[Closed] specialized enduro

You can swap for a shorter stem on a slightly larger bike, but if the frame is too short for your height then you're screwed really. I made this mistake before with a Marin Quad and although I loved the bike I kept smacking my knees on the bars and the thing just wouldn't climb stuff.

I'm the same height as you and I run a Stumpy Evo and a Camber both in size large, however not everyone is built the same way.

If you're sinking £2.5k into a new bike then you need to be absolutely sure on the sizing.

I'm 5'10" and have always ridden size large Specializeds.

I'm 5'10.5" and I recently bought a large Camber 🙂

I'm the same height as you, OP, and my Enduro is a medium. In almost any other Spesh MTB I take a large. I chose the medium deliberately, as it's my trail centre skill compensator, and having a smaller frame makes it easier to hurl around, IMHO.

Does rather depend on reach as well as height though, so best to be sure!

Two 5ft 10inch here and a 6 fter. Running two medium Enduros and two medium Stumpjumpers between the three of us. Large felt way too long. All 26 inch wheels

I'm 5'10 and I've got the Medium Spesh Enduro Carbon 29er and its spot on for me, its a hooligan bike .. changed it to a 30t and shorter stem and wider bars ....... perfect !! 🙂

thanks for the replies,
how do you find these on the ups?(as this will be my only bike)

Its quite a good bike for riding up the techy climbs but now Ive changed the chainring its more controlled and more traction..

I bought this bike as a '1 bike does all' and I'm more than happy with it.

No problems on the uphill's, awesome on the downs. Just spent today at Wharncliffe, first ride on mine since my Alps crash and new frame. Every bit as good as the old one

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5' 10 here. Medium 29 Enduro. Size I'd say is pretty much spot on. I have upgraded to 35mm stem, 780 carbon bars, xt brakes from formula C1, front tyre to a 2.4 Ardent, 1 x 10 set-up ( prototype 30t chainring, 42t rear sprocket) All upgrade are personal choices. As for climbing, its a 160mm fork with a slack HA. and climbs exactly so. Worth it though for the fun times everywhere else. Where are you based?

The Stumpy Evo is the better all round bike.

If the descents are smoother it's also the faster bike.

IIRC it was Dirt that reviewed the 29er and said, more or less, "Too much bike for practically everyone and everything"- I'd love a go but it doesn't strike me as an allrounder really. Could be wrong. The Stumpy is a very capable bike and might tick the boxes better

If you are looking for an all round bike you may want to consider that the 2015 model Enduro 29 has no provision to fit a front mech and the entry level at £2600 comes with a 1x10 although the next model up comes with a 1x11 Sram . If you are looking at a 2014 bike you get the front mech .

I imagine it is pretty epic on descents like in the peaks and super shit up tight switch backs. Would like to try one down jacobs ladder I imagine it would bulldoze descents like that.

I have no need for a long travel, hard hitting 29er fs but looking at the Enduro makes me want one!

I do like the looks of Spesh FSers. Even if my Camber 26er barely sees the light of day!

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All about the 650b! This was mid demo weekend at CC and BPW. It's really very, very good. [url= http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/specialized-enduro-elite-650b-a-quick-review ]Link to a revoo I dun rote abowt it.[/url]

IIRC it was Dirt that reviewed the 29er and said, more or less, "Too much bike for practically everyone and everything"

The Enduro 29er is the most successful Enduro race bike; it's extremely fast and capable. It's also a lot more travel than you're used to with the Camber and will flatten easy trails whilst being a sod to climb back up. YMMV.

Superficial

The Enduro 29er is the most successful Enduro race bike; it's extremely fast and ca

In what way is it the most successful Enduro race bike?

Love my 2013 one with the double barrel shock
Climbs very well for what it is
I use mine as an all rounder and always makes me smile

jimjam - Member

In what way is it the most successful Enduro race bike?

Mitch Gruffalo's crashed one in a downhill race a couple of times, do we have to spell it out for you?

Northwind
Mitch Gruffalo's crashed one in a downhill race a couple of times, do we have to spell it out for you?

Yeah go on.

Think EWS has shown that rider is more the definig factor rather than differences between all mountain bikes.

It is slightly scary how T-Mo can make that Remedy 29er move..

2004 enduro is where its at.

neilsonwheels - Member
2004 enduro is where its at.

Gutted.!

Yep 9 months out of warranty and no stays left in the country, it went in a skip. Though looking back from 10 years down the line I'd not be riding it in preference to a lot of current bikes.

Did you have it from new.?

yep picked it up in a box all fresh and new.

super shit up tight switch backs.

Rear centre is really short, BB is 350mm and it isn't very slack so that isn't the case at all.

The Enduro 29er is the most successful Enduro race bike; it's extremely fast and capable. It's also a lot more travel than you're used to with the Camber and will flatten easy trails whilst being a sod to climb back up. YMMV.

Yeah how is it the most successful? When Curtis got on the 650b he got his best EWS result and while Mitch did well at Winter Park he won that Fontana race on the Stumpy. The SB66 and Jekyll (which are both crap IMO) are far more sucessful as the best riders are on them. Also it's a 29" so relative to smaller wheels it climbs just fine.

(which are both crap IMO)

The SB66 and Jekyll (which are both crap IMO)

The SB66 is the best 26" bike I've ever ridden, you must really set your standards high.

Also owned a 2004 Enduro which was a great fun and I do like the look of the new ones and they do get good reviews, but I like my Mach6 more:)

The SB66 and Jekyll (which are both crap IMO)
The SB66 is the best 26" bike I've ever ridden, you must really set your standards high.

Yeah leverage rate is too flat for me. You're either through the travel to easy or running 20% sag and a load of compression to hold it up. Depends what you're used to I guess.

In what way is it the most successful Enduro race bike?

Maybe that wasn't the exact right choice of words. Its the most common privateer bike choice and according to spesh, in 2013 it won more titles than any other enduro bike. It might not be represented at the very top level of EWS but that's a different story.

Just because it's got 29 inch wheels, doesn't mean it's a climbing goat. It'll still be a bit of a dog on some climbs.

Yeah leverage rate is too flat for me. You're either through the travel to easy or running 20% sag and a load of compression to hold it up. Depends what you're used to I guess.

5ft 10.5" and ride a large E29 with 35mm stem.

Did you sit on both a medium and large? I thought the standover was about the same, i just felt a little cramped on the medium.

Its an awesome bike

As someone who owns one I can tell you they are a great bike.

It isn't the lightest but it pedals well and it can devour technical climbs really well. It comes into its own on the downs though and, contrary to what many would suggest, it corners really well and is happy to be hustled along and, if you want, get into the air. It doesn't ride much like other 29ers I've tried (Orange 29, Yeti SB95, Santa Cruz Tallboy) - it rides better.

The tyres / rims are tubless ready and if you went for a 2014 model you could go lighter again by going 1 x 10.

It might well be too much bike for most, and most of the time, but its great fun, and very fast, which makes it fun.

My last bike was a 120mm trail bike, but I found its limits way too easily and lost interest. By comparison, the Enduro is far more capable than I am, but every ride you eek out a bit more performance from it, and yourself, which I love.

Size wise, I have a medium and I am 5'8". The large ones (did, in 2014) come with a longer stem which was criticised, but I don't know about the 2015 ones. I would try both out and see.

All about the 650b! This was mid demo weekend at CC and BPW. It's really very, very good.

Is the 650b still a bodge of a 29er and 26 with a spacer under the front end? Think I'd rather wait for a slightly more refined final version if I was splashing that amount on a new bike.

I'd imagine you'd be ok on either size frame, I was in a similar position and plumped for a medium Enduro as it was available at the time (26 though). I've since bought a larger hardtail and realised I should really have waited for a large though it doesn't really cause me any problems.

Purely aesthetically if I had the choice on the 29er I'd go large, looking at the 2 sizes at the weekend the medium looks quite awkward in comparison - the larger frame deffo helps with the proportions of the circus wheels.

I'd be amazed if the Enduro was the 'most common/most winningest' bike last year. Unless of course there are people racing the older version.

The spec's on them look better this year though (mainly surround stock rear shock options).

It's a nice bike. It was quite easy to ride fast I found. In some ways a bit odd, it wanted to plow through everything, but it also felt like it would have been better at it, if they made it a bit slacker and lower. Maybe they tried it, and what came out was the best balance overall.

Is the 650b still a bodge of a 29er and 26 with a spacer under the front end? Think I'd rather wait for a slightly more refined final version if I was splashing that amount on a new bike.

I think so, from what the press articles said it has a 26" front end & a new rear to fit the wheel in. Hence why it's got a slightly odd height BB.

Like a few others on this thread, I've a 2004 vintage Enduro which has happily survived without incident. The frame now hangs from my living room wall.

I do love the look and idea of the modern incarnation, it was near the top of the list for me but I realised that with the riding I do 99% of the time I'd be overbiked. Out of the blue, I test rode a 29er Stumpy Evo and was thoroughly impressed. Six weeks into ownership and I'm extremely happy with my purchase.

My (26er) Camber has barely been touched aside from a general clean and spruce up since. The Stumpy simply out-climbs it on the wet chalky trails around my way.

Yeah, I'm on a Stumpjumper Evo in large and have yet to really find its limits. I have done 15 3000ft mountains on it, been to the Pyrenees and ride it every week in the Peak District. It's significantly lighter than an Enduro (although I'm sure HobNob will be along to tell me that I am unable to read the numbers on my scales) so easier to manage.

The geometry isn't wildly different- 67 headangle as opposed to 66.5, although the Enduro has a 20mm longer wheelbase and a 15mm taller BB. Chainstays are 1mm shorter on the Enduro. TTs are the same.

@munrobiker interesting; do you own both bikes and are you talking about 29ers?

Nah, I just want to borrow your scales, will save me a few pounds off my build 😉

Toons- this refers to 26" only, I'm not interested in the 29" alternatives really. I don't own the Enduro but have ridden one extensively.

Hobnob- I suspect a more prudent choice of spec would sort that out for you.

Toons- this refers to 26" only, I'm not interested in the 29" alternatives really. I don't own the Enduro but have ridden one extensively.

I felt exactly the same way about big wheeled bikes...until I tested my Stumpy 29er! That said, I did have a quick go on a 26" Stumpy Evo with Fox 36s and was hugely impressed.

RE the "bodge" comments, not 100% sure! Can't remember seeing a spacer in there on the 650, and to be honest, I don't think it would bother me in the slightest, it rode brilliantly, and that's all that really matters!

Definitely prefer to try the 'Bermuda Triangle Scales' method 😉

thanks again for the helpful replies.
the bike shop has only got a medium and cant get a 2014 model in large,but i had a sit on a 2015 650b enduro in large and didn't feel any difference.
think im going to take the plunge

the 2015 model Enduro 29 has no provision to fit a front mech

Well my 2015 came with the tacho plate to fit a front mech, so I reckon it can - not that I will as I'm happy with the 1x11 setup. 2015 also has 30T chainring, which is better for me.

The geometry isn't wildly different- 67 headangle as opposed to 66.5, although the Enduro has a 20mm longer wheelbase and a 15mm taller BB. Chainstays are 1mm shorter on the Enduro. TTs are the same.

When you compare the geo on a 29er 2015 Enduro v Stumpy Evo, it's a slightly different story. Wheelbase is the same for both, chainstays are 25 mm shorter on the Enduro, TT is 5 mm shorter on the Enduro, BB effectively 10 mm higher on Enduro (corrected for sag), head angle 0.5 deg slacker on Enduro.

Main reason I went for the Enduro 29 over the Stumpy 29 in the end was because of the shorter chainstays (they are very short for a 29er). Reading between the lines it seems Spesh haven't got round to shortening the Stumpy chainstays yet, although they may have just decided longer was better for climbing.

It's all a compromise of course and while the Stumpy is almost certainly a better all-rounder for most UK trails, I thought I'd enjoy the Enduro more. I usually ride alone or with my wife who is a bit slower, so I don't mind a bit of extra weight to lug around - not that it's particularly heavy for a a trail bike (29 lb I believe for a large in carbon, but haven't weighed it yet)

First impressions are great. Climbs fast as far as I'm concerned (29" wheels?) and obviously more than capable on the downs. Climbing switch on the Cane Creek seems to work really well - rear seems to sit higher in travel and no pedal bob, but still feels reasonably compliant over bumps even when forgetting to switch it off for the descent!

OP - you should really try a 29er Enduro before making a final decision on the 650b. You might be pleasantly surprised how good an all rounder the 29 version is. For pure techy DH the 650b may have a slight edge, but for everything else I suspect the 29er is better.

It's significantly lighter than an Enduro

1kg max, although that's comparing an actual weight for an Enduro (size L) v claimed weight for Stumpy. If you compare actual weight for a Camber Evo (also L) v Enduro they are also 1 kg apart, which suggests that a Stumpy is actually closer to the Enduro weight. So lets say it's maybe 0.5 kg lighter in reality. Doubt I'd notice that to be honest.

It's all a compromise of course and while the Stumpy is almost certainly a better all-rounder for most UK trails, I thought I'd enjoy the Enduro more.

Can't think of a better justification than this. It's what buying bikes is all about when it comes down to it.

Exactly right PJM! I'm sure I would have been extremely happy with the Stumpy Evo 29 too, especially on the uphill bits. Actually the Enduro wasn't really on my radar initially as I thought it would be overkill for my riding, but then I thought what the hell! My old do-it-all bike weighed 33 lb with 6" travel, so it feels pretty nimble anyway and it gives my wife a useful advantage on the fire-road climbs.

size large enduro comp 29er 2014 bought today from bike scene

Congratulations on your purchase..let us know how you get on.

thanks for the advice,managed to get a couple of local rides in this week ,just local xc through the woods and and bridle ways.
i love it,can keep up with everybody,including the ones 20 years younger than me.
climbs easily as well as my previous 26 camber
very comfy and relaxed riding position.
handles really well through tight woodland, which i didn't expect

i cant wait to get out again.

also a thank you to bike scene in guisborough for their help and service when buying from them

thanks