Sneek Peak: 2011 Specialized Safire Pro Gets Big Changes to Suspension

Anytime you get a bunch of industry folk together, some pro athletes and new product introductions, it’s likely you’ll see some things you weren’t expecting. Almost under the radar, this 2011 Specialized Safire women’s mountain bike was ridden under the Fit Chick (aka Selene Yeager) for the weekend. It was originally shipped for Rebecca Rusch, who was riding a current 2010 model, but it was a bit small for her.

Compared to the 2010 Safire, the 2011 model gets some big suspension layout changes that match the linkage and shock placement of Specialized’s longer travel Enduro. This bike is brand new and wasn’t supposed to be unveiled until later this month at the big S’ press launch.

Check out lots of detail photos after the break…

Above, the 2011 model. Compare to Rusch’s 2010 model below.

The pics here aren’t necessarily (actually, unlikely to be) how the production bike will be spec’d.  SRAM decked out every bike with their latest tech, and the big names got XX.

At first glance, the frame appears to be carbon because of the heavy tube shaping. The metal flares around the shock mount, the seat tube is shaped every which way possible, and the welds are big and subtle, hidden somewhat by the paint and graphics.

Another visible difference is the lack of a bottom mount for the that the remote BRAIN is mounted to the seatstay versus the chainstay like on the 2010 model. Shown above and below, you can see there’s only one bolt mount at the top and nothing attaching the bottom of the BRAIN to the chainstay.

The rounded downtube seems to stick out further forward than the 2010, but it could be the difference in frame sizes.

Check out some other looks at 2011 Specialized stuff from Sea Otter here:

• New “P” series dirt jump bikes
• 2011 Specialized Myka 29er women’s mountain bike
• Specialized Project Black carbon mountain bike wheels