By 
The Takeaway: Fezzari’s big 170mm enduro bike is a solid all-arounder, a great value, and offers an impressive range of custom build options.
- 170mm travel carbon 29er enduro frame with adjustable geometry.
- Complete bikes start at $3,999.
- Many custom options include EXT suspension, Cush Core tire liners, Ochain spiders.
- Not a high pivot suspension system—Fezzari says their design better suits the La Sal’s purpose.
Price: $8,499 (as built with custom options)
Weight: 34.2 lb. (medium, as tested)
Buy Now
Fezzari’s big enduro bike, the La Sal Peak, is all-new with a nose-to-tail redesign. Rear travel is up to 20mm to 170mm, with revised leverage ratios. The geometry sees a major update too, and the bike is significantly longer and lower. Frame shapes get a tweak and are now more organic, and stand-over is lower. The frame is tougher and approved for 180mm single crown forks and even dual crown forks if that’s your fancy.
More From Bicycling
Fezzari La Sal—Frame and Suspension
The La Sal is a 170mm travel enduro frame. And if you’re paying attention to the category, you know the talk is about high-pivots. So it’s bikes like the Norco Range, Forbidden Dreadnaught, Devinici Spartan, the Cannondale Jekyll/GT Force twins, and other designs from small builders that are leading the hype battle at the moment. However, the La Sal is not a high-pivot and continues with an updated version of the brand’s long-link four-bar system.
Tyler Cloward, Fezzari’s director of product, told me they looked into high pivots but ultimately felt a low-pivot system was better suited to the La Sal’s purpose, “We feel high pivot designs have some great characteristics for downhill riding, but they also introduce some ride characteristics we didn’t really like in cornering and on drops where the suspension has a compression event before—a small double drop or ledgy drop that compresses the rear end as the front wheel goes off the actual drop. During these events, the bike actually grows on a high pivot because of the big rearward axle path. We feel we have put together a suspension design and package that has just enough rearward axle path to take away square edge hits but keeps the wheelbase growth in check to have a consistent bike. We feel the new La Sal Peak also corners better than some high pivot bikes because of this, and aren’t races won in corners anyway? On the pedaling side, a simpler suspension design, like what we have, is going to be quieter and pedal better because there is no extra pulley wheel.”
So instead of a high pivot, Fezzari stuck with a more traditional four-bar system with a top-tube swing link. Rear travel is up 20mm from the old bike, and there is a revised suspension tune with lower overall leverage ratios, which brings down spring rates about 20 percent. Anti-squat values are about the same as before but don’t drop off as quickly, so there’s more anti-squat support further into the travel. Fezzari says the La Sal rides well with either a coil or air shock and even says that you can run a 5mm shorter-stroke shock if you prefer the more connected feel of the bike with 160mm rear travel.
Fezzari La Sal—Geometry
There are five sizes of La Sal: small through extra-large. All sizes have a 64-degree head tube angle and 437mm chainstays. A flip-chip alters the head tube and seat tube angles by 0.7 degrees and BB height by 7.5mm.
Overall, the La Sal’s length (reach, top tube, wheelbase) trends towards the shorter side of the enduro race category. For example, a Specialized Enduro in an S3 has a 34mm longer top tube, a 9mm longer reach, and a 16mm longer wheelbase. Norco’s Range is also longer, as is Devinici’s Spartan. Of course, numbers are just numbers, but Fezzari’s geo does hint that it may be better suited to the rider who prefers a more lively enduro bike.
One interesting detail about the La Sal’s geometry is the size-specific seat tube angle. The frame’s actual seat angle is slacker on smaller sizes and steeper on taller sizes. But because effective seat angle changes with saddle height, all sizes of the La Sal have around a 77.5-degree seat tube angle. Of course, that’ll change a bit with saddle height, and Fezzari’s geometry chart lists the saddle height at which every size has that effective 77.5 seat tube angle. Fezzari is one of the only brands to offer this level of geometry and information detail. The information detail helps clear up the mess that pervades many bikes’ seat angle information. Functionally, it (should) offer riders a better experience because it bases the seat angles on the anatomical differences of different rider heights instead of chasing the “steeper is always better for all riders” trend.
If you want to mullet the La Sal with a 27.5 rear wheel, Fezzari says go for it, although they recommend running the flip-chip in high mode to prevent the bottom bracket from dropping too low. One of Fezzari’s enduro racers I spoke with told me he prefers the La Sal with a 180mm fork when he runs it mullet to raise the bottom bracket even further. Even with the flip-chip in high, the BB was too low with a 170mm fork, and he felt there wasn’t enough clearance for pedaling.
Fezzari La Sal—Builds and Pricing
The La Sal comes in five stock builds priced $3,999 to $8,499—all builds use the same frame.
The least expensive Comp build comes with DVO suspension (Onyx D1 fork and Topaz 2 shock), SRAM NX Eagle drivetrain, SRAM Code R brakes, an X-Fusion Manic post, wheelset WTB rims and Bear Pawls hubs, and Maxxis Maxxis Assegai/DHR tires with EXO+ casing.
The top-end Team build gets Fox Factor suspension (38 GRIP2 fork and X2 shock), SRAM XO1 AXS drivetrain, TRP DHR Evo brakes, a Fox Transfer dropper, Enve AM30 wheels, and Maxxis Maxxis Assegai/DHR tires with EXO+ casing.
Frame: Fezzari carbon fiber, 170mm travel, internal routing, ISCG05, BSA threaded BB, ZS44/56 headset, 12x148 rear axle, UDH derailleur hanger, 31.6mm seatpost diameter, 1x bottle mount inside front triangle, 1x bottle mount under downtube
Shock: EXT Storia Lok V3
Fork: EXT Era V2, 170mm travel
Drivetrain: Shimano XT
Cranks: Shimano XT 165mm, 30T ring
Brakes: TRP DH-R Evo, 203mm rotors F&R
Wheels: Crank Brothers Synthesis E11 i9
Tires: Front-Maxxis Assegai 2.5WT EXO+ Maxx Terra, Rear-Maxxis Minion DHF 2.5WT EXO+ Maxx Terra
Seatpost: PNW Components Rainier, 200mm
Saddle: Ergon SM10
Handlebar: Fezzari aluminum riser, 800mm
Stem: ProTaper 35x40mm
Grips: Lizard Skins Machine lock-on
Between those bookends are builds priced $4,999, $5,999, and $6,499, all using RockShox suspension (Zeb fork, Super Deluxe shock), SRAM Eagle drivetrain, SRAM Code brakes, and PNW dropper posts. Chassis kits with the frame, Fox 38 fork, and X2 shock sell for $3,899.
The best build, in my opinion, is the $4,999 Elite with RockShox Zeb Ultimate fork and SuperDeluxe Select+ fork, GX Eagle, Code RSC brakes, and Stan’s Flow MK4 wheels.
Beyond those stock builds, Fezzari offers the rider an impressive range of custom options. These include boutique Italian-made EXT suspension (a $2,100 upgrade), several wheel options (including mixed/mullet sizes), chain guides, tire liners, Double Down tire casings, OChain spiders, Shimano drivetrains, and more. Essentially, if they can get it and you’re willing to pay for it, Fezzari will build your bike how you want. Fezzari customizes every build for the customer: They pick stem length, bar width, dropper post travel length, and other parts based on the measurements entered at checkout. If you prefer to pick the dimensions of your parts, Fezzari will build your bike to your specifications.
I took advantage of Fezzari’s customization options with my review sample, picking a range of parts that I liked and best suited how I planned to ride the bike. However, with the fancy Crank Brothers wheels and boutique EXT suspension, the cost of my review bike quickly shot up to over $8,000 and, honestly, won’t make me any faster than the $4,999 build. Double Down tire casing and tire liners weren’t available to me because of supply chain issues, but I’d run my enduro race bike with either or both.
Fezzari La Sal—Ride Impressions
I met with Fezzari in Moab to pick up my review bike and get my first rides on the new La Sal. Unfortunately, due to the weather in my area, those first rides are all the rides I have on my review bike so far. So, consider this a first rides review with more depth to follow once my trails dry out, and I can give it a good knockabout in the bike park.
My size medium La Sal’s seated riding position felt a touch short to me when I first hopped on it, an impression that stuck with me throughout the ride. I tend to like longer cockpits when climbing, but even so, the La Sal’s length didn’t hamper my performance or enjoyment. I was impressed with how maneuverable this bike was in slow-speed technical climbing terrain. Its pedaling performance was excellent, with just enough anti-squat support to keep it from feeling bouncy and like I needed the lockout lever, but enough sensitivity to keep traction on chunky desert climbs.
This was my first experience with EXT’s Storia Lok shock and Era fork. The fork and shock for sure work well. What I’m not sure about is if this boutique stuff—for the significant upgrade price—performs better enough, or is in any way better, than a Fox 38/Fox X2. I haven’t had time to refine the fork and shock tune, though, so we’ll see if my opinion changes as I dive into the settings and get a chance to do some back-to-back testing. The settings won’t cure the shock noise, a pretty loud hiss, which I found annoying.
The rear suspension felt smooth, consistent, and supportive, and felt much more dialed than the rear suspension of the Delano Peak I tested last year. I wouldn’t characterize it as deep or plush feeling, but rather slightly firm and sporty, which helps give this big bike its crisp edge. The fork worked well, but I feel like I can get more out of it with some time and tuning. I do like the finer tuning provided by the EXT’s secondary air chamber that controls progression compared to the big jumps in progression that happen when you change Fox’s and RockShox’s air chamber tokens.
Once I got the La Sal into its natural terrain—the descents—I found it a well-balanced and predictable bike. The cockpit was long enough that I felt reasonably centered in the bike, though I did feel I was slightly more on top of the front wheel than I’d like for an enduro race bike. For all-around riding, though, the slightly shorter cockpit, and overall bike length, are probably an advantage.
And that’s one reason I found it easier to ride across a broad range of speeds and in more varied terrain than a Specialized Enduro. I felt I needed speed and more open terrain to wake the Enduro up—great for racing at the limits on an enduro track, but less great for just having fun on regular trails. The bike I've ridden that seems spiritually closest to the La Sal is the Trek Slash. Both are gravity-oriented and impressive at speed and in big terrain while retaining a slightly more playful feel than many big bikes. That makes the La Sal better and more enjoyable to ride—and I think more maneuverable—in slower and flatter terrain, perhaps at the expense of some high-speed stability.
Fezzari may not be the first name you think of when considering a big enduro bike. But the La Sal is a compelling bike with dependable all-around performance, great value, and numerous builds and custom options that few if any, brands can offer at that Fezzari’s prices.
A gear editor for his entire career, Matt’s journey to becoming a leading cycling tech journalist started in 1995, and he’s been at it ever since; likely riding more cycling equipment than anyone on the planet along the way. Previous to his time with Bicycling, Matt worked in bike shops as a service manager, mechanic, and sales person. Based in Durango, Colorado, he enjoys riding and testing any and all kinds of bikes, so you’re just as likely to see him on a road bike dressed in Lycra at a Tuesday night worlds ride as you are to find him dressed in a full face helmet and pads riding a bike park on an enduro bike. He doesn’t race often, but he’s game for anything; having entered road races, criteriums, trials competitions, dual slalom, downhill races, enduros, stage races, short track, time trials, and gran fondos. Next up on his to-do list: a multi day bikepacking trip, and an e-bike race.
