The ultimate makeover for the cult bike Stumpjumper
The Californian cult bike has been completely redeveloped by the engineers - who also took a look at the gravity department. The new frame comes with an asymmetrical steamer suspension, as already seen on the Californian company's Demo DH bike. The Stumpjumper is now available - to cover the diverse requirements of trail bikers - as a version with 150 and 140 millimetres of travel and as a short travel model with 130 and 120 millimetres of travel. The Stumpjumper is also available in a 29er and 650b version with 10 millimeters more rear travel. The aforementioned Short Travel version will replace the Camber in the future and will also be available in the form of three women's models. With the Stumpjumper Evo, the trail bike will also have a real enduro feel.
In keeping with the times, the Stumpjumper has increased its reach by around 15 millimetres, while the chainstays remain short at around 437 millimetres. The seat and head angle of the Stumpi are also in line with the latest trends, as the seat tube angle is now a good 1 degree steeper and the head angle is a moderate 0.5 degrees slacker. The shorter head tube is particularly eye-catching, giving the rider more standover height and freedom of movement.
When it comes to the equipment hierarchy, Specialized naturally remains true to itself and only installs the finest components on the S-Works, such as Sram XX1 Eagle, Sram Guide RSC brakes, Fox Float 36 Factory forks and Fox Float DXP2 shocks with, of course, a good portion of its own brand components such as Roval wheels. The S-Works is followed by the Expert and Comp versions, while the Expert is still equipped with 12-speed and the Comp has to make do with 11-speed.
Lots of stiffness, but also flex
A striking feature of all variants is the shock linkage, which is strongly reminiscent of the Gravity counterpart Demo in its asymmetry. There is also a flip chip on board, which allows the geometry to be adjusted in the high and low range. The damper linkage is designed to provide plenty of stiffness so that the damper can perform its stroke work without interfering influences. The engineers didn't want to give the Stumpjumper too much stiffness, as they appreciate a bit of flex so that the bike rides in a playful and forgiving manner.
A great deal of engineering skill also seems to have gone into the cable routing. This should make it possible for cables or outer sleeves to be simply pulled out and retracted without hesitation, without fiddling and flashlight actions. The new chainstay protector also catches the eye, with its wavy shape designed to protect the chainstay even better and keep the chain more in check. The chain should be able to rest on the wavy shape for a short time and therefore be less prone to banging - and rattling.
Adieu Pressfit, hello BSA
An old - and welcome - acquaintance is still the Swat compartment in the down tube. This storage compartment has increased in size by around 20 percent and can hold a lot more in addition to repair kit and energy bars. On the Stumpjumper models with carbon frames, a Swat gadget is also integrated into the head tube, where a mini-tool is parked that lifts up elegantly when the cover is pushed away. And last but not least: with the new Stumpjumper, Specialized is saying goodbye to the press-fit standard and installing BSA bearings, which are easier to handle and much less prone to cracking.
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