Shorter-travel fork on a 2010 Enduro?

Hey Lee,

I just bought a 2010 Specialized Enduro Expert. I’ve been looking into a few different options to drop a little weight. I’d like to get it under 30 lbs. Right now it weighs about 32. One of the options I was considering was swapping the Lyrik 160mm fork for a Revelation 150mm or a Fox Talas 32 150mm, which would instantly drop a pound off the bike. This bike is designed around a 160mm fork, so I was wondering what changes I could expect if I did swap the fork out, positives and negatives.

Thanks for your help!

-Ian

Hey Ian,

Interesting question.

Switching to the shorter-travel fork will lower the front of your bike almost an inch. (You lose 10mm of travel, plus the smaller fork has a shallower crown.)

– This will steepen your head angle about one degree. The angle will end up between a current Enduro and Stumpjumper.

– This steeper angle will quicken your bike’s handling. It’ll handle somewhere between an Enduro and a Stumpy.

– Your bottom bracket will drop almost one half-inch. This too will make your bike feel nimbler. More Stumpy-esque. But watch those pedal strikes.

– The shorter-travel fork will be more flexy. More specifically: It will bend backward under hard braking, and it will tweak laterally when you rip turns. But: I think most riders won’t notice (or be affected by) the increased flex.

– Your bars will drop about an inch from the stock Enduro position. You might consider a taller stem or bars, or running a longer stem that works better with the lowness. Read Stem and bars: Long and low or short and high.

– This will steepen your seat angle and move your seat forward. To maintain the same pedaling position, you’ll want to slide it back on the rails or get a layback seatpost. Ouch, you don’t want to ditch your Command Post!

– You’ll need a new front wheel. This is getting expensive.

All in all, your “Enduro Lite” will be lighter and more agile than a stock Enduro, but burlier and more DH-ish than a Stumpy. While that seems like a fun bike, it’ll take significant money and trouble to create.

I’ve been loving my 2010 Stumpy on a wide mix of terrain, but a bike with more travel and slacker angles sure would be cool in the steeper/gnarlier situations.

Speaking of that, my new Enduro is being built as we speak (with a 160mm Fox 36). I’m going to let my Stumpy be a Stumpy and my Enduro be an Enduro.

Braaap!

— Lee


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7 replies
  1. Don says:

    I did something similar this year. I sold my 48lb Demo9 and was looking at the new SX Trail when I ran across a 09 Bighit frame. Instead of using a 180mm fork, I put a 160mm Fox Float on it. The Geometry went to about 66 degree head angle, 72 seat angle, BB 13.75″, standover height 29″. The chainstays and overall lenght is longer than the SX but pretty close. Should be fun.

  2. Todd says:

    It seems like Ian is trying to create a 2009 Enduro out of the 2010 model. For the cost of all his upgrades, he could probably sell the 2010 and buy the 2009 Enduro Pro Carbon, which already comes with the 32 Talas 150 and will come in under 30 lbs. It seems that would achieve his goals and probably save money overall.

  3. ian says:

    Thanks for your help Lee! Most of the riding I will be doing on this bike will be XC/Trail oriented with alot of climbing, which is why I was considering going to a smaller fork and lower weight. I will also be competing in a few Super Ds and occasional trips to Downieville. I wanted something a little stiffer than a stumpjumper, so I went for the enduro. Fortunately, I’m going with the Revelation with a 20mm axle so I can keep the stock wheel and I’m sure I won’t have trouble selling the Lyrik. Thanks again for your help!

  4. leelikesbikes says:

    Cool.

    Glenn at Bitterbrush Cyles just built my carbon Enduro with 36 Float, Speedball post, DH wheels and DH pedals, and it’s only 30 3/4 pounds! Would be easy to get under 30 …

  5. Walt says:

    Enduros are designed for a 150mm fork anyway… aren’t they? (I know they were last year anyway) I have a Giant reign that I took the Marzocchi 55 fork off (biggest P.O.S. ever made) and put the Rock Shox Revelation 150mm fork on instead. Not only did I lose nearly 3 lbs, the bike handles way better. And for jumping… I can’t say enough about the Relevation. For that bike, get the fixed 150mm with no travel adjustment. I.T., talas, and all that are for weinies. You don’t need it. Just hop on and ride.

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