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Specialized Camber 29 29er Full Suspension

4.75/5 (4 Reviews)

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Product Description

The 110mm-travel Camber 29 utilizes an M4 alloy frame, a RockShox Recon Gold fork for and custom Avid Elixir 3 R SL hydraulic disc brakes for a versatile trail package.

2013 Specialized Camber Pro Review

by Francois  Jul 11 2012 10:49AM

We had the opportunity to ride the 2013 Cambers in the heavenly trails of Bend, Oregon. This is a trail bike with 110mm travel in the rear and 110 in the front. The bikes rode like champs at Bend. The Cambers are so fast and easy to ride that they almost disappear into the ride. They climb very well and carve well. Compared to the 2012 Camber 29 that I’ve been riding, The new ones feel a hair smaller, lighter and more agile. One of the really cool revelations as I rode three models of Cambers is the new entry level Camber (under $2000) is a very capable bike. Continue reading →



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Reviews 1 - 4 (4 Reviews Total)

User Reviews

Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:4
Submitted by jman29 a Cross Country Rider

Date Reviewed: March 24, 2013

Strengths:    Great on downhills, good climbing, little bobbing when you pedal

Weaknesses:    Rear shock

Bottom Line:   
I have owned this great bike for about 1 year now and I love it. This bike will tackle pretty much anything you throw at it, and will definitely better your riding. This bike is exceptional at climbing, and descending allowing you to take it everywhere.

First, descending this bike is good at this due to a good fork, great brakes, and the large wheels allowing you to ride over anything. The recon fork moves through its travel in a very smooth way, and this fork also has a lockout function which is very useful. The breaks on this bike are pretty good, but they take a while to be worn in to get rid of noise. The 29 inch wheels allow you to ride over a lot more than a 26er. The only problem with descending on this bike is the rear shock. I weigh about 190 pounds and I broke some internal part of the shock on a 4 foot drop. I have also blown 2 seals on this shock, and I will be replacing it shortly.

This bike performs well on climbs because of the suspension lockout, and the 29 inch wheels. The lockout function allows you to maximize your climbs, by increasing your pedalling efficiency. Also this bike has superb traction allowing you to climb anything.

Thank you for reading,

Best wishes
-Justin

Expand full review >>

Price Paid:    $2000.00

Purchased At:   Sporting Life

Overall Rating:4
Value Rating:5
Submitted by Kyle a Cross Country Rider

Date Reviewed: July 12, 2012

Strengths:    Very good climber for a full suspension, I can't really notice bobbing, stiff frame, very comfortable decender too.

Weaknesses:    A little heavy

Bottom Line:   
This is my first 29er, coming off a Trek EX 8, and I am very impressed with the bike. I would have given it a 5 overall but i had a brake failure after about 5 hours of ride time.

I'm impressed with the performance of the relatively low end components, everything performs very well, with the exception of that brake failure.

I would recommend this bike to anyone who wants to get into a full suspension 29er. But if you have a little larger budget, i'd definitely step up in the model lineup

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Favorite Trail:   Cuyuna Lakes in Crosby MN

Duration Product Used:   2 months

Price Paid:    $1900.00

Purchased At:   LBS Thurman's Bike a

Similar Products Used:   2009 Trek Fuel EX 8
2009 Trek Top Fuel 9.9 SSL

Bike Setup:   Stock!
Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:5
Submitted by James a All Mountain Rider

Date Reviewed: June 30, 2012

Strengths:    Climbing, Shifting, Rolling Resistance, Front Shock

Weaknesses:    Black paint scratches easy. Slight brake squeak.

Bottom Line:   
I am very new to mountain biking. I have been riding 4 weeks. But before that, the last time I rode a mountain bike was in high school about 14 years ago. But within these 4 weeks I have ridden the 2012 Stump Jumper Carbon 29er, 2012 Epic Carbon 29er, and a friends Trek 26er.

I ride with two guys that have far superior in cost 26er bike one of them being the 2012 Specialized Enduro and a Rockey Mountain Carbon. This bike kills them both on the up hill. The 29 inch wheels just have far superior rolling resistance. Me and my friends will enter the hill at the same speed, but the 29er just carries more speed up hill. Also the geometry is awesome. When I demoed the 2012 Stump Jumper, I would have to lean forward during climbs. This made the up hill very uncomfortable. So when I first jumped on the camber to climb, I noticed the geo allowed me to sit up straight like I was riding flat. This is huge because I can control the steering to avoid obstacles to take cleaner lines up the trail. Up hill is phenomenal.

Components are respectable. Shifters are good for beginner because they have indicators to help you keep your chain relatively straight. Brakes are adequate but I have started to hear some noise from the front brake while power braking. Regular braking is just fine. XT rear derailleur is rock solid. Tires hold the trail as good as those 5K bikes I demoed. I run 40 PSI and find that it works perfect. Front fork is excellent at 110 mm of travel. This may not sound like much but with it being a 29er, more than need for singe track XC that I normally ride.

Downhill is fun and exciting. Full suspension is nice but surely not required. The full suspension just makes sitting on the seat during downhill a little more comfortable. But that translates into speed. I am right on the heals and sometime in the lead compared to my friend's Enduro.

This is a very cost effective bike. Retails for 2200 but I negotiated mine down to 1800. And at that price, I could buy two of them before I got one Stump Jumper Carbon 29er. You will not regret this purchase. More expensive bikes will envy your speed.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Curt Gowdy, Wy

Duration Product Used:   60 Miles

Price Paid:    $1800.00

Purchased At:   Bicycle Station

Similar Products Used:   2012 Specialized Stump Jumper, 2012 Specialized Epic

Bike Setup:   Stock from Specialized
Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:5
Submitted by v.real a Weekend Warrior

Date Reviewed: May 11, 2012

Strengths:    Excellent handling, value, versatility, future upgrades potential, comfortable.

Weaknesses:    None so far.

Bottom Line:   
Coming from a hardtail, there were a few things I was looking for my new full suspension bike: versatility, good handling, fair descending ability and weight. After reading a couple of reviews, and demoing a few 29ers, I decided on 2012 Camber 29.

Having a bike for about a month, I already rode it on a few trails near Toronto, and I absolutely love it!
The bike climbs very well, maintains traction, and feels great on downhills. It rolls over everything on its way - roots, rocks. All components are holding up fine, gear changes are precise, and overall the bike is very quiet.

To sum it up, I think the Camber is a great choice - it's a great all around trail bike, with a good potential for upgrade over time, and it won't break your wallet

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Albion Hills

Price Paid:    $1900.00

Purchased At:   Broadway Cycle

Bike Setup:   Stock
Reviews 1 - 4 (4 Reviews Total)

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