Like someone mentioned, it feels like it was made for me. Very fast, makes me a better rider. Climbs great. Too fast or an all mountain bike, too smooth for an xc race bike. If you are a fast aggressive xc rider than I can't imagine you can find a better bike out there.
Only issues are the bottom bracket is too low (part of why it handles so well) I went to a 165mm crank as I have short legs which solved the problem. I also notice some rear end flex when I am really on the cranks hard. Not a big deal though.
A dream bike. Amazingly responsive; almost intuitive. Super light, strong, nimble... a pure joy to ride. Great climber (front end almost too light when shocks locked), jumps and rolls over technical stuff with ease. Easily handles technical switchbacks to small drops. Shocks are fantastic - have bailed me out many times in rocky/rooty sections. The bike truly seems as if it was made just for me.
Similar Products Used: Titus Racer X, Santa Cruz Blur, Specialized Stumpy HT,
Bike Setup: stock, with Race Face cranks
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Submitted by
mhoopes
a Cross Country Rider
from Novato, CA
Date Reviewed: August 11, 2008
Strengths: Light for a 5" bike. Great climbing traction, ride and handling.
Weaknesses: Low bottom bracket height, flex in rear end. Expensive.
Bottom Line:
This bike just feels fast, especially when climbing and weaving tight singletrack. Traction is excellent, seated and standing, braking or accelerating. The 120 mm of travel makes for a really smooth ride, except on that first bump before the Brain damper opens.
The rear end is a little more flexy than I like - it never ghost shifts under power, but sure sounds like it wants to when the pedal torque is high. The bottom bracket could stand to be a little higher, but fits with its race-bike demeanor.
Submitted by
Edward Chan
a Cross Country Rider
from Toronto/North York/Canada
Date Reviewed: March 16, 2008
Strengths: Excellent suspension, minimal bob at 7 setting on the Septune, Fox Talas Fork, endurance trail riding, hard finish doesn't chip or scratch easily, excellent workmanship
Weaknesses: The price
Bottom Line:
The low standover is contributes to a lower center of gravity but leads to the low bottom bracket and pedal smacking if you're not careful. The 7 positions of the Septune can really helps but I don't know if it's so necessary. I run most of the times on 3-4 position or Dead Zone. SAG should be tuned to take 20% of the course suspension and then adjust with the sensitivity and rebound. It can be a little bit tricky to find the best adjustements but time takes that!
Submitted by
Dave
a Weekend Warrior
from San Clemente, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: October 15, 2007
Strengths: Very versatile. Relatively light frame for almost 5" of travel.
Weaknesses: Front end is too high unless you get the travel down to 4".
Bottom Line:
It has taken me a while to get this bike set up properly to where it really shines. I bought the frame new on eBay. At the time I had a GT iDrive with XT/XTR components, a Fox Float 130 fork and DT Swiss Wheels. I just transferred all of the components from that bike onto this one. There were a couple of issues doing this. The handlebars I put on had too high of a rise (1.5 inch) and were too wide (27 inches). So I switched them out for a 26" wide carbon bar with a 1" rise. Much better. My biggest issue was that the front end felt too light going up really steep hills. I would lose control and the front end would pop up. So I put on a Talas fork with adjustable travel. Now when I get to the steep stuff I set the fork at 100mm travel and that seems to help somewhat. The bike really feels balanced in the 120mm setting. I leave it in that one most of the time.
One of the great things about this bike is it's versatility. I put on a set of Crossmax Sl's with 2.1 inch tubeless tires and it feels like a race bike. I got the weight down to a tad over 27 lbs. It rides really sweet. I have saved the DT Swiss wheelset from my GT and use them for more aggressive trails. I have a 2.3 inch front tire on those wheels paired to a 2.1 in the rear and that makes for a very stable ride. IT really changes the attitude of the bike. You feel much more stable at high speed and you can start bombing over obstacles.
All in all this is a pretty cool setup. It seems to have the perfect balance between aggressive XC and all mountain riding. Set it up the right way and it will overdeliver!
Similar Products Used: Rocky Mtn. Element, GT iDrive 5
Bike Setup: Fox Talas 100-140 fork, Juicy 7's, Crossmax SL's, Thomson setback post, Fizik Gobi saddle, Truvativ Team stem + carbon bar, XT everything else.
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Submitted by
Greg Richardson
a Cross Country Rider
from Enumclaw, Wa
Date Reviewed: July 3, 2007
Strengths: TRACTION!!!!
Weaknesses: Low bottom bracket.
Bottom Line:
First ride out on it today and I wanted to post while the differences between my old Liquid and this bike are fresh. The brain shock really works. I thought I would miss the plushness of my old bike but there wasn't much of a difference. The rear end really hooks up though. Made some climbs today that I don't normally make it up. You can get out of the saddle and still maintain traction. Never slipped the rear end at all. Bottom bracket clearance wasn't as good as my old bike and I noticed banging into things that I don't normally hit. Great bike overall. Wouldn't make a great all mountain bike but is smoking at cross country.
Similar Products Used: Just moved from my Trek Liquid55 to this.
Bike Setup: Fox Float Fork, all XT running gear, Mavic 717 wheels, Easton carbon bars, Avid juicy brakes and Truvativ Stylo cranks.
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Submitted by
John Thompson
a Cross Country Rider
from Plymouth, Devon, UK
Date Reviewed: April 30, 2007
Strengths: This is a review of a large framesize 2005 (septune) model. I am 6 feet tall and weigh 192 pounds. Following lengthy experimentation, I have settled on a thomson layback seatpost and a 90mm 6 degree rise stem with a low rise bar. Racers will want a longer stem, but I find the 90mm is more comfortable for all day riding.
The bike is light, robust, rigid and very versatile. Good for those who don't do a lot of flying through the air and hence dont need a longer travel or beefier trail bike. Eats up the miles but willing to take on the rough stuff too. Ideal if you like to ride to your trails rather than drive.
Shortish wheelbase and short chainstays make the bike manoverable but the overall package is still stable at speed.
Weaknesses: Requires careful setup - hard to get dialled just right (this is, of course, ideal for fettlers like me who enjoy fretting about the odd 5mm or 5 psi). You can pop the front on climbs if the fork is set too long - use lockout and get out of the saddle for tricky bits, or try an inline seatpost (works but the cockpit gets just a little too short). I reckon the fork works best at about 115 mm for all around use - the longer travel is good for descending though. BB can be a bit low sometimes, but this is not always a disadvantage, as it helps stability. Looks like there are a lot of frame pivots to wear, but so far no problems for me.
Bottom Line:
In these days of constantly increasing travel, I reckon that the 120mm rear / 90-130 front is just about the right compromise between proper trail bike and all day riding cross country steed. This bike is an excellent example of the lighter end of the trail spectrum. Highly recommended.
Sizing note - if you find yourself between frame sizes, go for the larger one and that will give you more room to fiddle with seatpost layback and stem length.
Value rating is based on the price I paid secondhand (about £1700 uk in total).
Similar Products Used: Marin Mount Vision & wolf ridge, Specialized fsr XC pro. Kona coiler dee-lux. 1995 Diamondback apex HT (my baby). I would like to try a SC Blur LT too....
Bike Setup: Push tuned Fox septune. Fox TALAS RL 90-130mm. DT hugi 240 hubs on mavic xc717 rims. Shimano XTR mechs with SRAM rocket shifters. Hope M4 180/160 disks. RaceFace evolve cranks (will upgrade when the isis BB goes) Thomson / raceface / easton finishing kit. Shimano SPD's. Various tyres depending on conditions.
Strengths: Specialized engineering says it all. This bike has failed to dissapoint and I have been looking hard. After racing a Fuel 100 for 2 years I wasn't sure what to expect with double the travel front and rear. But I am amazed to say the least. I bought my frame (only) from a shop in MI thanks to my buddy Jake (see 2 reviews earlier) and built it up as a trailbike for long rides in AZ. I didn't go for the lightest parts but still ended up with a 26 lb ride. This with a coil sprung fork (vanilla) and 2.35 rubber (Nevegals).
Weaknesses: Some issues with the rear shock linkage loosening and rattling but a very easy fix...
Bottom Line:
This bike rips...I may thin out the tires but right now this is the best all around bike I have ridden in a long time. I will never give up on hardtails and my Fuel is still my baby but if you want a solid, clean looking trail bike that can easily be raced, this is your bike. Pricey but get specialized on closeouts (yearends) and they are a good deal...
Submitted by
Jake Lueder
a
from Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Date Reviewed: June 20, 2006
Strengths: Very plush, low weight, esthetics (no huge arrogant S-WORKS label), minimal bob, geometry
Weaknesses: Cost, Very minimal difference in Propedal settings, No lock out.
Bottom Line:
I love the bike. I've had it in Arizona, Utah and almost daily on XC rides in southern Michigan. I like to ride every thing and some times do epic overnight rides. I hand built this bike just for that. I loved my old 02 Stumpjumper pro, but found a too good to be true deal on a new S-Works Epic. I missed the fully active plushness of the stumpy and parted and sold/kept the Epic parts and frame on eBay. I rebuilt the 05 S-Works FSR frame as described above and have NEVER looked back. I LOVE this ride + I MADE $150 on the whole deal via luck sells/buys on eBay! It does every thing everybody says and does it better than any other bike I've been on... I've been on a lot, but not all. The Epic I'm sure has it on flat ground speed, but definetely not on all day riding or more rugged riding out West. This bike is very plush for an XC speedster + does a great job dubbing an all mountain ripper. This sounds like hype, but you truly don't feel that the shock is even there while riding both fast and slow... yet you don't feel any bumps... big or small. Every thing is just smooth and fast... Awesome frame/bike (my dream bike). FYI, I ride really long, fast, and aggresive and very rarely maintain my bikes. This bike has been perfect since I built it. Been riding for 15 yrs with many riding partneres. They all want one and they ride some impressive bikes. Also, if you have the right tools, you can disassemble the whole bike and take it on a plane as carry on! (I had to check the wheels though) Disclaimer: I don't really catch much air.(no more than 3 ft + I'm only 165lbs) Downside: Specialed rules!!! but they know it and are getting out of hand on cost. The cost of this sport and Specialezed's role in it pisses me off.
Similar Products Used: Trek Fuels, Giant NRS, S-Works Epic, other older stumpies
Bike Setup: Full XTR drive, 06 spinergy cylclone disc wheelset, easton carbon stem/post, Ritchey WCS stem, WTB rocket team saddle, 06 FOX talas RL, Avid BB7 disk brakes, eggbeaters, racing ralph 2.25 tires... Just under 25 lbs.
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Submitted by
Ramon Periquet
a Cross Country Rider
from Castro Valley, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: May 17, 2006
Strengths: Great climber. I rode my GT Zaskar for years and was reluctant to go FS as I am more a climber than a descender. Didn't lose anything going to this bike even though it's heavier by a pound and a half or so.
Weaknesses: Front wheel keeps going out of true. I don't have disc brakes so it rubs. I'll eventually change it. I also think it can be a bit plusher on downhills...I tried the new one with the different rear suspension (through the frame), I have the Brain shock on one side. The new one was more plush but I am still fiddling with the set up and maybe can fix it.
Bottom Line:
A lot of money but if you want to not have the bobbing like I have experienced with the earlier generation full suspension bikes, this is it! If you are looking for a plush downhiller that can take really big hits, you may not be too satisfied with this. For the cross country racer, this is the best balance of uphill and downhill performance.
Similar Products Used: GT Zaskar, 2005 Specialized Stumpjumper PRO
Bike Setup: Full XTR, RockShox front fork with carbon crown, bike is stock.
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Submitted by
Eric Coomber
a Weekend Warrior
from Wildomar CA
Date Reviewed: May 11, 2006
Strengths: Brain Shock. Only 27 lbs out of the box
Weaknesses: Only Anno brown color on complete bike. Fox Talas, should have come stock with the Fox Talas XTT with inertia valving.
Bottom Line:
Easiest way to put it: All other bike companies give up, you all just got smoked by Specialized. This bike is so far advanced over anything else out there it's rediculous. I was stuck on finding the cool frame and building up my own bike. Red Hawk bicycles set me up with a FSR demo bike and I was sold. Nothing compares. The bike climbs outstanding, braking is true, there is no brake jack or semi active suspension. This was actually the thing that sold me the most, when I brake it tracks straight as an arrow and very fast. There always seems to be rubber on the ground and I have to attribute that to FSR suspension. I can brake much later going into corners and absoutely rip downhill. The bike just builds huge confidence. I cannot recommend Red Hawk Bicycles in Temecula enough. Without asking they switched out the stock Talas for the XTT fork. Both front and back suspension now has the Trail Tune and the ride is very balanced. All they kept saying is that they wanted my ride to be great. I have never been to a shop like that. I have shopped at that horrible IE Bikes and the Super Go's of the world so long I forgot what service actually was. I wish I had better writing skills to get across how happy I am with the bike and the shop I got it from. Life is good! Later
Bike Setup: XTR, Sram XO, Crossmax SL, Thompson, Maxxis Cross Mark
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Submitted by
Justin Martincic
a Cross Country Rider
from Beaver, PA
Date Reviewed: May 5, 2006
Strengths: The 2006 S-Works Stumpjumper climbs better than most most hardtails with the new brain addition, the bike accelerates super quick, and you can explode with power, the bike has no problem going from a leasurely cadence to a power climb in a matter of seconds. The weight is outstanding for a 5" travel bike.
Weaknesses: For the price, can't the put the XTR shifter/brake combo on for us? I dont care for the XTR disc brakes, the are super light, but do not stop nearly as well as my Juicy 7's did, but for this type of bike, they built it save weight, the XTR brakes work great and weigh way less than the juicys, just dont stop as well as the Juicys...ok so maybe I am alittle bias.
Bottom Line:
If you have the money for the bike, buy it! You will not be disappointed in any way shape or form. I am not a racer by any means, but i can just feel that this bike is top notch, I can really fly on it, and it just inspires confidence. I have been riding mtb's since october 2005(before mtb's i raced motocross), so i am kind of a novice i guess, but i have been leading group rides on the bike, it just performs flawless, the brain was a great addition to this 5" travel bike. The bike is totally flawless for the type of riding that i do (aggressive trail). Before this bike i had and epic and an enduro, is sold the epic, and do not miss it at all, i kept the enduro, just because its beefy for the all mountian rides, but the stumpy can hang with my enduro on any trail.
Similar Products Used: Specialized Epic and Enduro
Bike Setup: 2006 S-Works Stumpjumper, I switched the SRAM stuff to Shimano shifters and derailluers, hutchinson tubless spiders
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Submitted by
Pedro Garcia
a Cross Country Rider
from Lisboa
Date Reviewed: April 5, 2006
Strengths: Comfort;very light 12.6Kg;frame very stiff;rear shock 5 stars;
Weaknesses: None
Bottom Line:
This is my dream bike. It weighs less than my previous hard tail. The S-Works rides climbs better than my hard tail and the traction is amazing. These bikes are hard to find in Portugal and you can only buy the frame.
The bike works very well with Manitou fork and it's very easy to adjust the travel when riding.Spv system it's only a question of time to adjust after that you don't have any more problems.
I fully recommend this bike it's the best money can buy.
Bike Setup: Mavic Crossland;drivetrain XT complete;Hope Mono Mini;Handelbar Ritchey Wcs + bar grips;Manitou Minute 1;Stem and seatpost Thomson;High roller's 2.1 front and 1.9 ust;Selle Italia SLK gel flow
