“It’s a full carbon [fiber] bike now,” says On Track series star Curtis Keene of his newest race bike for the Enduro World Series: The 2017 Specialized Enduro. “The front triangle, chainstays and seatstays are all carbon.” 

Curtis Keene

The new 170-millimeter travel chassis has slacker geomertry and a longer wheelbase. “So it likes to go fast,” confirms Keene. “It’s a good compromise for going uphill and downhill.”“I’ve also gone to a 170-millimeter RockShox Lyrik fork, which no one is using on a 29”,” says Keene. “So with all the suspension travel, it’s like a mini downhill bike — that you can pedal back up the hill.”

Keene has endorsed the 29-inch wheelsize for several seasons, but is 29-inch the ideal wheelsize? Well, the 2015 Enduro World Series champion and  Keene’s Specialized teammate Jared Graves is onboard the new 27.5-inch Enduro — so, the jury may still be out on that one …