Flow's First Bite: Specialized S-Works Enduro 29/6Fattie


The not-so-minor details

Product

Specialized S-Works Enduro 29/6Fattie

Contact

Specialized Australia
www.specialized.com

Price

AUD11,000.00

Weight

13.37kg

Positives

Balanced, well thought out geometry.
Pratical frame construction and finishes.
Dual wheelsize compatibility.

Negatives

None as yet.

The new Enduro is so hot it's melting the ice here in Thredbo.
The new Enduro is so hot it’s melting the snow here in Thredbo.


This bike comes with a legendary reputation, way back in mid-2013  it emerged as one of the first 29ers to challenge perceptions of what a big wheeler was capable of. It’s received a major overhaul for 2017, and as we discussed in our initial impressions piece back in August, we like the changes Specialized have implemented.
We're excited to give the Enduro a thrashing on the variety of awesome trails Thredbo has to offer.
We’re excited to give the Enduro a thrashing on the variety of awesome trails Thredbo has to offer.


So, what sort of changes are we talking about?

The new Enduro begs to be pushed hard, and Thredbo is the perfect place for that.
The new Enduro begs to be pushed hard, and Thredbo is the perfect place for that.


Heading to Thredbo? We’d suggest you give the Makin Trax Basecamp a try. They hosted us for our week in Thredbo, and it was the perfect setup for our crew of six riders. With five bedrooms, to sleep up to 12 riders, a huge kitchen, an open fire and plenty of space to store your bikes, it’s just bloody ideal. They’re doing some great accommodation and lift pass packages too. Take a look!  
Makin Trax Images-2372


Firstly, a glance at the geometry chart for the Enduro tells you that Specialized has given this bike the ‘long, low and slack’ treatment. In our large 29” Enduro, a roomy 604mm top tube is paired with a 66-degree head angle and 432mm chainstays. For a bike that can also accept 27.5×3.00 tyres, that’s a pretty short rear end!

The new Enduro utilises a longer top tube than its predecessor.
The new Enduro utilises a longer top tube than its predecessor.

Speaking of 27.5×3.00 tyres, for our test we’re going to be alternating between the stock 29” wheels and tyres and a set of 650B+ wheels, to see exactly how the bike changes with wheel and tyre size.
Getting the big wheels of the ground on a fresh section of the All-Mountain trail that is going to blow minds.
Getting the big wheels of the ground on a fresh section of the All-Mountain trail that is going to blow minds.


How much travel is the Enduro 29/6Fattie equipped with?
The Enduro 29/6Fattie comes equipped with a 160mm fork and 165mm of rear-end travel, which is a smidgen less than you’ll find on the 650B version of this bike, which is 170mm front and rear. Even still, 165mm on a 29er is a hefty amount of travel. Will it prove too much?

165mm of rear travel handled by the Swedish maestros of suspension, Öhlins.
165mm of rear travel handled by the Swedish maestros of suspension, Öhlins.


Is that Öhlins suspension front and rear?
It sure is! We’ve reviewed the RXF 34 fork in the past, and we rated it highly, so we’re excited to get some riding in on the RXF 36, which as the name suggests comes with 36mm stanchions, as opposed to 34mm. In this longer travel format, we think we’ll be able to get a better idea of the performance on offer, which was a little tricky to appreciate in the shorter travel version we previously tested.

We're excited to see how the RXF 36 stacks up.
We’re excited to see how the RXF 36 stacks up against the Pike and FOX 36.


What about the frame itself?
Another big tick from us is the inclusion of the SWAT box in the Enduro’s downtube. We love sneaking in rides without a backpack whenever possible, so keeping the SWAT compartment packed with essential spares and room for a snack means that you can pop a bottle on the bike and you’re ready to head out for at least a couple of hours. With the riding this bike is aimed at, you’re going to appreciate not having weight on your back and being able to move around the bike freely!

We're big fans of the SWAT box on the new Enduro.
We’re big fans of the SWAT box on the new Enduro.

Another change to the frame design is the cable routeing. All the internal routeing is guided by sleeves within the frame, which means fewer hassles when working on the bike. Adding to this, Specialized have moved the rear brake and derailleur cables from exiting underneath the bike to running through the chainstays, which eliminates the chance of them snagging and bashing into debris out on the trail.
Neat cable routing through the chainstays ensures that cables are out of the way from trail debris.
Neat cable routeing through the chainstays ensures that cables are out of the way from trail debris.


There seems to be a lot of 170mm ‘enduro specific’ bikes cropping up, do I need one of these bikes if I’m not racing? 
Whilst the emerging trend of 170mm ‘enduro’ bikes is perhaps overkill for a lot of riders, the bike still only weighs a hair over 13 kilograms, so if descending is your priority, then maybe this is the right bike for you, regardless of if you plan to race or not.

We're looking forward to seeing if the Enduro lives up to its 'do it all' reputation.
We’re looking forward to seeing if the Enduro lives up to its ‘do it all’ reputation.

Anyhow, we’re off to do a few laps of the hill here at Thredbo – stay tuned for our detailed review shortly!

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