MTB

Bike Check: Curtis Keene's 29-Inch Enduro MTB

Can 26" wheels win an elite-level enduro race in 2014? "No," claims America's top enduro rider.
By Scott Hart
3 min readPublished on
Mountain bike rider Curtis Keene with his bike

Curtis Keene's whip

© Marv Watson/Red Bull

In the video below, Curtis Keene is asked if he will ever compete on 26-inch wheels again. With little hesitation, he answers, "No."
Keene's choice of larger wheels — opting for a 29-inch diameter to contest the 2014 Enduro World Series — is the current ethos of the entire mountain bike industry — the professional racing circuit included.
Bigger has proved faster in cross-country racing — 29ers have dominated recent years of competition — and now bicycle manufacturers are offering enduro and even downhill bikes with larger 27.5 and 29-inch wheels. The consumer reality of this shift: if you own a 26-inch mountain bike today — that isn't slopestyle-specific — it is likely to be labeled "vintage," "rare," or even "extinct" soon.
A pro replica bike you can actually own
But what's the coolest thing about Keene's bike? You can go down to the local bike shop and actually buy this bike — with only one minor visual exception: The custom Red Bull-inspired paint scheme on the frame, which Specialized reserves exclusively for Keene.
Read on to learn more about Keene's build — all the parts used, including his exact personal settings, like tire pressure, shock rebound, and even how much tubeless tire sealant is in each tire.
Frame: Specialized S-Works Enduro
  • Keene's settings: Large frame with custom paint job
Shock: RockShox Monarch Plus
Fork: RockShox Pike
  • Keene's settings: 85 PSI; RCT3 model set at 160 mm travel with two Bottomless Tokens installed; Compression — 5 clicks in; Rebound — 9 clicks in
Inside mountain bike athlete Curtis Keene's personal bike

Curtis Keene bike check: front end

© Marv Watson/Red Bull

Drivetrain: SRAM XX1, 11-speed
  • Keene's settings: 170 mm length carbon fiber crank arms to spin the 32-tooth front chainring and 10- to 42-tooth rear cassette range; Gamut Trail SXC guide for increased chain-retention security
Pedals: Crankbrothers Mallet
Wheels: Specialized Roval Traverse SL, 24-spoke (front), 32-spoke (rear)
Inside mountain bike athlete Curtis Keene's personal bike

Curtis Keene bike check: drivetrain

© Marv Watson/Red Bull

Tire, front: Specialized Butcher 2.3"
Tire, rear: Specialized Slaughter 2.3"
  • Keene's settings: 33 PSI; Tubeless with one scoop of Stan's liquid tire sealant
Inside mountain bike athlete Curtis Keene's personal bike

Curtis Keene bike check: rear tire

© Marv Watson/Red Bull

Brakes: SRAM XO Trail
  • Keene's settings: 200 mm rotors front and rear
Seat post: RockShox Reverb Stealth
  • Keene's settings: 125 mm of saddle drop that can be activated on the-fly using a hydraulically-controlled remote button (located under the handlebar on the rider's left — where a front shifter would be mounted on a bike with multiple chainrings)
Inside mountain bike athlete Curtis Keene's personal bike

Curtis Keene bike check: derailleur

© Marv Watson/Red Bull

Saddle: Specialized Henge Pro
Stem: Truvativ Holzfeller
  • Keene's settings: 50 mm length
Handlebar: Truvativ Boobar
  • Keene's settings: 780 mm width by 30 mm rise
Grips: Specialized Sip, Bolt-on
Like this bike? Click the links below to watch more videos from this shoot.
  • The full, high-speed action edit
  • POV footage from the bike AND the helicopter
  • Continuous view of Curtis from the helicopter
  • Interview with Curtis
Follow Keene on Twitter and Instagram, and check out his athlete page for more photos and videos.
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