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Specialized Enduro thoughts and sizing?

April 2, 2023, 9:46 a.m.
Posts: 2280
Joined: Nov. 8, 2003

Um, whatever input really.

How's the seat angle? (I would go 90° if no one was watching). Yours come with a climb switch? (Tough to tell if this one does, I love switches). How tall are you and are you built like an orangutan or a T-Rex? (I'm 5'10", orangutan leanings, thinking S3). Should I even buy from a company that tried so hard early on to ram e-bikes down mountain bikers throats? Am I missing something glaring in the spec? (I'll probably change out to the Charger 3 damper at some point during an oil change).

I'm looking at the Comp.

https://www.specialized.com/ca/en/enduro-comp/p/200513?color=336307-200513

Cheers

---------------------

Currently squinting skeptically at that RockShox Super Deluxe Coil Select Plus trying to see if it's the one (there's two models) that comes with a climb switch.

https://nsmba.ca/product-category/memberships/


 Last edited by: Hepcat on April 2, 2023, 9:48 a.m., edited 4 times in total.
April 2, 2023, 10:50 a.m.
Posts: 16254
Joined: Nov. 20, 2002

find a bike mfger that hasn't made an E-bike yet and buy their product for no other reason than to be holier than tho

or try the large, then compare it to the xl


 Last edited by: XXX_er on April 2, 2023, 11:13 a.m., edited 2 times in total.
April 2, 2023, 11:23 a.m.
Posts: 2280
Joined: Nov. 8, 2003

Yeah, no don't really care who's making e-bikes currently. The Specialized's early adopter 2 page "it's you only better" etc. ads at the time made me decide maybe the big S wasn't a company I needed to do business with. And I didn't, for years.

Their large is pretty large. Comparable bike I have saddle time on is a Norco Sight, and their large felt too big. Medium felt too small.

Sight:

Medium. Stack: 612, Reach: 455

Large...... Stack: 621, Reach: 485

Enduro:

S3 (M).... Stack: 620, Reach: 464

S4 (L)..... Stack: 629, Reach: 487

Other even just as important geo:

Sight:

M. TT: 593, WB:1222

L.  TT: 621, WB: 1262

Enduro:

S3. TT: 619, WB: 1246

S4. TT: 629, WB: 1274


 Last edited by: Hepcat on April 2, 2023, 1:30 p.m., edited 3 times in total.
April 2, 2023, 11:47 a.m.
Posts: 16254
Joined: Nov. 20, 2002

just  go sit on a couple of bikes

it was you only faster 

so does  faster =  better ?

April 2, 2023, 1:12 p.m.
Posts: 2280
Joined: Nov. 8, 2003

Yeah, I'm not currently in Van/other MTB mecca so not too much in stock selection. Even then there's stuff that owners of a bike know that you don't get from a showroom spin. Especially old fart crotchety bike owners with lots of knowledge like the ones that tend to lurk on this board.

Might have to long term demo an S3 Enduro by buying it and riding it for a few years.

April 2, 2023, 5:04 p.m.
Posts: 218
Joined: March 12, 2021

Posted by: Hepcat

Their large is pretty large. Comparable bike I have saddle time on is a Norco Sight, and their large felt too big. Medium felt too small.

Looks like on paper the Specialized S3 is in between the M/L of the Norco - but it's always better to get some saddle time if you can, because sometimes what something is on paper is not actually what it's like on the trail.

April 3, 2023, 11:25 a.m.
Posts: 2280
Joined: Nov. 8, 2003

That's what I'm thinking too. Can always adjust stem length. 70mm stems are still in fashion right?

Rode a couple of Stumpjumper Evo's. Different animal I know. Made me really pay attention to a couple of geo things though, like just how much wheelbase affects perception of size.

April 5, 2023, 9:04 a.m.
Posts: 465
Joined: March 14, 2017

I would say the Enduro s3 is for someone 5'8 to 5'10 (ish).  It's my current bike and would probably get the SJ EVO if I lived most other places.

April 5, 2023, 10:34 a.m.
Posts: 2280
Joined: Nov. 8, 2003

Sweet, good info. Alternative plan was for every Enduro spotted on the trail to stop at shouting distance: "SWEET ENDURO BRO!! I RIDE AN ENDURO TOO!!! BRO HOW TALL ARE YOU!?!?"

Thanks for the nudge Loamie, I'm going to buy an S3. Really been into riding short travel bikes lately, so much sketchy fun. Spent all.of my previous MTB years on long travel though, I just can't really adjust my riding style. I've been hankering for a long travel for a long while. I'm primarily riding an old World Cup trail, traditionally a dual crown DH affair.

Going with an air shock model, I'm thinking it'll be a little more playful/less racey. Hopefully the Fox X2 is problem free, their reputation is not great. Also will be running an Eliminator rear tire to keep it more pedally. Though I will start shuttling more with this bike. The shame.


 Last edited by: Hepcat on April 5, 2023, 10:36 a.m., edited 1 time in total.
April 9, 2023, 2:01 p.m.
Posts: 878
Joined: June 29, 2006

Have you bought already? 

A thing to keep an eye on. Several friends of mine had headtube issues/failures with the current enduro. They had little cracks in the carbon headtube where the bearings sit, upper end. Freaking creaking and all their frames got warrantied. No catastrophic headtube ripping off or something. The ticking/creaking drove them nuts before anything happened. 

They all ride the black/white s-works now, while they originally had flashy colors. (I loved the red one most!)

That said, they got new frames without questions (some waited almost a year though, covid…). And new frames are supposed to have a new layup, we will see, if they hold up.

They also mostly love how the bike rides, very plush, not a fantastic climber, but great descending bike. 

Looks spectacular.

April 9, 2023, 3:01 p.m.
Posts: 2280
Joined: Nov. 8, 2003

Znarf, my man. Thanks for that, good to know. 

Haven't ordered yet, but by end of this week I'll have enough cash pushed together in a little pile. 

The convenience of warranty from a shop near me was probably the main attraction for this bike. Exploded a Roval wheel few months ago, 5 minute drive to the shop for warranty.

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