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debut of 2013 specialized enduro 29er

Floor Tom

Monkey
Sep 28, 2009
288
55
New Zealand
Mine came with a 34, which is for sale already. Pike should be here on Monday. Then I need to rob the 180mm adapter from my hardtail and my bike will be ready to roll.
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,850
9,556
AK
Mine came with a 34, which is for sale already. Pike should be here on Monday. Then I need to rob the 180mm adapter from my hardtail and my bike will be ready to roll.
Well that should settle it then. They aren't showing up here, but supposedly right around the corner. 2014 is the model year, but no Pikes :( 180mm adaptor? It's a 200 up front?
 

Floor Tom

Monkey
Sep 28, 2009
288
55
New Zealand
Well that should settle it then. They aren't showing up here, but supposedly right around the corner. 2014 is the model year, but no Pikes :( 180mm adaptor? It's a 200 up front?
I am in New Zealand so the US may get different spec first. mine was in the first shipment on carbon experts to get here. Need the mount cos I bought xt brakes for it and went down to 180 front 160 rear. Had that combo on my old Yeti SB95 and found the power to be easy enough.
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,850
9,556
AK
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Thanks buddy. I'll hold off on buying a new fork before the bike turns up then just in case it comes with the RS.
It has the pike :)
Stock bars are now 760mm
Comes with monoblock Formula C1s (thank god, anything is better than elixrs, even sticks in your spokes)
 
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Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,850
9,556
AK
So far I added an ultegra cassette, the carbon pro tapers, and pedals. I have a 5" command post I picked up w/it that I'll install. Ride report later.
 

mattmatt86

Turbo Monkey
Feb 9, 2005
5,347
10
Bleedmore, Murderland
I have a feeling if/when I get that bike I won't feel the need for a DH bike anymore. That video of Curtis Keene riding trails in BC on the Enduro 29 made me want it even moar.
 

Floor Tom

Monkey
Sep 28, 2009
288
55
New Zealand
I broke 2 fingers on my 2nd ride on mine, now I can't ride for 6 weeks, bummer. 160mm solo air Pike is quite a departure from the 150mm Talas 34. I put a 150 Dual position air fork on mine, feel a bit under gunned now haha.
 

sikocycles

Turbo Monkey
Feb 14, 2002
1,530
772
CT
What I dont understand is why a 29er thread is in the DH forum. We all know a 29er cant DH, Jump, Scrub roost, brapppp or just ride fast enough to even consider riding it DH.
The wheels will just explode. How can you corner with all that wheel flex. OMGOMGOMG
I say move this to the 29er or XC forum where it should be.
:D
 

xy9ine

Turbo Monkey
Mar 22, 2004
2,940
353
vancouver eastside
I have a feeling if/when I get that bike I won't feel the need for a DH bike anymore.
seems inevitable that long legged am bikes are going to be chipping away at dh sled sales. bit of an aging demographic thing for sure, but capable / versatile bikes like these make better sense for a good chunk of our population.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,030
5,918
borcester rhymes
seems inevitable that long legged am bikes are going to be chipping away at dh sled sales. bit of an aging demographic thing for sure, but capable / versatile bikes like these make better sense for a good chunk of our population.
sometimes I think about that, but then I go, "what's the point?". A carbon enderpo 29er could probably handle most anything, especially if you paired it with a set of DH and XC wheels and tires....but then you're looking at a $9 or 10k bike that isn't great at XC and isn't great at DH. It wouldn't really excel at anything besides "enduro" racing.

On the other hand, you could buy a lower end or used DH bike AND XC bike for the same cost, and each tool would be better for each job. That's been my dilemma, at least. I really want and enduro 29 comp, but it would mean I'd have to get rid of my DH bike and XC bike just for that....and having a rough and ready DH bike and an XC bike that isn't a pig to get uphill is really pretty clutch.
 

marshalolson

Turbo Monkey
May 25, 2006
1,770
519
but then you're looking at a $9 or 10k bike that isn't great at XC and isn't great at DH. It wouldn't really excel at anything besides "enduro" racing.
.
flip side: owning an XC bike goes uphill fast and sucks coming back down hill and owning a DH bike that is fun going down hill but cannot go up hill.

most people are riding lifts at a bike park (read: can totally shred everything there just fine on a modern "enduro" bike), or pedal accessed xc trails with their buddies after work. very very few people spend enough time on steep nasty tracks that actually REQUIRE a DH bike - and those that do just own a DH bike.

true DH racing requires a real DH bike, true XC racing requires an ultra light hard tail. but most people do not ride either of those things.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,558
24,181
media blackout
flip side: owning an XC bike goes uphill fast and sucks coming back down hill and owning a DH bike that is fun going down hill but cannot go up hill.

most people are riding lifts at a bike park (read: can totally shred everything there just fine on a modern "enduro" bike), or pedal accessed xc trails with their buddies after work. very very few people spend enough time on steep nasty tracks that actually REQUIRE a DH bike - and those that do just own a DH bike.

true DH racing requires a real DH bike, true XC racing requires an ultra light hard tail. but most people do not ride either of those things.
what about fake dh and fake xc? cuz i own a dh race bike and a sorta ultralight xc hardtail. just wanna make sure i know where the internet says i fit
 

xy9ine

Turbo Monkey
Mar 22, 2004
2,940
353
vancouver eastside
On the other hand, you could buy a lower end or used DH bike AND XC bike for the same cost, and each tool would be better for each job. That's been my dilemma, at least. I really want and enduro 29 comp, but it would mean I'd have to get rid of my DH bike and XC bike just for that....and having a rough and ready DH bike and an XC bike that isn't a pig to get uphill is really pretty clutch.
yeah, i suppose it depends where you're riding. here, the best tool for most terrain in the area is enduro-y bikes (xc rigs don't really factor). the dh bike is only pulled out for whistler (park), but given the wealth of great non-lift accessed trails in the region, (and even though i'm only 1.5hrs from whistler), the sled ends up being the least used bike i have. i know lots of people in a similar position. in the olden days, we all used to ride shore on dh bikes, but now it's just overkill, and justifying keeping a seldom used expensive bike in the quiver becomes more difficult.

now that enduro racing is starting to take off (the events here are just awesome), i can see local dh racing further shrinking. the cost to reward ratio can be tough to justify, alas (which is why i stopped racing dh).

again, this is just a personal opinion; results may vary.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,030
5,918
borcester rhymes
yeah, i suppose it depends where you're riding. here, the best tool for most terrain in the area is enduro-y bikes (xc rigs don't really factor). the dh bike is only pulled out for whistler (park), but given the wealth of great non-lift accessed trails in the region, (and even though i'm only 1.5hrs from whistler), the sled ends up being the least used bike i have. i know lots of people in a similar position. in the olden days, we all used to ride shore on dh bikes, but now it's just overkill, and justifying keeping a seldom used expensive bike in the quiver becomes more difficult.

now that enduro racing is starting to take off (the events here are just awesome), i can see local dh racing further shrinking. the cost to reward ratio can be tough to justify, alas (which is why i stopped racing dh).

again, this is just a personal opinion; results may vary.
I definitely think that there is a place where this bike fits. I personally think it's awesome, and have flirted with the concept of the one-bike quiver. If your terrain is so rough that 6" and 29" wheels are necessary, then this bike is perfect, but that's some rough-ass terrain. And I will say one thing, despite my continued belief that the concept of enduro is silly in and of itself, the events around here are super popular and appear to be well run. Anything that brings back the "spirit" of racing, and tones down the douchiness is a win in my book.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,030
5,918
borcester rhymes
definitely. I see a lot of "scrubby lookin' kids" too, which probably suggests that there's at least a few beginners...which is really good for the sport of MTB as a whole.
 

dump

Turbo Monkey
Oct 12, 2001
8,194
4,419
definitely. I see a lot of "scrubby lookin' kids" too, which probably suggests that there's at least a few beginners...which is really good for the sport of MTB as a whole.
I've only been to three enduro/super-d races, but I don't think there was a single bike there worth less than $2000... no youngsters either... which imo is not good for the sport that seems to be heading in a weird direction of late.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,030
5,918
borcester rhymes
I've only been to three enduro/super-d races, but I don't think there was a single bike there worth less than $2000... no youngsters either... which imo is not good for the sport that seems to be heading in a weird direction of late.
which races did you get to? I'm not sure I saw "young people" but people who were not head to toe matching TLD gear. The really young kids are all at highland being insanely better than me.
 

dump

Turbo Monkey
Oct 12, 2001
8,194
4,419
which races did you get to? I'm not sure I saw "young people" but people who were not head to toe matching TLD gear. The really young kids are all at highland being insanely better than me.
Bromont, Burke, Mont-Avalanche/St-Adolphe
 

dump

Turbo Monkey
Oct 12, 2001
8,194
4,419
which races did you get to? I'm not sure I saw "young people" but people who were not head to toe matching TLD gear. The really young kids are all at highland being insanely better than me.
That's not entirely true... there were a few youngsters @ burke.
 

blindboxx2334

Turbo Monkey
Mar 19, 2013
1,340
101
Wets Coast
I've only been to three enduro/super-d races, but I don't think there was a single bike there worth less than $2000... no youngsters either... which imo is not good for the sport that seems to be heading in a weird direction of late.
not everyone who just started picking up on riding is 'young' ;)
 

marshalolson

Turbo Monkey
May 25, 2006
1,770
519
you used to see "vacationers" racing beginner/cat3 dh on rental bikes at mountain states cup races back in the day. generally most didn't have that great of a time, since its a damn hard sport to do (never mind racing, just riding burly DH tracks on a rental bike with no skills from the flat lands) unless you live there and do it regularly. never see these types at dh races anymore. everyone is on blinged out bikes, and the fields are way smaller. go figure mountain states cup threw in the towel.

every enduro race i have ever been in has had the "vacationer" racer, and they all seem to have an awesome time, and everyone i have talked to said they would be stoked to do another enduro race. but they require a SWAT box for the race.
 
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