Big wheels done better - all the rollover, control and confidence beenfits of a 29er with the shortest chainstays and wheelbase and honed angles for the most nimble handling. Out of the box and race ready for XC riders looking to climb fast and rail twisty singletrack on big wheels.
29er HT frame with curved top tube looks as fast and sweet as it rides due to its race-optimized 29" geometry and M5 manipulated alloy construction
RockShox Reba RLT 29er fork with size-specific travel, rebound/compression adjust, and Floodgate control allows this 29er to soak up rocks like no other
Custom DT Swiss 29" rims with eyelets and sleeved seams keep weight low and durability high
S-Works Renegade 29 x 1.95" dual compound 2Bliss Ready tires with aramid bead roll fast and still provide plenty of race-tested traction
Avid Elixir R SL lightweight hydraulic disc brakes/levers with alloy backed semi-metallic pads and tool-free reach adjust for superb control and modulation
Specialized BG Phenom Comp saddle with hollow Cr-Mo rails is a lightweight and minimalist design, tuned for sit bone flex and comfortable climbing
Submitted by
Soggy NIlla
a Cross Country Rider
from Nashville
Date Reviewed: January 2, 2012
Strengths: Fast! lightweight, Front and back Derailer, paint Scheme. Stiff Frame, lockout shock.
Weaknesses: 2x4 seat, Stock tires are not great in the wet fall leaves
Bottom Line:
I bought this bike as a closeout based on the fact that it comes with test paint colors that Specialized didnt decide to use in their production. (saved me $500). I like the "test bike" colors better and it gives me a bike you wont see anywhere else. So after knocking $500 of the retail it was a great value I couldnt pass up.
I switched from a 26 to a 29 and love how this baby rolls through the fields I ride around here. it took a little while to get used to the bigger wheels on the technical trails but when it came time to climb I felt more connected to the bike and it climbed really well! for an ox like me (6' 220') Love the bike and cant wait to get more rides in on it!
Submitted by
solarearth
a Weekend Warrior
from Phoenix
Date Reviewed: December 16, 2011
Strengths: lightweight, solid build and components
Weaknesses: tires
Bottom Line:
First mountain bike in 20 years and rode for the first time last weekend. Put about 30 miles of trail behind me on a challenging and somewhat technical trail call the Desert Classic at south mountain in Phoenix. The bike held up fantastic and climbed easy. The stock tires were not set up for this type of trail and found a lot of slippage climbing. Granted I was still learning how to stand and sit on the bike while riding the steep downhills and climbs. Gear shifting was easy and smooth although I kept it mostly in the center chainring mostly.The bike frame and components seemed well suited for this type of desert trail with a lot of loose rock and sand. Best fun I have had in a long time and I think for my first mountain bike I could not have picked a better bike. I'm 5'-10" and 165 lbs. The bike is a 19". Could not be happier with the experience.
Submitted by
rakerdeal
a Racer
from Winston-Salem, NC
Date Reviewed: December 6, 2011
Strengths: Pretty much everything as to the price you pay for the bike.
Weaknesses: As of yet I'm really not aware of anything.
Bottom Line:
I guess you'd say I am pretty much delighted with this bike. With the American Classic wheelset it only weighs 23 lbs and 3 oz with 2 bottle holders and Crank Bros Eggbeaters. Trails that used to drive me nuts because I felt like I had to stare at the roots and rocks until I got passed them are now mush and just damn easy to ride. Much more stable at all speeds but particularly high speeds than a 26er of any kind. Can get out of the saddle and peddle and don't have to worry at all about balance or fine placement of my body like I did with the 26er. Great for an older racer- just so much more stable. Damn thing climbs so well it is hilarious- again the things that I used to dread the wheels just roll right over. I was skeptical about the 29er concept and kept my thoughts to myself for three months but now I just realize this is a far superior and more enjoyable design than a 26er.
I was riding fully stumpjumper fsr 26 inch, but never liked this bike, its great down hill but slow at every thing else. Last week switched to this bike the 29 comp, sold the FSR. I am stunned by this bike, the handling and the speed with it climbs is incredible. Hills I used to be afraid of are now easy as hell. Downhill this bike is less then the FSR, but I don't care. I have bought the 21 inch frame, my length is 188 cm.
Normal horizontal roads this bike goes so fast. Single tracks no problems. I have to get used to the X6 group, I dont like the handles. The vork is fine, I saw that its possible to get a lockout on it. Next week I will switch to tubeless. The brakes are not so well, but I will switch to the swissstop brakes so this will go better I think. I would advice anyone this bike, great stuff for a very good price.
Submitted by
John Barrett
a Cross Country Rider
from Los Osos, California
Date Reviewed: November 13, 2011
Strengths: I love the way it climbs. Is decends well on non-technical trails. It is the sports car of mountain bikes. It is light and fun to ride. The Avid Elixir R SL brakes do the job. Not quite as "over the handle bars" good as the Elixir 5s on our Trek Fuel EX-8, but nice for cross country.
Weaknesses: The S-Works Renegade 29x1.95s are good for cross country but leave a little to be desired on gravel downhills. Of course if your not racing the stock seat will gather dust in favor of something a little softer. Larger brake rotors combined with more appropriate trail tires could make this bike a bit more well rounded. But those are things that you can add later.
Bottom Line:
The Stumpjumper Comp 29er Aluminum is a real "sports car". It is very maneuverable and the 29 inch wheels run at 35 lbs make it a reasonably comfortable hard tail ride.
I'm 185 w/o gear and 6'1" and the 19 inch model works well.
This bike should suit the rider who wants to ride all but the most technical trails, and who might value climbing ability a little more than rough trail descending speed comfort.
Similar Products Used: 2011 Trek Fuel EX-8, 2001 Schwinn Moab 2 and Rocket 88 (last American made Schwinn MTBs)
Bike Setup: Stock except for a SR seat.....still haven't settled on "the" one. I may replace the front 160mm brake rotor with a 180mm.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Lachlan Rice
a Cross Country Rider
from Nelson New Zealand
Date Reviewed: September 27, 2011
Strengths: Light fast smooth soft ride
Weaknesses: Seat Brakes
Bottom Line:
Love this bike kept my old seat and upgraded to 200mm front rotor and 180 rear. I am heavier about 95kg and do a lot of climbing and obviously down again. I found the brakes a little too light for me and felt a lot safer with the upgrade. I love this bike it climbs like crazy and smoothes out trail trash. No need for a soft tail with about 35psi in rear it feels like a soft tail with the bigger tyres and wheels. Over grass is like hard pack. I am delighted with it and the concern about the 29 inch wheels leaves me wondering why it has taken so long to bring them here.
Submitted by
mtnbkr80015
a Cross Country Rider
from Centennial, Colorado, USA
Date Reviewed: September 26, 2011
Strengths: Stiff Aluminum Frame, Front Hub interface, Good Parts Spec, Easy Tubeless Conversion
Weaknesses: Boat Anchor Crankset (Changed mine to Raceface Next SL), S-works Tires stretch and will not re-seat tubeless if burped.
Bottom Line:
This is a great bike for the money. I got a left over 2010 model and Bob over at Mojo Wheels made me a great deal. This is a fast bike and does everything very well. It climbs, big wheels shrink trail obstacles, it flies downhill. This bike makes it hard to choose my other bike (2009 Cannondale Rize Carbon). I have not tried this bike on anything sketchy, but for smooth/steep trails this bike rocks! The front hub feels plenty stiff and the geometry is dialed. My nineteen inch frame fits like a glove and I am 6'1" and 190 lbs(200 with gear). There was an annoying creek which after tearing apart the bottom bracket, headset/stem, seatpost and saddle and re-greasing everything ended up being a loose bolt and dry derailure hanger. Once I fixed the derailure hanger, this thing is quiet. I had some initial noise with the brakes, but after I burned in the pads, there is no more issue. I look forward to riding this bike in the winter as i loved my singlespeed but hated the gearing. I realy like the top tube cable routing(should stay clean this winter). As far as hard tails go, this is a great bargain, and a great performer.
Similar Products Used: Cannodale 1FG 29er Singlespeed
Bike Setup: Stock except for Raceface Next SL Crankset, tubeless
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
mpokelley
a Cross Country Rider
from Birmingham
Date Reviewed: July 8, 2011
Strengths: Relatively light weight. Very responsive to pedaling. Aggressive positioning. Climbs crazy good.
Weaknesses: Original brakes not so great. Derailleur cables seem to get infiltrated by mud easily.
Bottom Line:
I have really enjoyed this bike, especially with the recent brake upgrade and wheelset upgrade. Going tubeless definitely helps the ride quality.
My local trails are full of rocks and roots, which makes me often think about swapping to a full suspension frame. But overall I'd say it's been a great bike.
Similar Products Used: Trek 6500. Redline Monocog. Felt Virtue. Not all that similar, but those are my previous bikes.
Bike Setup: Left it stock for a year, then converted to single speed. After six months of singlespeed I am now running 1x9 with a new XT shifter and new XTR rear derailleur.
I have also recently swapped out the Avid brakes for Formula Oro K18 brakes which made a big improvement.
Just finished swapping out the original DT Swiss wheels (which were not bad really) for Stan's Arch rims with XT hubs.
Current weight is around 25 pounds.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
John.M
a Cross Country Rider
from Niles, MI
Date Reviewed: July 7, 2011
Strengths: Climbs like a goat; shock is fantastic; SUPER light.
Weaknesses: Avid Elixir R SL brakes; r/d shifting
Bottom Line:
I wanted this bike. I wanted it so bad, I could taste it. And then it arrived. It was everything that I had hoped for, and more. Then the honeymoon was over.
Almost from the get-go, I had an annoying howling coming from the rear brake (read about the Elixir issues with the SJ's here). It wasn't that bad, so I chose to keep loving my new bike. Then the front brake failed (on my second ride). The LBS took care of me, and contacted Avid. Great! New (upgraded) brakes were sent, free of charge (of course)!
New brakes were installed, and the howling was still there on the rear brake - as detected by the LBS. New rotor installed on the rear supposedly took care of it. I also had some "more than normal" cable stretch that was causing the shifting to be picky. That was supposedly fixed as well. Fast forward a few days, and my bike sounds like a Wookie screaming through the woods. It vibrates everything on it so badly, that I can't stand to use my rear brake. The shifting issues returned within 20 miles. I am beginning to become more than frustrated with my new bike. It has less than 200 miles on it, for Pete's sake!
To be crystal clear, my LBS maintains this bike. I have deliberately not touched anything on it, as I bought it from them to get their service. They are a bunch of nice guys.
I had some issues with my first Specialized last year that were attributed to it being entry level, with cheap components. Well, the problems with this bike have pushed me over the edge. I hope that someone reads this from Specialized, as I will never buy another bike from you again, nor will I recommend this bike to anyone I know. It has been in the shop way too many times already for the price I paid.
Submitted by
BigWheeler
a Cross Country Rider
from Memphis, TN
Date Reviewed: May 18, 2011
Strengths: Solid, no-nonsense aluminum frame; front hub-fork interface; well-thought-out parts spec
Weaknesses: Seatpost; rear hub; stock tires; 160mm front rotor
Bottom Line:
The long and short of it: This is a good, solid aluminum hardtail, and while it's never going to be the trickest ride on the trail, I'm very happy with its performance. It also has understated good-looks that I really appreciate.
Handling: This bike is fairly neutral, meaning that it's neither particularly quick nor slow to steer. As a result, I was able to jump on this and take off on unfamiliar trails within minutes, whereas more idiosyncratic rides might have me more hesitant. At times I do feel as if the front end is just a tad slow (I generally like quick-handling bikes), and I find myself having to correct curves more than I'd like, but on sweeping, banked curves I can lean into them and carve to my heart's delight. Moreover, the Reba with the Specialized Hi-Lo hub up front, as well as a 9mm RWS through-axle, makes for a stiff, sure front end.
Ride quality: This is a smooth bike for an aluminum hardtail. It's not steel-smooth, and on longer rides my back does start to fatigue, but I'm generally very pleased with the ride.
Pleasant surprises: The most pleasant surprise might be the lack of surprises: this is simply a good, solid bike. There aren't any particularly flashy parts, but there's nothing questionable, either. I do really like the front hub/skewer/fork interface, and the Specialized BG seat is always nice, but generally I like the total package more than any individual part.
Quibbles: I bought this while on a trip to Colorado, where the stock 11-36 cassette was great, but the stock tires (Fastracks) were worthless: the rear split on the second ride. After a quick switch to Captains I've been happy sense, though on my local trails (the smooth flat trails of the mid-south) they're a bit of an overkill. Similarly, the 11-36 cassette is a bit much here, too, and I'm happily riding an Ultegra 12-27, which gives me tighter gearing for flat trails. (The big cassette is in storage for my next trip to the mountains, though.)
The stock, single-bolt Specialized seatpost looks great, but I found it to be pretty worthless for holding the seat: after four months or so it would slip during every ride, and I'd roll into the parking lot with a seat slanted toward the sky. No bueno. I switched to a cheap, two-bolt Truvativ carbon seatpost and haven't had the same problem.
I'd much prefer having a larger rotor on the front of the bike, and my braking has improved dramatically since I switched to an 185mm rotor. I'm 200 lbs before gear, though, so that might also have something to do with it.
Weaknesses: Rearward weight bias, short chainstays, lack of rear suspension.
Bottom Line:
I bought the 2010 Comp 29er, aluminum frame. This is a race bike. It is stiff, fast and, for a 29er, extremely nimble. It excels on the fast, twisty, relatively smooth trails that make up the typical XC race course. The quick steering and 29er traction allow you to take the inside line with confidence. You can climb out of the saddle, plenty of cockpit room and traction. All the parts work well. The frame is light and stiff but that gracefully arching top tube increases standover height and adds a little weight as well. I'd rather see a straight tube. It rides pretty well for a hard tail- you can feel the chainstays flexing a little to smooth out the ride. On rougher trails I wish I had rear suspension, though. The Reba SL fork is a good choice for a hardtail. It's a lot less flexy than the old model and the 9mm thru axle adds even more stiffness. The wheels are light but a little flexy and the rear will need truing now and then. The brakes are strong and easy to modulate but they chatter, and the rear shifting is good, front only so-so. The first thing I'm going to replace is the crank, with a lighter and better shifting two ring. The seat is more comfortable than it looks, but not by much. The S-Works Fast Track tires are good but not as good as the best Maxxis, Kenda or Schwalbe have to offer. Build quality is over all very good.
On the minus side, the short wheelbase and quick steering make it not the best trail bike for rougher terrain. I prefer my Monocog 29er on rougher trails for its more stable geometry. And the short chainstays and bent seat tube mean its easy to get your weight too far back on climbs.
So if an xc race bike or smooth terrain trail bike is what you're after, this bike would be a very good choice. If you want a trailbike for rougher trails or marathon race bike, I'd opt for something with more stable geometry, like a Gary Fisher, or better yet an FS 29er like an Epic.
Strengths: Stable and Fast. Excells down fast descents. Climbs well.
Gives all the advantages you expect of a 29er.
Confidence inspiring.
Bottom Line:
This is a review of the 2011 SJ Carbon Comp 29er. I believe some of the previous reviews are for the older alu version.
This bike has boosted my confidence over all terrain.
I am now a convert to 29ers -
The ultra stiff rear end means that every ounce of effort goes into forward motion. Not a bike for anyone with loose teeth or who prefers comfort to speed. Going tubeless helps take some of the harshness away.
The wheels are reasonably light, and the brake and gear kit works well. The double compact gearing ratios are ideal
for me.
Possibly the best XC race bike for the larger rider at this price level.
Submitted by
gos1
a Cross Country Rider
from Corvallis, OR, USA
Date Reviewed: April 11, 2011
Strengths: Light, Fast and very nimble. Feels as nimble in almost all situations as my older 26" hardtail. The machine rolls very fast and climbs well. The fork does a great job. My bike weighs in at about 25 lbs.
Weaknesses: The tires included are a S-Works super lightweight racing tire. They are fast and grip great on hardpack but have poor grip on soft soil, mud, and loose gravel which is common where I live.
Bottom Line:
Very nice bike. Well balanced and rides very nicely. The bike fits my body extremely well. I am 6'1", 200lbs and am riding the 19" frame. Good balance of components and engineering.
Does anybody have one?
How does it ride?
What"s the size and weight?
What bike did you ride before and how does it compare?
Thanks for the replies... Read More »
Stolen 2012 Specialized Stumpjumper Comp 29er (Test Bike)
From the back of Mike's Bikes in Los Gatos.
This bike has the unique test bike colors so there shouldn't that many ou Read More »
2012 Stumpy FSR Comp Carbon 29er
New bike weighed 28.8 lbs...all stock (no pedals)
Changed everything to XTR...Complete drive-train and brakes... Went tub-less... FSR Carbon ba Read More »
what can you say about the performance (like & dislike) of 2012 Stumpy Comp 29er. I test drive this bike but only in the parking lot. I just want to gather more info before buying Read More »
What can you say about the performance (like & dislike) of this bike. I drove one but only in the parking lot. I just want to hear from you guys before I buy one. Thanks:confused: Read More »
