Specialized Rhyme FSR Expert Carbon 650b – first ride

The women’s trail bike category is one that has been crying out for attention. Enduro is on the rise, and the desire for longer travel bikes that are as efficient up the hill as they are on the way back down, has gone through the roof.

As far as women’s offerings go, ladies are stuck with limited options for suspension travel and often restricted to alloy frames. The carbon Juliana Roubion, which shares the same frame as the Santa Cruz Bronson, is the only bike marketed toward women with 150mm of the plush stuff. Until now. After three years of research and development, Specialized has released the 150mm women’s Rhyme and 135mm women's Rhyme 6Fattie.

The Rhyme is available in three models. The alloy Comp model will sell for £2,200 / US$2,900 / AU$3,999. The Comp Carbon (£3,000 / US$3,800 / AU$5,499) and the Expert Carbon (£4,500 / US$5,900 / AU$7,999) have a carbon mainframe and an alloy rear.

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In early April we flew to Rotorua, New Zealand to ride the Rhyme at a Specialized media camp in anticipation of the global launch. So how did it fare?

Highs:

• A capable, nimble bike for women who want to shred hard
• Climbs so well we think there’s a motor below the SWAT Door
• You don’t need man arms to throw this bike around the trail

Lows:

• The low bottom bracket means we hit the pedals on the ground more than we’d like
• Some women will want to run wider bars

• Rhyme Expert Carbon 650b: £4,500 / US$TBC / AU$8,499
• Rhyme Comp Carbon 650b: £3,000 / US$TBC / AU$5,999
• Rhyme FSR Comp 650b: £2,200 / US$TBC / AU$4,499

6Fattie: Take one Rhyme. Add even more traction and control

• Rhyme Expert 6Fattie: £4,800 / US$6,300 / AU$8,499
• Rhyme Comp Carbon 6Fattie: £3,500 / US$4,300 / AU$5,999
• Rhyme Comp 6Fattie: £2,500 / US$3,400 / AU$4,499

You can read more at BikeRadar.com