While the actual review is a month or two out, we wanted to share the news about the latest long-travel bike that we’ve added to the test quiver. The Specialized Enduro is a 170mm 29er, with a 4-bar Horst link suspension design damping the rear wheel and a high-end build on this Expert model.
The reach measurement on the S3 size is a racey 464mm, balanced by a mid-length 442mm set of chainstays to accompany its slack 63.9° headtube angle, all summing up to the massive 1246mm wheelbase of yesterday’s downhill machines. The average 76° seat tube angle sits above an equally-expected 28mm bottom bracket drop. This bike is long, reasonably low, and s-s-s-slack.
The stack height on this leggy looker is slightly reduced by its stubbier 100mm head tube to a manageable 620mm. Taller riders can have their cake comfortably, with a stack measurement of 638mm on the size S5, and a reach of 511mm. Folks with shorter inseams and torsos can hop on the S2, which spans a 432mm reach and a 616mm stack height.
The aptly named Enduro frame features quietly guided internal derailleur cable and brake hose routing, and hefty chainstay, seatstay, and downtube protectors to continue the silencing. A cool stashed multi-tool in the steerer tube goes well with the massive SWAT storage compartment in the downtube. There’s no need for a bag with this bike on shorter rides. You could likely fit two heavy burritos inside the frame. To cherry top the carbon fiber cupcake, it uses external bottom bracket cups that can be swapped by anyone with the right hand tools and a few minutes.
The Elite model comes equipped with a Fox Performance 36 fork and Grip damper with a 44mm offset, and a mid-duty Fox DPX2 shock to smooth things out in the rear. The SRAM Descendant 170mm crankset pulls an XG Eagle 10-50t cassette, all clicked around by one SRAM XO1 Eagle derailleur and shift lever. An X-Fusion Manic dropper gets the Specialized Body Geometry Myth saddle out of the way when it’s time to balance all of your weight between the pedals and a Specialized 40mm stem and 800mm handlebar. The whole limousine cuts the throttle with a set of powerful SRAM Code RCS 4-piston disc pinchers.
All that carbon and alloy retails for €6,899. There is a different Elite build in the US that comes with alloy rims, a Lyric fork, a SRAM GX/NX drivetrain, and Code R brakes for $5,399.
The round parts are carbon fiber Roval Traverse 29 rims with 28 spokes each, laced to a DT Swiss 370 hub under the rider and a Roval Traverse hub bolted in the fork. A set of Specialized Butcher rubber wraps the carbon hoops, with the Grid Trail casing and Gripton tread compound, in 29 x 2.3″ rear and 2.6″ at the helm.
Now to wear out some rubber…
