05/10/2008

Specialized likes to make a big splash when it's introducing new product for the upcoming year. They generally get dozens of bike journalists in one place, and roll out the goods, and this year was no different. Well, actually, it was a little different.

Specialized had been scooped by some of its own people when a certain product manager and engineer unveiled pre-production versions of the '07 Demo 7 and 8 bikes to nsmb's very own Cam McRae. Not surprisingly, Cam put them on the site right away - to the chagrin of some folks in Morgan Hill. But at the end of the day, everyone survived.

The other difference was that this year's product launch in Germany, instead of Southern California. The Euros didn't have far to go, but the North Americans were on a plane for a long ride. By the time everyone had made their way to Holzkirchen, an hour southeast of Munich, there were 51 journalists anxious to ride bikes, drink beers, and eat the omni-present freshly baked pretzels. Not necessarily in that order, though. Pretzels should always come first.

Stacks of pretzels were everywhere, and they were making me thirsty.

Our home away from home - the typical Bavarian gasthaus

Specialized rolled out the new knobby-tired bikes and relevant goodies to the waiting journos, unveiling updated versions of the XC race / marathon Epic bike, the XC Stumpjumper, and the all-mountain Enduro. The first two bikes had been updated for '07, but more significantly, the Enduro had received a complete makeover that included an entirely-new frame design, a new fork, and a new shock.

Now let's stop and think about that for a moment. The Enduro is undoubtedly Specialized's most popular bike. Were the changes madness or sheer brilliance? And a new fork? Why would Specialized go through all the headaches of designing and producing a new fork, when there are lots of other forks out there to choose from? Let's find out, shall we?

This is what it's like to go on a group ride with (only) 30 people. The other 20+ didn't feel like riding uphill on this particular day.

The bike
Specialized unveiled three different bikes at the 2007 mountain bike launch: the Epic cross country / marathon bike, the Stumpjumper XC bike, and the Enduro all-mountain bike. I had a chance to ride the Epic, but the Enduro's more applicable to readers of this site so I'll focus on that.

The first thing you'll notice about the new Enduro is that the frame's different. Way different. Gone is the interrupted seat tube with the shock that moved inward towards the front wheel, and the traditional four-bar rear end. It's been replaced with a rocker-arm linkage, an un-interrupted seat tube, and a shock that is parallel to the seat tube. Fear not, though - the new Enduro still uses the classic Horst link, with the rear-most pivot sitting on the chainstay.

The 2007 Enduro with aluminum frameset, complete with rocker linkage, new shock and fancy new fork.

Specialized says it went with the rocker-style linkage for a couple of reasons: optimal pivot placement, a water bottle mount inside the front triangle, and maximum seatpost adjustment, all of which are good things. You also get the added bonus of more standover room.

A fork from the Big Red S? There was some speculation as to what we were going to see before we arrived at the camp, and word on the street was that a new fork from Specialized would be unveiled. Shortly after the presentation began on the first morning of the media camp, there it was - a new 6" double crown fork called the FutureShock E150. The fork was designed, according to Specialized, in order to fine-tune the ride of the bikes exactly the way they wanted, under the banner of total integration. The E150 would provide (in Specialized's words) optimal bump force management, travel and impact matching, unsurpassed steering efficiency, and terrain-specific damping, wrapped in a light-weight package that didn't suffer from pedal interference. Sounds a lot like the same sort of stuff most fork manufacturers are shooting for with their higher end forks, doesn't it? Anyway...

The E150 fork, mounted on a carbon Enduro SL. Definitely sexy, that's for sure.

The new fork is the creation of Mike 'Mick' McAndrews, a noted suspension designer from way back in the day. Mick has spent time at RockShox, Fox Racing Shox, and Maverick over the years, as well as being responsible for the Brain rear shock on earlier Specialized bikes, so he knows a thing or two about suspension.

This particular 150mm fork boasts integrated lowers and a proprietary 25mm thru axle for increased torsional rigidity and accurate steering, a double crown for stiffness and light weight, an integrated stem for lighter weight and improved steering, a unique threaded headset, an inline arch, the Attitude Adjustment travel adjust system to lower the front by 40mm, a proprietary spike valve to prevent bob but still allow full travel on big hits, and newly designed seals for low maintenance.

A close-up of the new 25mm front hub, and clamping system

Claimed weight for the fork, which uses 35mm stanchions, is 2.2kg (4.84lbs.). That includes the stem and axle, making for a very light package when compared to other 150mm forks with the stem and axle combo. Axle-to-crown height wasn't disclosed, but it appears to be in line with other 150mm forks. That axle uses a single 5mm bolt to tighten it, and two single pinch bolts on the bottom of each leg to clamp it in place.

Unlike a lot of other manufacturers who are choosing post mounts for their forks, Specialized went with an international standard disc brake mount; the E150 can run up to 203mm rotors. The integrated stems are available in 60, 75, 90, and 105mm lengths; dealers will stock different lengths so you can leave the store with the right one.

The integrated stem and threaded headset on the fork. There are single pinch bolts all 'round.

The in-line fork arch looks a little strange, and people were suspicious about clearance. Especially the Pommies.

According to Specialized, the fork doesn't need a traditional arch because the loads are being handled by the hubs rather than the arch. A 2.5" tire is supposed to fit in the fork, but it will be a bit of a tight squeeze and you'll likely get rubbing if there's any mud at all on the trail.

Getting technical, the E150 uses Specialized's L-VAS (large volume air spring) damping system. As you might guess, it's a large volume, low-pressure air spring with a negative coil spring. This particular design was used to keep down weight in the fork. It's intended to handle small bumps, offer a consistent feel in the mid-stroke, and ramp up progressively at the end of the stroke to prevent bottoming out. Specialized went with a cartridge system with an internal floating piston to minimize or reduce emulsification of the oil and increase control throughout the stroke.

Blue compression and red rebound knobs. Yes, the writing is very tiny...

The Spike Valve on the fork is designed to minimize the effect of slow-speed forces caused by things like pedalling, and then become active on high-speed impacts or drops. All of that is achieved through a combination of shim stacks and a pop-off valve that minimize the flow of oil at slower speeds and then dump it when the fork needs all its travel.

Turning the Attitude Adjustment knob on the top of the left leg and weighting the fork will drop the travel by 40mm, as well as increasing the spring rate. The fork will stay active while the Attitude Adjustment is on, but it's not designed as a variable travel fork. At this point in time, the fork is only available in the double crown version, but nobody was denying plans to develop a single crown version. Don't get your heart set on picking up one of the new Specialized forks to slap on your bike, however - they will only be available as part of a package that includes the new Enduro frame, a stem, and the front hub / thru axle.

The Attitude Adjustment knob, complete with even smaller writing

The rear shock
Specialized has spent a lot of time over the years to develop rear suspension technology, and the Brain shock has carved out a niche for itself on the company's Epic and Stumpjumper lines. It was made by Fox, but the design was Specialized's. The folks at Morgan Hill decided that they needed to go one step further, and created a new shock to go with the new fork to round out the idea of total suspension integration.

The new rear shock and rocker link on the '07 Enduro. Note the two different lower shock mounts.

McAndrews was also given the task of designing the new shock, and he used many of the same concepts that were put into play in the fork. The new AFR Shock uses the spike valve to increase stability in corners, cut out unwanted bob, and allow maximum travel on big hits; L-VAS matches the spring rate to bump force, and the seals were engineered to keep Mother Nature out of the shock.

Specialized has designed the shock as an integrated part of the frame. It's supposed to absorb small bumps while eliminating the 'hammock' feeling in the middle of the stroke and ramping up at the end of the stroke, without premature bottoming out or excessive ramping. The Spike Valve handles both slow-speed and high-speed forces to optimize the ride. Interestingly, Specialized feels that this technology is applicable to all-mountain, trail, and competition XC riding. It's been put into use in various forms in the Epic, the Stumpjumper, and the Enduro bike platforms. Adjustments on the shock are simple: a red rebound knob, a blue platform switch, and a Schraeder air valve. There are two lower shock mounts for adjustable head angle and bottom bracket height, described above.

It looks similar to other rear shocks, except for the big 'S'

What's that clunking noise, and other issues
Everything looked and sounded great during the presentations, so I was excited about getting on the bikes and checking things out. But as nice as the new bikes and fork looked, it wasn't all gravy. The forks made noise, right out of the box. It was difficult to tell what the noise was - loose headset? Rebound damping? Bushings? Loose hub? The techs looked at the bike, but couldn't figure out what the issue was. The bike climbed well and the rear suspension did exactly what it was supposed to do, but it was hard to get my mind off the noisy fork, and it was difficult to know if it was riding the way it should have been.

After a couple of post-ride beers and some odd Bavarian pasta dish, I promptly forgot about the noise. Until the next morning, when I picked up a different Enduro to go for our second test ride, and discovered that that this fork was making the same clunking noise. Round 2 with the tech guys. And I wasn't the only one waiting for a fix - there were two other editors dealing with their own noisy forks. My bike got a lot of behind-the-scenes attention, including a new headset, but that didn't do anything to silence things.

Aside from that technical issue, I think there's a larger, more fundamental problem with the E150 fork. In my opinion, it's an unnecessary product. Virtually every other bike manufacturer in the world manages to get by with forks from the four major fork makers. And when they want some sort of special damping or valving, they ask for it and the fork guys (usually) comply. There are some pretty damn sweet forks out there these days, with all sorts of technology to optimize your ride. I have a hard time believing that the E150 is so spectacularly different, and so much better, that it was worth the effort and sizeable financial commitment involved to produce it - total integration aside, and all.

It looks sweet and is highly capable, but unfortunately there were a few issues with the execution.

Other bike manufacturers have tried to do their own fork thing. The small guys have been doing it for more than a decade, and some are actually doing a good job of it, but they sort of exist in a world of their own. Cannondale also tried to do the same thing, with its Lefty. That didn't go so well. The Big C started out using its own internals on the Lefty but after numerous issues, switched to internals from Manitou, and more recently, Fox. It seems to me that there's a lesson in there somewhere.

Then there's the issue of making a product that isn't your specialty. Oddly enough, Cannondale has some experience in that arena as well. It tried to make motorcycles. How did that project go, you ask? Well, when was the last time you saw a Cannondale in your local dirt bike shop? Yeah, that's what I thought. That whole escapade was one of the many things that ultimately bankrupted Cannondale. The question, then, is - why does a company that makes bicycles think it can do a better job of building motor bikes than Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, KTM, and so on? Challenging the current status quo is all well and good, but I have to think that the same idea holds true for suspension forks as it does for motorcycles.

Even though the E150 fork wasn't performing particularly well, the riding was still ... interesting.
One tip - cows generally mean electric fences. Caution is advised.

And then there's the 25mm front hub. I'm all over added stiffness, but is another hub spec really necessary? Welcome to the world of incompatibility, hard-to-find-parts, and long waits if your fancy new hub craps out. Does the extra 5mm really add so much more stiffness that it's worth all of that hassle?

Given the issues I had with the fork, and the fact that they took place on two of my three rides there, I don't think it's fair to talk much about ride performance of the Enduro. I will say, though, that Specialized is trying to create a bike that is more capable that previous Enduros, that brings new technology to the ride experience, and is intended to get people stoked about their time on the trails. A 6" bike that's light, stiff, capable of climbing as quickly as you can pedal it, and then ripping up the downhills is a good thing, by anyone's standards.

If Specialized's track record with the earlier Enduros is anything to go by, I think the fork issues will be resolved and this bike will continue to deliver the performance and ride quality that people have come to expect. Pricing on the Enduros in Yankee dollars is as follows:

Mountain bike clothing Specialized has spent a lot time in recent years working to develop its clothing, footwear, and helmet lines. This year, the new thing in footwear from Specialized is the Pro shoe with a M-Lock ratcheting buckle and adjustable X-Link strap base, so you can fine-tune fit very precisely. A full carbon sole makes for a stiff pedalling platform. The hook-and-loop closures are nice, but unfortunately, the buckle is plastic and tends to flex a fair bit when you're cinching the shoes down really tight.

XC goodness - stiff, light, and comfy

Back for more in '07 is the Instinct all-mountain helmet. This lightweight helmet comes in new colours, and is quite comfortable if you're looking for more protection than a standard XC lid but don't need a full face.

Speaking of which, the Deviant full-face helmet that Darren Berrecloth has been rocking for the last year is back again, with some updated graphics and colours. There were some comments last year about the mouthpiece on the helmet feeling long, but according to Specialized, it's the same length as a Troy Lee helmet - there is just more material cut away for increased peripheral vision, which makes it look longer. (The Claw wore the blue one at Crankworx, in case you were wondering.)

Other Specialized gear like the Fortress gloves and Kani pads remain essentially unchanged for '07, respectively.

Women's gear
Specialized made a serious commitment to expanding its women's line of bikes and clothing when it hired Eron Chorney, ex of Rocky Mountain Bikes, and spirited her away from the North Shore to California to develop its new D4W (Designs for Women) line.

Although Specialized isn't making any big-bike equipment for the women's market at this time, it's definitely worth checking out the D4W goodies if you or your significant other are looking for a new road bike, mountain bike, or gear that's been designed with women in mind.

Big bikes...
You saw the new big-hit bikes from Specialized earlier this year on our site, and since then, there's been a lot of speculation about the colour, and whether the pre-production graphics would make it to showroom floors. There was one or two Demo 7s at the event in Germany, but they weren't part of the presentation. I will say, though, that one of them looked like the bike pictured below.

The 2007 Demo 7 II, complete with brown and argyle paint scheme || Photo © Specialized

There have been a lot of pictures of the '07 big bikes posted on the Net recently, but most of them have been crap. There's also been a ridiculous amount of speculation about colours, specs, pricing, availability, all of that. Well, stay tuned to nsmb for some good pictures, reliable specs, and maybe even dollar figures for the '07 big bikes. We'll be posting that on the site shortly.

XTR 2007 on display Mountain bike journalists often have the chance to ride new product before it's released to the sweating masses, and this trip to Germany proved to be another instance of that. I hopped on an Epic to get my skinny tire fix (the roadies reading this should get a laugh at that), and was pleasantly surprised to find that it had been decked out with 2007 XTR parts.

The new XTR shifters, from the back

XTR was introduced about a decade ago, and has been the component choice of discerning riders everywhere since that time. XTR was, and is, highly coveted on both the XC and big bike scenes, and the components remained basically unchanged for much of that time. '07 marked a major functional upgrade in the grouppo as well as an aesthetic make-over, on the scale of turning the Statue of Liberty into Carmen Electra.

The first thing you'll notice is a serious change in the appearance of the new bits and pieces, characterized by the giant 'X' that makes its way onto the front and rear derailleurs. There have also been subtle changes to the finish, all of which makes for a stunning package and some really tasty eye candy. There were also major functional changes to XTR.

Hey, is that an X? What does that stand for? The new XTR rear derailleur...

Up 'til now, Shimano trigger shifters worked in a push / pull motion. Well, say good-bye to that idea. You still push the big paddle with your thumb, but the smaller one can either be pushed or pulled with your thumb or index finger. Yup, it goes both ways. Best of all, though, is that the new triggers are designed to run with the new High Normal rear derailleur. High Normal is another way of saying traditional shifting - pushing on the large paddle moves the derailleur up the cassette instead of down, as was the case with Low Normal (Rapid Rise) derailleurs.

Another sweet feature in the '07 XTR is lateral adjustment of the levers. Loosen the screw at the top of the shifter pod to move it in or out, and rotate the angle at which the levers sit. The first thing I thought when I tried them out was, wow, the new SRAM X.O shifters really got Shimano's attention. '07 XTR brings more adjustability to the (other) Big S's shifting than ever before, and it will be a welcome addition for riders who like to customize their set-up.

The brake levers are still single clamp, so the grips still have to come off if you want to take the brakes off the bar, but I'm figuring that change will be coming before too long. At least, I'm hoping that it will.

The XTR levers also go a major make-over, and now look similar to Magura levers.

Shifting action (in the hour that I was on the bike) was crisp, there was no hesitation, and there was a very distinct click when gears were changed. It was beautiful. The brakes were what I've come to expect from Shimano - excellent modulation, smooth lever action, very comfortable feel, and good power, even with a 6" rotor. It wasn't over the top, but there was plenty to keep things under control on some slippery, rocky trails. There will be a 203mm option if you want to run the new XTR brakes on your freeride rig. For a more in-depth look at the '07 XTR goodies, check out the Angry Asian's article on CyclingNews.com.

Germany was a bit of a whirlwind, and there were a few bumps in the road, but it was definitely a good experience. I had a chance to see some exciting and innovative new product, and while it didn't all work as planned, it was still interesting to see what is driving Specialized forward.

I'd like to close by saying thanks to Mike Sinyard, president of Specialized, and all of his employees for being so passionate about biking. It's great to be around people who like bikes as much as the rest of us two-wheeled fanatics. Although things weren't exactly smooth as butter, I was glad to be there to see the new product and I hope to be able to spend some time on the new Enduro once the bugs have been worked out of the fork. I'd also like to especially thank Kevin Franks and Susan Leonard for their hard work, patience, and in Susan's case, outstanding fashion sense. Don't forget - stay tuned to nsmb for the real deal on the 2007 Demos. Stuart Kernaghan

Mountain Highway before there were houses? Close, but it's actually Bavaria. Testing grounds for the new Specialized bikes, forks, and shocks.