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Bike Check: Matt Lombardi’s Specialized Enduro

December 27, 2021
By Myles Kelsey

Matt Lombardi's Specialized Enduro — Matt is 1,74m tall and rides a size S4 (Reach 487mm), S-Works Enduro which is Specialized’s big trail hitter.

Matt Lombardi is a second-generation mountain biker who hails from Somerset-West near Cape Town. After a successful season in Europe campaigning the Enduro World Series and E-EWS races, Matt returned home for some sun, dust and more than a little hard work preparing for another year of racing. Part of that preparation includes racking up points for the international Enduro series which the lad achieved by taking the win at a local Enduro. This is his race machine.

Matt Lombardi's Specialized Enduro — Bike weight is 17.3kg as it stands – that’s including a spare tube, pedals, CO2 canisters and tools.

Matt Lombardi's Specialized Enduro — The Enduro runs on the same suspension linkage system as the brand’s Downhill bike and the kinematics are optimized for the demands of big trail riding.

Matt Lombardi's Specialized Enduro — Ohlins Coil Shock on the back that Matt sets up on feel as opposed to an exact sag percentage. The rebound is set super-slow to calm the bike down on the many small rocks as well as on the high-speed yet short take-offs on the Jonkershoek trails. He wants the back suspension to soak things up and not spit him over the bars.

Matt Lombardi's Specialized Enduro — He runs the Magura MT7 Pro brakes with 4-piston calipers.

Matt Lombardi's Specialized Enduro — A SRAM AXS Controller handles the shifting.

Matt Lombardi's Specialized Enduro — The bars are 780mm wide with a 50mm stem and about 20mm of spacers under the stem. Matt doesn’t race with a heart rate strap on but likes to watch the climbing numbers, distance and time to help pace the traverses/liasons effectively. A cSixx top cap holds a spare chain link

Matt Lombardi's Specialized Enduro — Bridge saddle which is showing signs of a long day on the trails.

Matt Lombardi's Specialized Enduro — 175mm drop RockShox Reverb AXS electronic dropper and you can see Matt has tilted the nose of the saddle down a little to improve comfort and efficiency on the climbs.

On the front, Matt uses the Specialized Butcher T9 Grid Trail casing with 19psi and a CushCore Insert. On the back, it’s a Butcher Grid Gravity Casing, with CushCore Insert and 23psi.

On the front, Matt uses the Specialized Butcher T9 Grid Trail casing with 19psi and a CushCore Insert. On the back, it’s a Butcher Grid Gravity Casing, with CushCore Insert and 23psi.

Matt Lombardi's Specialized Enduro — 170mm Ohlins Coil fork set to rider feel and with a notably fast rebound setting.

Matt Lombardi's Specialized Enduro — The hardest working part on any Enduro race bike.

Matt Lombardi's Specialized Enduro — 200mm rotor up front..

Matt Lombardi's Specialized Enduro — … and another 200mm rotor on the back.

Matt Lombardi's Specialized Enduro — 10-50t SRAM cassette with SRAM XO1 AXS rear derailleur.

Matt Lombardi's Specialized Enduro — Crankbrothers Mallet pedals.

Matt Lombardi's Specialized Enduro — SRAM XO1 170mm carbon cranks, 30T chainring and a cSixx Gravity Guide with bash plate.

Matt Lombardi's Specialized Enduro — Inside the frame storage, Matt carries a CO2, tyre lever, tube, plug kit, leatherman and a few bits and bobs. No beers.

| IMAGES: Ray Cox |

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