New Specialized Enduro. And another one!

by 4

The Specialized Enduro is a very long-running name in the pantheon of classic models from the Other Bike S. The Enduro has always been a pioneering model too – heralding longer travel than ever before, or innovative geometry and even custom shocks going way back to the first Fifth Element-equipped models. This was true with the current Enduro model (reviewed in the current issue of Singletrack as it happens) with its long-legged 29er moves – and this is even more true with the new, 2017 Specialized Enduro, as we shall see…

93617-12_END-FSR_PRO-CARBON-29-6FATTIE_SILTNT-WHT
Here’s the 29er/27+ version of the Enduro
Fresh Goods Friday 692 - The Farmer...
Latest Singletrack Videos
93617-41_END-FSR_ELITE-CARBON-650B_BLK-MRNBLU-RKTRED
And this is the 27.5in version. Will take up to a 2.6in tyre
Enduro Photos DT: Jackson Hole
Enduro Photos DT: Jackson Hole

You’ll be pleased to hear that Specialized has definitely kept the innovation tap open on this model, while still keeping some of the bits that people like. The very distinctive X-frame remains, as does the long travel. Only now it’s even longer legged – and there are now two models.

Enduro Photos DT: Jackson Hole
Enduro Photos DT: Jackson Hole
Enduro Photos DT: Jackson Hole
Enduro Photos DT: Jackson Hole

Specialized Enduro 29/27.5+ AND a ‘regular’ 27.5in version

Rather than aim to do the same job for all wheel sizes using the same frame, Specialized is making TWO different Enduros. One will take 29er wheels up to a 2.5in tyre and 27.5Plus wheels up to a 2.8in. Then there’s ANOTHER version dedicated to 27.5in wheels that will take regular 27.5in wheels up to a 2.6in width.

All the travel

Travel: The 2016 Enduro raised eyebrows with its big travel AND big wheel combo. The 2017 version is due to raise them even further: The 27.5in version of the bike is designed for a 170mm fork with 170mm rear travel. The 29er (and 27Plus) model will come with a whopping 160mm fork and 165mm rear travel.

 

Enduro Photos DT: Jackson Hole
Ready to rip and rail
Enduro Photos DT: Jackson Hole
Just like that
Enduro Photos DT: Jackson Hole
And this too. We’ll take some of that…
Enduro Photos DT: Jackson Hole
A colourscheme not for the shy
Enduro Photos_Bike
It’s how we all sit after a hard ride, right?

Let’s get to the numbers. The two versions have slightly different numbers, but all of them are pretty impressive and very ‘on trend’

Head angles: The 27.5in version has 65.6° head angle, the 29er/Plus model has 66°. Bottom bracket heights are as follows: 27.5in x 2.3in: 345mm | 29 x 2.3in: 352mm. 27.5in x 2.6″: 350mm | 27.5in x 3.0in: 345mm. 27.5in x 2.8″: 339mm

Chainstays are also quoted as being very short with 425mm for the 27.5in version and 432mm for the 29er/Plus bike. As you might expect, the bike will only run a one-by transmission.

77717-01_END-FSR_SW-CARBON-29-6FATTIE-FRM_NRDCRED-HYP-BLK
Spot the difference! This is the 29er/27Plus bike
77717-03_END-FSR_SW-CARBON-650B-FRM_NRDCRED-HYP-BLK
And this is the ‘regular’ 27.5in bike.

Specialized has a long history of developing its own forks and shocks with other suspension companies and the new Enduro is no different, with Ohlins providing the rear shock (and in some cases the fork). Specialized’s simple ‘Auto-sag’ feature is seen here to make setup easy and the shock is designed to make setting it up badly a hard thing to do.

While we’re looking at the details, the frame has a SWAT hinged door in the downtube, with full, enclosed internal cable routing for neatness and ease of installation of cables and hoses. There are oversized bearings everywhere that are all the same size (yay!) and, wait for it: there’s a threaded bottom bracket shell!

And finally, here’s a look at the geometry chart (taken from the press release, sorry about the greenness…). There will also be new trail/enduro helmets and shoes coming, but we think you’ve see enough for one morning – we’ll bring you those later.

Enduro GEO

What do you reckon? Just the bike for you? Or a world gone mad in the pursuit of longer travel and bigger grins?

Chipps Chippendale

Singletrackworld's Editor At Large

With 22 years as Editor of Singletrack World Magazine, Chipps is the longest-running mountain bike magazine editor in the world. He started in the bike trade in 1990 and became a full time mountain bike journalist at the start of 1994. Over the last 30 years as a bike writer and photographer, he has seen mountain bike culture flourish, strengthen and diversify and bike technology go from rigid steel frames to fully suspended carbon fibre (and sometimes back to rigid steel as well.)

More posts from Chipps

Comments (4)

Leave Reply