Submitted by
fredjjjj
a Cross Country Rider
from North Vancouver, BC, Canada
Date Reviewed: July 2, 2010
Strengths: Suspension, suspension, suspension!
(Ok, 28.3 lbs weight is good too!)
Weaknesses: None so far
Bottom Line:
Incredible solid and stiff bike with the smoothest suspension
I have experienced. Nice slack angle with 160mm for downhill, great for climbing with 140. A breeze in twists and turns with the 4 lbs fork.
Specialized suspension reliability has been a problem in the last few years, but this one feels great!
Bike Setup: Enduro S-Works 2010 Frame+Fork with handlebar, wheels, front derailleur and stem (purchase price). Added XTR crank, Gravity Dropper post, Marta SL brakes, SRAM X0 shifters+rear derailleur, Shimano 647 pedals.
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Submitted by
oli2001
a Cross Country Rider
from uk
Date Reviewed: May 25, 2010
Strengths: light weight carbon frame, amount of travel, geometry, climbs and descends with equal panache
Weaknesses: stock suspension performance of afr rear shock
Bottom Line:
With the tf tuned rear shock and fox 150 forks this bike really is an all mountain machine. light enough to climb-with the adjustable platform rear shock and then flies on the descents. Can ride it all day ; the ONE bike.guaranteed to make any ride great fun. Got the frame s/hand in great condition and built up for trail duties.5 chillis with the shock performance upgrade.
Bike Setup: tf tuned rear shock, fox float 150 rl, mix of xt/slx, formula k24 brakes, am classic wheels ghetto tubeless with maxxis ardents
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Submitted by
catnash
a Weekend Warrior
from Carmarthen
Date Reviewed: April 10, 2009
Strengths: Weight, feel, looks. Specialized support and reputation.
Weaknesses: Really can't think of any. It's the right tool for the job.
Bottom Line:
It's my 3rd SL Enduro now over 2 years. I really love this bike so much.
I just can't believe how good this bike rides. Fast secure and enables you to go faster wherever you ride. The Carbon frame does feel really nice and takes the final chatter out of the trail.
The e150 fork is very easy to service, use slick honey and it will be plush as anything out there. It's a great tracking fork and stiff. As usual the 4bar suspension gives you control on those rough and rutted tracks.
I was very lucky to have a great deal on the frame only without seat post and swapped all the parts from my 08 Expert.
Bike Setup: All part swapped over from the 08 SL Expert.
+ CF CNT Bar. Masterpiece post. Ruffian grips. Phenom SL saddle. Roval Traversee wheelset o n the way.
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Submitted by
Bobbyincle
a Weekend Warrior
from UK.
Date Reviewed: June 27, 2008
Strengths: Looks. Weight. Great on the climbs, eats anything on the descents. More up to date and better developed than anything else, (Santa Cruz/Intense... look here to see the future).
Weaknesses: I wanted to swop my 80 mm stem for a 60 mm. When the bike was new, Specialized UK didn't have them, when they came through I had to pay 60 quid to swop!
Bottom Line:
Swopped my '06 Sworks Enduro for this. Suspension is not quite as plush (v. marginal), but easily makes up on the climbs. Much less fatiguing on long rides. I couldn't be happier!
Submitted by
Johs Cowley
a Racer
from Jeff City, MO
Date Reviewed: May 9, 2008
Strengths: Travil is amazing for the weight. Shifters are crisp and smoothe. Climbs like an angel, decends like a bat out of hell. "Attitude Ajustment" feature Beautiful bike (especially in brown)
Weaknesses: Price
Bottom Line:
The aggressive XC bike buisness is on the rise, and this is Specialized's top of the line in that field. Acuually this bike is probably the top of the line in this field totally. Specialized really outdid themselves with the suspention. I was kind of specticle when I did not see a brand name fork and rear shock, but I was impressed. I weode this bike for about 8 hours and I can not think of one thing I was criticle of.
THIS THING CLIMES BETTER THAN MOST 4-5 INCH TRAVIL BIKES.
The "attitude ajustmen" feature works well, and is easy to use. Specialized was the first to come out with this idea and I believe that Fox's 2009 line will be using a similer feature.
However, one thing that we cant avoide is the price. I highly reccomend this bike but if you cant come up with the cash i reccomend GT's Sanction 1.0, which rund arround $3300. Its a great bike overall, and an awsome bike for the price.
But if you really want to be ahead of the game, and get a bike that every other brand will soon be copying, go with this bike and if you have the money you will not regret it.
Strengths: Extremely light for 6 inch travel, Climbs excellent, Smooth on downhills, Perfect Geometry (for me).
Weaknesses: Suspension reliability is sub par. Forks, out of the box, did not hold air. Spesh replaced cartridges. I never installed the forks on the bike after that. I went directly to the 07 and then the 08 Talas RC2. Riding for a few months of aggressive cross country and shock broke. Literally came apart when removed from bike. Spesh replaced with 08 model. Less then 1 week for replacement each time. Claim next day but not always. 08 shock appears better
Bottom Line:
This review started with a 2007 model. It has since graduated to a mostly 2008 model thanks to my personality to never leave thing stock and constantly tinker. The bike is a great bike for anything, but has suspension flaws. The 08 shock appears better so far with only about 100 miles on it. I never used the replacement fork cartridges so I can not accurately say if they are better. Spesh appear to want to do the right thing though.
Don't let the value ratings fool you, this is the best bike I've owned. I love it for everything. But I feel for the price there should not be as many problems with suspension.
Similar Products Used: 03 Enduro pro, 04 and 06 S-Works Enduro. Various other X-country bikes
Bike Setup: 08 Fox Talas RC2, 08 XTR dual controls complete XTR drive (shadow derailleur), 08 Roval Traversee (3 rides), Phenom SL saddle, Eskar tires running 2bliss, Easton Carbon post and bars, Candy 4 Ti. Actual weight 26.65 lbs no pedals
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Submitted by
Tom McGuinness
a Cross Country Rider
from Park City, UT
Date Reviewed: April 1, 2008
Strengths: Climbing and descending and cross country. Anything on this bike is a blast. Six inches of travel @ 28lbs.
Weaknesses: Shock leaked, but was promptly replaced by the Julian at White Pine. Shock can hit the frame on tight turns.
Bottom Line:
Never ever would have thought I'd spend this much on a bike (I purchased two for 9K). I ride cross country around Park City and though it looks like a DH bike (probably could be)I love it for what I do. It climbs really well, descends like a dream and on the flat our big chain ring cranking this bike floats..fun, fun, fun! I haven't had any regrets at all, I LOVE this bike. When this bike has run it's course, I'm buying another one...no doubt about it. Check out White Pine Touring in PC for their end of the year sales, you can't beat their prices!!
Similar Products Used: My third specialized (1999 Sworks M4, 2003 Enduro Pro)but this bike is WAY beyond anything I've ever been on.
Bike Setup: Stock 2007 SWorks SL Carbon
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Submitted by
Jim
a Weekend Warrior
from Gilroy, CA
Date Reviewed: February 23, 2008
Strengths: Climbs surprisingly well for a 6-in travel all-mountain rig. Light weight. Suspension nicely balanced between front and rear. Easy on the eyes!
Weaknesses: Steep retail price, but I received a great deal from Revo. Bottom bracket height on the low side, requiring a little more attenion when crossing logs and negotiating rock gardens.
Bottom Line:
I was looking for more travel and a more robust bike in general to ride my favorite trails in the Santa Cruz mountains. My first plunge down Sawpit (in Soquel Demonstration Forest)made a believer out of me. Revo had dialed in my suspension at the time of purchase and the result was amazing. I was able to bomb steep technical sections with confidence and was going a lot faster -- through the turns, over drops and rocks/roots...even uphill because this bike pedals so efficiently. If you can only have one bike in the stable (yeah right) -- a "do everything" machine, this is it. Even with the big price tag, the transformational capabilities of this bike warrant a 5 chili rating for value. I couldn't be happier with my purchase.
Similar Products Used: S-Works Epic Carbon Disc, S-Works M5 FSR
Bike Setup: Stock factory set up except for Maverick Speedball R retractable seatpost
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Submitted by
Timothy
a Weekend Warrior
from San Marcos CA USA
Date Reviewed: December 27, 2007
Strengths: Everything, except what see below.
Weaknesses: Cable routing. Specialized tires.
Bottom Line:
The lightest 6 inch travel bike on the planet. I rode the Enduro Pro model prior to getting the Enduro S-works, and there is a noticable difference. The S-works checked in 3 pounds lighter than the Pro in size Large, and is a lot quieter on the downhills. The carbon seems to dampen the chatter. This bike is an insanely good climber -- in fact I prefer it to my 2007 Stumpjumper Pro if the terrain is moderately technical (or harder). My beefs with the bike: the cable routing sucks, the front forks tend to be a bit sticky, and the Specialized tires are worthless on DG...go with Kendas. Want to enjoy the uphill as much as the downhill? Want to have more confidence on technical downhills? This bike is for you.
Strengths: Awesome machine. Basically, the past reviews recap everything I would say. I got a smoking deal. My buddy's kid got caught dealing drugs, so the father sold me the bike for 1500. The kid bought it with drug money, so I made out!
Submitted by
Jeff j
a Cross Country Rider
from Laguna Hills, CA
Date Reviewed: July 18, 2007
Strengths: 28 Ibs and six amazing inches of travel. Well balanced, stable. Specialized customer service.
Weaknesses: No tubeless from factory. Stock tires not my first choice.
Bottom Line:
Okay, I'm smirking right now just thinking about riding this thing. To start, this bike climbs excellent. Just lock down the fork and firm up the rear shock, and you're on a great climbing cross country bike. Descending on this bike is extremely stable and the suspension eats up just about anything you can point it at. It's truly quite amazing. The fork and shock work in harmony far better than any other bike I've ridden (and I'm not just saying this because I invested $6K). I'm always pushing the limits on descents and my Jekyll was starting to limit me. On this bike, I feel I still have a lot of room to grow. The best part is I'm getting to the top faster and still have more energy left for the descent.
A few things to note.. First, I unknowingly took delivery of my bike with a defective air cartridge in the fork. This seemed to be a known problem from Specialized. Rock and Road switched it out in five minutes and it hasn't leaked a pound since. Two months later the compression/rebound adjustment broke on the rear shock. Again, Rock and Road took care of it and it's been fine since. No major inconveniences and I knew I was taking some risk in buying the new shocks the first year on the market. I just hope Specialized will take care of their customers after the warranty expires shall any problems arise.
Bottom line is this is quite an amazing bike that you appreciate more over time when realize its true capabilities. I've had mine 3 months and still amazed every ride.
Bike Setup: Stock with DT Swiss tubless kit and XTR pedals.
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Submitted by
Fred Jorgensen
a Weekend Warrior
from North Vancouver, BC Canada
Date Reviewed: June 12, 2007
Strengths: Low weight, excellent frame and suspension. Front stiffness, well balanced. DT Rims/hubs no problem, but need some time to prove it.
Weaknesses: Stock parts are not 'all mountain' caliber. Fortunately I just got the frame, so not much wasted, but my comments relate to the complete bike. Stock tires are useless. Stock handlebar is too low. Layback Thompson seatpost means it cannot be completely dropped for steeps, so tried straight 30.9 post, but because the seat tube narrows, it cannot be dropped completely either! So I ended up with a straight Diablus 27.2 with a shim. (Diablus has a slight layback for proper reach). Magura Marthas are too lightweight IMHO. Cross country 959 pedals on an all mountain bike?
Bottom Line:
The best all mountain bike I ever owned after getting the right setup. I think Specialized must have had a '27 lbs fetish' with all the X-country stock parts. Mine weighs in just over 29, but I'm happy in any terrain and trail conditions. Expensive, so value is 4! Lot's of money to be saved with the aluminum Enduro SLs, with very little weight penalty!
Bike Setup: Large frame, Magura Louise brakes, SRAM X.9 shifters/rear derr (XTR stock front derr), XTR crankset, Diablus 27.2 seatpost, Kenda Nevagal 2.35 tires, Answerpro aluminum high rise bar, Shimano 647 pedals.
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Submitted by
Raul Hevia
a Weekend Warrior
from Ivins, UT
Date Reviewed: June 9, 2007
Strengths: Too many to list, but here's a few. Geometry design, SUSPENSION!!, components, CARBON FIBRE FRAME. SRAM shifters and derrailleurs, performance... on and on. Read The Bottom Line.
Weaknesses: Pricey! But you get what you pay for. I have had it less than a month. The wheelset is supposed to be very strong and lightweight, This bike weighs in at 27 lbs.! (not a weakness of course) Maybe the wheelset is not strong enough for 8 foot drops, I couldnt assure that, but, then you should probably be riding an 8-9 inch travel bike. Check with the manufacturer about that.
Bottom Line:
I owned a 2006 Enduro Sworks for 1 1/2 seasons and threw any kind of trail with less than 4 foot drops to it (not that the bike was not capable of bigger drops) and ate it up like cake. I descended faster than any rider with 6 inch travel bikes or less. I pedaled up great and kept up with most everybody uphill. I was really satisfied with my investment, but, then came the new 07 Enduro SL ...
This new Enduro SL is better than any bike I have used and owned in every respect. The suspension is so much superior than Fox RC32 Talas and Fox Float 5.0, plus their customer service is B or C rated in my opinion (sorry Fox). It makes every technical obstacle 15 to 20% easier it almost takes away the challenge. It pedals better than my previous bike and, it descends faster. After skidding downhill to make a hairpin or tight turn the bike falls in the right place to track on forward. I am going a lot faster uphill and even more downhill. I am really impressed with the performance of this bike. The geometry is a big improvement on last years Enduro, it fits like a glove everywhere on the trail. I lost regard for safety going downhill at high speeds due to my confidence on this bike. I would see an obstacle as I descended and would think "Thats a tough one... I better slow down... Oh, maybe not, my bike will tackle it for me...
Trails in my area are very technical ranging from high speed singletracks to tight technical rock obstacles, slow speed tracking. And with a lifetime warranty on the frame and Specialized's excellent customer service, who cares if the frame cracks or brakes? I get it replaced for free no questions asked.
I do not beleive there is anything better out there in the "All Mountain" category. Specialized comes through again!
I will keep riding and posting reviews as time goes on.
Favorite Trail: The Barrel Ride, Zen Trail, Gooseberry, Little Creek.
Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Purchased At: Red Rock Bicycle
Similar Products Used: 2006 Enduro S Works, Santa Cruz VP Free, Santa Cruz Heckler, Gary Fisher Sugar 3+ Disc, Giant NRS.
Bike Setup: S Works Component group for 2007, Carbon Fibre frame, WTB Weirwolf 2.3 race, rear wheelset: Chris King Hub, Alex Rims Supra D.
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Submitted by
Jason
a Cross Country Rider
from Tahlequah, OK
Date Reviewed: April 9, 2007
Strengths: Light and versatile
Weaknesses: flimsy rims, leaky fork
Bottom Line:
For $7K, I expected a bit more. The fork leaked on day one. The rims bent on my daily ride. I ride a lot of rocks but - come on! I just hope Specialized makes good on their warranty.
The S-Works Epic Carbon, and S-Works Stumpjumper FSR Carbon both come with a carbon bar, but the S-Works Enduro SL Carbon does not.
Does anyone have an opinion as to why Speci Read More »
I'm looking at buying a 2007 Enduro SL S-Works, has anyone noticed any inconsistency with the finish on the carbon frame? It seems to go from a pure gloss black near the shock or Read More »
My LBS had both bikes - Enduro SL's - in my size. - an 08 Pro carbon and an 07 S-works for very close to the same price - 07 s-works is even $200 cheaper.
Given all the issues Read More »
I have a 2007 S-works Enduro - the 'other' enduro. I thought it might be fun to make a carbon one too - if the travel can be bumped to 6.5 like the one I have now. The BB isn't v Read More »
