Looking to upgrade bikes, want to go with something that I can ride anywhere I want to. I seem to be leaning towards a Specialized Enduro, however most who I have talked to seem to think that this is a little bit overkill, anyone on here have any experience with the Enduro in our riding area?

I recently upgraded from a 29' 2012 Stumpjumper to a 29' S-Works Enduro because the 120 mm rear travel wasn't cutting it for Pisgah imo.  It is a bit of overkill for the Charlotte area trails but it is exactly what I needed for the mountains.  I've ridden Bailey's, Bent Creek, and Paris Mtn so far on it in the mountains and it slays.

renoirbud wrote on 05/19/16 at 4:46pm:



Wisdom is power..

I ride the crap out of my 2008 160mm squishy all over CLT trails... although mostly at WWC.  It's a 67 or 66 degree HTA and a 70+ish degree STA on 26" mavic crossmax st wheels.  It's pretty enduro in my book. (I assume that enduro is code for cool as f*ck).

Anyway I am faster on my 26" enduro(see above) hardtail which has a 68.5* HTA/73* STA and a 140mm fox noodle for a fork, but it isn't as fun to ride.

FS is point and shoot.... Point at awesome fun stuff and you're like "shoot"...I ride one because it allows me to travel faster downhill... And its more forgiving technically and physically...

I been on two different models of Giant trance for the last two years and it's handled everything I can throw at it.  Handfuls of lift days at Beech, Bailey shuttle days, Wilson Creek, Pisgah, Moab, Sedona.  It is an absolute blast at the local trail too, I mainly ride Lake Norman, Fisher, North Meck and Backyard.   

My bikes have been 27.5 wheels, 140mm front and rear travel, and 67* head tube angle.  The head tube angle and stiffness of the fork are really important IMO.  I wouldn't really go any steeper that 68* on the head tube angle for riding steeper trails like Pisgah, Bailey, Beech, etc.  67 (even 66.5*) seems to be a great compromise for confidence in the mtns while not creating a slugish handling bike for local trails.  I can set my suspension in stiffer settings and keep up with my friends on xc bikes here in Charlotte and then open it up for all day epics in the mtns.   

When I upgraded from a fox 32 to a fox 34 fork on my newest trance it made a big difference.  Both forks were 140mm but the extra stiffness of the 34mm stanchions made a big difference in the precision handling of my bike over rough high speed terrain.

Fun is subjective.

If you can afford a Specialized Enduro, I'm not sure a lack of fun in regards to riding it will be a problem.