Rider

Name: Erik Schertzl
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 195lbs

A 6’2” rider with a craving for bike park laps, our buyer Erik set out to create the ultimate long-travel machine for lapping Whistler. When comparing options, his attention was immediately drawn to an S5 Specialized Enduro frame. He then meticulously crafted his dream bike with a range of components from Deity, RockShox, SRAM, We Are One, and Hope. The end result is a gorgeous build with silver and black accents. After a season of pandemic-induced border closures, Erik finally got a chance to take this build to the bike park. The Enduro exceeded expectations, leaving Erik itching for more park laps in 2022. 

Our buyer Erik's Custom Specialized Enduro

Bike Details

Frame: Specialized Enduro 
Size: S5
Shock: RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate w/MegNeg, 170mm 
Fork: RockShox Zeb, 180mm 
Wheels: We Are One Union 29 Rim, Hope Pro 4 Hub 
Tires: 2.6” Schwalbe Magic Mary, Super Trail, Addix-Soft, front  / 2.4” Schwalbe Big Betty, Super Trail Addix-Soft, rear
Drivetrain: Sram X01 12sp, 10-52T 
Pedals: Deity TMAC
Brakes: Code RSC, 200mm rotors 
Cockpit: Deity Speedway 35 Carbon 810mm, Race Face Turbine R 40mm Stem, Renthal Lock-On Grips Tacky

How long have you been riding bikes? 

I have been riding bikes for 30+ years. I started in the backwoods of where I grew up in Issaquah, Washington, just riding every rogue trail that was out there.

At 6’2”, Erik fits perfectly on an S5.

How did you get into the industry and what has your career path been like to your current position? 

I was a customer of Fanatik's and was getting some work done and signed up for the email list, where I saw the job listing. I thought it might be fun to try a new industry and that was ten years ago. I just stuck with it and really enjoyed the benefits of working in an industry I loved.

A well-loved X01 drivetrain with many, many more miles ahead.

What about the Enduro initially caught your attention? 

Just pre-pandemic, I was looking to do a bike build, knowing that I wanted a ride that was dedicated to handling the bike parks in Canada. For me and my son, that was our jam; hitting Whistler and the other bike parks. I chose the Enduro because I had always liked the looks of it. Having ridden it, it’s a very nimble 170 travel bike that is more playful than other bikes in its category.

PSI: 250, Rebound: “Yes”, LSC: 6 clicks from closed, Volume Spacers: 1, MegNeg Spacers: 2

You are currently running your bike with a 180MM Zeb; what influenced your decision to over-fork your bike? 

Man, that is the best fork as far as its intended use, and how it performs, and how it rides high in its travel, keeping you supported. It has been great for me. It also runs really low air pressure compared to other forks in its category and I find that it responds well to micro-adjustments. 

With 38mm stanchions, the Zeb has quickly established itself as a go-to option for long travel enduro bikes.

In your bike check video, you said that this bike descends even better than some  DH bikes you’ve ridden. Can you elaborate on that? 

I guess if you are comparing it to a race DH sled that is just going as fast from point A to point B as it can, then maybe it doesn’t compare to certain DH bikes, but that’s not the style of bike that I want. I want a bike that can handle the rough stuff but still be nimble enough to jump and play around. I have definitely ridden dedicated downhill bikes that felt like too much bike for having fun in the bike park. I think that the balance of the Enduro makes it a perfect match for what I want. It’s more than capable of handling anything that I care to throw at it. 

PSI: 57, Rebound: “Yes”, HSC: 4, LSC: 11 (clicks from closed), Volume Spacers: 0 

What is one part of your bike/setup that you are particular about?

My cockpit setup. Not so much seat position, (although a little bit) but my bar/stem, height, length, position, and how it affects the bike. I just get really hyper-focused on the millimeters of difference and how I perceive that change.

A Specialized SWAT tool is neatly stashed in the steerer tube for trailside maintenance.

What is your favorite component on your bike and why? 

I’m going with the Zeb for that one for sure. When the bike is sitting in my garage, a 180 Zeb, man, when you look at a 180 Zeb you're just like, “oh yeah”. I’m a big Zeb fan if you can’t tell. 

Few components are as imposing as a 180mm RockShox Zeb.

You are running the We Are One Union rims, how have they performed/held up over your time on them? 

Great, they are perfectly true and running great. I love those things. 

Code RSC brakes paired with 200mm rotors front and rear handle all the stopping while We Are One Union rims lurk in the background.

You recently took a trip to Whistler, how did the bike perform there? 

I started building the bike pre-covid to hopefully ride in Whistler as much as possible. I didn’t finish the build before the border shut down, but a year and a half later I finally got to the bike park for one weekend before it closed down. It exceeded my expectations. The last time I was at Whistler I broke my neck, so I was a little tentative coming back. But it just took one run, and I was back to full confidence. I really attribute that to the bike because it left no question about any of that and just did everything I expected it to. 

X01 Lunar cranks and silver Deity TMAC pedals round out this tastefully color-matched build.

If you could ride any trail in the world right now, which would it be and why? 

I’m a huge Schleyer fanboy at Whistler. I know there are newer, bigger, better, cooler things now but that trail is just iconic at Whistler for me and just has everything on it. If I had to pick just one trail, it would be Schleyer.