Product Review | Specialized Chisel - Ozark Cycling Adventures

Product Review | Specialized Chisel

Autumn is here! And it is THE BEST time to hit the trails here in the Ozarks. I’ve been having so much fun lately on my Specialized Chisel. Is that a hardtail? Yup! I have been back and forth with hardtails and full suspension over the years. I love the straight forwardness and simplicity of a good old hardtail. With rims getting wider and tire volume increasing, lower air pressures give you just enough suspension and a ton of grip. Perfect for many of the trails in our region. Check out our quick product review below. And get outside and enjoy the fall riding season!

KEY THINGS THAT STANDOUT

The simplicity, straight forward aesthetics and performance of a hardtail. The M5 aluminum Specialized Chisel frame is coupled with 1×12 Shimano XT drive train. And the cockpit, seatpost and wheels are all Whisky Parts Co. We love the subtle labeling from Whisky.

Shimano XT 1×12 drivetrain looks clean and works so well.

A closer look at this rad paint scheme.

The Whisky Parts Co. No. 9 wheels are super strong. I’ve been throwing some serious Mt. Kessler rock gardens at them and they’ve been solid and durable. I went with the wider 36w rims and Specialized Gripton 2.3’s. I can run 17-20 PSI, which makes for improved ride quality and tons of grip.

Whisky Parts Co., subtle labeling is great.

I first discovered Whisky Parts Co. via the seatpost on my gravel bike. After swapping it with Whisky the bike felt smoother. I can’t prove that there is a little flex in the seatpost but smoother is what I felt going from one seatpost to Whisky.

And of course we love Specialized MTB XC Box and cages. Getting weight centered/lower to the bottom bracket makes for a better handling bike and is a more efficient use of dead space.

HOW IT RIDES

This was a fun build and the bike is even more fun to ride. I just wanted to go back to something simple and straight forward. It is the perfect setup for Lake Wedington, Hobbs, Lake Atalanta and Back 40. Using Whisky Parts Co. components and wheels was an experiment and to some it up they get the job done and look really cool. Now, go check out the Specialized Chisel and Whisky Parts Co. components at The Bike Route!

SPECIFICATIONS

DRIVE TRAIN
BOTTOM BRACKET- Shimano XT
CHAIN – Shimano XT
CRANKSET – Shimano XT
SHIFT LEVERS – Shimano XT
CASSETTE – Shimano XT 12 speed
REAR DERAILLEUR – Shimano XT

SUSPENSION
FORK – RockShox SID

WHEELS
FRONT WHEEL – Whisky Parts Co. No. 9 36W
REAR WHEEL – Whisky Parts Co. No. 9 36W
TIRES – Specialized Ground Control 2Bliss 2.3

COCKPIT
SADDLE – Body Geometry Power, Hollow Titanium rails
SEATPOST – Whisky Parts Co. No. 7
HANDLEBARS – Whisky Parts Co. No. 9 Flat 31.8
STEM – Whisky Parts Co. No. 7
BRAKES – Shimano XT

FRAME
FRAME – M5 Aluminum Alloy