First Ride | The all-new Specialized Fuse Expert – the hardtail comeback?

Wide 3.0” tyres, 120mm front travel and promisingly aggressive geometry – With the all-new Fuse, Specialized hope to set a new standard in the world of trail bikes. Could this mark the start of the hardtail comeback?

We showed no mercy to the Specialized Fuse Expert as we spent days blasting it along technical Alpine trails and our home trails too. If you’re familiar with South Tyrol’s trail network near Latsch, then you’ll be only too aware of their diversity: from fast, flow sections to gnarly root gardens, steep, rocky slopes, and all rounded off with some nasty climbs to boot. Latsch offers all the ingredients needed to push the limits of both rider and bike. And when the weather turned and brought the rain with it, this added yet another dimension to the test.

Frame and spec

The stats of this modern-looking aluminium whippet all hint towards its downhill-orientated nature – and have little in common with regular hardtails. First up, there’s a slack 67° head angle, a tame 430mm chainstay, 1165mm wheelbase (size large), and 120mm travel courtesy of the Manitou Mattoc forks. And it’s an irrefutable message they’re trying to give us with this: trails, trails and yet more trails.

At the rear the Specialized Stout XC Pro 148 hub makes use of the new Boost Standard, thereby giving clearance for the stock 3.0” wide tyre. One highlight of the rear build is the so-called ‘diamond chainstay’, which sees the chain split to offer sufficient space for the chainring and achieve a more compact rear. The result: a chainstay measuring a palatable 430mm. The Fuse Expert retails at €2,099, the Comp version at €1,699.

Geometry

Riding

Once you’ve got going it’s hard to deny that this hardtail is different. The bigger volume 3.0” tyres are just begging to be ridden on the good stuff, but first the 6Fatties need to be heaved up the mountainside. Will they cope? Weighing 13.9kg (test bike: size large, rider height: 185cm), the Fuse is no nimble mountain goat, but it’s got perseverance on its side. We’d expected significant rolling resistance, so were pleasantly surprised by its only minor presence. The relatively low-profile tyres and the outer width – which is similar to 29ers – compensated nicely and both pedaling sections and climbs were easily within its capabilities. In fact, its tour de force has to be on super loose and steep inclines as the Fuse’s monster traction comes into play.

Once the summit has been reached, the fun can begin; it’s just a case of refueling and dropping the dropper post ready for the descent.
Chewing up the trail, the bike handles well – and particularly well on technical sections where you’re forced to drop the speed a touch. Thanks to the short 430mm chainstay, the rear is compact and maneuverable. After the first downhill, we even scratched our heads before double-checking the travel – seriously? Only 120mm travel at the front? We could barely fathom that a hardtail (!) could offer this level of comfort and traction. This is where the benefits of the wide Specialized 6Fattie Ground Control tyres are visible (air pressure when riding: 1.2 bar with a rider weighing 83kg). The increased contact with the ground and the more malleable deformation result in a notable plus point for comfort and traction.

Aggressive riders will rejoice at the slack head angle and low central position that encourages a playful approach from the pilot.

The enhanced grip was most apparent on wide-open, stony corners. Washing out or losing grip? Nope, not in the slightest. Even we could barely believe it (so we doubt you will either) but each corner felt like the smoothest berm – even though in reality they were loose, gravelly bends!

The Fuse shreds grandly along technical sections, keeping in control with tyres offering great grip and monster trucking the trail chatter. We did encounter one problem that we faced in our very first extensive test of plus-size tyres in the South of France – namely how they spread.

Specialized deliver the Fuse with 45mm-wide WTB Scraper rims on which the 3.0”-wide 6Fatties can sit. Compared to our earlier test of the same tyres – on top of the Specialized Royal Traverse SL Fattie wheels (rims with an inner width of 30mm), there is now a huge difference. These tyres showed zero inclination to spread and retained a super stable position on the rims. The sidewalls are supported by the wider rims and this is evident on off-camber ground and during compression. As a result, our trust in these wider tyres has been boosted – and we’ve been won over by the added comfort and increased fun factor!

Moreover, the big volume tyres show an unrivalled willingness to absorb light bumps and you’ll enjoy a silky ride.
But when the bumps get bigger and come in quick succession, the handling becomes imprecise. While the performance is noticeable and very beneficial at lower speeds, it is possible to lose those benefits because the tyres can’t handle the impacts at high-speed.

During our testing we fell victim to two punctures, both of which were repaired by – the 29” tubes we had with us wouldn’t fit the tyres properly. Were these punctures down to the incorrect tyre pressure or are they simply par for the course? We will see in the future.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for an efficient hardtail to scurry up mountains then you’ll be disappointed with this. With its aggressive geometry and plus-size tyres, the Fuse is destined to be a delightfully simple and fun hardtail for trail riders looking for their new best pal. Neither efficiency nor weight take prominence with the Fuse, but just look at its traction, stability and descending prowess. It’s a serious contender and a definite recommendation if you’re after a simple but potent bike! We loved it.

Words: Laurenz Utech Photos: Christoph Bayer & Sebastian Hermann

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