[Closed] Talk to me about specialized enduros

Awesome. You won't be disappointed. Light, slack and generally excellent value for money (i have the 'base' model at c. £2k).

If you're into DH you'll appreciate the geometry on it... as well as it's ability to pedal. A couple of weeks back I gave mine it's first proper outing at innerleithen. Did the xc and then did a few DH runs. The same bike that pedalled me to the top of Minch Moor was a blast down the DH trails in the afternoon. Couldn't fault it. Buy one, just do it!

Efficent bike that will isolate you nicely from the dirt. You will love it for a year of two, amazed by the tech, but then you will realise that it's actually too easy and not as much fun as a light nimble hardtail. IMHO

I've got a hardtail xc bike as well so I'm not worried about that at all. I change between the bikes as the mood takes me.

I think the Orange Alpine 160 would have similar performance but IMO it looks like a bag of arse. Every other 160mm bike is too steep so Enduro it is.

How does the Enduro compare to the Pitch by way of 'ride experience' (copyright. every MTB magazine ever), out of interest?

I'm interested in both for my first full-sus.

fun bikes Steve, blag a ride on one, demos going on at KMB and some special reductions on ex demos. If it's as good as my 2004 it will be awesome much better than that chelsea tractor of a marin your riding 🙂

How does the Enduro compare to the Pitch by way of 'ride experience' (copyright. every MTB magazine ever), out of interest?

Enduro suspension rate is tuned to be more small bump compliant and it feels it. I've ridden both a fair bit and I think the Enduro just filters out much more high frequency stuff. The head angle is about a degree slacker on the Enduro but it still climbs better than the Pitch thanks to the steeper seat angle keeping your weight forward. Enduro frame is quite a bit lighter also, I forget who much but it isn't a small amount.

In saying that the Pitch is a great bike but if you have the extra $ for the Enduro it's a no brainer.

you will realise that it's actually too easy and not as much fun as a light nimble hardtail. IMHO

+1

My old 2006 Enduro does that too so I usually take the 456 out instead . I'm sure a 2010 Enduro does it too but isn't as heavy. Lovely looking bike though.

I haven't weighed my 456 since 'opperation mince-core-rad-sickness' began, but I suspect it now weighs more than your marin and could probably pull a skid so long it would get girls pregnant just hearing about it!

Heavy slack bikes rock 🙂

OP: "Talk to me about Specialized Enduros"

STW members: "Buy a hardtail instead"

Brilliant.

Mehh, the only reaons I ride a hardtail is an inability to justify the cost of a full susser to myself. Show me a 120-140mm travel DH bike that doesn't cost as much as I'd budget for a car and I'd have it.

Show me a 120-140mm travel DH bike that doesn't cost as much as I'd budget for a car and I'd have it.

WTF New short travel DH bikes?

Great bike.I'Ve got a 2010 comp and Im amazed every time I get on it.Test one,and you'll understand why.Sweet sweet ride.

tbh Just park the Marin and buy a cheap 456 frame.

Build it up with the bits from the Marin.

Ride it.

I think there will be too much of a simularity between the Marin and an Enduro for you (previously owned a 2006 S-Works Enduro).

I rode an Enduro Pro on a test ride evening by a local bike shop. It was a superb bike, the best I have tried. Comfortable riding up hills, and a blast on the way down. Excellent bike.

That's not an enduro...This is an enduro...

[IMG] [/IMG]

i ride both a enduro 2008 (with the 150 fork) and a ti456.

both are awesome bikes, but do different things.

if i want to be a better rider i take the 456, if i wanta blast down hills and not worry about line choice i take the enduro.

so, get the enduro, its awesome.

but also get hardcore hardtail 😀

ive got a 06 enduro and i would'nt swap it for anything! ... they truly are all things to all men (and some wimmin) LMAO ... HTH 😆

I've got a 2009 Enduro but the 2010 Enduros have a design which is (I think. Engineers?) fundamentally different to all the previous incarnations. They made it slightly heavier in 2010 but the suspension performance became about a million times more responsive. I think they're now the single best bike in that segment of the market for that price. I rode one for a week earlier this year and was very impressed. The only thing is that the stock wheels and hubs are no good (I'm assuming these remain essentially unchanged from the 2009 ones) so you might need to budget £300 within the next two years after buying - that would be the first and probably the only thing to replace.

Tested the Enduro, better than a Remedy, not as good as an Alpine 160.

Steve H,
Buy my 2003 S-Works enduro fully kitted out for £800

Tested the Enduro, better than a Remedy, not as good as an Alpine 160.

On what basis? Interested to know

It's not made in a shed in Yarkshire

The 2003 Enduro, though a classic, is utterly different to every Enduro from 2006-7, and particularly different to the 2010 version which is itself a step beyond the 2006-09 versions. They are designed for different things - you can ride the 2010 down stairs, you would not do so on the 2003, although you might race the 2003 cross country where you could not on the 2010. For this reason I, like many on here I suspect, own both! (a 2002 and a 2009, admittedly not '03/'10).

The 2003 was a great bike and this might be a great deal but it should not be implied that it is a substitute for the 2010 version just because it shares the same name. It's a bit like assuming a WWII P-38 Lightning is the same as a modern F-35 Lightning.

Nb I bought a 2002 Enduro in 2003 for £700, from a shop, although admittedly that was one of the lower end ones, not an S-Works.

I bought Clubber's '04 model and have fallen in love with it. Ticks all my boxes at the moment for me.

Still got 100mm on the front, still haven't had a chance to check for the spacer in my 318's and/or put my hand in my pocket for some 140mm forks.

They are designed for different things - you can ride the 2010 down stairs, you would not do so on the 2003

That's got to be up there for al's BS of the week thread. 😆

You do know that people used to ride down stairs before 2003 don't you. 😆

My MRS had an 02 Enduro and rode it down a few steps. Good job you weren't there to tell her she couldn't.

The Remedy is a really good all day bike, it feels like a big XC bike with extra added get out of trouble free. The Enduro doesn't climb just as well, but it's still not bad and it feels a lot more planted and confidence inspiring downhill. The Alpine will climb sort of OK, but is the most fun I've had on a bike in pretty much every other situation. It's terrifyingly quick downhill, which is kind of the point of a big like this, isn't it?

Ive had a couple of Enduros and they have been great bikes. Im just now going to upgrade my superb 2005 SX trail enduro to a Santa Cruz Nomad, really mainly to save weight and get a bit easier climbing.

One slight concern on the 2011 Evo Enduro Coil shock model is that the shock length isnt that big. This is because there is not that much room with the double diamond main frame design. I like coil shocks so if I had an enduro it would mean a much bigger spring than the one i'm going to use on the Nomad. I did look at the "Evo" model but the spring size and shock stroke put me off a bit although I know they are still great bikes. A friend of mine has the 09 Air shock version and really rates it.

I had a 2003 Enduro with Z1 bombers! and had a great race in the 2003 Roc D'Azur...I didnt win but I had a brilliant time! That was a real game changing bike in its time..

I've got a 2010 comp and it's pretty sweet. It has taken a while to tune to my liking (still needs a different shock tune for me) but in the right hands and on the right terrain it's a rocket...it's better up hills than my old Heckler, and on the local DH trails in Brighton it begs to go faster and faster.

+1 for Neil

I've got a 2004 Enduro and a 2009 Wolf Ridge.

I haven't ridden many newer FSR designs, however the pedal induced squat on my Enduro saps a lot of power and it sometimes feels a little "dead", but it's an excellent and vice free bike. I've ridden a 2008 Enduro bike which felt much less squat prone, but I'm not sure how much of that was down to shock tuning or main pivot placing. It also felt a little "dead" to me, but at least I had something to push against when pedalling.

You already know how the Wolf Ridge / Attack Trails feels, personally, I prefer the suspension characteristics on this, but I'd love to borrow a '10 Enduro for comparative purposes!

They are designed for different things - you can ride the 2010 down stairs, you would not do so on the 2003

Really? That's news to me and my six year old Enduro. Both of us have ridden plenty of stairs over the years.

The old Enduro was a revolutionary bike in it's time. Things have moved on, but in reality there's very little mine won't do that my Wolf Ridge will.

I keep thinking that putting an RP23 shock would be a good idea to improve the climbing ability of my Enduro Pro from 2004. Anyone done it?

Oh and I ride stairs on my ht, is that wrong too?

OK maybe not steps specifically but the point is that on a current Enduro you could get well inside of 1:55 on the Black Run Aston Hill whipping the jumps and then ride it straight back to the start (I know because I did so on Saturday). I'm not sure the 2003 Enduro could take that kind of beating although it too is a tough bike.

And the new Enduro is eminently suitable for full on Alps riding (and I don't mean XC Zermatt to Chamonix at 3mph or mild Les Gets stuff, I mean the most full on descents and then climbing back up). The old one just isn't tough enough for day in day out beating from those kind of rocks and roots. The suspension performs well enough but the frame itself is a bit on the light side (especially the seatstays and linkage - I broke both and replaced).

Also they're getting on a bit, for second hand purchases. Mine was very well looked after and not ridden often, and not ridden hard (making the breakages described above more surprising), and the frame finally just failed earlier this year above the BB. I think any that have been ridden more than 20 times a year will be reaching the end of their serviceable life in the next year or two at the latest.

I'm not claiming that's the end of it, that's just my experience with them over about ten years or so. In any case this doesn't touch on the OP's query about the 2010s, which are unreal! Alpine 160 looks really good

I think any that have been ridden more than 20 times a year will be reaching the end of their serviceable life in the next year or two at the latest.

Sorry, I'm not normally so rude or impertinent, but where do you get your opinions from? That is complete and utter BS.

@BigYin

I've thought about it a lot of late. The issue is the old Enudro has a custom length shock (7.67" IIRC) so an off the shelf Fox unit needs to run a bit extra sag to compensate otherwise the head angle would steepen somewhat.

Mojo did suggest that they could machine down the shock body of an RP3 to fit, but that was some years ago.

on my second one great bike the only problem i've found is there easily dented from falls

Bigyinn, an RP2 will be fine and cheaper if you can find one. Don't know about the 2010 but my 09 with the RP2 is F'kin A!

[img] [/img]

This was an enduro

[url= http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4066/4645149857_c8e72e655f.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4066/4645149857_c8e72e655f.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikewsmith/4645149857/ ]27052010240[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/mikewsmith/ ]Mike Smith 79[/url], on Flickr

Sorry, I'm not normally so rude or impertinent, but where do you get your opinions from? That is complete and utter BS.

As said in initial post, from riding the bike under discussion for nearly 8 years, and owning its successor.

Where are YOUR opinions from?

Do you honestly think the older Enduros are built to the same standard as the new ones?

@ jhw Err, yes, ehy wouldn't they be to the same standards? Has bike manufacturing quality control and tolerance markedly improved in the last 7 years?

@ mikewsmith Thats so sad, like a heroric trench soldier lying dead in the mud.

But the new ones weigh approx 5lbs more. Plus they start at almost a grand more than the cheapest old ones. Not too mention the very well-documented issues with stays and linkages that the earlier versions had. And that dent-tastic monocoque.

Sorry (I'm not sorry really), the new ones simply are built tougher. Have you ridden both an old one and a new one? Or even seen a photo? Or do you just really really like your old Enduro? Who's talking shite?

@JHW

I took issue mainly with this

I think any that have been ridden more than 20 times a year will be reaching the end of their serviceable life in the next year or two at the latest.

As anyone with more than a rudimentary understanding of metal fatigue will tell you, the stresses on a frame aren't necessarily dependant on the number of times you ride the bike. Rider weight, riding style and the terrain the bike is used on will all play a part - not to mention many Enduros are fitted with forks exceeding the warrantied 130mm limit set by Specialized. You're plucking a figure out of thin air and failing to qualify it in any way, which frankly is BS.

Granted, 2002-3 models suffered from a well documented weakness in the chainstays. 2004 bikes were slightly (according to the Specialized rep I spoke to at the 2004 Olympia bike show) beefed up as a result. To what extent he didn't specify, but my 2004 Enduro hasn't had an issue in six years of use.

Where are YOUR opinions from?

Six years and several thousand miles of ownership from new without a frame failure. I've also ridden down a few steps too.

Sorry (I'm not sorry really), the new ones simply are built tougher. Have you ridden both an old one and a new one? Or even seen a photo? Or do you just really really like your old Enduro? Who's talking shite?

If you'd read my previous post you'd know that I've owned an 04 Enduro since new and have test ridden the 2008 bike. I've also given my impressions about the newer bike. The 2008 had more pedal platform but still felt slightly "dead" compared with my Wolf Ridge, although I acknowledge that I'd like to test the 2010 bike.

At no point did I ever compare - as I think you possibly are mistaken here - old with new in an "older is better" sense. I've no doubt that new new bike is stronger and more capable downhill. Having said that, I and several others here have also ridden their 2002-04 bikes down stairs with complete confidence and continue to do so.

You must concede that's a poor use of allegory on your part, surely.

But the new ones weigh approx 5lbs more. Plus they start at almost a grand more than the cheapest old ones

BTW, where the did you get 5lb weight difference from? My 2004 base model was approx 31lb new, which is in the ballpark of the 2010 base spec model. The difference in cost is also incorrect. The 2004 retailled at £1599, the 2010 retails at £1999.

Don't forget the increases in price due to currency fluctuations too...

Do you honestly think the older Enduros are built to the same standard as the new ones?

Define "standard"?

Materials? Precision? Componentry? Again, this isn't a challenge, I'd simply like you to qualify your statements with something more than an allegory.

Sorry (I'm not sorry really), the new ones simply are built tougher. Have you ridden both an old one and a new one? Or even seen a photo? Or do you just really really like your old Enduro? Who's talking shite?

If you're going to be such a patronising smart arse, you'll also be aware that the travel has increased and the bike has been moved towards a more freeride bent. The build method returned to tubular at this time and also saw an increase in frame weights IIRC, not becuase tey were just beefing up the frame, but because the frame was expected to take more beating in line with its freeride lite positioning.
Think of what was considered a DH bike 15 years ago and compare it to now, no similarity at all. Times change and the game moves on. Compare my 2004 enduro with the current Stumpjumper FSR range, similar travel and similar build weight.

Also ever heard of inflation? Of course the newer models cost more esp since the recession kicked in!! It was nearly 9(?) years ago the enduro platform was launched.

Yes I do like my 2004 Enduro very much and I am fully aware of the models onward development. There were isses in the earlier models (my 2003 cracked at the top tube / seat tube junction, the 2002 seatstays were prone to failure), but I've had my 2004 for I guess 4 years at least without failure (and NO dents in the monocoque). I havent ridden the newer ones because its hard to get hold of an XL sized demo bike.
Try not to be SO defensive when you are the one posting sweeping statements whilst being selective in what you chose to point out.

@Bigyin

A friend's 2003 Enduro cracked at the same place, right on the weld between the seat tube and top tube. He's big bloke and ran a layback on a size large frame, which may have had something to do with it...

...his 2004 replacement frame in XL has been doing just fine ever since and is still going strong today.