Specialized S-Works Enduro 29 - Reviewed
REVIEWED
Specialized
S-Works Enduro 29
S-Works Enduro 29
WORDS Mike Levy
PHOTOS Colin Meagher
One might easily assume that designing and assembling a mountain bike that retails for over nine grand and offers out of this world performance would be an easy task. After all, it must be pretty straightforward, right? All you have to do is take your top tier carbon frame, throw the best of the best suspension on it, some ultra light wheels and the latest drivetrain and you should have a winner straight out of the box. But hold on a sec, don't a handful of companies already do exactly that yet manage to fall short in one area or another, automatically relegating their headliner as a close-but-no-cigar bike with an insane sticker price? The issue is that when a bike has an MSRP of $9,250 USD like the S-Works Enduro 29 reviewed here, it's expected to be perfect. Maybe even better than perfect. There can't be any place to upgrade outside of personal preferences, and it has to deliver the kind of on-trail feelings that are on par with watching your first child being born or defusing a bomb with only a few seconds remaining on the clock. Maybe some slight exaggerations there, but not much if you're the guy walking out of the shop with your own shiny new S-Works machine.
Specialized has gone all out with their class topping, 155mm travel S-Works Enduro 29: carbon fiber wheels, a RockShox Pike and Cane Creek DBair CS shock, as well as an XX1 drivetrain, and it's all hung off a carbon fiber frame that features some clever talking points that we'll cover below. And speaking of the bike's tech and spec, the S-Works Enduro 29 must be held to a higher standard on the trail due to all of the above and the price tag that goes along with it, so we went into our time on it with exactly that sort of mindset. How did it fare? Read on to find out.
S-Works Enduro 29 Details
• Intended use: all-mountain / enduro
• Wheel size: 29''
• Rear wheel travel: 155mm
• Carbon fiber front triangle
• FSR rear suspension
• RockShox RCT3 29 fork, 160mm
• Cane Creek DBair CS shock
• Roval Traverse SL 29 carbon wheelset
• Weight: 27.1lbs (w/o pedals)
• MSRP: $9,250 USD
Specialized's eight model Enduro lineup includes both 26" and 29" variants, carbon or aluminum frames, and also an Evo platform that sports added travel, burlier components, and both slacker and lower geometry. So while it's fair to say that the Enduro range is more Brady Bunch in size than what many companies offer, it is also clear that they are all bikes that are intended to be ridden over or off nearly anything on the trail. At the same time, though, Specialized has made alterations over the years to improve their pedalling abilities in an effort to create bikes that aren't thought of as one trick ponies. It's the Enduro 29 that is the most interesting in the pack to us because, after having spent plenty of time on 26" wheeled Enduro platforms in the past, we're curious to find out if Specialized has been able to deliver those capabilities to their new big-wheeler.
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 The E29s carbon front triangle sees brake, shift, and dropper seat post lines all routed along the underside of the down tube, while its aluminum rear end measures just 430mm. |
Frame Details
It all starts with the bike's FACT IS-X 11m carbon frame that consists of a number of different monocoque units, a manufacturing method that Specialized says ''allows the carbon fibers to run continuously from tube to tube, offering advantages in weight, stiffness, and strength.'' The finished product offers an impressive amount of stand over height, especially for a 29er with 155mm of travel, and an appearance that should win over pretty much anybody. The big talking point with the E29 platform is just how short Specialized's engineers have been able to make the bike's chain stays - just 430mm / 16.9''. That's damn short for any 29er, let alone one with the amount of travel that the E29 offers. Hell, there's a good chance that number is smaller than what your 26" wheeled bike can claim to have. Sure, it is true that having the outright shortest back end shouldn't be the goal of every design, but reining in the tail of a long travel 29er has certainly shown to improve its performance in many areas. How did Specialized do it? By looking at every frame element that has an effect on chain stay length, including obvious things such as seat tube placement (it's been shifted forward for added tire clearance), to other bits that only an engineer might pick up on: the subtly shaped bridge on the underside of the seat stays that just clears the front triangle on compression, shaping to the chain stays that allows for high volume tires despite the tight confines near the bottom bracket, and the removable 'Taco Blade' front derailleur mounting point that is shoehorned into place just forward of the tire. That's a whole lot of effort considering that it isn't like anyone would complain if the bike had 10mm of length added to its chain stays, but Specialized knew how they wanted the E29 to handle and put in quite a bit of work to make it happen.
The S-Works E29 frame can also tick off all of the requisite features: a stubby tapered head tube, ISCG 05 chain guide tabs, room for a full sized water bottle (something that isn't as common as you might think), and internal routing for its Command Post dropper. It also sports '142+' dropouts that Specialized says makes for a more rigid combination of frame and wheel components. In a nutshell, the bike's Roval Traverse SL rear hub features end caps that allow for a slightly wider hub stance that, along with the 12mm thru-axle, is claimed to offer added stiffness.
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| The bike's 155mm of rear wheel travel is controlled via a Horst Link layout. |
Specialized employs their own FSR branded Horst Link layout across the board on their full-suspension bikes, with everything from the big travel Demo to the whispy Epic cross-country weapon using a variation of the design, each tuned according to the bike's intentions, and that's exactly what you'll find on the 155m travel Enduro 29 platform. The layout isn't exactly the same as what's been used on past Enduros, though, with it evolving to both match the larger wheel size and address some shortcomings of the older system, mainly pedalling feel - there are near countless possibilities when it comes to pivot locations and how they effect the bike's performance, and Specialized has slightly modified those in order to build-in more "jump" when on the gas.
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Riding the
Enduro
Enduro
Climbing / Acceleration: We've spent time on a handful of bikes in the same travel bracket as the S-Works E29 that have all surprised us with their ascending abilities - two recent examples being the Mondraker Dune and its 10mm stem for not handling like a downhill bike in a parking lot on technical pitches, and Rocky Mountain's Altitude 770 MSL Rally Edition for its gecko-like traction - and it's fair to say that the bar has been raised substantially compared to what used to be considered acceptable climbing manners for a bike with such travel. It's the E29 that repositions that same bar a few steps higher still, though, by offering ultra alert and on-point handling that is in complete contrast to its downhill manners. Simply put, in the context of other 150 - 160mm travel bikes, the E29 is able to make a unicycle feel like it has sluggish handling, with the black and white bike not running out of room on tight switchbacks like most, if not all, of its peers do. As you might expect, this leads to having to pay less attention to setting up for a steep uphill hairpin - you know the drill: look way ahead, start as far outside as you can before cutting in, and move your hips around like its your wedding night, all to fight those relaxed angles. There's very little of that with the Enduro, as it lets you concentrate on taking more speed up and through challenges. And that's where the E29 shines, by letting you carry more momentum up those tricky sections not because it pedals better (it certainly doesn't, by the way), but because it handles so well exactly where you don't expect it to. So much so, in fact, that you'll find yourself going quicker than you probably deserve to.
 | Most bikes with the travel of the E29 ask you to slow down when the climbs get techy, to be a little picky about where you're pointing, and to not expect miracles, but the S-Works machine is like the girlfriend that whispers in your ear in the heat of the moment to go ahead, letting you know that you can get away with anything at this very moment. |
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| Aim high because you'll likely get there if you're aboard the E29. The S-Works Enduro earned its 'Mountain Bike of the Year' honours not only because it descends like a demon, but because it also climbs like one. |
Traction is also readily on tap, due it large part to the short chain stays and the bike's Cane Creek DBair CS shock that works to keep the rear tire in contact with the ground, but you also need to know that setting your sag correctly on a bike like the Enduro 29 is more important than on something of less travel... too much and you'll be throwing all of the praise talked about above out the window by both slackening out the already slack head angle and lowering the already low bottom bracket past any sort of useful positions. Get it right and you'll be on your way. Most bikes with the travel of the E29 ask you to slow down when the climbs get techy, to be a little picky about where you're pointing, and to not expect miracles, but the the S-Works machine is like the girlfriend that whispers in your ear in the heat of the moment to go ahead, letting you know that you can get away with anything at this very moment. You'll feel like a champ during such times, but, just as with other times in life, things aren't so pretty when the lights get turned on. In the E29's case the lights get flicked on during smoother climbs, and it's moments when you're able to think more about pedalling circles than not clipping your pedals on a root or rock that you realize it doesn't exactly jump forward with any sort of real zip. There are bikes with similar travel that feel more alive during such times - Banshee's Rune or the new Slash come to mind - but flipping the shock's CS lever does add some needed zest to its on-power performance.
Downhill / Technical Riding: Long travel 29ers are cumbersome. They aren't playful. When the trail gets tight, they handle like an Airbus A380 taxiing through downtown Los Angeles. And so on and so forth. That's the common assumption anyways, and while it's entirely correct in many cases, it couldn't be further from the truth when talking about the S-Works Enduro 29. The fact of the matter is that this bike can be as accommodating as any mid-travel 26" wheeled rig that we've ever spent time on, and you don't have to strangle it by its neck when you want to move it from one place on the trail to another, even if it seems like physics should keep it from happening. It's much like its longer travel brother, the Demo, in that it's far more nimble than should be possible. This can obviously lead to the kinds of movements that serious riders (otherwise known as boring riders) might call wasteful, but those who perhaps hoot and holler more often might refer to as fun. We like this whole concept of having fun, but we also like how the same handling traits lead to some great performance when things get slow and tricky. Cumbersome? Hell no. This bike can bob and weave like an aerobatic plane whose pilot maybe did a line or two of gutter glitter before lifting off. This is the antithesis of most mid-travel travel 29ers, with Diamondback's 140mm Mason FS being a good example of a machine on the other end of the spectrum, which is more like that aforementioned A380 that flies smoothly regardless of turbulence. There are pros and cons to each, of course, but we reckon that there isn't a long travel 29er that can hold a candle to the E29 when on immensely technical stretches of trail.
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| It doesn't have to be a big move to bring a smile to your face, and the E29 lets you explore the trail to find bumps and jumps that you might simply roll past on a less playful rig. |
Specialized has equipped the no holds barred S-Works with the best mid-travel suspension that money can buy: RockShox's 160mm travel Pike RCT3 and Cane Creek's DBair CS. The combination is eye-opening in its capabilities, and it took a few rides for us to re-adjust our mindset as to what we could get away with when the speeds got high enough to have us wishing for a full face helmet. That thought is fitting, though, because the E29 has the wherewithal to offer downhill bike-like performance, and we'd say that it makes more sense for roughly 80% of downhillers to be on an S-Works Enduro rather than their gravity pigs, if cost was no factor, that is. Supple suspension providing gobs of traction that can also eat up all your flat landings is part of it, but it's also how both the shock and fork can remain level and balanced in their stroke that enables the bike to be pushed so hard. How so? That sort of behaviour allows you to really attack the trail because you know exactly how your bike is going to handle when riding above your head, and it feels natural to do exactly that when on the E29. What can we compare it to? The recently reviewed Mondraker Dune comes to mind as one of the more confidence inspiring mountain bikes, something that is largely due to the radical position that its long top tube and 10mm stem puts the rider in relation to the front axle, but the E29 manages to pretty much equal the Dune's performance with more traditional geometry, meaning that you can get on it without being required to adjust your style to the bike - it's downright easy to jump on the E29 and hold it wide open from the get-go.
| Cumbersome? Hell no. This bike can bob and weave like an aerobatic plane whose pilot maybe did a line or two of gutter glitter before lifting off. |
It's obvious that Specialized has done something very, very right with the E29 when it comes to getting the bike around corners fast. Or rather, the bike getting you around corners fast. Extremely fast. Those who still doubt that big wheels take more effort to bring around tight bends need to take a turn on the Enduro 29, with it making it very obvious that wheel diameter doesn't matter so long as the bike's geometry is nailed. This point was drilled home by riding a handful of other machines back to back, many on the same day and many being based around smaller diameter wheels, and not a single one of them being able to corner with so little effort. You can do it however you like as well, because the E29 can carve a clean arc through any corner like a slot car, or you can snap its back end around with ease just by unweighting it ever so slightly if you're want to throw up some spray. That last point might lead you to think that traction could be an issue on loose ground, and we admit to expecting exactly that, but the bike did a good job of staying stuck to the deck until you wanted it to do the opposite. It's a rare machine that can combine heaps of both stability and maneuverability, but Specialized has managed to merge the two most important "bilitys" in the S-Works Enduro 29.
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| Coming in too hot should best be avoided, but it's far less of an event on the E29 than you might expect. You'll still get bit if you're not riding smart, but the margin for error is sizeable when on the Enduro. |
This is the point in the review where we'd usually bag on bike that descends as well as the E29 for being about as playful as an elderly sloth on Xanax, and say something along the lines of how it will ''take an aggressive rider to get the most out of it," a phrase you have to be as tired of reading as we are of writing it. The Enduro doesn't require you to a hold a pro DH racing license to throw it around, though, and we found ourselves using more of the trail and its hidden features than when on most other bikes of the same travel, simply because it wants to manual, wants to be pumped and jumped over the trail to some random and tiny transition, and is equally happy being ridden with a foot out and complete disregard for the lifespan of its rear tire. We like to do that quite a bit, by the way, and it simply felt natural to ride like you don't have a care in the world when aboard the Enduro.
Technical Report
• We all have our preferences when it comes to suspension, but anyone who has ridden the Pike and a DBair CS will likely tell you that both are hard to beat. We'd say the same, but we did end up having an issue with the bike's Cane Creek shock that saw it lose all damping right at the end of our test session. To be fair, this is the first failure of a Cane Creek shock that we've experienced on a test bike, but we'd be bummed if we had just purchased the S-Works E29 and had its shock check out.
• Specialized's Command Post and its lightening quick rebound seems to be the butt of many jokes about injuries to the nearby family jewels, but we've never had any such issues with it. In fact, we've come to far prefer the post's fast return speed and audible top out clunk that lets us know that it's back to full height, and now most other droppers feel downright sluggish in comparison. This is also our first go on the new IR variation that sees its actuation cable routed internally through the frame, and while we didn't remove and re-install it to test how difficult the process is, we sure do love the clean looks. It doesn't hurt that it was trouble-free, not something we can say often of KS' LEV Integra that comes stock on many bikes.
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• The Roval Traverse SL 29 hookless carbon wheelset certainly plays a big part in both the bike's great climbing manners and divorce-inducing price tag, but they are also something that anyone who is considering spending this kind of money will appreciate. We didn't burp any air out of either the front or back tires, and neither the rims or DT Swiss hub internals gave us hint of mechanical trouble.
• Is the bike's 750mm wide handlebar big enough? Yes, the truth is that many pro downhillers and enduro racers run very similar widths on their bikes, but it seems like the general public prefers a wider stance these days regardless. The E29 seems like a good candidate for a set of 780s, doesn't it? Maybe it's just us...
Pinkbike's take:
| How do you judge a mountain bike that costs over nine thousand dollars? As critically as possible, obviously. After all, there should be absolutely zero reason to complain when it comes to performance if you're spending that kind of money on a bike. And no, we're certainly not going to tell you that it's worth $9,250 USD, especially when you can spend well under four grand to get the same basic platform and geometry, but the broadness of the S-Works' abilities is just as ridiculous as its price tag. It is, without a doubt the best of its breed that we've spent time on, and while its price is sure to get many readers up in arms, we can only wish that the same people were given a chance to see just how formidable the bike is on the trail.- Mike Levy |
www.specialized.com
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Seriously, will everyone stop complaining about prices? It's getting really old. If you don't like how expensive it is, BUY A CHEAPER BIKE.
Then we got a review of a ten thousand dollar bike.
Stop whining about people noting that this review is never going to be realistic to them, as people are going to keep complaining until more budget offerings are shown.
Most mags do a budget shootout every two or three issues. PB seems to do it once a season. Can we change that a lot? Like, right now? You admit there's a cheaper version of the Enduro, so why not review it, as more people are going to be looking at it, and mention in that article "well if you want more bike you can buy the S-works, but the Comp is a really good value and offers all the same bang." You can't say it offers the same until you've ridden it. You don't know how much that carbon chassis is making it track down the trail. If you do, that means you rode the Comp. If you rode the comp and chose to review the ultra high tier bike that almost a vast majority of us don't care about, and will never be able to afford, then you need to get your priorities straight. We pay your rent by coming to the site. At least kick back some reviews for the plebs.
/Rant.
So please, don'tbe like those hippies complaining that they cannot afford a house or a condo wherever they like. I am tired of such bullcrap that sour part of hipsters refer to as gentrification. Get money or enjoy options you have, the latter wirks great even if you have money. Furthermore stop btchn on companies - if those wouldn't go off the shelves like fresh buns they wouldn't ever be made. This society makes it possible, and you are a part of it, if you don't like it then leave, but hey you do like it! Otherwise you'd ride a rigid SS
Points to note about the review though: The command post sucks! and are you'll be rebuilding the wheels within in year, less if you run it tubeless as the sealant fecks the alu spoke nipples.
If you can afford to spend $10k on a bike you'd be a f*ckstick to go all in on a stock bike...buy the frame and go from there. More fun too!
I have tons of fun on my expert!!!
This is a popular, up and coming segment.
This bike is a "look at what we can do" statement.
So even though the top model is being tested - does not mean YOU have to buy it....
Are you pissed because your Chevy Cruze is'nt even close to the $100k+ Corvette ZR-1? You bought what fit your budget.
of a bike but of a society with surplus issues. And would you please stop relating that to cars? Because car, even the cheap one, is nothing more but a luxury. Why can cars go faster than 130kmph? Why can't people cycle or use public transport more often? And if you really need to use a car, why not car rental? So don't go there because a car and urban sprawl is a symbol of what is fkd with this world. I prefer people to buy bikes like that than take a freaking 3 ton truck with 6L engine to take four bikes up the mountain. This bike over there is a tiny bit of the picture that we are all a part of. So keep it quiet, don't be hipocrites
Off course there is a risk that the "Sweatshop theory" applies here. According to it ENVE or CK is a top notch employer providing generous social benefits to its workers and their families with 125 holiday days per year, 4h work days, private hospital with free care and scholarships for their children at best schools in the country. Meanwhile at Specialized, by average 20 women are raped and 50 children are worked to death, in order to make one Roval wheelset in a barbwire fenced gulag somewhere deep in mountains of unspecified country on Asian continent. The hubs are obviously machined using blood diamond equiped head and bearings roll on a lubricant made of human fat. Many of slave workers are westeners sued by Specialized lawyers on various occasions.
I don't get upset that I cannot afford a Bugatti Veyron, and others can. I instead bought a loaded VW GTI Autobahn. I bought what fit my budget and i'm happy with it.
I however work an average job, I love to ride bikes and wanted a jack of all trades... So I bought an $8995 Trigger 29 Carbon 1.
Why? I saved up for it, I ride ALOT, and I liked it. To me it was the Veyron of bikes, and I could afford it with some saving.
I probably would have bought this S-works - if the bike store I like to deal with carried Specialized.
This weekend, I might have a nice meal at a nice restaurant too with the wife. We do it once every 6 months.... Anyone mad?
Scars and stories = bliss
Since this is Specialized, you forgot to mention the costs of over-zealous, sue-happy lawyers.
I feel fortunate to be able to own equipment a pro uses on my wage! I cannot do that in any wheeled sport other than cycling.
I'm not angry at all at manufacturers for churning out 10k bikes because that's what they do... but I wish pinkbike would review stuff we can afford other than enduro shorts, smartphone cases and other product picks we really don't give a shit about.
Oh and "innovation"? Haha, it's just a frame with a slightly different geo where specialized slapped other people's innovation on it. I don't think the trickle down effect applies here as its the same frame for all specs and we really don't care if their 400$ bikes end up benefiting the enduro's changes down the line.
It climbs, desends and jumps like a monster. If I could justify the price tag for a bike that is seconded to my sworks demo for racing, then I'd have one. If this is to be someone's main/only bike then I'd fully recommend someone to at least try one for a few rides.
The big wheels and short chainstays come with a trade off: less stability in loose or off-camber terrain, and increased likelihood of crashing because of higher speed(due to big wheels) combined with higher center of gravity and less agility (slower reaction). I'm not saying it's an unsafe bike to ride, or that you can't haul ass on it. But it is more likely to crash out on a fast and rough downhill than a bike with smaller wheels and longer chainstays. Not to mention longer travel.
Doesn't sound or look like the testers did any DH specific test runs(xc lids and no knee pads) even though they absurdly speculate that 80% of DH racers would be better off on this bike:
"we'd say that it makes more sense for roughly 80% of downhillers to be on an S-Works Enduro rather than their gravity pigs, if cost was no factor, that is."
Is safety a factor? Probably not. Did you guys really push this bike to the limit in the DH "testing" phase, on a real DH track? Doesn't appear so.
And is fun a factor in that absurd 80% recommendation? Cause this bike is not as fun to get airborne as a 26 "gravity pig".
You're also misquoting what was written. The writer stated that "80% of downhillers" not "80% of DH racers." Those are two radically different things. I doubt Levy is suggesting pro DH racers should be riding E29ers; it's obviously not a DH bike. I believe the suggestion was that 80% of folks of various abilities that ride a DH bike, would likely be just as fast or faster on an E29.
I own the Comp version of this bike. It's ridiculously capable.
Higher speed + higher center of gravity + slower reaction time (less agility) = increased likelihood of crashing when you are pushing the limits.
Add on short chainstays to that formula and you increase the odds of the back end washing out in certain situations.
I look forward to anybody's critique of that formula.
I provided the quote about the ridiculous 80 % suggestion and you accuse me of misquoting, hilarious.
Regarding the misquote: Your initial post stated that Levy referred to 80% of DH Racers when in fact that is not what the article says. Why is this so difficult to understand? You're misquoting the article and then using that to be dismissive. Be "scientific" for Christ's sake; like, with facts and stuff.
The bottom bracket drop is not as significant as the wheels on c.o.g. when you consider the big, heavy wheels on a 29er that are also rotational weight. That heavy rotational weight is also in part what makes it less agile and gives the rider slower reaction time.
I have ridden the enduro 29er. It's an ok bike but I've yet to ride a 29er that was as fun to ride as a small wheel bike. They don't turn as fast, they don't handle steep terrain as well, and they completely feel like a dead horse while airborne. But they have their place for some riders, I'll acknowledge that.
"Higher speed + higher center of gravity + slower reaction time (less agility)..."
1) Where is this higher center of gravity? Given the same sagged BB height as a 26er the COG is pretty much as high, unless hubs are crazy heavy or you are running super raised handlebars. Furthermore, since the point where 80% of the weight is (that would be the rider weight at the BB center) is below the wheel axles, this ads stability.
2) You can not have your cake and eat it too: you would have to be a complete buffoon to say "slower reaction time" and then on the VERY NEXT LINE discredit short chainstays. The short chain stays make the bike nimble, that is fact, anyone who has ridden a couple of bikes can tell this. So a bike can not possibly be critiqued for being "less agile" and for having short (more agile) chainstays, it just makes no sense. There is a spectrum ranging from agile to stable, nearly every reviewer feels this bike sits in a very good place on that spectrum, you are effectively claiming that is sits on both ends of the spectrum at the same time...
In the big wheels, as I stated above. You cannot pretend the wheels aren't part of the bike. The effect of the big wheels is exaggerated because it is rotational weight.
2) The big wheels are also the reason it is less agile, and the short chainstays do not make up for bigger wheels. Putting short chainstays on a 29er does not magically more agile than a bike with smaller wheels. It is two separate factors so I can have my cake and eat it too. The E29 turns quicker than other 29ers, but only on corners that have a berm and not all do. Are you seriously trying to assert that this bike is more agile than a 26" bike with similar geometry?
Jclnv, It's not just the extra weight of the wheel, it is a combination of factors that make 29ers less agile.
I'm not denying 29ers don't have their advantages, they roll faster and go over bumps better, especially when going in a straight line. They are definitely potentially faster than smaller whees on some trails , just because they roll so much faster. I hope Ropelato and other guys keep reading them, and I definitely think they could win some races. But it's naive to think there are no disadvantages to riding a 29er compared to smaller wheels, which is what you guys and this review are attempting to do. Especially the fun factor, imo.
As for 29ers more likely to crash out in DH races, time will tell as we see more guys experiment with them on the World Cup tracks. It will be exciting to watch.
But explain to me how i am backpedalling, given that I've had the same position all along?
I do think 29ers are more crash prone in DH racing, neg prop me if it makes you feel better about your big boring wheels, clones & S-Whores.
Good luck with that.
There is no "argument." When you come on here spouting off about something you clearly have no experience with, it kinda makes you look like a tool. Enjoy whatever bike you like, bro, and stop hating on others.
Part of that is incomprehensible, but looks like Waki is also a brainwashed victim of Specialized marketing, insisting 29ers "need as short as stays as possible." According to Waki, they need this for a "destabilizing" effect. Yeah, let's intentionally make our bike less stable! I agree with you that it has a "destabilizing" effect, here is some proof:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljDSCb-H8Fk&feature=youtube_gdata_player
No real practice, no real experience - no gains. Get this advice for the future, don't make the same mistake I have been making for most of my short life: no matter how great is your imagination - you must live sht to tell what it's like and appreciate it. Everything else is masterbation.
This bike is not a substitute for real DH bike, if 80% of Downhillers stated riding this 27 pound carbon fiber trail bike, as Pinkbike has recommended, Specialized would be processing a lot more warranty claims and I imagine there would be more than a few extra visits to emergency rooms around the world. What a spectacularly stupid statement to suggest this as a replacement for a DH bike.
jclnv, you only look at things from a 'Everything Specialized does is the best' perspective, without a doubt the biggest Specialized brown noser on PB. I always envision you riding your Enduro 29er in a full Specialized kit. Even though the cynical snobs of the internet don't like it, I'm sure you are very excited about adding this innovative accessory to your riding kit:
bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2014/04/bsnyc-friday-juice-cleanse.html?m=1
I guess that'd be alright, if you weren't constantly talking out of your ass.
Let's look at the geometry of a bike that nobody can discount the merits of; the Turner DHR.
Guess what? It has chainstays a full half inch longer than this Specialized, and with 26" wheels at that.
Dang, breh!
Anyway it's pointless arguing with you. You hardly understand the basics of geometry and you have a vendetta against Specialized that boarders on obsessive.
It is all about compromises, BUT and this is a BIG BUTT - a great design, no matter if it is a house, sofa, car or a bike always focuses on a factor, makes a strong stand, a thesis: "this feature, this characteristic is what is important to us". Now it's greatness is measured by how it manages to compensate everything else to still make it work as a whole.
You guys sound like a bunch of xc guys who are trying to make it sound like you are knowledgeable about DH geometry, even though you are xc guys. Essentially delusional, just like the pinkbike testers who think 80% of downhillers would be better off on a 27 pound 29er.
For review:
29ers are less agile, more dangerous at DH race speed, less fun to jump, but potentially faster.
Pinkbike testers have lost all credibility, and Waki is a slow downhiller who is afraid of real DH bikes.
Why did Ropelato suddenly give up on the Enduro 29er?
Was it the big wheels getting hung up in the switchbacks, or the short chainstays sliding out in the mud? Pick your poison.
Please entertain me with excuses, jclnv. Come on, this is your losing cause, let's hear you defend it with the passion you've previously shown instead of being reduced to making weak personal insults.
You Specialized 29er nerds get another reality check in the muddy, inconsistent conditions where short chainstays and slip n slide collide for for a slide down the results sheet.
Ropelato didn't have much better luck on the Demo, and Gwin and Brosnan also failed to live up to expectations in the mud.
I thought Pinkbike said 80% of "downhillers" would be better on an Enduro 29? Lmfao. Not on a real DH trail, and certainly not in the mud.
Jclnv, sometimes, you have to face the facts. The Enduro 29 is a clear loser and so are you.
Hope it rains again at the next World Cup DH race:-)
While new, top-shelf mtbs may be in the $10k range, the amount of lightly used, extremely capable, high-end bikes continues to grow.
For example, on eBay right now you can get a Nomad for under $2k. Seriously. So throw in a bike park pass, helmet, pads and shoes, you're still under $3k.
10 years ago we couldn't buy a bike that nice for $10k.
It's a good time to be a mountain biker.
The riders on the factory teams run what are commonly called “works bikes.” These bikes start as regular off-the-showroom-floor machines, but they are fitted with special handmade parts. No part of the machine is overlooked in the quest for speed, and putting a value on the bikes is nearly impossible.
from: racerxonline.com/2008/08/25/supercross-faqs
a bit outdated, as the info is6 years old now, but you get the picture.
Let someone else pay retail, then reap the benefits when they buy next year's hype.
The reviewers need to work with what Specialized or whichever other company sends them. If you were Specialzed, would you send a reviewer a mid-range bike to compare with everyone else's highest end model? Of course not. It's in their best interest to send out the newest and fanciest shit.
Two important points:
First, this review is for the highest end model, but it's still applicable to other cheaper models. You can get a damn nice Enduro 29 with a carbon frame for $6300. Or you can get the alloy version for $3300. Or you can look for deals online, like right here on Pinkbike. All the fancy technology on this bike will also be available on trickle down models. It might not have the best of everything like this one, but it should have the same general strengths and weaknesses. This review is still useful, even if you aren't in the same price range.
Second, who cares about retail price anyhow? Does anyone here actually spend anywhere near retail on anything bike related? Unless you need the newest shit immediately after it comes out, or are an idiot, those prices aren't applicable. I built up a Santa Cruz Bronson with a Pike fork, XX1/XO1 transmission, and carbon wheels for less than half the $10K retail cost of a similar bike. I got some parts used (including the frame from someone via pinkbike), some components from online stores, and even made a few trades. I'll probably switch to the new Nomad later this year, when you'll be able to get one for 2/3 the retail cost. Likewise, you could probably find the exact same bike as the one reviewed here for ~$6K, or you could build a bike that is 90% as good for 1/3 the money.
Don't believe me? There are THREE 2014 Enduro 29s listed on the buy/sell thread right here on pinkbike between $2,500 and $3,500. Those bikes aren't the same spec as the one reviewed here, but they have the same frame design and are pretty damn nice bikes.
It's a shame, because otherwise it's a nice looking bike.
1) Hookless rims suck, anything under 30psi in tubless and they burp. When they do... They will unbead both beads on both sides of the tyres and you will not inflate them trail side without a CO2 cartridges. Have had 4 rides cut short due to this. 1 for me 3 for my mate.
2) the Command post is so problematic Specialized keep stock on hand to replace them under warranty. 2 already on my mates bike. Mine ok so far but does have engaging issues occasionally.
3) note in the review the cane creek rear shock failed. Mine did too. Complete shock failure spewed its oil all over the bike.
4) why the he'll this bike didn't come with The dual position fork confounds me. It's a big bike. Its tall, very tall. On steep climbs I really want a lower front end.
To the person complaining of why it has an Aluminium rear end. The 2013 had full carbon and most of them were replaced under warranty fir cracking issues. Yet I are common for this too!
@Sshredder, I have been riding a 26er S-Works for a year now and I can honestly say it's an unbelivable bike in all aspects. I am more DH orientated and I have hardly touched my Demo 8 since I got the Enduro. I also had an SX Trail which I sold to fund the Enduro and when pointing down, both bikes feel very similar which gives you a pretty good idea on how this bike chews the DH.
The wheel size debate is never ending so I am personally see it based on my height. (taller people should defo be riding 29er for example). I am 5'9" so 26er would always be the choice. Have tried 27.5 on other brands, don't see the benefit to change either.
P.S I realise house brand parts aren't necessarily bad, it's just that if you're dropping that money, who won't go for the bling?
Not to mention BOS - the brand that's now on it's 4th UK distributor in 5 years because they are a nightmare to deal with. Give me suspension that I can actually get serviced and fixed anyday.
It's hard to look past the value of the YT, but then if any brand sold direct, they would be just as comparably cheap. They arn't some miracle unicorn brand.
I have this bike. It is a blast. Makes me better than my natural talent allows on the downs, and the bike climbs very, very well, even w/o the CS switch in the on position.
I have several other bikes - hard tail, VPP, DW-Link, fully rigid, XC, Trail, Fat... I love them all and ride them all.
The S-Works E29 needs almost nothing from it's stock config - I subbed a Renthal Fatbar lite Carbon at 740mm, and Conti Mountain King Protection 2.4s F&R.
I'm blessed to be able to ride what I like.
When I take trips to MTB meccas in North America I rent whatever the tour company has, and I'm perfectly happy riding their bikes. It is a great experience and opportunity to try out other bikes, geos, components. When you're out on the trail, it doesn't matter what you have in your garage...you 'gotta run what you brung'. This has, for me at least, made me a better, more adaptable, rider.
I can't believe how much mountain bikers bitch about pricing of everything. $100 tyre is an international conspiracy.
Mountain bike riders are such a bunch of cheapskate tightarses.
For example a motorcycle like a Susuki Hayabusa fully loaded is around $15k. Granted it is faster and has a legit motor that'll make you feel as if you're going warp speed.
Still, it's $15k yet people will buy it because they feel it's worth it.
All I'm saying is it's subjective to a point when it comes to pricing. Companies learn from sales and the bottom line. If there are people who believe something is worth the price and buy it then companies will continue to mark up prices. Even if that technology isn't advanced or costly to make. After all they have to market the stuff and that in itself isn't cheap.
Doing a few quick calcs using the Euler column formula with some simplifying assumptions (same column stiffness and second area moment, which are decent assumptions for quick calcs) and using an 8.5" shock with a 4" extension: The shock alone will be able to handle approximately 2.2 times the load of the shock + extension without buckling. That is a pretty substantial difference. Look up the driving factors for buckling and you will see length is the driving factor.
I'm sure it works fine most of the time, but I could see this setup doing hidden long-term damage to the shocks via increased side loading compared to normal. Also, I really HATE how Specialized decided to use a proprietary shock mount, whereas the rest of the competition uses the standard. That alone is a reason for me to pass on buying one of these bikes.
even in bikeparks! check my video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXwpGFwpFYA
Anyone think that this is ok?
Do you have any links to these negative reviews? It won the mtbr enduro shoot out, bike mag gave it rave reviews, nsmb gave it rave reviews, early tests on PB gave it rave reviews, where are these bad ones? There are threads several pages long on mtbr without a single negative review. I don't get it?
Finally, there's more to climbing than purely technical performance. Perhaps the enduro has the right blend of decent traction capability with excellent geometry?
I think you need to give one a ride before you knock it. It is a supremely capable bike.
Go look in the forums, either here or MTBR, and talk about how FSR climbs. You will get a lot of feedback. Even within this article, they hint at it not being very efficient on the climbs, but quickly get off that track, lest they say anything but amazing things about this bike.
I think you need to reread what I am getting at before you blindly defend something I wasn't attacking.
"And that's where the E29 shines, by letting you carry more momentum up those tricky sections not because it pedals better (it certainly doesn't, by the way), but because it handles so well exactly where you don't expect it to."
And again:
"You'll feel like a champ during such times, but, just as with other times in life, things aren't so pretty when the lights get turned on. In the E29's case the lights get flicked on during smoother climbs, and it's moments when you're able to think more about pedalling circles than not clipping your pedals on a root or rock that you realize it doesn't exactly jump forward with any sort of real zip. There are bikes with similar travel that feel more alive during such times - Banshee's Rune or the new Slash come to mind - but flipping the shock's CS lever does add some needed zest to its on-power performance."
I own the Comp version of this bike and can tell you without a doubt that Levy is on-point.
Right there, in black and white, he's telling you that the bike doesn't pedal all the great, particularly on smooth climbs. What is lacks in pedal efficiency, it makes up with spot-on geo and exceptional traction.
Just read what's written instead of re-writing it in your own mind. Jeez, dude ...
No second- or third-hand BS, I own the aluminum version (with custom wheels, XX1, etc.) and I ride in Phoenix (testing was in Sedona). I'll tell you straight away, Levy's review is spot-on. Period. He's telling you in no uncertain terms that the bike doesn't pedal well in comparison in other bikes, but that the geo and supple suspension have a way of making up for that in technical climbing terrain.
You may agree with the review, I don't agree with how the review is being presented. I'd ask if English were your second language, considering you still can't grasp that extrodinarily small concept. The bike is incredibly, the bullshit reviewing and not mentioning how it climbs fairly poorly compared to other bikes, rather saying it climbs well while BARELY telling the true (oh but it doesn't pedal well at all) is such horseshit. He doesn't try to make note of the bike pedalling poorly, he tries to brush it under the table so he can go back to giving the enduro a slow jerk.
You like the review. The majority of people on this page do not. There are good reasons for that. Use some critical thinking and you may see the issues too.
On that note, these bikes are the real deal, it's not a lie, it's not cheating, it's not something that every reviewer that has ridden one has conspired to cheat you on, it's the truth. You can check out the kinematics and see that it's actually a decent system. You can compare the geometry and see why the bike rides the way that it does. It's true that it's a bit of a mushy pedaler, as the bike is very sensitive to chainring size, and spec chose to equip it with a 32t ring. It would be much more sprightly with a 28 or 30t ring. Spec spent all that effort on the taco blade then XX1 negated it, but the bike climbs exceptionally well with a 22t ring, which puts anti-squat numbers over 100% and makes it climb as well as any bike I've ridden, including hardtails and XC bikes. The forward position of the seat tube, something other manufacturers haven't grasped yet, keeps the front end planted despite the long reach and short stem. Again, not lies, the truth. Slap a 50mm on a bike with a 69* seat angle and you'll loop out every time, but this bike has the equivalent of a 74* seat tube, and it's worlds better for it.
And it's not blind faith that I say this with. I also own the $3500 comp version of this bike. I think it's incredible, but it's certainly not without its flaws. It's a bit portly to spend all day on, it's mushy in the big ring, and the fox shock is a bit anemic compared to the rest of the rather incredible spec.
"it doesn't exactly jump forward with any sort of real zip. There are bikes with similar travel that feel more alive during such times - Banshee's Rune or the new Slash come to mind."
to
"not mentioning how it climbs fairly poorly compared to other bikes, rather saying it climbs well"
There's absolutely no helping or convincing him even though to a normal person these two statements are completely contrary to each other.
I'm guilty of paying "too much" for a bike as well but I was really aware of how stupidly expensive bicycles has become.
Pinkbike is this a sponsored ad from Specialized or do you guys really think a 9k bike is healthy for our sport?
Not after $624.38 in taxes where I live.
Quit whining. Get riding.
Downhill racing is a dying discipline...I've raced DH for years, but as I get older, have kids, etc, the risks just aren't worth it and the "Enduro" format provides a much more attractive alternative. The above link is an interesting read on the state of DH racing.
In a few short years it's seems that Enduro has supplanted DH as the preeminent discipline in MTB riding & racing.
I can certainly agree with that.
I can't believe that 29er with FSR suspension and 155mm of travel climbs "like a devil" and to be honest- I can't find any proof that this bike shreds the gnar almost as easy as a downhill rig, especially when there's not a single photo of U Guys ripping some hardcore terrain on it.
I'm not saying that this bike isn't the game changer, but U going so nuts about it is kinda suspicious...
To say the S-Works is not a proven bike is a joke and i think you seriously need to reevaluate what proven truly means.
By the way, didn't Gwin win sea otter on the same bike last year? Hmmm I guess its still not proven..........
Maybe if I spent $9000 instead of $5000-7000, this bike would somehow transform and suddenly be better than the other bikes that I demoed. Or it might just be another poorly pedaling, low bb, flexy rear-ended FSR (there is a reason for all those linkages and hunks of metal on the Demo bikes, minimization of flex with FSR linkages!).
or anyone making 10000$ bicycles