Looks like it’s BM project bike time again, with the arrival of this all-new Enduro SX Trail frame from Specialized. The Specialized SX Trail is one of two frame-only Enduro options in the UK. At the high end, the S-Works Enduro uses M5 rather than the A1 aluminium found on the rest of the range for a lighter-weight option. The Specialized SX Trail (not to be confused with the US-only short-travel SX) goes the other way, being beefed up with an eye to light freeride duties. US customers get a complete bike option with a Marzocchi 66RC fork, which gives you some idea of what the SX Trail’s about.

The most obvious difference is the shock. Like the rest of the Enduro range it’s a custom 5th Element unit, but unlike the others it’s a coil shock. Rather than the usual piggyback reservoir/platform valve the SX Trail has a funky remote unit mounted on a bracket on the shock mount and connected to the shock by a short hose. It’s a big old shock, leaving it running quite a low leverage ratio to get the claimed 150mm of travel. This should, we hope, make for a plush ride and plenty of composure.

There’s plenty of beef on the frame, with the forged headtube being essentially the same as that found on the Demo 8 “proper” freeride bike. You can run double-crown forks on it, but you can’t go over 150mm travel – we’ll be trying out the latest crop of 150mm-ish travel single-crown forks on this one. While it’s component free, we lobbed it on the scales – the Large frame comes in at 4.5kg (9.9lb) including the seatpost, so we’d expect to be looking at a vaguely 35lb complete bike.

The frame package includes a QR seatclamp, a Syncros Derived seatpost (in Specialized’s favourite oddball 30.9mm size), a chainstay protector and a neat little axle-mounted derailleur guard to prevent embarassing mech snappage in falls. We’re not completely sold on the two-tone copper colour scheme and lightning bolt motifs, but we think it’ll look pretty purposeful once we’ve stuck our bag of bits on it…

The frames are in the country now at what looks like a very reasonable price of £1,099, including a Syncros Derived seatpost, QR seat clamp and a chainstay protector. Find out more at www.specialized.com.