Specialized has always been a popular choice with both amateur and pro racers, but its new carbon frames are going to have an even greater appeal. As well as new materials, its boosted the travel on the more race/enduro-orientated bikes, while refining the longer travel rigs.

Most noticeable on the new range of bikes is a reduced showing of Shimano components. There’s a lot more from the SRAM family – Avid discs, SRAM mechs, shifters and Truvativ chainsets. Hayes discs and Blackspire chain devices also appear on some models.

“FACT Az1” is the name given to Specialized’s carbon process. FACT refers to the ability to be particular about the lay-up of each layer of carbon, so the designers can adjust the directional stiffness and vibration absorption of a frame for a given requirement. Az1 is a sequential curing process. The carbon fibre for the front triangle, seatstays and chainstays is laid up individually before the three pieces are aligned, wrapped in another layer of carbon and it goes back into the oven to be cured. The output is a one-piece frame.

So what are we getting? Here’s the range – obviously these bikes won’t be on sale for a few months yet, and prices and specs may well end up a bit different from what you see here.

Specialized S-Works Carbon Hardtail

The S-Works hardtail is the first in the line-up to get the new carbon treatment. Another departure from the norm for Specialized is an integrated headset, used for the first time because it’s lighter than a traditional outboard headset. The familiar kinked down tube flows into a large bottom bracket area – there won’t be much flex here – and wishbone seatstays flow via s-bends into cold forged dropouts. The dropouts have had particular attention – the carbon tubes sit inside of the aluminium dropouts, creating a better marriage between the two sections for lighter weight and increased stiffness. Frame weight is 1,150g; expect the frame only price to be about £1,200.

Specialized S-Works Epic Disc

The Epic has undergone a lot of changes, but all subtle enough to almost go unnoticed. The most obvious is the carbon front triangle, with the same kinked down tube and integrated headset as the hardtail. The top tube has been dropped quite a bit for more standover, with a flow of carbon bridging the top tube/seat tube junction. The rear triangle has been on the receiving end of some weight-saving attention – it’s M5 aluminium with all excess material shaved away. The carbon fibre linkage is the same as the current model, and there’s a new magnesium shock extension to mount the revised Fox shock. The Brain has been upgraded to the Brain Fade. With this you get a dial on top that allows the adjustment of the inertia valve, from locked out to a suppler ride. This’ll be popular with racers on their days off. Frame only weight is 2,300g and you’re looking at £1,800.

Specialized S-Works Stumpjumper FSR

Easily one of the most popular bikes in the UK, the new carbon fibre Stumpy is one of the best looking bikes in the range. The frame only weight is 2,450g, only 150g heavier than the Epic. Travel has been raised slightly to 130mm, increasing the capability and appeal to a wider audience. The S-Works Stumpy also gets a Brain Fade shock, the first appearance of the inertia valve technology on the Stumpjumper. The head angle has been slackened half a degree, and there’s an integrated headset. The rear triangle hasn’t escaped the designer’s attention either, receiving similar weight-saving attention to the Epic, and cartridge bearings are fitted at every pivot.

The price is yet to be confirmed, but an aluminium version of this bike will be available with the same Brain Fade rear shock at £999.99.

Stumpjumper FSR Women’s

The current women’s Stumpjumper has 100mm in the UK, but for 2006 it’s up to 120mm from a Fox Triad shock. There’s no Brain Fade option as with the men’s bike and there isn’t a carbon fibre model either, but expect that to change in the future. The geometry remains unchanged, with the same shorter cockpit (short top tube and stem), narrower handlebars with thinner diameter grips and Avid disc brakes allowing easy reach adjustment. Women now get a much higher specced top of the range model, the Expert at £1,899.99. We all agreed that the paintjobs on the women’s bikes are more visually appealing than in previous years.

Speicalized Enduro

This was the big news last year, and for 2006 the Enduro gets only minor tweaks, mostly to the spec choices. Now that the Stumpy has 130mm travel, Specialized has strived to distance the Enduro somewhat, and in the process has made the bike’s intentions clearer. It still fits in the All Mountain category, but the spec shows that it’s erring more towards the freeride. A Truvativ Stylo double ringed bashguard and bottom roller chainset (with outboard bearings) is the most obvious clue, with 26/36-toothed rings. A beefier wheelset from DT, with 28mm rims and 2.3 Enduro tyres is fitted.

The biggest news for the Enduro is that they’ll arrive with the new Fox DHX air shock. Inside it’s the same as the year old DHX coil, but with a sugar-filled bag of weight loss. Specialized say that the Fox shock works better and is easier to set up than the current custom 5th Element unit – just pump in your bodyweight in psi, set the rebound and the bottom out adjuster and you’re off. All Enduros will get a Fox shock, from the 3.0, 4.0 and the 5.0 on the top model. Up front the higher models will get the same Fox 36 as before, and lower models will get something from Marzocchi’s stable.

We spent a few hours on board this bike and found it to be very capable. No doubt it’s a bit of a slug up the climbs, but lower your expectations about getting to the top fast and it’s fine. Flip the hill the other way and it comes alive, descending with superb prowess and agility, tracking cleanly though even the worst line choices we could find on the dust-strewn singletrack. The S-Works we rode had the fantastically quick shifting SRAM X0 shifters and rear mechs, with only the front mech and XTR disc brakes (with 200mm rotors) from Shimano.

Frame only price is £1,199.99, with complete builds beginning from £1,499.99. There’ll also be a 130mm travel version of this bike, with different shocks and forks.

Specialized SX Trail

The heavy-duty Enduro is the best looking bike in the range by far, with cool flame and stencilled graphics. The SX Trail was a frame-only deal in the UK, but for 2006 there’ll be a complete bike too, with) and a DHX 5.0 coil shock out back. The frame will cost £1,199.99 and a complete build £2,299.99.

Specialized Big Hit

DH race rookies across the country will be elated to see the return of the Big Hit. It took a year out to get a facelift and is back, now with a 26in rear wheel (though 24in is an option). The frame looks fundamentally the same – all the pivots are in roughly the same place – but the downtube and curvy monocoque of before has been replaced by a square sectioned tubing, keeping it in family with the Enduro and Demo. The Big Hit is aimed firmly at the budget conscious, the frame alone costing just £799.99, with three fully built models up to £2000, with a selection of Marzocchi single or double crowned forks, and Fox shocks out back.

Demo

The Demos go largely unchanged – you’ll get Fox DHX coil shocks out back and the top models will come with Fox 40s up front, with Marzocchi 888s doing the honours further down the range.

Bikes and framesets will begin to be available this Autumn. Specialized also has loads of new clothing and components, watch this space for more info…