[b3n]

Hi all,

maybe my search for a full suspensed all mountain bike has ended: I've found a VERY good deal on an Enduro Expert 2005, and I must give my answer before tuesday. My only 2 doubts:

1. My mtb activity consists in: 70% weekend rides with friends, 40-50 km going up and down (with no hurry going up and trying to enjoy the descent as much as possible), 20% touring (backpack with sandwiches, a GPS, some maps and go...) 10% descent only rides. Probably the Enduro is not the best bike to do this, but what do you think? Would it be QUITE good (I mean, I don't care if I'll take 5 minutes more going uphill... it is worth if I can make my downhill faster and safer).

2. The 5th Element: not every shock blows up, I hope! I know Specialized will substitute a broken shock with no charge, but I don't want to stay a month or so with no bike!

Please report any opinion.

Bye, and a very merry Christmas to you,

b3n

 

[dan0]

I have an Enduro pro, coming from a Gary Fisher sugar1 it was quite a change
but I think the change was for the better. The enduro is heavier but it also has way more suspension and is beefier to boot. Most of the time I ride cross country and I keep the fox 32 turned all the way down which makes the handling pretty quick, but if I see a big down hill coming or maybe some drops, etc. just crank it up and viola no problem. It takes about 50 - 75 miles to get used to the extra weight but now I don't even notice. I ditched the enduro tires for weirwolves after the first ride..big diff. much faster. and while I liked the enduro seat it was too narrow for me. lastly I added a gravity dropper seat post. now the bike is 32 - 33 lbs. I kept the sugar but I've only ridden it once since I got the enduro
Bottom line the enduro isnt a race bike but it alot more fun and alot more versitle than
a specific type of ride (race, downhill, etc.) btw I weigh 220 lbs and havent had any problems with any componets including the 5th element shock

 

[Guest]

i have somewhere near 1000 miles (100% offroad btw) and more than 70,000 vertical feet of climbing (gps data) on my 05 Enduro. i really like my bike and think that it is a great multi-purpose MTB. i have done a great deal of modification to mine (about the only things that remain from the factory build are the frame, shock, fork, headset and brakes). i have beat the heck out of my bike and the shock and fork have given me zero issues. i had some problems with the front derailler and tire clearance, wound up going with a 1X9 setup and LOVE it. the stock wheels were ok but heavy, switched to Mavic Xmax XL, then gave those to my wife and went with a custom build (CK hubs, 819 rims). i changed the stem and bar to get a std diameter carbon bar that would flex a bit more and provide more comfort. went with a different seat to get the right feel. bent my XTR rear derailler on a rock in Sedona, now my bike has a medium/short cage XT. the stock tires were WAY too slow rolling, i currently run Kenda Nevegal 2.35 DTC rear and Kenda BlueGroove 2.35 Stick-E front. i wanted the stiffer external BB so i got 05 XT cranks. pedal choice is Crank Bros 2x Ti egg beaters. bike weighs about 31lbs (can get down to 29.5 with tire change).

this bike is awesome for just about everything i have tried. i ride a lot of SoCal trails and have traveled some to Nevada, Utah and Arizona. it climbs VERY well and is VERY stable and fast on the way down. i can't say enough good things about the 36R fork, i think it is great and i attribute a lot of my confidence in this bike to the fork. i think the 1X9 setup is awesome and can climb almost anything that others i ride with can climb with their granny gears.

the only thing i can say negative about this bike is that there isn't much bling factor to riding a specialized enduro expert (lots of bling value to owning an Ells, Turner, Yeti, Intense), but if that is the biggest complaint that i have you can tell that the bike is good!

 

[b3n]

This is what I was hoping to hear! Thank you!

 

[Tarekith]

Yes definitely ditch the stock tires, they are SO slow rolling. Put Nevegals on mine too, and it was like night and day difference.

 

[Guest]

a pic from todays ride...