Every year, Dirt Magazine releases a complete guide to the 100 best mountain bike products available that year. The list is compiled irrespective of price, method of sale, or country of origin, and there are certainly some eyebrow-raisers in there. Dirt have proved that high performance products can come from the most unexpected places and that the expensive products are not necessarily the best. You’ll see that the products they have selected from the Specialized stable are not always the top model, but they are consistently best-in-class.
So here are the bikes and components from Specialized holding all the aces for 2017.
Turbo Levo FSR Expert 6Fattie
Six e-bikes made it onto the Dirt 100 list this year and one of them is the Turbo Levo FSR 6Fattie. Dirt described it as the “cleanest and slickest looking” e-MTB that the magazine has tested, “with a low down, low speed grunt the Levo can rock climb you out of trouble”. Known for its silence on the flats and enthusiasm on the ascents, the Turbo Levo is changing the perception of ebikes at every level of the sport.
S-Works Demo 8
Dirt’s 2015 and 2016 Downhill MTB of the year is back for 2017! Dirt said: “we couldn’t find a frame that beat it.” The S-Works Demo 8 is a downhill bike which has revolutionised DH frame design, “a bike that shines on pure downhill”, and which has accumulated National Championships and Worlds podiums – fully justifying its top spot on the podium. The bike harnesses the best of components and engineering, such that “when all the parts come together you have a truly fearsome beast”.
Enduro 29
The S-Works Enduro is the latest in a long line of iterations, blurring the line between a trail bike and downhill bike. Greater travel and incremental alterations in design from the previous model result in a clean and efficient all-mountain bike. Dirt said: “Tearing through the undergrowth, munching up root, this hauntingly capable bike has to be ridden to be believed.” We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.
Specialized Storm DH
When racing or riding downhill, confidence and durability in your tyres are of paramount importance, especially when you’re riding in rubbish weather. The Specialized Storm DH tyre was selected for the Dirt 100 for its aggressive and dedicated personality on the trails, which offers extra confidence in even the most challenging conditions: “Traction is unbeatable and really adds that confidence boost you need on a wet weekend of DH racing or uplifts.”
2FO Flat Mountain Bike Shoes
When riding on flat pedals, grip and support are hugely important. The SlipNot rubber compound soles of the 2FO Flat MTB Shoes grip really confidently, offering great control and adhesion to the pedals. As for comfort and support, Specialized’s long-standing Body Geometry fit design is thrown into the mix. This system is ergonomically and scientifically designed to boost power, increase efficiency, and reduce the risk of injury. Dirt said: “These 2FO shoes are built to last and have held up well to being used and abused week in, week out.”
Enduro/Andorra Comp Shorts
Quick-drying, flexible and comfortable for all-day wearing, the Endura/Andorra Comp Shorts were chosen for the Dirt 100 for their confident versatility: “A good short almost goes un-noticed when on the bike, and when you find a style that fits perfectly they’ll be the pair you’ll be picking every time.”
Command Post IRCC
Specialized worked incredibly hard to improve the flagship dropper seat post for trail bikes, and the result is the Command Post IRCC. Its inclusion on the Dirt 100 is testament to the hard work and innovation that went into the process. Dirt described this new iteration as “light in action and always to hand, the ergonomics are spot on”.
Check out the full list here: https://dirtmountainbike.com/dirt-100-2017
(Images: Dirt Magazine)
