Today I got to ride the new Carbon (bling) 29′r (bling) from Specialized (BLING) with SRAM XX (Bling) and the RockShox Reba (bling). This bike was spec’d to a T with high-end, ultra smooth looking and working components. It’s the kind of bike that inspires the kind of lust that could make you buy without riding it first. At 20.5lbs and the Roval Control EL wheelset (1750g) the weight penalty of the bigger hoops has been cut down to competitive. The Avid brakes are some of the best I’ve ever squeezed and the 2×10 XX group was great.
Here’s my impression of the bike: it climbed very well, much better than expected. Giving up 225g in the wheelset to my current 26″ XTR hoops had me expecting to notice it right away. The handling was good and the front 29′r wheel sticks really well. The front end was set up too low for my taste; it needed a +5deg rise stem instead of the -5 that is stock and that’s an easy fix. Riser bars would’ve been a good upgrade as well. It’s easy to see why so many riders love the bigger wheels, they roll over the rough stuff smoothly (keep in mind this is a hardtail review), and the contact patch really does make a difference in the front cornering traction. Elena Gallegos has decomposed granite that makes cornering a drift affair and that was cut down on the bigger wheels.
If I were a hardtail rider looking for an upgrade from my 26′r… I’d snatch this bike in a second for the rolling XC courses like those we often see here in NM. I’d also buy this bike if I could have two XC race bikes (a full suspension S-Works Epic and this 29′r).
I wouldn’t recommend this bike for the full suspension riders who love to jump/ramp trail features, and really love full suspension and the smooth ride it gives in the roughest stuff.
The bike is fast and the weight penalty compared to a 26′r has been minimized, making it a serious contender on the smoother rolling courses. The jury is still out on the steeps and the tight stuff…maybe that test ride will happen this spring. Until then I’ll be enjoying the amazing speed of the S-Works Epic with full suspension!
Damian