Specialized Enduro Expert OR Orange Sub 5?

[Phil Squire]

Looking to make the move from an old steel hardtail (Kona Kiluea) with a very tired Manitou 4 fork,
to full suspension.

I won't be doing any serious racing, maybe a few 80km + races, looking to finish.

The riding I do is mostly dirt road and stony single track. No big climbs.

So as I Brit do I go patriotic and blow £2k on the Orange or save £200 and get the Enduro?

Phil

 

[Gavin Mackinnon]

No question. Orange.

"Phil Squire" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Looking to make the move from an old steel hardtail (Kona Kiluea) with a very tired Manitou 4
> fork, to full suspension.
>
> I won't be doing any serious racing, maybe a few 80km + races, looking to finish.
>
> The riding I do is mostly dirt road and stony single track. No big climbs.
>
> So as I Brit do I go patriotic and blow £2k on the Orange or save £200 and get the Enduro?
>
> Phil

 

[Flyingcowbells]

lol, the Sub 5 got rock shox throughout.

 

[Philip Squire]

[email protected] (flyingcowbells) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> lol, the Sub 5 got rock shox throughout.

Umm, actually it's got a Fox Float R AVA at the back and a Float R at the front.

I just can't believe I'm thinking about paying almost twice as much for a bicycle as I once paid for
a Suzuki GSX 1100... (ok it was secondhand, but all the same)

That's bizarre.

Phil

 

[The Ogre]

[email protected] (Philip Squire) wrote in message

> I just can't believe I'm thinking about paying almost twice as much for a bicycle as I once paid
> for a Suzuki GSX 1100... (ok it was secondhand, but all the same)

I thought the same thing when I was debating getting a $2,500 bike in January. I wound up getting
the Enduro for $1,400. It's a great bike though I did have a problem with the main pivot coming
loose on a long technical ride.

-- The Ogre http://ogrehut.com

 

[Shaun Rimmer]

Philip Squire <[email protected]> wrote in message

<snipped>

> Suzuki GSX 1100...

You ever have any ignition or charging related probs with that GSX, you just let me know ya hear?

Shaun aRe

 

[Jim]

----- Original Message ----- From: "Phil Squire" <[email protected]>

> So as I Brit do I go patriotic and blow £2k on the Orange or save £200 and get the Enduro?

Phil,

I had a similar problem. My favourite bike is a 18" Lava Dome, extensively upgraded, and I wanted a
FS trail bike - for Ridgeway, Peaks, South Downs etc.

The thing I always like about the Kona is its feeling of instant acceleration - every time I get on
it I can't ride it any other way than sprinting 'til I grin.

The Specialized seemed to suck out all that feeling. Whether I was actually slower or not, I don't
know. But it wasn't fun.

The Orange was completely opposite. As it's got a relatively high pivot, it sprints like the Kona,
but as soon as you stand up or sit down it's totally plush. It feels like an FS Kona, but not the
ones Kona make...

I've ridden it for about 400 miles off road now - the only thing I'd change is that the 2002 frame I
have has a slacker head angle than the 2003, which is now designed for forks up to 125mm.

Cheers,

Jim

 

[Phil Squire]

"Jim" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Phil Squire" <[email protected]>
>
> > So as I Brit do I go patriotic and blow £2k on the Orange or save £200
and
> > get the Enduro?
>
> Phil,
>
> I had a similar problem. My favourite bike is a 18" Lava Dome, extensively upgraded, and I wanted
> a FS trail bike - for Ridgeway, Peaks, South Downs etc.
SNIP
>
> The Orange was completely opposite. As it's got a relatively high pivot,
it
> sprints like the Kona, but as soon as you stand up or sit down it's
totally
> plush. It feels like an FS Kona, but not the ones Kona make...
>
SNIP

Thanks Jim, the more I read the more the future looks Orange (ouch) Now I just have to justify the
price to myself. 2K is a lot of dosh for so little metal

Phil
> Cheers,
>
> Jim