Rachel Przybylski
On first impressions the S-Works 2D is very easy on the eye with a subtly feminine take on the design which has earned its place in the pro-peloton. When it comes to performance it doesn’t fail to impress, offering such a light product that you can hardly tell it’s there. The air flow is excellent, keeping your head cool throughout some tough hours in the saddle and the retention system is easy to adjust for an optimum and very comfortable fit. The lightweight design offers a great women’s specific fit for petite heads.

My new shoes from Specialized really measured up in the performance stakes with the super-stiff carbon soles offering superb power transfer. It wasn’t long ago that you couldn’t find such a stiff sole on a women’s specific road shoe but Specialized have come up trumps with this classy female design.

My feet felt cool throughout riding time and there was enough space for comfort, without the excess movement that can cause rubbing, resulting in none of the blisters or cramps you can sometimes experience with a new road shoe. The design also gets full marks aesthetically - white is always a winner when it comes to colour, with a touch of blue to add femininity without going overboard on the ‘girly’ touches. Specialized offer various insoles made to measure, which are great to align your knees and correct any minor issues with your pedal stroke.  

A great looking, high-end, performance shoe which will complete any serious cyclist’s wardrobe.

The Specialized Ruby Expert is a serious race bike for women.In the last year bike manufacturers have realised that not all girls want to to ride bikes with Female Specific Designs when it comes to decals/finishing. The Ruby has a powerful colour scheme and is as light and technically advanced as the male designs. The Bars on the Ruby are fat, providing comfort for all day riding and their narrow width provides greater control.

The Ruby geometry gets 10/10 for solving the problems of being a petite rider. Moving from the top of the bars to the drops came naturally, and braking with the short reach Shimano levers was a dream. Never have I experienced such confidence in a bike or myself. In summary this little gem of a bike shows Specialized have dedicated time to giving the growing number of female riders exactly what they have been asking for.

Peta McSharry
The thought of a "girls" bike has always conjured up the "shrink and pink" version of a bike, with a low crossbar so you don't flash your knickers when wearing a skirt and cycling. So imagine my raised eyebrow when I picked up my new Specialized Ruby Pro from Sigma Sport, with sloping tube. On a 48cm bike the top tube is not going to be very far off the ground. I tweaked the bike, swung my lycra leg over the top tube, if I'd been wearing a skirt not a stitch of knickers would have been noticed. That's when it dawned on me, bikes have come a long way from the "shrink and pink" days (I still have one of those, just not in pink).

I no longer have to overreach to the handlebars, this means my gluts kick in when they should and transmit power to the peddles. And that's where the magic begins, the stiffness of the bike transfers that new found glut power straight in to the wheels. On one of the L2P training rides, a chap who I rode with last year made a comment which summed up the Ruby for me. "You look even more comfortable than last year, yet more aggressive." That's how I'd describe the Ruby - comfortable yet aggressive, that's my new little gem.

David Barnaville
I already use the 2D helmet and the Pro road shoes supplied by Specialized. I have also had a Full BG fit done through Specialized at there HQ in Chessington. This has given me a new position (not too different), but it has made me a lot more comfortable on the bike for longer hours.

The bike is a joy to ride, I have now done two centuries in the saddle, with a good all-round outcome. Comfort, position and pleasure. As a result of the BG fitting I have changed 4 saddles to a Specialized Toupe, so to get a closer and more comfortable position on all bikes.