Submitted by
racerfan120
a Weekend Warrior
from Seattle, WA Date Reviewed: September 7, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Devils Gultch
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$2600.00
Purchased At:
Silverlake Bike Cent
Strengths:
Fantastic components, quality is top notch, performs flawlessly, incredibly easy to get the feel, loves to be ridden, makes you faster!
Weaknesses:
None so far
Similar Products Used:
Trek liquid, Giant hardtail
Bike Setup:
Stock except for the suspension internals being fox
Bottom Line:
Great bike, it took me two seconds to get used to it. The demo ride in the parking lot does not do it justice, once it is on the trail it is a incredible machine doing all the work for you. It climbs like a billy goat, and descends with ease, however it definitely is not a downhill machine, but thats not what it was made to do. It is incredibly light, and was just as light as my last hard tail, which was an 07' Giant Yukon, except this has 6" of travel! The components are fantastic, and perform very well. I love this bike, it climbs, loves single track, and descends with perfection, awesome bike!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
luckaz
a Downhiller
from Vancouver Date Reviewed: April 17, 2009
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$2000.00
Purchased At:
used
Strengths:
geometry, front derailleur, weight, FSR suspension, build quality, beautiful lines
Weaknesses:
Fork and shock
Similar Products Used:
Demo 7, cannondale prophet, giant reign, santa cruz nomad
Bike Setup:
avid elixer, fox 36 float, fox DHX 5.0 air, easton Havoc wheels
Bottom Line:
You need to ditch the stock fork and shock. They suck! Anyone who believes the 'total integration' thing has never tried a real fork. Once you get rid of the specialized stuff and get some real suspension components on there you will not believe how good this bike is. The geometry is dialed. I can climb and ride all day, beat my friends up hill easily and rail on the way down. 67 degree head tube makes a huge difference on the way down and gives a lot of confidence on the steeps (I'm talking real steep here as I am riding the North Shore and Squamish). Seat tube is steep enough to allow you to climb agressively and the light weight makes it easy. This geometry combination is surprisingly rare. I think it is really perfect for true 'all mountain' riding on agressive trails.
Biggest proble is the cost associated with ditching the fork, shock and front wheel. One chili off for the crappy shock, fork and dumb 25mm front hub.
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Submitted by
jmacovei
a Weekend Warrior
from bristow, va Date Reviewed: December 24, 2008
Favorite Trail:
fountainhead, rosaryville
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$3500.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
frame, specialized fork, xo kit, avid juicy 7 brakes
Weaknesses:
rear shock
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
xo, specialized fork and shock standard, carbone frame, juicy 7 brakes, changed to ethirteen dual ring
Bottom Line:
I love this bike, took me a little while to get used to it from my 08 giant trance x2, however once I got my bearings together, this bike pushed me to go further and be able to make drops and descents I was very nervous about. I love this bike and am considering getting the s-works frame and customizing it out with upgraded kits beyond sworks. thinking about going carbon on many of the components to shave off the weight. However, out of the box, this bike is awesome. Great feel on the bike, confidence building, and overall solid bike for the price. The carbon frame is a plus and worth it. Highly recommend this bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
pickle19
a Weekend Warrior
from ipswich england Date Reviewed: December 10, 2008
Favorite Trail:
the mattador innerliethen
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$5000.00
Purchased At:
evans cycles
Strengths:
pretty much every thing but especially the strength of the frame and forks i hit a tree at about 30mph a week after i got it full on and didnt do anything to the forks and just put a tiny dent in the frame ive since used it for freeriding and full downhill including drops up to 20 foot and i weigh 15 stone (210 pound) and it just eats it up
Weaknesses:
the rims were a bit too feeble for my style of riding i replaced them with some mavic 729s and the tyres were terrible got punctures every time i went out so changed them too
Similar Products Used:
gt i-drive 5
Bike Setup:
mavic 729s panaracer fr 2.4s hope ceramic bottom bracket lots of other hope parts (all in anodized red to match brakes and hub)
Bottom Line:
i love it mines set up for more agressive riding not much good for xc anymore but i dont do xc so i dont care it just takes anything i can throw at it. it also looks stunning poeple stop and stare at it everywhere i go
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Scifi
a Weekend Warrior
from NMB, FL USA Date Reviewed: November 10, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Gator Bank
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
I still have everything stock so everything is a strength to me.
Weaknesses:
N/A, none, nada.
Similar Products Used:
Only tested this bike.
Bike Setup:
Stock.
Bottom Line:
It's been a year now and I must say this bike is the bomb. No matter what or where I ride I feel like a king on the bike. I may not be the best or the fastest but I can do the trails along with the top dogs out there just not as fast. I'll say it again if you're a big guy or like to ride rough this is a great bike for you. The only thing I had to do is cut the seat post so I can handle going down the hills at the park beside that all is still stock. Cya later and ride hard and have fun.
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Submitted by
cooltrader
a Weekend Warrior
from wales Date Reviewed: August 26, 2008
Favorite Trail:
karrimor
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$2500.00
Purchased At:
west end cycles uk
Strengths:
Brakes,suspension,handling,climbing ability
Weaknesses:
frame- broke rear tube-swingarm and im a light rider (142lbs)
Bottom Line:
Major disappointment,warranty means they want to inspect it 1st before deciding what to do which takes ages round here. Going to buy the part myself and fit it myself,it will be quicker and easier.Thats probably what they want us to do.It was a great bike for the dozen times i rode it!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Michael Prince
a Downhiller
from Vancouver, BC, Canada Date Reviewed: May 31, 2008
Favorite Trail:
A-line
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$3000.00
Purchased At:
private
Strengths:
Rigid, smooth, light
Weaknesses:
still looking for one
Similar Products Used:
Stumpjumper, rock hopper (hard tail)
Bike Setup:
Juicy 7. Sram
Bottom Line:
I haven't experienced any problems with this bike and it is just over a year old. The previous owner had problem with the 2007 forks and shocks. Specialized relpaced/upgraded them over night to 2008 E150's. The rear is a little stiff for me with factory settings and I'm a fairly light guy.
The feel of the bike makes me more confident for sure.
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Submitted by
EDGAR TABORA
a Weekend Warrior
from MIAMI Date Reviewed: May 13, 2008
Favorite Trail:
MARKHAM PARK
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
BELLS BICYCLES
Strengths:
FIRM HANDLING ON ANY TRAIL, BERM, CURVE, JUMP....STURDY, STRONG AND ALMOST NO FLEX AT ALL FRONT OR BACK.
AVID JUICY 7...X-7 SHIFTERS..X-9 RR DER...LX FT DER...EVERYTHING ELSE IS STOCK. I GOT A KILLER DEAL WITH THE GUYS AT BELLS BIKES. TRULLY THANKS TO AGUSTIN AND EDLAN...AWESOME GUYS.
Bottom Line:
FROM ABOUT ALL BIKES THAT I HAVE HAD AND TESTED...MY SEARCH FOR THE PERFECT BIKE IS OVER. HANDLING IS SUPERB, ERGONOMICS AND ESTETICS NO QUESTION...AWESOME. ALMOST TO NO BRAKE JACK...EVERYSTROKE AND POWER FROM YOUR LEGS IS TRANSFERERED INSTANTLY. IF YOU HAVE THE DOW TO INVEST IN THIS BIKE, GO AHEAD YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPOINTED.
I HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THE SUSPENTION. I USUSLLY RAN 5 TO 7 PSI MORE OR ABOUT 20% SAG FOR WHAT I DO...AGGRESIVE TRAIL RIDING WITH MINIMUM JUMPS. FROM THE TIME I PURCHASED THE BIKE IT HAS NOT SEEN THE LBS FOR NOTHING, NO TUNE UPS ONLY MY PERSONAL MAINTANANCE AND IT STILL PERFORMS FLAWLESSLY. AFTER A YEAR THE COMPRESSION CANISTER IN THE FORK DOES NOT TURN ALL THE WAY BUT DUE TO THE WARRANTY SPECIALIZED DID SEND IT NO QUESTIONS ASKED...NO COMPLAINTS, GOOD SERVICE FROM THEM. RESENTLY BROKE A REAR SPOKE BUT NO BIGGY IT HAPPENS IF YOU HALL ASS THE TRAIL AND TRY TO TURN TOO FAST.
CAN SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THE BIKE....THIS IS A KEEPER FOR ME.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eric
a Weekend Warrior
from Menlo Park, CA USA Date Reviewed: May 3, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Magic Carpet
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$3800.00
Purchased At:
Another Bike Shop
Strengths:
WHEN the suspension is working, the bike climbs extremely efficiently and handles pounding downhills and drops well. Fork is very stiff and responsive. Mag/Marta brakes very strong, modulate well. SRAM XO stuff is crisp shifting and rock solid.
Weaknesses:
FRONT AND REAR SUSPENSION RELIABILITY. This is Specialized's home-grown fork and shock. Blew F&R seals, shop replaced '07 guts with '08 guts F&R, which supposedly fixed the reliability issues. Fork now gushes oil thru seal and top of climb knob, bottoms, knocks after one ride. Looking forward to wasting more time going to and from shop, being without the bike again. Rear shock seems ok now. Stock Specialized tires are weak in the sidewall. 25mm thru-axle is a non-standard size, so if you switch forks, you buy a new front wheel too. Makes racking difficult too. Integrated stem/triple clamp limits setup options. If you plan to fly or ship your bike for vacation: Frame doesn't fit (too long) in any standard hard cases for shipping/flying, and dual-crown fork doesn't rotate 90 deg. (stanchion hits the frame) for packing in clamshell case. Probably need to remove fork completely.
SRAM XO & Magura Marta; Gravity Dropper Turbo seatpost(highly recommend but pricey)
Bottom Line:
POTENTIALLY GREAT BIKE, BUT WAIT UNTIL SPECIALIZED SOLVES RELIABILITY ISSUES. I see that others here have similar issues. I expected a more reliable design from Specialized, especially for this price. If I knew that I would have this many problems, I would not have purchased. There are too many other really good bikes out there. IF the suspension was reliable, then I would recommend this for aggressive XC or all-mountain riders. It's the lightest 6" travel bike I've seen and it climbs like a XC rig, bombs downhill like a much heavier rig. Top-notch component set (except for tires). If you need to buy now, demo a Pivot Mach 5 or Ibis Mojo.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Timothy
a Weekend Warrior
from San Marcos Date Reviewed: February 29, 2008
Favorite Trail:
La Costa Preserve
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$3800.00
Purchased At:
Redhawk
Strengths:
Components, weight to travel ratio
Weaknesses:
The forks and the shock
Similar Products Used:
2007 Stumpjumper pro; 2007 Enduro S-Works
Bike Setup:
Stock, but with Kenda Nevagal's and Maverick Speedball seatpost
Bottom Line:
This is a follow-up to a review I posted several months back in the Enduro SL S-Works category. I have both the 2007 Enduro Pro and the 2007 Enduro S-Works (which checks in 3 pounds lighter in the large frame size). When the forks and the rear shock are operating correctly, both bikes are untouchable in their class. Awesome climbers, and great on the downhills. Like other reviewers, I've found myself going faster and with a lot more confidence on the downhills.
My major beef with both bikes is the specialized suspension. The forks don't seem to be lubrictated well enough, so they become "sticky". Rather than eating up the little bumps like they should, the rider feels everything. At the direction of the local specialized bike shop, I've tried using non-teflon based oils to keep the seals supple, but it doesn't work well.
The rear shock is another problem. In the first month of owning the bikes I blew-out the dampening mechanism on both shocks. I had them rebuilt under warranty, but its obvious that the suspension isn't living up to specialized's rep...and unfortunately it makes what would otherwise be a fantastic bike not ride to its potential. I miss the Fox suspension, as it was always plush and active, and I never had any significant problems. Not sure if anyone else has tried swapping the rear shock and front forks for a Fox alternative, but I'm starting to consider it -- which sucks because specialized supposedly tailored the suspension to the Enduro and the Fox shocks won't be.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Martyn Nash
a Weekend Warrior
from Carmarthen Date Reviewed: December 5, 2007
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$5000.00
Strengths:
Stability, paintwork finish
Weaknesses:
Fork, rear shock, front hub.
Bike Setup:
Stock except carbon bar, masterpiece post, lock on grips.
Bottom Line:
This is the follow up review from the one below, I could have forgiven a few problems with the cartridges but they kept breaking. The last few rides I had were really scary infact I cut the rides short just to get back to the house. I think they shouldnt have released this bike until the problems were sorted. When working the bike was superb, but nothing worse than being off work and unable to ride the bike, spending the little time I had off taking the bike back to the shop and another day off to collect it. I have now bought a Heckler with Fox hardware and wow, it's nice to be able to get out there and just ride. I used to be such a huge Specialized fan too. maybe some other day
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Submitted by
Clinton
a Weekend Warrior
from Jacksonville Date Reviewed: September 12, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Tom Brown
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$2800.00
Purchased At:
Higher Ground
Strengths:
The steering is the first thing you notice when you ride it. Fork is great, many, many adjustments
Weaknesses:
Tires, two flats in two weeks. Takes awhile to dial in. cable routing
Similar Products Used:
stumpjumper, gary fisher 29er, nomad
Bike Setup:
carbon handlebars, XTR trigger shifters and rear DERAILLEUR, juicy sevens, truvativ carbon noir crank and pg990 cassette bought as frame and wheelset
Bottom Line:
I love this bike. It rides like a XC bike with long travel. Bike is light enough to ride all day, but not punished when driven hard. Bike soaks up anything and everything. Climbs well and descends well. Biggest recommendation I can give is convert the resolution tires to Stan's tubeless kit. These tires roll superfast, they just have weak sidewalls. It does take awhile to dial in but it is worth it once correct. The fork is super finicky so watch air pressure in the tires or fiddle continualy with the adjustment. Can't say enough about this bike it rewards me everytime I ride it. It makes you fall in love with the hobby all over again.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Martyn Nash
a
from Carmarthen Date Reviewed: August 19, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Brechfa Natural
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$4400.00
Purchased At:
Leisure lakes Cheltenham
Strengths:
Does everything from Cross Country to DHish. Many settings/angles Light Excellent Component spec
Weaknesses:
Fork could be ? plusher & more rebound settings, new cartridge fitted Dials could be rougher - corrected on 08's Would like to know who to send it in for tuning not just service
Stock apart from Thomson Masterpiece post ODI Lock Ons-Ruffians Easton CNT Bar Swissstop Pads 3m Helicopter Tape Blackspire Rings
Bottom Line:
I have waited 6 months and 1500 miles to write my review as I thought it would give a truer picture of this bike. It has endured a very wet and muddy 6 months here in Wales where the tracks are rocky rooty and very muddy. So far I have serviced the Shock once and that was very easy. The bearings are like new. The anodizing is like new. First the negatives, the cartridge has been replaced, the fork began to feel a bit harsh and slow in rebound at slow speeds and something I was happy to live with as I live quite far away from the store. The dials need a more positive 'click' and the dials need a knurled edge especially when you have gloves on. One thing I like with other forks is sending them to TF Tuned a UK based tuner, this I can't do with these forks. I like having them tuned to my personal taste. Now the Positives, after having the 06 s-works enduro and 04 s-works enduro I needed something between the two-Light weight with great DH ability. It's a great climber, especially with lowering the front, so quick to do, takes me up anything till my legs give up. Singletrack can be taken at full speed as the handling is so precise. When things get rocky or rooty the FSR suspension takes you straight through. Downhill the fork is unbelievably strong and mated to the bike enables you to plough through anything and aids in very quick line changes. It's almost instinctive and allows you to get on with enjoying the rush of hurtling downhill fast. All in all the bike has lived up to being the bike to do everything, (in my riding arena) and a first in a long time a bike I feel fresh even after 4-5 hours in the saddle. The component spec is top drawer, though I had to get a masterpiece post and CNT bar & loc-ons. Weighs in at 27.5 for the small.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Cy
a Weekend Warrior
from NMB,Fl. Date Reviewed: August 3, 2007
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$3500.00
Strengths:
Everything on the bike is very good.
Weaknesses:
None so far
Similar Products Used:
N/A
Bike Setup:
Stock
Bottom Line:
It's been a little more time now and the bike is still going strong. You can't go wrong with this bike. It handles very well going up and down trails. I wish I lived closer to the real mountains so I can really see what this bike can do. But do your research first on this bike and you will see that this is a great bike to pick and being a big guy at 240lbs you feel safe on the trails. The bottom line is I am very glad that I picked this bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ryan
a Cross Country Rider
from Durango CO Date Reviewed: July 28, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Dutch Creek
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$2900.00
Purchased At:
Canyon Bikes
Strengths:
Stiff, really stiff fork! Great geometry, solid frame
Weaknesses:
New geometry for me, i typically like north shore style cocpits and this is long and stable, better for the kind of riding I do.
Similar Products Used:
Rocky Mountain Slayer, Switch
Bike Setup:
Enduro Expert, stock
Bottom Line:
I bought this bike becasue I wanted to try some new geometry and had heard that the fork was really stiff. To my amazment it is very stiff, I feel that I really dig in with the front end on rough trails. Descending is a blast and like other reviews it needs some english in the tight stuff at speed.
Climbing it rips, I love climing on this bike! It will sprint (for a 6 inch bike) and the front end stays planted much better than my other bikes. The rear shock setting are great and I love flipping from the S position to the F over the top.
Great components, compared the the canadians the equip is really nice for 3K. Specialized hit the trail riders needs with this one, light, stiff, fast, and great looking!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kent Earle
a Cross Country Rider
from Andover, MA USA Date Reviewed: July 17, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Harold Parker Forest, Andover, MA
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$4200.00
Purchased At:
Landry's Bicycle Shop, Boston, MA
Strengths:
light weight, 6 inch travel, endless adjustablility of Specialized Fork and Shock, perfect fit (L), fantastic Magura Marta Discs, most comfortable stock seat (143mm), top notch parts pick, truly all mountain abilities, climbing and descending, frame adjustable from slack downhiller to quick turning cross country missle, beautiful to look at.
Weaknesses:
I would have to get real super nit-picky to find any weaknesses....perhaps the paint seems to rub off easily from a car carrier, but otherwise, none.
Similar Products Used:
Klein Mantra Pro
Bike Setup:
Stock, except changed grips to ODI LOCK-ON grips, had shop change the saddle from the 130mm width to the 143mm, which they gladly do for anyone, added a wireless cateye, and dropped the large ring and replaced with a RACE FACE BASH GUARD. Otherwise, the PRO comes perfect with top line components.
Bottom Line:
After much sticker shock, I sucked it up and bought my dream bike 3 months ago. I went to Landry's bike shop in Boston where they had lot's of bikes to test ride on real world trails. I never thought I'd spend 42 large on a bike, but after riding it for an hour, I had to have it. I was going to write this review back in the first week of riding it, but I suspected my review would be completely biased, how could I spend that much money and then say the bike was anything but "awesome"?! Now, 140 miles of gnarly, technical riding later, I can give a very honest assesment. Quite simply, this is the most amazing bike I've ever had the pleasure of riding. I am absolutely thrilled with this bike. It has made me a better rider, allowing me to clear off camber, rock infested uphill climbs without dabbing, a feat I never could do on my Klein. I started out riding with the frame set from the factory at "SLACK", which made high-speed downhill bombing through rocky, rooted mine fields smooth and comfortable. Having the tire out front with the wide handle bar and slight rise gave me confidence that I would not ENDO even while seated, and without dropping my saddle! The difference between this bike and my Klein from 1998 is huge. On the Klein, you are in the "launch" position just sitting on it on flat land, never mind going down. So an ENDO was always a fear, so you had to constantly ride with your butt behind the seat skimming above the rear tire. I stay seated 90% of the time on the ENDURO SL. The real fun came for me when I changed the frame from "Slack" to "Steep" for a quicker steering response to handle the technical twisties of Harold Parker State Forest. I still have plenty of tire out front of me, with better bottom bracket/pedal clearance, and much better response to steering input. I would change back to slack if I ever go "downhilling" up in New Hampshire. One problem I had early on which has nothing to do with SPECIALIZED, is the chain kept coming off the middle chain ring up front causing unintentional power shifting. A call to Specialized revealed that the SHIMANO chain ring, particularly the newly shaped teeth on the XT Hollowcrank chain rings caused the chain to jump. My LBS changed out the middle ring, and the chain never fell off again. In closing, this bike rides, shifts, corners, accelerates, climbs and descends so well, I can't wait to ride it every day. If you are looking for a do it all bike that is light weight, stiff and can soak up anything in it's path, then get this bike. You won't have to change a thing, the shifts are precise and smooth, the brakes are amazing!! This is the best money I've ever spent on recreation! Gotta hit the trails....
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Todd Hayes
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego Date Reviewed: July 5, 2007
Favorite Trail:
big laguna
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$3800.00
Purchased At:
black mountain cycle
Strengths:
weight, long tavel, great component package, climbs like a goat, decends like a boulder.
Weaknesses:
none so far
Similar Products Used:
RUSH 600, specialized stump jumper
Bike Setup:
stock, why change a good thing
Bottom Line:
I have been riding for about ten years and have been getting alittle braver(stupider) on my decents. The rush I own is light and fast but a little too stiff for any real speed on decents. The enduro sl pro has it all. If you are truly looking for an "ALL MOUNTAIN" bike look no farther. tried the nomad and was just too heavy. Spend the money and go for the expert or pro, I would have bought the expert but none left in the area in my frame size.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
lavarider
a Cross Country Rider
from Hawaii Date Reviewed: June 30, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Pali
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$2400.00
Purchased At:
scotts valley cyclery
Strengths:
suspension, weight, ride
Weaknesses:
front tire sidewall was too light. switched to navegals and problem is solved. chain falls off way too easy. bought e13 chain guide/bash ring and fixed that.
Similar Products Used:
santa cruz nomad (demo'd) Heckler, specialized M4.
Bike Setup:
navegals, e13 bash ring/chain guide
Bottom Line:
can't beat the price and product. rode the same section on a nomad and couldn't say which was better. simular concerns with the cables under the bottom bracket but so far so good. climbs great. I find myself looking for the hard way down the trail. endo'd off a 4 ft drop and handled. I bottom out the suspension every now and then but hey, I'm 195 and ride pretty much DH trails (we gotta ride up them here to get down them). After the before mentioned mod's I'm very happy with the bike. I beat the sh@t out of it and it wants more!. the guys at Motto Mike and his crew hooked me up. I would buy from them again. beat my LBS price by $500 Replace the tires and be impressed! Gave it the outstanding based on post mods.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jones
a
from Madison, NC Date Reviewed: May 14, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Mine Mountain, Dupont State Forest
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$3300.00
Purchased At:
Liberty Bikes, Asheville NC
Strengths:
WEIGHT !!!, Climbing, Flexibility, ability to change travel and low speed dampening on the fly, Fork wheels and rear shock are the same that come on the $6500 dollar carbon version, downhill prowess, seat adjustability range, !!! 6 and 6 !!!
Weaknesses:
are you serious? ok, maybe the front tire
Similar Products Used:
Cannondale Prophet, Turner 5 spot, others
Bike Setup:
2007 Enduro SL Pro Frameset, It's presently built up about halfway between the pro and expert levels with an xt cassette, thompson elite, x9 drivetrain, blackspire stinger, BBG bashguard, heavy/cheap EA 50 bar, juicy 7's, xt crank, and the DT swiss XR 4.2D wheels and rear hub the pro frameset came with.
Bottom Line:
I've had my Enduro SL Pro Frameset for about a month now and have enjoyed every minuite with it. I say this because I cant help but get this huge goofy smile on my face every time I look at it. Sorry, I do not know the weight. Going out for the first time to Dupont State forest in western north carolina was the first eye-opener. Right off the bat I cleaned 2 technical climbs I had NEVER been able to get through without putting a foot down, then I realized I hadn't even botherd to lower the frok to the 110mm position!!!! Now when I go out with my normal group I feel like i'm cheating, I stay fresh all day and absolutely FLY downhill. Another plus is the range of seat adjustability, with my thompson trimed down I can drop the seat as far down as the post itself permits (with a straight thompson elite), in this position dh is a dream. The 25mm through axels is also sweet, who cares if the double crown weighs a half pound more than a comparable single, IT IS SO STIFF! It also feels quite foxy and has yet to give me any problems. The same goes for the AFR rear shock, I just leave it in the #2 setting and forget about it, letting the bike eat up the waterbars uphill. A couple weeks ago I even entered the very mild Clemson Freeride Downhill Race with a bunch of sweet berms, a giant wallride, and a couple of nice drops - what a blast! I do feel the Resolution 2.3 is a little weak up front, adding a wtb weirwolf race 2.5 (but a very narrow and light 2.5 at 736grams according to weight weenies) really boosted cornering and completed the bike. I have absolutely no regrets with this machine, it is amazing.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Cy
a Weekend Warrior
from NMB, Fl, USA Date Reviewed: May 4, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Dragons tail
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
So far everything about the bike is great. Light bike cool shocks and so on.
Weaknesses:
The only thing I can think of is the price, but you know the saying, you get what you pay for.
Similar Products Used:
Up grade from the big hit.
Bike Setup:
all stock for now.
Bottom Line:
Actually brought the bike last night and will go for my first ride today, I hope because Spiderman is playing now lol. Ok I picked this bike because of the way it is built. I'm not like these other guys at 140 to 180lbs. I'm one of the other guys hitting the 250lbs mark. If you want really good info about the bike check out specialized web cite on this bike. You will get great info, that's what pulled me into buying it. It supports my weight where the bike wont sag on me and living in Fla. you have lots of root system here, the rebound is adjustable again for your weight and riding style. The weight is very light for this type of bike almost as light as my road bike, well not that light but pick one up and you'll see. Well, that's it for now, I'll speak more on this subject in about a month from now and will let you know how the bike is handling. Happy trails, boy is that corny LOL
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Richard Lee
a Weekend Warrior
from Superior, Colorado Date Reviewed: April 22, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Hall Ranch Rock Garden
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$4400.00
Purchased At:
Westside Cycles
Strengths:
Light weight,stiff predictable fork,plush ride,climbs incredibly well,can make you over confident.28 pounds with thorn proof tubes and Stans tire sealant.
Weaknesses:
None that are glaring. Clearence between front tire and lower fork brace clogs with mud if you are in an extended mud run. This is a minor issue since we don't have real muddy trails here in Colorado, but may be an issue in wetter climates. Though it's not a problem yet, I do have concerns about the cable routing under the bottom bracket housing and between the left crank and BB housing, some tie wraps may be the answer.
Similar Products Used:
02 Giant NRS 3, Rapid Rise shifters, XTR cranks, Marzocchi Bomber fork. Shimano Saint 6" disc brakes. 34 pound bike. $1800 with upgrades
Bike Setup:
Stock,Crank Brothers Candy Eggbeaters.
Bottom Line:
A very cool looking bike.First one in Colorado. My first few rides on this bike where hard to complete, because I didn't want to be rude to people when they stopped to ask questions about it. The bike can make you over confident on uphill/downhill technical runs. Dumped the Candy Eggbeaters after 7 rides, just felt more comfortable with Shimano platforms for gnarly rock sections. My climbing has improved dramatically, turn the dial, press down on the fork and the bike becomes even more climb worthy. The cockpit is shorter than my Giant by 1" and this has taken some getting use too. I sit higher in the saddle on this bike. The Brakes are very powerful and took some getting use too. The handle bars are 2" wider than my Giants, but this gives you better control both climbing and downhilling. My first thought when I saw the turning radius with the frame guards, due to the duel crown fork, was this will never make a tight switchback, much to my surprise it doesn't get in the way at all. My biggest concern is that I have read, online, the front fork seals tend to give out and leak oil. I have noticed after three hard rides that there is a good amount of oil around the front left fork seal. My shop tells me Specialized puts 10cc's of oil on top of the inner fork to keep it wet. I wonder if this is why Specialized says they will take the fork back in the first year, no questions asked, and overnight you a new one if you have a problem...stay tuned. Moving down through very technical rides is a breeze. The head angle and very stiff fork are the keys. Climbing with this head angle, one would think, would make the front end jump up on you, but I have not noticed it any more than on my Giant. the oversized tires grab well in this climate. I prefer Shimano Rapid Rise shifters, mostly because the spring works with you when down shifting to easier gears while climbing and you don't get that under stress delay, but I have adapted quickly to the Srams and haven't had any problems with them. This is truley an All-Mountain bike and a pleasure to ride. If you are an aggresive rider this is the bike to get. Expensive, but money well spent for me.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Anthony Sokell
a Weekend Warrior
from Oakville, Ontario, Canada Date Reviewed: March 22, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$4600.00
Purchased At:
Oakville Cycle
Strengths:
After a long wait, and months of pouring over the Specialized website, the Enduro finally arrived. A quick pouring over the set up instructions, dialing in the air for the shock and fork, and a 3 hr snow ride later - Bliss. It climbs better than my previous Kona Dawg Deluxe, the double crown fork with the 25mm thru axle is plenty stiff, and contrary to other reviews, it has no impact on tight technical trails.
Weaknesses:
None so Far!
Similar Products Used:
Kona Dawg Deluxe - Giant Reign 2
Bike Setup:
180 lbs in rear shock, 90 in the fork - preload and compression set at stock
Bottom Line:
After 10 years, and 6 high dollar bikes:Klein, Proflex, Specialized, Trek, Kona, I've finally found THE rig that does it all. XC, DH, Freeride, all while looking fast while sitting still. Bravo Specialized.....
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tom
a Cross Country Rider
from Yucaipa, CA Date Reviewed: March 9, 2007
Favorite Trail:
SART
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Don's Bikes, Rialto CA
Strengths:
Light, stiff, great climbing ablity, nice suspension, good looks
I bought the SL pro frameset. This package is full of parts! The frame comes with Cane Creek headset, fork, DT wheelset/hub/tires/tubes, Thomson seatpost w/quick release and a XT front derailleur. I added Juicy 7 brakes, 8" front, 7" rear, Race Face Deus cranks, Sram X9 drivetrain, and a Flite Trans Am saddle. I have been riding an 04 Enduro for the last couple of years, which I liked quite a bit. This SL is even sweeter! I set up the air suspension as perscribed by Specialized, and hit the trail. The trail is an out and back mostly singletrack in a river wash area. 5 miles up, this thing climbs great. The run back to the car was great. It turns fairly quick, the fork is stiff, and has a smooth action that feels like a coil sprung model. It seems to me that the front and rear suspension is balanced very well, and the bike jumps nice and predictable. I never thought that a bike with air suspension at BOTH ends would ever feel like it had coil springs. This bike is also a work of art. You have to see one in person to appreciate it fully. I haven't put it on a scale yet, but it feels lighter than my old Enduro Pro, which is 30 lbs. I feel that this bike is a better value than its competition, Blur LT, 5.5, etc. Yes, I like it!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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