![\"ccs-62657-0-68889200-1436348623.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-62657-0-68889200-1436348623-1.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nI have developed an interest in women\u2019s 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\u2019s 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\u2019s bike, then you are left sifting through the \u201cshrinked and pinked\u201d 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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\nFirst Impressions:<\/h2>\n
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.<\/p>\n
<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\nRiding:<\/h2>\n
Since my first ride the Rumor hasn\u2019t stopped surprising me. I expected ponderous handling, and to struggle on the climbs with the 29er \u201cwagon wheels\u201d, 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\u2019t ask me to say this after 70+km).<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n I have found the women\u2019s 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\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n