Saidrick

"I think on the consumer side there is a desire for some sort of better mousetrap/magic bullet – a wheel size between 26″ and 29″ that will combine all the positive attributes of both into one bike that will do everything. That desire is a bit naive, but people go down that road all the time." Mike Ferrentino, Bike Rumor , 6/6/12. I guess it's only naive until your company is the one making the bike...err mousetrap. I understand that opinions and views can change, but in one year? This is why so many people are against the new wheel size: Every company not making one says its not much different UNTIL they're the ones making them.

Cannondale F26 carbon 2 Another carbon high end 26" hardtail.

@Willie1, that is simply not true: The Scott Scale 600 is a carbon hardtail with 26" wheels and xtr /xx.

Can't get the image of Atherton pushing his bike out of my head. Timed climb or not, this bike needs some work, if a world class athlete is pushing it up a stage.

This review has been great. Now I know that I don't want to spend $88 dollars on a tire that lasts less than a year, has issues, and is limited in its bike choice.

@ Wakidesigns, If you want straight talk, Brian Lopes dishes it. " Why are you riding a 29"? Because its a new bike and we want it to get as much camera time as possible." Same video, Fabien is a great rider for sure. Also note, this is not a slam on 29" bikes, it is more of a proof that racers don't always race what they want. They race on what they're paid to race on.

I have to give props to Specialized on this bike. 1. They gave Pink Bike a realistic build package on this bike. 2. They designed a bike that is really in a class by itself. This is definitely not a "me too" bike. 3. The weight issue is not really an issue. Yes ,it's heavier than most other Enduro Bikes. Yes, it's on par with some DH bikes. But here is the difference, it's DH bike that you can ride on trails AND on downhills. That's really hard to combine.

Mark Weir. How does a racer with his own tire model not make the list?

That is how it's done on a mountain bike. That terrain looked to being challenging on multiple levels: speed, line choice, technical jumping followed by immediate hard turns. I will be more than happy to watch Enduro. Those trails require more skills than I've got now.

@Jonnyboy, the Kona Process Dl is new( I think), a 26" all mountain bike. Bike magazine even named it an editors choice bike.