The Specialized Carve Pro 29 After

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MBA est
A Hardtail Hard Not To Love
The Specialized Carve Pro 29
After testing dual-suspended Specialized bikes made of
carbon fiber and costing five times what the
Specialized Carve Pro 29 costs, you might think it
would be impossible for the MBA wrecking crew to get too
fired up about logging hours on this aluminum hardtail.
Wrong. The Carve is one of our favorite bikes to snatch
from the test fleet. Here’s why.
WHO IS IT MADE FOR?
Everyone. This is a Versatile trailbike, and we spelled that
with a capital “V” on purpose. It is for the rider who wants to
spend more time in the saddle than messing with his rear suspension.
It is for rank beginners and seasoned experts. It is
for the rider who wants to switch to 29-inch wheels and for
the rider who, up to this point, has refused to do so. It can
even be pressed into service for road riding without forcing a
rider to spin his brains out. Yes, Versatile with a capital “V.”
WHAT IS IT MADE FROM?
Remember when a double-butted aluminum tube was
trick? It is amazing what can be done with aluminum
manipulation these days. The Carve’s frame is aluminum,
although it sure looks like a carbon fiber front triangle with
Specialized’s smooth welding technique. Take a close look at
that bent seat tube, curved to tuck the rear wheel in close to
the main frame. The head tube is tapered to take advantage
of the fork’s tapered steerer tube. The frame will take two
water bottle cages, and the seatstays have mounting eyelets
for a fender or rack. This is the most expensive model. The
Expert goes for $1650 and the Comp for $1350.
WHICH COMPONENTS STAND OUT?
The 3x10 Shimano drivetrain is the proper pick for a 29er
at this weight. It is sweet to find a remote Pop-Loc lever on
the handlebar for the fork. The integrated headset with full
cartridge bearings gives the front end a smooth look. Cables
are intelligently routed to keep them out of the rider’s way,
adding to the clean lines of the bike’s profile. Finally, how
many bikes get rims named after them? Seriously, it is the
72 www.mbaction.com
way that Specialized pulls all the design elements together
that makes this simple hardtail stunning to look at.
HOW DOES IT PERFORM?
Ergonomics: The Carve Pro 29’s front end doesn’t have
that high 29er feeling because Specialized used a short stem
with a slight 7-degree rise (which can be flipped for a negative
7-degree angle) mated to a flat handlebar. It looks racy
and feels like a trailbike setup. The rest of the cockpit is ultra
comfortable. The bar width, top-tube length and saddle are all
comfortably positioned for everything from lunch-loop rides
to epic journeys.
Pedaling: There is no doubt that you are getting 29-inch
wheels up to speed when moving out of the blocks. The
Captain tires assist your effort with a tread pattern and
rubber compound that seem better suited for 29-inch wheels
than 26ers. They roll nicely and are not overkill like some
29er tires. The 3x10 drivetrain gives you plenty of options.
We found ourselves using the big ring for hard packed, rolling
trails; the middle for more technical stopping and starting;
and the granny for steep climbs.
Hammering: Once up to cruising speed, the
Carve is in its element. The frame reveals no
lateral flex as you push big gears, and we dare
you to find a weakness in the Shimano Deore
cranks. We caught ourselves shifting less on
the Carve by using one gear for everything
from torqueing on the cranks to spinning
them out.
Cornering: This bike will make anyone
corner faster and with more confidence than,
say, a 26-inch-wheeled hardtail. The bottom
bracket feels low. The tires feel way wider than 2
inches. The frame geometry numbers would equal a
twitchy race bike if it weren’t for those big hoops. Instead,
it is a very neutral-steering bike that is neither quick nor
sluggish. It falls in the steering sweet spot.
Descending: The large wheels make descending a blast,
because you are not constantly trying to avoid ruts and rocks.
The Carve will have you floating over the top of them. The
tires do great on off-camber sections where they grip way
better than their little knobs look capable of.
Climbing: The 3x10 drivetrain gives you plenty of options
for getting the Carve up the climb. You can muscle the bike
up sections in a large gear while out of the saddle, or you can
(more intelligently) spin your way up. Even at the end of a
50-mile epic when we were feeling the effects of a long time
in the saddle, the Carve offered a gear that allowed us to take
our time and work up the last nasty climb of the day. We
were very thankful.
Braking: The Carve’s braking performance is dialed for its
29-inch wheels. Specialized gives you a 7-inch rotor up front
and a 6-inch rotor in the rear that are well balanced and plenty
powerful. The Shimano’s Deore’s small master cylinder
and compact calipers make these brakes look far more like
their expensive older brothers, the XT and XTR brakes.
TRICKS, UPGRADES OR TIPS?
Our test bike was Specialized’s medium size (they offer
the Carve in five frame sizes), but it felt more like a medium-large.
Don’t go by what you are riding now to pick the

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We dare you: We
encourage riders now
riding dual-suspension
bikes over five
years old and any
hardtail to try the
Carve. Time has
moved forward, and
this 29er is on the
forefront of one bike
that can fill a lot of
needs.
March 2012 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 73

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Carve Pro 29
perfect Carve. Take advantage of all those sizes and find
the one that fits you properly (probably a size smaller
than the 26er hardtail or dual-suspension bike you ride
now).
Specialized racing legend Ned Overend won a National
Championship last year on a modified Carve Pro, proving
that this bike is worthy of just about any upgrade you want
to throw at it. The most logical upgrade is converting the
tires tubeless and a far more expensive upgrade would be
splurging for carbon fiber rims.
The chainstay protector is a thin piece of clear plastic.
We’d throw a wrap-around protector on there in addition to
the stocker.
The front brake howled like a lost dog on a cold night. We
checked brake alignment, and sanded the pads, but the noise
came back. Replacing the pads with stock replacement
metallic pads eliminated the annoying noise. Our first pair
must have been accidentally contaminated or we may have
rushed the break-in period.
BUYING ADVICE
There are so many riders who can benefit from this
bike. Riders who purchased dual-suspension bikes and
still don’t have a clue how to set sag or rebound would
be better off on the Carve. New riders or riders returning
to mountain biking will get up to speed faster and with
less effort aboard a Carve. Roadies who want to find out
what they are missing will find the transition to the
Carve effortless. ❑
Carve it up: Forged, post-mount rear-brake system, 10 cogs
matched to three rings for lots of gearing options, and a new
Shimano Deore master cylinder looks as good as an XTR.
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Ready for anything: The Carve Pro can be many things to
many riders. This frame has won a National Championship, but
it is just as much at home cruising your favorite three-hour
Saturday-morning loop with friends.
SPECIALIZED CARVE PRO 29
Price
Country of origin
Weight
Hotline
Frame tested
Bottom bracket
Chainstay length
Top tube length
Head tube angle
Seat tube angle
Standover height
Wheelbase
Suspension travel
Suspension travel
Frame material
Fork
Shock
Rims
Tires
Hubs
Brakes
Crankset
Shifters
Handlebar
Front derailleur
Rear derailleur
Chainrings
Cassette
Tallest gear
Lowest gear
Pedals
$2000
Taiwan
28.2 pounds
(408) 779-6229
17.5" (medium)
12" high
17.5"
24"
71.5°
73°
29.5"
42.75"
3.1" (front)
None (rear)
Aluminum
RockShox Recon Gold 29 SL
None
Specialized Carve Disc (29")
Specialized The Captain (2.0")
Formula Disc
Shimano Deore
Shimano Deore
Shimano SLX Rapidfire
Specialized XC Flat (27.5" width)
Shimano Deore
Shimano Deore
Shimano (42/32/24)
Shimano 10-cog (11-13-15-17-19-21-24-28-32-36)
29 feet (per crank revolution)
5.1 feet (per crank revolution)
None (Weighed with Shimano XTR)