10 Carbon Enduro Bikes for 2015

by Staff Editor + · Published October 15, 2014 · Updated February 2, 2015

The two-wheeled arms race for “all mountain” dominance is heating up in 2015 as manufacturers roll out a slew of new carbon enduro rigs designed to be lighter, faster and tougher than ever before. Here are 10 stealth-tech steeds that will help keep your riding buddies in the rearview all season long.

Yeti SB6c As mythical as the creature its named for, the fabled Yeti SB6c has finally been released into the real world. Utilizing Yeti’s updated Switch Infinity Link platform featuring a pair of FOX sliding pistons, the SB6 offers 160mm of low-slung travel coupled with 27.5-inch wheels and an 11×1 drive train. With a relatively slack 65.5-degree head angle and long top-tube, this is a bike that likes its trail fast and steep.

Norco Sight Carbon
Canadian manufacturer, Norco, is set on maintaining its status as king of the carbon enduro market with the reissue of its wildly popular Norco Sight Carbon—which originally came out in 2014 and promptly won Outside’s Gear of the Year award. The 2015 iteration keeps all of its proven geometry while stepping up the suspension game with a Cane Creek Double Barrel Inline rear shock and Pike front fork.

Santa Cruz Nomad
From its sea foam/bubblegum paint job to the committed 1×11 drive train (no front derailleur mounts), there’s nothing shy about the all carbon Santa Cruz Nomad. Featuring 165 millimeters of travel, 27.5-inch wheels, and a 65-degree steering angle the Nomad is more burly aggressive downhill shredder than nimble uphill climber, but it’s got style for miles.

Specialized Enduro
The Specialized Enduro line continues to evolve with the times. After swearing off the (27.5/650b) mid-range wheel-size for years in favor of the larger 29-inch wheel, the big red “S” will offer both wheel sizes on its carbon frame S-Works and Expert enduro bikes for 2015. The popular Enduro 29er is unchanged from its 2014 version, while its 27.5-inch wheeled little brother weighs in about a half pound lighter and packs a more nimble responsive geometry and a shorter wheel base.

Scott Genius 700 Tuned
Tipping the scales at a couple of spokes over 27-pounds, the carbon SCOTT Genius 700 Tuned is one of the lightest “go anywhere, do everything” trail bikes on the market. Other sexy highlights include a FOX Nude Valve rear shock, a Kashima Coated FOX 32 Float front fork. Scott’s unique TwinLoc technology also allows you to dial your ride in with three different travel/geometry settings.

Cannondale Jekyll Carbon Team
The Jekyll Carbon Team is an enduro bike with race-winning pedigree. The 2015 iteration features a number of upgrades including a carbon-enhanced Lefty fork, which has been lightened and stiffened with an oversized inverted dual-crown. The Jekyll’s rear suspension combines Fox Dyad technology with a remotely operated switch to give you the ability to easily alternate between climbing and downhill modes.

GT Force X
The Atherton Racing-influenced GT Force X now has a new “Angle Optimized Suspension” platform that adds more downhill flavor without overly compromising the bike’s climbing agility. Highlights include an internally routed dropper post by KS LEV, 150mm of FOX suspension, and carbon eThirteen wheels.

Giant Reign
Giant reengineered its proven racing platform to accommodate the 27.5-inch wheel-size standard for 2015. The new Reign Advanced pairs an ultra light carbon composite frameset with 160mm of RockShox supplied travel and a steep snappy geometry programmed for fast racing on technical trails.

Intense Tracer
Intense has a reputation for building excellent high-end bikes, and the carbon Tracer T275 is no exception. It features a clean, ninja-like monocoque front triangle with a slick internally-guided cable routing system and 27.5-inch wheels.

Devinci Spartan
Devinci’s wicked good carbon molding is evident in the 2015 Spartan, which incorporates Dave Weagle’s Split Pivot platform with 165mm of RockShox travel and 27.5-inch wheels. Other tasty details include internally-routed cables with port covers, an 11×1 drive train, and aluminum skid plate on the down tube.