Cervelo's R3 vs. Specialized's Ruby Expert or Pro

[Bluetree]

I've ridden the Ruby and the Cervelo, R3 and Soloist. They are different bikes, and both have their pros and cons. (My Ruby is a 44cm S-Works, the Cervelos were 48cm unisex, which I could ride, but they were not the best fit)

If a women can fit on a Cervelo and wants to be competitive (climbing or racing) it can work. They are fast-fast-fast rides. Personally, I found them to be a harsher ride (esp the Soloist) and for the smaller sizes, the toe overlap is horrendous. It might be different for a taller woman, but I've heard complaints from riders on a 51cm as well. For speed and stiffness, though, the Cervelo is aces.

The Ruby has a much steeper top tube and I found can be more easily altered for a racing-to-relaxed ride. Most likely, this is due to a shorter top tube in relation to its size. It seems to be the midway point between the racing Tarmac and the climber Roubaix, which can suit both aggressive and recreational riders. The BB on the S-Works is snappy and on par with the Cervelos, but I can't testify about the Pro or Expert because I've never ridden them.

I can ride the Ruby for 150 miles in comfort. I cannot say that for a Cervelo. On the other hand, I do not feel comfortable on the Ruby for racing with my current setup. On the flats, I prefer a much more aggressive posture and would rather not have to change out stems or add/remove spacers whenever the ride profile changes.

But I'm too short to fit properly on even the smallest Cervelo. I'm not proportional to a man and find that the Unisex Theory that Cervelo has is rubbish when it comes to shorter people. Every body is different and I distrust any company that has a one-style-fits-all philosophy.

EDIT: Try both bikes. Heck, try ALL bikes. When you find the right fit, you will know it.