2013 Bike of the Year, Vital MTB Shreddy Awards 19

Two years ago, if you told us a Bike of the Year Shreddy would be given to a 29er, we would have laughed in your face as we sprinted off on our deus-six machines. Fast forward to 2013, our minds are open and the Bike of the Year has begrudgingly won our hearts. Following a whirlwind debut and winning the Sea Otter downhill under Aaron Gwin, the bike found success with Curtis Keene in the Enduro World Series. A short time after, the bike surprised everyone as Mitch Whipelato scorched his way past the haters to a 2nd place seeding time at downhill World Champs in Pietermaritzburg.

The Shreddy Award for the 2013 Bike of the Year goes to the Specialized Enduro 29, a bike we wanted to hate, but couldn't.



Sporting geometry that looks impossible to pull off on paper, 6.1-inches of finely-tuned travel and a dialed build kit, the Enduro 29 rides like no other wagon wheeler before it. Thanks to some Taco Blade magic, its agility is akin to it’s smaller-wheeled brothers while maintaining substantial gains in traction, rolling speed, and the ability to monster truck through anything in its path. This unique combination creates a ride where corner exit speed is nothing short of phenomenal and the uphill-ability (a Vital trademarked word) is what you'd expect from a big wheeler.

If going balls to the wall on rough trails is your thing, this bike is an unlikely match you should consider and is flat out fun to ride. Congrats, Specialized. You earned this Shreddy for the Enduro 29.