Posts
331
Joined
4/11/2010
Location
Moscow, ID
US
Edited Date/Time
1/12/2015 9:33am
I"m looking at either bike but I don't know which to really settle on, Do you guys have any suggestions? I know they just came out and I will not likely be able to test ride them back to back or anything but they look like they are the same bike almost.....the enduro looks to be a little less expensive and with better parts on it too. Is there a real benefit to the split pivot suspension design vs the FSR?
I also was lucky enough to score a Spartan when they first came out, and that bikes squirts
uphill like an XC bike, but blasts turns like a DH bike. I am loving mine!
The claim of the Devinci pedaling better and climbing faster is something I'd really like to look into. Since Specialized have been on this Enduro revision the bikes have climbed scary fast and much more efficient. As in they climbed faster than my 25 pound geeked out trailbike. And of course they are among the best descending bikes out there right now.
The Devinci is an interesting bike though. I'd imagine that just on the frame geo's it would have a bit more of an advantage in really gnarly and chunky dh situations but actually be a bit sluggish on the ups, but having not ridden one I can't comment. And if you're looking for a bike to take on long rides it did look on paper to be on the heavy side, and magic climbing abilities or not, a heavier bike is going to sap more energy in the long run. If you care about such a thing. It does however look like the perfect bike for park, shuttle, and trailriding use.
I know this sounds like I'm a Spec fanboy, but to their disadvantage I'm 6'3 and they stopped making bikes that fit me 2-3 years ago unless of course I chose to ride a 29er. I'm not against a 29er and the Enduro 29 actually does ride pretty freaking good. But I just don't like a company telling me that they know better and that I have no choice but to ride this one option while everyone 6 feet and below can choose from other wheelsize options to suit their needs. So, I ride a Santa Cruz Bronson now and couldn't be happier.
EDIT: did not post half my comment and I did mean nomad, and not bronson.
-r.
Thanks for the help so far, I gotta say that I'm leaning towards the Specialized though; the parts spec/price is much more appealing PLUS its carbon so it is lighter and climbs better. Even if they release a carbon version of the Spartan I imagine it will be more expensive than the top model that they currently have which is already about $500 more than the Enduro Expert. Seems like the big S made a tactical move to release the 650 enduro so late.......after they saw what the competition offered and then undercut them to capitalize on the market, gotta love big business lol.
under 30lbs. It is not sluggish on the uphills. A mediocre pedaling bike wouldn't have gotten Damien Oton to the
top step of an EWS podium.
The other point I'm starting to consider: I'm at 0 on liking 650b bikes from brands that weren't enthusiastic about making them, like SC & Specialized. Seems like going with a brand that really wants to make a 650b bike is the way to go at this point.
Now if you think about where your weight transfers to the bike, it's at the seat, pedals, & bars. you can throw out seat during aggressive riding(cause you get off it,) & it's immediately obvious that more of your weight transfers through the pedals than the bars, no matter how over the front you ride. so BB drop is important because it affects the main point that your weight transfers to the bike, & the farther that weight transfers from below the axles, the more if feels like you ride "in" the bike, not "on" the bike.
Now take a 650b tire & wheel. because it's slightly taller, you can achieve a small amount (about half an inch seems to be popular)of BB drop, & keep overall BB height still at about that 13.5" number.
This conversation can get really complicated from here. obviously, you can make the argument that where the BB rests at sag is a more important number, which is true, but harder to measure (in that BB height, and increasingly, BB drop numbers are published, but BB height at sag isn't.) but regardless, for a given BB height, the higher the axles are, the more the weight is tranfering "through" the axles vs "over" the axles.
Everything is subjective, but it's been a big factor to me for whether a bike feels comfortable or not.
http://www.pinkbike.com/news/devinci-spartan-carbon-spotted-2014.html
Post a reply to: Specialized Enduro 650B vs. Devinci Spartan