I mulletted a Specialized Enduro

I had a frame to sell and a load of non-boost parts. I knew I wanted something contemporary in the geometry stakes, but anything like that was boost rear and also a little out of budget anyway. So, after reading an old Dirt Mag article on changing up the Specialized Enduro, the search was on.

Ended up with a large 2016 Enduro frame off eBay for a little over £300. Built it up and rode it just once in original guise on a wet, muddy, foul day. Fell off and had a rubbish ride, but that might have been any day anyway. Got an offset bush and a 650b rear wheel off eBay and swapped it all over. BB is now between 340mm and 335mm (Specialized geo charts say this would have been 351mm originally) and head angle around 66 degrees, maybe less but the phone app I have doesn’t do decimals. Now the trails are dry, me and a member of my household (pictured) are off round the woods doing our thing and this knocked up bike feels great. I suppose I’ll have to put the 29er back wheel back on just for science, but I’m pretty pleased with the results.

For the cheapskates that need good stuff that works, I’m still on 10 speed and bought a Deore 10 speed cassette going all the way up to 42 and that works really nicely for me. Another top tip are the brakes. Shimano 4 pot no specific level and they’re excellent. Same servowave and all that, just without a banjo at the caliper and reach adjust uses an allen key (but who adjusts their reach all the time anyway?). I think they’re labelled MT520 with MT501 levers if anyone cares. And my latest packless addition is the Dakine Hot Laps Gripper bag which slots nicely in the space above the shock with everything I need for a 2 hour ride.

Nice work. I’m about to do it the other way round with my 650b g170. Got some 29er forks and a new 29er front wheel. Going to try the forks at 160 travel initially to see how it feels (originally 170, but I’ve been running them at 180, so I figure 160 shouldn’t make too much of a mess of things)…

What’s your reason for doing it? For me it was to get the geo where I wanted it rather than any benefit in wheel sizes front and rear.

Looks really good.

Did you know you can use the 650b linkage on the 29er as well?

First impressions: Specialized Enduro 29

Yeah, the Dirt Mag article talked about that, but a bush was £12 and the 650 link would have been £70(?) and the BB is good and low as it is. I figured it was marginal gains for the additional cost.

Probably wouldn’t be much use on your mullet E29, but definitely a good option if you wanted to go back to 29in rear in future.

The Enduro has changed so much, from that first mainstream long-travel 29er which was a trail bike really to the current LLS 170mm version.

For the cheapskates that need good stuff that works, I’m still on 10 speed and bought a Deore 10 speed cassette going all the way up to 42 and that works really nicely for me. Another top tip are the brakes. Shimano 4 pot no specific level and they’re excellent.

Exactly the combination I used to build up my mullet bike as cheaply as possible. Both turned out to be so good that I’d happily recommend them as the first choice to use, irrelevant of price.

Just measured the BB properly and it looks nearer 331mm off the ground. Feels great in long, fast corners.

I mulleted my Ripley V4 also running it at 140mm so that raised bb then 27.5 wheel with 2.6 Rock Razor would of lowered it a bit

Took a similar experimental approach to my S-works stumpy: bunged a 650 out back and just left the 29 wheel out front. Rides well like this, with no real draw-back. It’s an Ohlins coil version, so sits up quite well in the travel.

I might consider an offset bushing next, just to see how it feels a little lower still.

Did you think the BB was ridiculously high in stock form rickos?

I thought it felt almost comically bad.

I knew it was a high and steep bike, which is why it’s ideal for mulleting. Must admit I only rode it once in stock form, but out of all the geometry stuff, I feel BB height the most so knew I wouldn’t like it. Nice and low now.

One thing I manage to get away with due to my short body and long legs is the slacker seat angle. I just ram the saddle as far forward on its rails to get it back to normal, or close enough anyway.

Being an uneducated soul…. what are the benefits of a mulleted bike?

For me it was a cheap way to get the geometry I wanted. For others they like the roll over of the front and the easy turn in on the rear, but not sure I can really feel that. Some proper scientific back to back testing might be needed, but I’m not too bothered about that aspect. I’ve had full 29ers for the last 4 years.

I mulleted my Propain Spindrift today just to see what it was like. BB is a bit high but otherwise good. Got a offset bushing on the way to lower it back down.

Have just bought some Fox 49’s to mullet my 27.5 Saracen Myst, the geometry makes so much sense on a DH bike.

I built up a 2015 Stumpy Evo 29er last year as a cheapo bouncer.

I’m quite liking it’s dated geometry and wagon wheels, but I could be tempted to look for a cheap tweener wheel and tyre to try on the back, especially if it gets used for uplift days in the future.

I did look at an offset bush but didn’t bother in the end, its probably worth a whirl still.

What width rear tyre are you using?

Nice Share OP.

excellent

Slight hijack but there is a 2015 Spec Stumpy fsr 29 in my garage.

If i put a 650b in the rear, what will it do to the head angle and BB height?
How do i calculate the drop? It currently has 140 pikes so could be made longer front susp travel.

@Chapaking you mention using a 650b linkage for the 29er..what does that do? More rear travel? Slacker HA? More general awesomeness? Oh, and jow do i get one for a 5 yr old frame?
Anyone got any advice or experience?
Thanks
Ian

“If i put a 650b in the rear, what will it do to the head angle and BB height?
How do i calculate the drop? It currently has 140 pikes so could be made longer front susp travel.”

The 27.5 wheel will drop the rear axle by 19mm (assuming equivalent tyres), slackening the angles by almost a degree and dropping the BB by about 12mm.

I think the Enduro was a bit of an oddity in terms of having a high BB because on the whole Specialized bikes have been on the low side for a long time. Looks like your Stumpy has a 37mm BB drop as stock, which is already lower than most even now. The 2016 Enduro had a 22mm BB drop so even mulleted it’s higher than your bike as it is now.

We have and still running a 2015 Stumpy Evo 29er, After the first weeks riding we stuck an some 160mm dual travel Pikes and Saint calipers, also swapped the wheels out for some carbon ones. the Stumpy wheels went on the Turbo Levo to see what it was like compared to 650b+

The bike has had quite a lot of use both in the UK and abroad, the forks slackened and transformed the to how we wanted it. Climbs well when the forks are lowered and cant complain about the descending compared to the Enduro

@Tracey, thanks for that input. It did sound like it was a no go, but as i can take my pikes to 160mm too (albeit with no lower climb posn) i may well have a try!
Thanks all for your help. I shall not pursue the mullet idea 🙂

Regards
Ian

Oh, as an aside, im guessing the 650b linkage whilst keeping a 29er wheel will still increase the travel? Will it slacken the HA?
So if i went from 140 front forks to 160 and a 650b linkage but kept 29 wheels what would happen?
Is there an app or way of a halfwit like me working this out? Is like budget enduro monster, not a 3 wheeled coal scuttle!
Thanks
Ian

IIRC the 650b linkage in a SJ-EVO 29 basically means a shorter yoke but no extra travel, correct?

Effectively taking some length off the shock and slackening the front of the bike, you can also get after market yokes (Bikeyoke, available through TFtuned) I looked at it last year and concluded that an offset bush would be the first thing to try as it’s a lot cheaper than a new yoke/linkage…

I’m using mine with 140mm X-fusion Trace 34s which can’t be extended any further, but I think I’m actually happy with the travel I’d just like the HA back a little and where you can’t fit an angleset I think either offset an bush and/or a 27.5″ rear wheel might be the options for me to explore…

Offset bush may be the way forwards then….it sounded like the BB drop from a 650b would be a lot and make an already low bike a bit too extreme. Although im not sure what an offset bush would do to the BB hieght

For the Enduro the 650b yoke was 5mm shorter so had the same effect as MOAR offset bushes. It could only be used on the large and xl sized frames though, otherwise the wee brace on the seat stays hits the back of the seat tube.

2016 Enduro 29er here, fitted with the 650B link (albeit with a 2mm spacer as I really don’t want to risk a clout to my seat tube at max compression). I can’t speak with any authority about angles – you already know that it won’t be as slack as a bleeding edge 29er – but the effect is very noticeable. With the old yoke, the bike felt a little unstable at slow speeds and in slippery stuff. Changing to the 650B yoke immediately felt better, like you’re sitting in the bike and not perched on top of it. It’ll also feel better on the descents too, which is really what an Enduro is for.

Disadvantages? Well firstly it’ll slacken the seat angle too which makes it slightly harder to climb, but you quickly adapt. The other issue is that you’ll need to compensate for the spring curve either by adding more air to the shock or by fitting a stiffer coil. If you’re on the cusp of 100Kg and own an Enduro with an Ohlins air shock, you’ll be nudging the maximum pressure for it. Air shocks on Enduros have an extremely hard life with the standard setup, so do bear this in mind.

I also have a 2014 Stumpy Evo, which is commendably low but slightly steep in the head angle. The bike is fantastic to ride, always balanced and poised. It’ll play nicely with a 150mm Pike, but I wouldn’t go much beyond that. As with the Enduro, Bike Yoke will sell you a custom yoke that’ll fit an off the shelf Fox / Rockshox unit and will improve the geometry too.

What width rear tyre are you using?

It’s just a 2.3 High Roller.

What width rear tyre are you using?

It’s just a 2.3 High Roller.

What width rear tyre are you using?

It’s just a 2.3 High Roller. 2.35 Magic Mary on the front.