Specialized M2 Info Thread/Serial Registry

[Neko]

Hi Neko, with the help of this thread I was able to ID this bike I think as one of the "limited-run" M2 Teams. It has a 91T serial, the riveted cable guides, and a square-topped seat clamp. Seen some abuse over the last 30 years but pretty neat. Unfortunately a little small for me.

Looks like a frame build that was later converted to cruiser. It has a mix of XT and Deore DX parts, a Mag fork, and a Spesh crank. A hole for the fork bridge is stripped, hence the missing front brake. For $25 I was willing to overlook some of these issues

I talked to the guys at my local (Bay Area) Specialized shop who were active in the day and they said there were more than 500 of those red M2 Teams floating around, also being so close to the old Spesh HQ I heard people would pull frames out of the dumpsters behind the factory? It sounds like some of the limited quantity boiled down to how many frames they could weld to pass QC.

I would reckon that the 500 figure was just frames made in 1991 (assuming they even kept their word), The 1992 and 1993 models were quite similar so I guess in a way there were far more than 500 made. I have a 1993 myself, distinguished by the rounded seatpost collar and FSX in the serial for whatever reason.
I'm Bay Area too unsurprisingly.

 

[Neko]

Something to add... Bought my M2 team FSX New in 93 or 4 and was Mnt bike racing during that time. I knew several guys who raced and broke their larger frames. My 15" or 16" as i thought it was never did. I believe due to the small size with shorter tubes was stronger.

I'm surprised more of them didn't break as they were very stiff frames and some did not have the luxury of an upper headtube gusset. To be fair the headtubes were overbuilt until '94 (except the '93 Team). They seem to have a similar failure rate to Taiwanese 90's Zaskars, unless I am missing a glaringly obvious repository of broken M2's. None of my eight had any cracks.

 

[Void(EN12-82)]

Hi all, I've just picked up this little beauty last Sunday... saw it for sale and actually was hoping (and it looked like it) that it was a 1992 S-Woke M2 Team (been looking for one of those for a long time, actually one of those with still some paint left on it)

Anyways, took a chance on it and went to pick it up... owner was really nice and said he had the bike for over 30 years, it's didn't look as bad (paint-wise) at all IRL, still had the original XT/Specialized X23 wheels with 7speed cassette, XT M735 front mech, Specialized crankset (the one with the "S", not the flagged one), chainrings still good, rear mech is M738 but I'll change that back to M735 (just like the stem/handlebar, V-brakes etc... all gonna be period correct). Still has the original 1" Specialized black headset and a Direct Drive fork... so this all seems to be a 1991 M2 Team.

Serial number is 91T02702, so been searching online but can't find to much (except here). Decals are a bit weird (as I only know 1992 onward), such as no "Specialized" on the top tube, but it doesn't seem to be missing (no outlines in the paint, paint is still really smooth), no Ned Overend signature thingie either... but Duralcan decals are there, as is Specialized on the down-tube, and some Specialized decal on the seat-tube... they're yellow decals, but just "S" (so not with the little black printed "woke" in it). All the cable stops are riveted and the seat collar is the square one, so it's a 1991 frame for sure... Dunno actually if S-Works was already a thing in 1991? Anyhoo, paint looks original to me, but I'm not sure. And as I found this thread while I was looking for catalogues and pics and other reference material I was thinking "let's list it here, see what the experts think".

So here goes, what do you guys think? If it's original I'll be putting all M735 XT on it, with thumbies and have to find a Specialized stem and handlebar... still have 2 good condition Ground Control tires... Also some pics (and that's my 1992 Stumpjumper FS behind it, had that one from new):

 

[Neko]

Hi all, I've just picked up this little beauty last Sunday... saw it for sale and actually was hoping (and it looked like it) that it was a 1992 S-Woke M2 Team (been looking for one of those for a long time, actually one of those with still some paint left on it)

Anyways, took a chance on it and went to pick it up... owner was really nice and said he had the bike for over 30 years, it's didn't look as bad (paint-wise) at all IRL, still had the original XT/Specialized X23 wheels with 7speed cassette, XT M735 front mech, Specialized crankset (the one with the "S", not the flagged one), chainrings still good, rear mech is M738 but I'll change that back to M735 (just like the stem/handlebar, V-brakes etc... all gonna be period correct). Still has the original 1" Specialized black headset and a Direct Drive fork... so this all seems to be a 1991 M2 Team.

Serial number is 91T02702, so been searching online but can't find to much (except here). Decals are a bit weird (as I only know 1992 onward), such as no "Specialized" on the top tube, but it doesn't seem to be missing (no outlines in the paint, paint is still really smooth), no Ned Overend signature thingie either... but Duralcan decals are there, as is Specialized on the down-tube, and some Specialized decal on the seat-tube... they're yellow decals, but just "S" (so not with the little black printed "woke" in it). All the cable stops are riveted and the seat collar is the square one, so it's a 1991 frame for sure... Dunno actually if S-Works was already a thing in 1991? Anyhoo, paint looks original to me, but I'm not sure. And as I found this thread while I was looking for catalogues and pics and other reference material I was thinking "let's list it here, see what the experts think".

So here goes, what do you guys think? If it's original I'll be putting all M735 XT on it, with thumbies and have to find a Specialized stem and handlebar... still have 2 good condition Ground Control tires... Also some pics (and that's my 1992 Stumpjumper FS behind it, had that one from new):

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S-Works started in 1991. Nice find! I agree with you that it is a 1991 frame.