SPECIALIZED STATUS 160
Punch Specialized Status into your browser and the first official listing winds the clock back to 2012. Click on the link and you’re presented with the Status: a 200mm-travel bike park/dh shredder with 26in wheels that was designed as a direct replacement for Specialized’s original budget baller, the Big Hit. And it’s somewhat ironic that the Big Hit was one of the original mullets, albeit with a 26in wheel up front and
24in out back.
Fast forward to today and the Status name is in circulation once again, even if there’s no sign of the new bike on Specialized’s website. A cryptic, underground Instagram marketing campaign with cool cats slashing turns? Possibly, but this too-cool-for-school approach makes it tricky to track down specifics on the new bike.
In a nutshell the 2021 Status is a solid, affordable 160mm-travel shredder that uses mixed wheelsizes to achieve an ultra-short 425mm chainstay length that should allow you to party like it’s 1999. And while the rear end is short, the front is anything but, so there’s nothing dated about the sizing on the new Status. Adopting Specialized’s S sizing, also used on the Demo, Enduro and Stumpy Evo platforms, the alloy Status frame runs from S1 to S5, our S4 test bike sporting a generous 484mm reach with a relatively short seat tube. The idea being that S sizing gives riders more freedom to choose their preferred size based on handling rather than it being purely about fit.
A flip-chip in the shock yoke offers two geometry settings. In the low position the head angle on the Status is a super-slack 62.6° and combined with the ultra-low 327mm BB height, the Status is about as progressive as it gets from a mainstream brand.
SUSPENSION
One look at the old Specialized Enduro and it’s easy to see where the inspiration for the rear suspension on the Status came from. The reinforced Manfu link does away with the need for a seatstay bridge, which in turn helps get the
27.5in rear wheel tucked tightly behind the BB to achieve those incredibly short stays. Boasting 160mm of rear-wheel travel, the Performance-level Fox DPX2 shock doesn’t sport the low-speed compression adjuster found on the higher-spec units, but you still get the three-position compression lever with Open, Trail and Climb modes, handy for extra support when grinding up steep climbs. Also, the rebound damping offers a very usable range of adjustment, which makes it easy to run the suspension super-fast for increased traction or slow it down for more control when hitting jumps.
Matching travel front and rear is the 160mm-travel Fox 36 Rhythm fork. It has the same level of adjustment as the rear shock and finding a balanced response from the suspension was child’s play. Yes, the basic 36 Rhythm lacks the low-speed support found on the GRIP 2-equipped Fox 36 forks, but it’s silky smooth and the extended geometry of the Status gives you all the front-end stability you need. Would the Status be even better with a high-end fork? Of course it would be, but we need to keep some perspective here as this bike costs £2,399.
COMPONENTS
Functional rather than fancy is probably the best way to describe the build kit on the Status. That’s not to imply that you’re left wanting, though. From the
£2,399
HIGHS
Killer value for money
powerful SRAM Code R brakes to the 170mm-travel X-fusion Manic dropper everything on the Status makes it easy to ride fast. The cockpit is set up with a Specialized alloy 800mm bar and 40mm stem, which puts the rider in commanding position and leaves room in the budget for a set of comfy Deity Knuckleduster grips.
The 12-speed SRAM NX gearing is a little sluggish when down-shifting but it has a light, positive action when moving up through the gears. It also gets a big 50t bail-out gear that makes light work of the steepest climbs. At the other end the highest gear is limited to a 11t cog – not the smaller 10t cogs found on the more expensive Eagle kit – as you can fit the 11-50t cassette to a standard freehub body which in turn keeps costs down.
And while Specialized has mixed wheel sizes on the Status, it has not mixed tyre widths or tread patterns, opting for 2.3in Butcher tyres front and rear. You also get the reinforced
Grid Trail casings for slashing turns, not sidewalls, but you will need to tread lightly in wet, cold conditions as Specialized’s older Gripton rubber seems to be more temperature-sensitive than the latest version.
PERFORMANCE
For a relatively heavy bike, the Status doesn’t drag its heels when you stomp on the pedals. In fact, if you spin along at a steady click, there’s a lightness to the pedalling action that belies its 16.05kg weight. Could it be that the ultra-short stays provide a more direct connection between the SRAM NX chainset and the 12-speed cassette? Possibly. It is, after all, why most road bikes have short stays.
The suspension also plays a big part here. The Status has good support at sag and seems to have a very predictable and proportional response to impacts. As such, it’s not the plushest 160mm-travel bike we’ve tested but as speeds increase, the effectiveness of the rear suspension keeps perfect time. Upping the tempo also increases chain slap, but it’s nothing a small strip of 3M rubber tape on the inside of the seatstay wouldn’t silence. Given the price, it’s hard to fault the Status. And even with the ultrashort stays we had no issue keeping the front end loaded. That said, if you’re between sizes, the Status is one bike we recommend downsizing on as the slack head angle and generous reach really put that 29in front wheel way out in front of you.