This is Specialized's six inch All Mountain Bike with the front travel provided by the E150 triple clamp fork and the rear provided by the Specialized AFR shock. This bike comes as a Total Suspension Integration bike where the chassis, suspension and components were designed from the beginning as part of an integrated system. This allows the Enduro to have a fork and shock with similar bump compliance providing a balanced suspension. Tagged as "Climb Higher; Descend Farther" this bike is for the person who wants a six inch travel bike that doesn't compromise climbing for increased downhill performance.
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Sweeping lines and contrasting colours makes this baby turn some heads!
The Bike
This bike was lent to me by Obsession: Bikes in North Vancouver, Canada for this review.
The patented FSR suspension separates braking and chain forces from the suspension which prevents brake jack and ensures control on steep descents. Specialized's TSI - Total Suspension Integration - allows Specialized to design a bike from scratch integrating the chassis, suspension and components to allow all components to fit for the bikes purpose.
The slack angles and low standover provides confidence on steep rough descents.
The E-type derailleur provides smooth shifting on rough terrain when switching gears during varying trail steepness.
The E150 triple clamp fork provides more downhill performance in a stiffer fork than other six
inch travel forks. The integrated stem increases stiffness, reduces weight but limits your ability to change your stem length. Matched with the AFR shock the suspension is designed to balance stability and bump management. Lowering the fork and shock facilitates long extended climbs. Releasing these settings puts the fork and shock back into full travel mode.
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Slack angles make wandering through the alpine flowers comfortable
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The left leg contains the attitude adjustment which can be changed on the fly. The right leg contains the compression and rebound adjustments and can also be changed on the fly. Note that you cannot change the stem length on this bike.
Continued...The Front End and Rear End...
Front end
Specialized Futureshock E150. 150mm travel, adjustable to 110mm with the Attitude Adjustment to lower the fork for climbing. The triple clamp reduces weight and increases the stiffness of the fork. 25mm axle and fused lowers also increase stiffness and strength of the fork. A spike valve on the left fork leg allows low levels of oil to flow at low speeds to reduce travel while climbing, then at higher speeds the spike valve is opened to allow maximum travel. The left leg contains a high volume air chamber which regulates the plushness of the fork at various compression levels from climbing to fast hard descents creating an even feel throughout travel.
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Low standover makes technical riding, while not apparent at this point of the trail, fun.
Rear end
The rear suspension uses the Specialized AFR Shock with spike valve adjustment. Setting the rebound to full slow locks the rear shock to its lowest setting firming up the rear for climbing. Setting the compression to -f- for firm also firms the suspension for climbing, but not as much as turning the rebound dampening to fully slow. For descents switching the compression to -s- for slow and the rebound dampening to fast puts the bike into plush quick downhill responsiveness.
Continued...Specs and The Ride...
Specs
The bike is equipped with Specialized components - seatpost, saddle, handlebar, stem, tires. The saddle was very comfortable and easily adjusted. Specialized uses their own components as part of their philosophy of an integrated system and so that they do not rely on other manufacturers for supplies. The integrated stem-fork system reduces weight and increases the stiffness of the front end. The disadvantage is you cannot change the stem length with this setup.
The high end SRAM X-0 and XTR components keeps this bike light and gucci.
The Juicy Ultimates at 333g modulated well, providing great one finger braking power throughout the descent. With a 203cm front rotor you don't notice the smaller 185mm rear rotor during braking. This is an interesting match that works. Whether to save weight or to have a stonger front brake over the rear there was no compromise in braking with this combination. Also, you didn't have to worry about bending the rear rotor on rough terrain if you use the smallest rotor you need.
The Eskar tires were the greatest hindrance on this bike. While they performed well during braking, they did not hook up well in corners and did not provide confidence to go faster.
The DT Swiss rims on this demo bike stood up well to the constant straight line pounding that the fork would allow.
Specifications are as follows:
Frame Set- Enduro M5 alloy, fully manipulated frame w/ ORE TT and DT, forged HT, sealed cartridge bearing pivots, ISCG mount adj. geometry, replaceable derailleur hanger, 150mm travel
Fork - Specialized Future Shock e150SL, dual crown w/ integrated stem, 150mm travel, rebound, compresion and travel adjust, 25mm thru axle, alloy steerer
Shock - Specialized AFR Shock w/ Spike valve, air spring, adjustable rebound and low speed compression, 7.875x2.25"
Sizes - 15.5in / 17.5in / 18.5in / 19.5in / 21.5in
Warrantee - Specialized stands behind the materials and workmanship of any Specialized branded fork or rear shock for a full 5 years.
Wheelset - DT Swiss custom for Specialized X420, 24mm w/ eyelets, 32h
Tires- S-Works Eskar, 26x2.3", 120 TPI, aramid tubeless ready bead, dual compound
Stem- S-Works, Future Shock, CNC'd, 31.8mm clamp integrated w/ fork
Bar - Specialized Enduro mid rise bar, 2014 alloy, 31.8mm, 6 degree up, 9 degree backsweep, 660mm wide
Post - 2014 butted alloy, single bolt setback, 30.9 x 350/400mm
Saddle>- Specialized Enduro, titanium rails, SL foam
Headset - 1 1/8" threadless, Campy spec integrated sealed cartridge bearing
BrakeSet - Avid Juicy Ultimate, hydraulic disc, 203mm rotor (front), 185mm rotor (rear)
Crankset - Shimano M-970 XTR
Front Derailleur - Shimano M970 XTR, DMD top swing
Rear Derailleur - SRAM X-0, 9-speed, mid cage
Shifters - SRAM X-0, carbon/aluminum 9-speed trigger
Geometry for a Specialized Medium frame is as follows:
Standover - 748mm/29.4in
Head Tube Angle - 67(low setting) / 67.9 (high setting)
Seat Tube Angle - 71.9 ( low setting) / 72.8 (high setting)
Effective Top Tube Length - 591mm/23.3in
Wheel Base - 1147mm/45.1in
Bottom Bracket Height - 356mm/14in - 367mm/14.4
Chainstay - 421mm/16.5in
Weight - 31lbs
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Fire road approaches were not a chore on this bike.
![]()
When I wanted the bike to make me stop climbing it wouldn't and I had to keep going.ugh.
About the reviewer:
I am 5'9", weigh 150lbs. I have been riding for 17 years. I come from an XC hardtail background but have moved with technology and ride a Titus RacerX for XC, a Turner 6 pack for DH and Shore riding, a Norco Atomic for the Whistler Bike Park and a Norco Team Ti set up for more freeriding/shore/technical XC riding.
My Bikes!
The Ride:
When first sitting on this bike you notice the tall front, slack angles, low standover and lowering into the suspension. This gives you the impression that the bike will be a great descender and slow climber. Playing with the fork and shock adjustments really alters the geometry of the bike to lower and stiffen the rear and front to provide a firmer climbing platform.
Setting the shock rebound dampening to slow and compression to firm with the fork set to 'climb' made this bike into a firm solid climber. Adjusting the fork rebound and compression did not make as much difference on the climbing platform. Technical climbing was possible on this bike as it moved slowly and precisely over roots and rocks. While this bike was not an active climber i.e.; it wouldn't propel forward over the terrain like a more agile climbing bike, it would climb like a Toyota Land cruiser in 4-low.
The tires did well climbing over roots and rocks but didn't offer a lot of traction on off-camber surfaces where the bike would slip off. I did have to play with the seat post clamp to ensure it was really tight so the post wouldn't slip down during climbs.
I did find that if you rode in a rooty section of trail with the suspension set on firm the bike was very stiff and reacted unpredictably on the rougher terrain.
Once at the top of the climb it was easy to set the bike into descend mode. This instantly made the rear plush and the front end higher. Descending rough terrain was a snap on this bike. The front fork would gobble up the terrain features making route adjustments a thing for lesser forks. Initially the sag was set at 30%, this resulted in the rear to bounce more then expected for a bike of this type. Reducing the sag created a plusher platform that still did not bottom out on the larger hits. Reducing the fork sag to >30% also created a plusher platform and still the fork did not bottom out. I did find the fork quite firm at lower speeds, getting plusher as you rode faster.
The Eskar tires did not inspire confidence. During one high speed turn on dry loose dirt the tires slid out causing me to crash. Replacing the front tire with one with beefier side knobs helped in corners and allowed for greater speeds which is where this bike wanted to be.
Continued...Summary, Rating, More Action Shots...
Overall Impression:
If you are looking for one bike to do it all this could be it. A solid but not fast climbing bike it will get you up the hill. Switching to the descent is easy and the bike easily soaks up a variety of hits. Finding the best level of plushness takes a bit of time to determine the optimum air pressure in the shock and fork. The geometry and components are best suited to descending. This bike looks like a DH bike in the front and a cross country bike in the back. It will turn heads and it works.
Summary:
Specs:3/5
Price:4/5
Ride: 4/5
Overall: 4/5 Chili Peppers!
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Pros:
- Very tunable plush suspension
- Stiff front end
- Great climber, solid descender
Cons:
- Eskar tires did not hook up well on loose dry terrain
- Fork may be too much for most riders who don't need the stiff fork or want a more responsive bike
- No ability to change stem length
Detailed Specifications
The source for this information is Specialized Suggested Retail of this bike is $3699.00
The Enduro in Action!
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Even on the Medium frame which felt big sure didn't look big on me!
![]()
Not a bad climber!
![]()
Now we go down on a classic Kananaskis trail.
![]()
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![]()
Sweeping lines and contrasting colours makes this baby turn some heads!
The Bike
This bike was lent to me by Obsession: Bikes in North Vancouver, Canada for this review.
The patented FSR suspension separates braking and chain forces from the suspension which prevents brake jack and ensures control on steep descents. Specialized's TSI - Total Suspension Integration - allows Specialized to design a bike from scratch integrating the chassis, suspension and components to allow all components to fit for the bikes purpose.
The slack angles and low standover provides confidence on steep rough descents.
The E-type derailleur provides smooth shifting on rough terrain when switching gears during varying trail steepness.
The E150 triple clamp fork provides more downhill performance in a stiffer fork than other six
inch travel forks. The integrated stem increases stiffness, reduces weight but limits your ability to change your stem length. Matched with the AFR shock the suspension is designed to balance stability and bump management. Lowering the fork and shock facilitates long extended climbs. Releasing these settings puts the fork and shock back into full travel mode.
Slack angles make wandering through the alpine flowers comfortable
The left leg contains the attitude adjustment which can be changed on the fly. The right leg contains the compression and rebound adjustments and can also be changed on the fly. Note that you cannot change the stem length on this bike.
Continued...The Front End and Rear End...
Front end
Specialized Futureshock E150. 150mm travel, adjustable to 110mm with the Attitude Adjustment to lower the fork for climbing. The triple clamp reduces weight and increases the stiffness of the fork. 25mm axle and fused lowers also increase stiffness and strength of the fork. A spike valve on the left fork leg allows low levels of oil to flow at low speeds to reduce travel while climbing, then at higher speeds the spike valve is opened to allow maximum travel. The left leg contains a high volume air chamber which regulates the plushness of the fork at various compression levels from climbing to fast hard descents creating an even feel throughout travel.
Low standover makes technical riding, while not apparent at this point of the trail, fun.
Rear end
The rear suspension uses the Specialized AFR Shock with spike valve adjustment. Setting the rebound to full slow locks the rear shock to its lowest setting firming up the rear for climbing. Setting the compression to -f- for firm also firms the suspension for climbing, but not as much as turning the rebound dampening to fully slow. For descents switching the compression to -s- for slow and the rebound dampening to fast puts the bike into plush quick downhill responsiveness.
Continued...Specs and The Ride...
Specs
The bike is equipped with Specialized components - seatpost, saddle, handlebar, stem, tires. The saddle was very comfortable and easily adjusted. Specialized uses their own components as part of their philosophy of an integrated system and so that they do not rely on other manufacturers for supplies. The integrated stem-fork system reduces weight and increases the stiffness of the front end. The disadvantage is you cannot change the stem length with this setup.
The high end SRAM X-0 and XTR components keeps this bike light and gucci.
The Juicy Ultimates at 333g modulated well, providing great one finger braking power throughout the descent. With a 203cm front rotor you don't notice the smaller 185mm rear rotor during braking. This is an interesting match that works. Whether to save weight or to have a stonger front brake over the rear there was no compromise in braking with this combination. Also, you didn't have to worry about bending the rear rotor on rough terrain if you use the smallest rotor you need.
The Eskar tires were the greatest hindrance on this bike. While they performed well during braking, they did not hook up well in corners and did not provide confidence to go faster.
The DT Swiss rims on this demo bike stood up well to the constant straight line pounding that the fork would allow.
Specifications are as follows:
Frame Set- Enduro M5 alloy, fully manipulated frame w/ ORE TT and DT, forged HT, sealed cartridge bearing pivots, ISCG mount adj. geometry, replaceable derailleur hanger, 150mm travel
Fork - Specialized Future Shock e150SL, dual crown w/ integrated stem, 150mm travel, rebound, compresion and travel adjust, 25mm thru axle, alloy steerer
Shock - Specialized AFR Shock w/ Spike valve, air spring, adjustable rebound and low speed compression, 7.875x2.25"
Sizes - 15.5in / 17.5in / 18.5in / 19.5in / 21.5in
Warrantee - Specialized stands behind the materials and workmanship of any Specialized branded fork or rear shock for a full 5 years.
Wheelset - DT Swiss custom for Specialized X420, 24mm w/ eyelets, 32h
Tires- S-Works Eskar, 26x2.3", 120 TPI, aramid tubeless ready bead, dual compound
Stem- S-Works, Future Shock, CNC'd, 31.8mm clamp integrated w/ fork
Bar - Specialized Enduro mid rise bar, 2014 alloy, 31.8mm, 6 degree up, 9 degree backsweep, 660mm wide
Post - 2014 butted alloy, single bolt setback, 30.9 x 350/400mm
Saddle>- Specialized Enduro, titanium rails, SL foam
Headset - 1 1/8" threadless, Campy spec integrated sealed cartridge bearing
BrakeSet - Avid Juicy Ultimate, hydraulic disc, 203mm rotor (front), 185mm rotor (rear)
Crankset - Shimano M-970 XTR
Front Derailleur - Shimano M970 XTR, DMD top swing
Rear Derailleur - SRAM X-0, 9-speed, mid cage
Shifters - SRAM X-0, carbon/aluminum 9-speed trigger
Geometry for a Specialized Medium frame is as follows:
Standover - 748mm/29.4in
Head Tube Angle - 67(low setting) / 67.9 (high setting)
Seat Tube Angle - 71.9 ( low setting) / 72.8 (high setting)
Effective Top Tube Length - 591mm/23.3in
Wheel Base - 1147mm/45.1in
Bottom Bracket Height - 356mm/14in - 367mm/14.4
Chainstay - 421mm/16.5in
Weight - 31lbs
Fire road approaches were not a chore on this bike.
When I wanted the bike to make me stop climbing it wouldn't and I had to keep going.ugh.
About the reviewer:
I am 5'9", weigh 150lbs. I have been riding for 17 years. I come from an XC hardtail background but have moved with technology and ride a Titus RacerX for XC, a Turner 6 pack for DH and Shore riding, a Norco Atomic for the Whistler Bike Park and a Norco Team Ti set up for more freeriding/shore/technical XC riding.
My Bikes!
The Ride:
When first sitting on this bike you notice the tall front, slack angles, low standover and lowering into the suspension. This gives you the impression that the bike will be a great descender and slow climber. Playing with the fork and shock adjustments really alters the geometry of the bike to lower and stiffen the rear and front to provide a firmer climbing platform.
Setting the shock rebound dampening to slow and compression to firm with the fork set to 'climb' made this bike into a firm solid climber. Adjusting the fork rebound and compression did not make as much difference on the climbing platform. Technical climbing was possible on this bike as it moved slowly and precisely over roots and rocks. While this bike was not an active climber i.e.; it wouldn't propel forward over the terrain like a more agile climbing bike, it would climb like a Toyota Land cruiser in 4-low.
The tires did well climbing over roots and rocks but didn't offer a lot of traction on off-camber surfaces where the bike would slip off. I did have to play with the seat post clamp to ensure it was really tight so the post wouldn't slip down during climbs.
I did find that if you rode in a rooty section of trail with the suspension set on firm the bike was very stiff and reacted unpredictably on the rougher terrain.
Once at the top of the climb it was easy to set the bike into descend mode. This instantly made the rear plush and the front end higher. Descending rough terrain was a snap on this bike. The front fork would gobble up the terrain features making route adjustments a thing for lesser forks. Initially the sag was set at 30%, this resulted in the rear to bounce more then expected for a bike of this type. Reducing the sag created a plusher platform that still did not bottom out on the larger hits. Reducing the fork sag to >30% also created a plusher platform and still the fork did not bottom out. I did find the fork quite firm at lower speeds, getting plusher as you rode faster.
The Eskar tires did not inspire confidence. During one high speed turn on dry loose dirt the tires slid out causing me to crash. Replacing the front tire with one with beefier side knobs helped in corners and allowed for greater speeds which is where this bike wanted to be.
Continued...Summary, Rating, More Action Shots...
Overall Impression:
If you are looking for one bike to do it all this could be it. A solid but not fast climbing bike it will get you up the hill. Switching to the descent is easy and the bike easily soaks up a variety of hits. Finding the best level of plushness takes a bit of time to determine the optimum air pressure in the shock and fork. The geometry and components are best suited to descending. This bike looks like a DH bike in the front and a cross country bike in the back. It will turn heads and it works.
Summary:
Specs:3/5
Price:4/5
Ride: 4/5
Overall: 4/5 Chili Peppers!
Pros:
- Very tunable plush suspension
- Stiff front end
- Great climber, solid descender
Cons:
- Eskar tires did not hook up well on loose dry terrain
- Fork may be too much for most riders who don't need the stiff fork or want a more responsive bike
- No ability to change stem length
Detailed Specifications
The source for this information is Specialized Suggested Retail of this bike is $3699.00
The Enduro in Action!
Even on the Medium frame which felt big sure didn't look big on me!
Not a bad climber!
Now we go down on a classic Kananaskis trail.
