Specialized says it wants updated bike to be more versatile

By Nick Clark

Published: Thursday, 06 July 2023 at 12:00 am

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Specialized has announced its new P.Series range of dirt jump bikes, with all models being derailleur and dropper post compatible.

The new P.Series is now available in four sizes, starting with the P1, which is built around a 20in wheel size, and the P2 which uses a 24in wheel. The range is topped by the P3 and P4, which run on 26in and 27.5in wheels respectively.

The P.Series range starts at £750/$650/€800 for the P1, with the P2 priced at £1,100/$1,250/€1,200, and the P3 and P4 both costing £1,400/$2,100/€1,700.

The P3 and P4 framesets will also be available for £750/$700/€900.

Specialized says the bikes are available to order now.

Increased versatility

It’s uncommon for a brand to release a dirt jump bike in more than one size. The P.Series dirt jump bike hasn’t been updated since 2015, with the old bike focused solely on dirt jumping.

While the new bike doesn’t steer away from this, Specialized says it has added more versatility with this new generation.

The bikes are made from Specialized A1 aluminium and feature internal cable routing for a 30.9mm dropper post. They can be fitted with a rear derailleur.

The brand says it wanted to make a bike that was capable of pedalling to the pump track, while still being able to perform on the jumps.

Specialized

All models in the range use a Boost-spaced 12x148mm sliding dropout that offers 15mm of adjustment for both geared and singlespeed setups to ensure the chain remains tensioned.

Specialized says the Boost hub has made the bike more precise than the previous P.Series by adding more rigidity to the rear, while also opening up more aftermarket wheel choices.

Specialized

The P4 model uses a 27.5in wheel size, uncommon for dirt jump bikes, which have only relatively recently moved from 24in to 26in wheels.

Specialized says it wanted to offer an option for larger riders, while also giving the bike characteristics more consistent with mountain bikes.

The P3 and P4 are compatible with both 26in and 27.5in wheels, which means you could theoretically make the P4 into a mullet dirt jump bike.

All of the models are based around a 100mm suspension fork, apart from the P1, which uses a rigid fork. However, Specialized says the frame has been geo corrected for an 80mm fork for future upgrades.

Specialized P.Series spec and price details

Specialized P1

Specialized

• Fork: Rigid A1 aluminium
• Drivetrain: Singlespeed
• Brakes: SRAM Level T
• Wheels: Specialized P.Series, 20in
• Tyres: Specialized Kicker Sport, 20×2.1in
• Price: £750

Specialized P2

Specialized

• Fork: Manitou J-Unit Comp, 100mm
• Drivetrain: Singlespeed
• Brakes: SRAM Level T
• Wheels: Specialized P.Series, 24in
• Tyres: Specialized Kicker Sport, 24×2.1in
• Price: £1,100

Specialized P3

Specialized

• Fork: Marzocchi Bomber DJ, 100mm
• Drivetrain: Singlespeed
• Brakes: SRAM Level T
• Wheels: Specialized P.Series, 26in
• Tyres: Specialized Kicker Sport, 26×2.1in
• Price: £1,400

Specialized P4

Specialized

• Fork: Marzocchi Bomber DJ, 100mm
• Drivetrain: Singlespeed
• Brakes: SRAM Level T
• Wheels: Specialized P.Series, 27.5in
• Tyres: Specialized Kicker Sport, 27.5×2.1in
• Price: £1,400

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