Tea, bikes, muffins and Specialized stuff n’ stuff……

Posted by Allan Doyle

Well, would you buy one?

What I’m talking about is the all new 2010 Specialized Enduro, that’s what. Probably one of the most overlooked “all mountain” bikes of the last few years, mostly due to some serious adverse press in its earlier guises.

Dodgy shocks and dodgy forks are the favorite targets of the nay sayers, the vast majority of which have never even clapped eyes on the bikes themselves, but seem content to either listen to the gossip or put their trust in reactionary press reports. Having had the low down from the horses mouth on the problems with these models, they were almost laughably simple, but if you throw enough mud, I guess some sticks?

Anyway, I’ll admit after riding a “mended” Enduro some years ago, with the Specialized rear shock and E-150 fork at a few trail centres, I wasn’t blown away with it, too heavy, wrong geometry (for me at least) and it sometimes felt like I was dragging another bike around. But the new 2010 platform is genuinely impressive, comparatively light and will equipped for your money and over the course of the next few months we’ll be letting you know what we really think!

Let me ask something else, is 140mm enough? because the brand new 2010 Stumpjumper is just that this year. Having already had a decent ride or two on that, I can tell you that it is a very tough, very capable platform too, definitely NOT the go-lightly polite and reserved  XC bike that you may think. So whether you’re interested or not, we’ll also get a run down on the new hardcore element that has been added to this most classic of name tags.

Just as a footnote, I was also down at the SBCU (Specialized Bicycle & Components University) in Chessington to get the tech on the new range too. If you have not been, you have to see it to believe it, NO-ONE else has a set up like this place!

Anyway, here’s a few pics of the visit, opinions on the Enduro and Stumpy to come over the next few months……..