True Love......and enduro SL thingamajig

[kidwoo]

Yeah, I'm talking about this



I've gotten a couple of rides in now and am pretty much blown away.

This bike descends like a freakin 40lb 7 and 7 bike. I'm not kidding. No really flowtron, I'm not kidding.

Got the comp (lowest end) version.
I bought it for the geo numbers but things like the fork are a bonus. It's low, slack and weighs 30lbs. I switched a few things out when I got it, like the boat anchor shimano rear hub. Replaced it with a WTB laser disc lite (one of the lightest hubs made) and built up the stock rear rim (some dt swiss thing made for specialized) with some DT 2.0/1.8 spokes. Specialized bikes notoriously come with pinner spokes to save wieght and this bike is no different. I put an old maxxis tubeless rim srip in....find them if you can, and built up the front wheel on the stock front hub and a mavic 819 rim. I've been riding the avid juicy 5 brakes but those are about to become shimano xts. I also put the 7" rear rotor on the front and put a 6" rotor on the rear. That 8" rotor it comes with on the front is dh bike backup stuff now.

Climbing: This bike is really slack. They mean it when they say 67 degrees. This is the only bike I've ever felt the need to use a fork travel reduction on. So yeah the front end feels a bit floppy at very low speeds going uphill. Not that big of a deal but there are bikes out there that are better climbers, but only because of the angles. The big suprise is the rear suspension. This is by far the best suspension design specialized has ever put together. That's not necessarily saying much but this bike works well. Stays pretty level without squatting but moves when it's supposed to. I've actually been pretty pleasantly suprised.

Suspension pieces: The boingers that come on these things are specialized 'in house' shocks. You'll notice in my pic that there's an RP3 on there already. That's because as soon as I got the bike home, I noticed it topping out. Weak. This was friday. There was a replacement shock at my bike shop by 11am saturday morning. There are good ones and bad ones out there and spec knows this.....apparently they really want it remedied. The RP3 feels so good on there, I don't really care to break in a new shock so I'm waiting till northstar opens to break it in real quick like.

The fork. This thing is stiff. Stiffer than a maverick and stiffer than any 5-6" non freeride fork made. When you move the bars, the wheel is there no matter how rocky it is. I'm impressed. The thing is barely broken in and it already rides pretty smooth........think fox smooth, not marzocchi smooth though. I've gotten some folks bigger than myself to jump on it and it doesn't bottom at the pressure I want to run so it's got a ramp up that seems pretty solid.

Even has clearance with a 2.3 hutchinson baracuda




Descending: This is with no exception the best trail bike I've ever ridden.....because it rides like nothing else in the category. It seriously feels like my uzzi (which is creating kind of garage stock conflict right now). Slam it into corners, land and pop through rock gardens, jump some 15 foot gap doubles.....it feels right at home. It's scary how comfortable this bike feels doing nutty things.

Some folks have pm'ed me asking about this thing........

So anyway........I'm a happy camper

[Dickeymotto]

You have no idea how bad I want one. Unfortunately they don't become available for EP until December, when bikes don't mean shit to me. I'll probably have pulled the trigger on a Stumpy before then anyway, so for now I just drool.

[Dside11-11]

Wow dude, I really didn't expect such a good review of this bike. Seemed too sweet to be true. Glad you are stoked. Drops and doubles on a 30lb bike?! Look out!

[Squatch]

glad you like it.

i'm digging my regular enduro.

[gravitylover]

Thanks for the write up. We have them in the shop but I haven't had a chance to get one out on the trails yet. Actually we sold out of the Experts really quick but have a bunch of the Pro left. Anybody want one?

[Alpine Dreams]

Wow, really cool. Enjoy!

[dfinn]

Is John still using the AFR rear shock on his bike? If so, you got any kind of comparison between the two after riding his?

I've been watching ebay for a fox shock in the right size. My 3rd rear shock is waiting for me at the LBS, hopefully I get a good one this time around.

I do heart this bike also. Just like KW says, it does everything very well.

[Tap]

i picked one up in a shop. crrraaaaaaaaaazzzzzyyyyyy light.

sick bike. even sicker what woo is gonna do on it.

[flowtron]

You'd never guess who just called me! Mike Sinyard!

He said,












"GET THIS KIDWOO DUDE OFF MY NUTS!"







Nice write up. I guess I'm coming around on these things, yet I do love watching Spec scramble to overnight suspension bits.
You and my buddy Ted are so gonna ghey out on your mutual love of Specialized in Whistler.
One more thing....Hutchinson? Fo reals? I guess it does look like a decent gravel/deep dust tire.

[kidwoo]

Is John still using the AFR rear shock on his bike? If so, you got any kind of comparison between the two after riding his?

I've been watching ebay for a fox shock in the right size. My 3rd rear shock is waiting for me at the LBS, hopefully I get a good one this time around.

John's still riding his AFR thingy. He hopped on my bike yesterday and said 'wow, it's kind of wierd riding a shock that feels so normal'. When I rode his, it did feel like a brand new shock with seals that needed to be broken in. I guess it still feels like that. But the good thing about this bike is that specialized FINALLY used a standard shock size.

[grskier]

I was so close to buying one.. sounds like I would have been happy... I'm still super stoked on my purchase though. Great write up.

[uncle crud]

Thanks for the solid, even-handed review, you dirty bastard! Now you make me want to go ride one. Probably everyone else too.

How's the rear assembly rigidity when you stuff it into a firm berm at speed?

+++++++++++++++++++

Thanks for the write up. We have them in the shop but I haven't had a chance to get one out on the trails yet. Actually we sold out of the Experts really quick but have a bunch of the Pro left. Anybody want one?

What's the price? My arm might be twisted since Tyrone Shoelaces is about to take that V-Tach off my hands and leave me with some coin. It would make for a nice puzzle to solve, after Dave Turner's posting yesterday about his Spot/RFX/6-Pack thing... if the Enduro SL lets me get rid of my 5-Spot and 6-Pack too I will be selling 3 bikes this summer.

Oh shit, nevermind. I just saw at Special Ed's site that the Pro is $4400 MSRP. Never mind, unless your price is half that.

[kidwoo]

Nice write up. I guess I'm coming around on these things,.

Don't listen to me, just go ride one beyotch. With the geometry numbers on this thing, you kind of know how it's going to ride, but it's kind of suprising to actually feel it happen.

One more thing....Hutchinson? Fo reals? I guess it does look like a decent gravel/deep dust tire.

Right now the minions are weeping. You may not love the special ed but go buy one of these tires for your yeti once it gets sandy. It's heavy but it locks onto loose turns like a vise. A 2.5 will be going on my dh bike after riding this one.

[VTskibum]

...But the good thing about this bike is that specialized FINALLY used a standard shock size.

Nice ride Woo.

I wish Specialized used a standard shock size on my '06 Stumpy Expert. I'm beginning to dislike the Triad. To replace/upgrade it I'd have to get an RP23 from a Cannondale Rush for $400+! PUSH won't do much of anything to the stupid Triad either.

[kidwoo]

How's the rear assembly rigidity when you stuff it into a firm berm at speed?

Again.....stiffer than anything specialized has ever made. It doesn't wander or skip to any degree that I notice. All I've been riding lately is my uzzi with dh wheels on it, and I haven't really noticed any difference hopping on this thing. If you look at the pivots, they're all "One flap on each side of a bearing" style but they also have thick aluminum bolts holding them together with a larger diameter than most smaller steel bolts being used on some other bikes.

I have no idea why it took them so long to do a rear triangle like this. Turners have always pedaled better than that interrupted seat tube shock placement spec has always used. Those bikes squat like crazy. This is more in line with something like a 5 spot....maybe even a little better.

[uncle crud]

Thanks. I haven't lusted after a bike for 3 seasons. I'm all tingly!

[Telephil]

Pfft....whatever, all of it.

I bet you even wear baggy shorts when you ride it. Am I right, am I right?

[marshalolson]

what size rear shock?

[frorider]

thx for the beta. i'm not in the market for the enduro -- my covert is working out well as a stiff, low, slack trailbike -- but i am curious...

comments on the damping adjustments on the fork?
given the low BB and intended use, why doesn't spesh spec a 22/36/bashring up front? are you gonna do that?
the decline mag review said, from what i recall, that the enduro rear sus was biased toward efficient pedalling i.e. did not feel DH-plush. are you finding that you usually flick the RP3 propedal on for any longish hill climb, or is the linkage set up to be relatively snappy-feeling/efficient-pedalling even with no propedal?
any oil leaks at the seals on the fork like i've been hearing has happened to some owners?

[kidwoo]

what size rear shock?

7.875 x 2.25

[dfinn]

7.875 x 2.25

got any extra in that size?

[gravitylover]

Nice ride Woo.

I wish Specialized used a standard shock size on my '06 Stumpy Expert. I'm beginning to dislike the Triad. To replace/upgrade it I'd have to get an RP23 from a Cannondale Rush for $400+! PUSH won't do much of anything to the stupid Triad either.

There's gotta be another shock that fits those. Anybody??? I know Cane Creek is out, what about Risse or some of the smaller guys out there?

[kidwoo]

thx for the beta. i'm not in the market for the enduro -- my covert is working out well as a stiff, low, slack trailbike -- but i am curious...

comments on the damping adjustments on the fork?
given the low BB and intended use, why doesn't spesh spec a 22/36/bashring up front? are you gonna do that?
the decline mag review said, from what i recall, that the enduro rear sus was biased toward efficient pedalling i.e. did not feel DH-plush. are you finding that you usually flick the RP3 propedal on for any longish hill climb, or is the linkage set up to be relatively snappy-feeling/efficient-pedalling even with no propedal?
any oil leaks at the seals on the fork like i've been hearing has happened to some owners?

The rebound damper on the fork works. Honestly that's all I care about. I've never felt the need to damp out chain/pedaling forces on a fork There's a tad bit of weeping going on with the seals but nothing that's any worse than any other fork I own. Maybe it will start.....I don't know yet.

Decline reviews are pretty much a joke in my mind. Most of them might as well be written by Cunningham of MTBaction. Seems like all they do is spew the company kool aid of the bikes they get. But the only time I've gotten on the spec rear shock was the riding I did on my buddy's bike a few months ago. It felt stiff but the shocks were brand new at that point. Dfinn could probably tell you more than I could. I know it's plush as hell with the rp3 I put on there. I've been leaving it on the 'off' or 'least propedal' setting.......something I've never done with previous spec bikes.

As far as the bashguard thing, I'm leaving it a triple. I use that 42-11 on my xc bikes. Besides, when there are rocks, I try to be about 8" above them in the air I haven't tagged the big ring on anything yet, including toads. But I usually don't anyway on any of my bikes. If I spot something high I try not to roll over it.....just hop or manual or something.


dfinn.....my only extra is the one I got back from specialized. I'm keeping that rp3 on there.

[frorider]

note that my comment about the RP3 shock and damping pedalling forces was regarding the RP3 shock and pedalling forces....i wasn't concerned with the fork settings and pedalling (i pretty much always leave my forks on the DH setting, except on teh single speed).

from what i've read, the fork has some interesting blow-off technology for the bigger hits, and that's more what I was asking about. i.e. what's your view on the damping performance of the fork, from an adjustability and performance point of view.

thx...

btw i agree with you, decline reviews often blow, but in this case they were not regurgitating marketing crap, they seemed to be implying that specialized focussed too much on the XC aspect of the bike (i.e. it was a carefully-worded but slightly negative comment from decline).

[Tap]

woo -

would you call this your all day trail bike and does the spec fork have travel adjust to avoid the floppiness on long steep painful climbs?

what single crown fork is working well on this ride if you don't rawk the special ed DC?