A slopestyle bike that’ll more than likely be getting treated to dh-chic, trail and sporadic jump use – and so much more than a do-it-all hardtail.

2011 SPECIALIZED SX – “MIGHT EVEN WASH IT”

But you know how the talk goes in hardtail circles, championing the simple approach to riding off road, practitioners of the brute force (yet usually slower) approach to root. Let the body take the hits; break the bike not the rider. Luddism is rife in the woods around here but do-it-all hardtails rarely give the shot in the arm needed. And neither do short travel bikes. But it’s that sought after tonic that everyone looks for. Good angles, hard hitting, sharp riding but not a big pile of sag. Freeride and downhill bikes are too heavy and sloppy; trail bikes are usually caught in a battle on weight restrictions and rarely strong enough. Hardtails usually get bust.

Some people will say a do-it-all suspension bike does not exist but the new Enduro can do many fast things fast. Sub thirty pound 160mm bikes are thin on the ground but for downhill uplifts or uk trail centre riding and you will find not many better than the new Enduro. But even Lord Byron would protest against the sabotage of such a bike in the bike parks of Whistler, Leogang and Cinderford.

That’s where the SX comes in. It can take Ned Ludd head on. The stout and strong frames making them a sure thing for “drops, jumps, stunts and whatever else you have up your sleeve.” Obviously the former is a relative thing, I’m kind of leaning more to the ‘whatever else’ side of the coin.

Design wise it comes with the well proven FSR system and air shock, ISCG mounts, low weight distribution, a classic swingarm protector and front mech mount. This the long version has a wheelbase that matches up with many medium trail bikes (around 45”) that will no doubt give stability on the trail even with the head angle many degrees steeper than its stablemate, the Enduro.

Spare a though thought though for genesis of the SX, it is after all fair to say that its one of the most successful slopestyle bikes ever created…well I didn’t say that, those were words from Morgan Hill, not an actor or Sam’s brother but the place where this bike was created. And that’s where we got it. Brandon Sloan is a key man in bike design at Specialized and it was him who was responsible for sending this parcel of fun across the Atlantic. Indeed you might well have to push or order to get one of these in time. It could be a pre-order frame for 2011.

More than anything this SX seems like a bike you’d look after, hell I reckon I’d even oil this bike when it’s made up.

Jones