRear derailleurShimano XTR Shadow Plus, 10-speed, GS mid cageShifter leversShimano SLX, 10-speed, triggerCassetteSRAM PG 1030, 10-speed, 11-36ChainSRAM PC 1031, 10-speed, w/ PowerLink, nickel finishCranksetCustom SRAM S-2200, carbon, PF30 spindle, 104/64mm BCD spiderBottom bracketSRAM, PF30, OS press-in bearings, sealed cartridgeRimsRoval Control 29, alloy, 21mm inner width, 32hFront hubRoval Control 29, 15mm thru-axle, 32hRear hubRoval Control 29 142+, 12mm thru-axle, 32hSpokesDT Swiss RevolutionFront tyreSpecialized Ground Control, 60TPI, 2Bliss Ready, folding bead, 29×2.3″Rear tyreSpecialized Ground Control, 60TPI, 2Bliss Ready, folding bead, 29×2.1″SaddleBody Geometry Women’s Myth Comp, hollow Cr-Mo rails, 155mmSeatpostCommand Post BlackLite, alien head design, single bolt head, w/ remote adjust lever, 30.9mm, S: 75mm travel, Others: 100mmSeat binderCommand Post, single bolt, 34.9mm
Looks like Spez designed the cross bar so ladies could ride with a dress. Nothing like hitting the trails in a nice summer frock!
Go Spez!!