the reason we say that the ruby has been downgraded is... well... because it has! lol! last year EVERY component was DA down to the wheels... this year they shaved money off the price (normally they change components and the price goes UP!) and it's not a mishmosh of part.... the crank is FSA, the brakes and rear D are ultegra (definitly a downgrade over last year's version with the remaining parts being DA.... oh.... and roval wheels

i understand why they did this.... they needed to save the full DA for the s-works....

i've noticed that specialized seems to do this a lot... they will downgrade components on like bikes... same thing happened the year i got my dolce.... i had a mix of mainly ultegra... next year no ultegra at all on the expert! i'm not sure what their thought process was then??????

that's not to say the ruby pro (or ANY of the ruby's) aren't good... they are GREAT bikes... a lot of the comfort and nice ride is in the frame! and of course they are supposedly making the compents nicer each year, too!

i'm just glad i got the one i got (ok.... i take that back.... had i been shopping in 2007 i would have ended up with the s-works, if it fit, cuz it's black and i LOVE black bikes!!!!!)