Submitted by
fmdonovan
a Cross Country Rider
from Denver, CO Date Reviewed: September 29, 2009
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
This review is for the 2010 Stumpjumper S-Works Carbon.
As a former employee at a high-end bike shop I have had the opportunity to spend time on every carbon stumpy since 2007. Specialized has finally nailed the brain and made it work how it was suppose to from the beginning, making this stumpy the best yet. Grant it I only spent about 1.5hrs on it, the new suspension parts designed by specialized and manufactured by Fox are far superior to the full Specialized suspension components. The brains on the front and rear can be dialed up to only let loose on the bigger bumps and thus negate any rider input. Sprint out of the saddle on smooth terrain, or small rocks, and the suspension doesn't move. Launch a roller and upon landing the entire suspension activates making for a smooth landing; a completely new sensation from the older brains on stumpys. Super stiff suspension isn't your style? Dial down the brain in increments until the ride suits your style or the trail terrain that you are riding/racing. Dial the brain off and the suspension won't hold back. The fork has adjustable travel for long or technical climbing. The frame, linkages, and fork are amazingly stiff, much much stiffer than my 2009 Enduro SL. This stumpy is light enough to race CC, but has enough travel (140mm) to eat up almost any terrain. The geometry is a happy medium between race rocket and all-mountain rig. The SRAM XX shifts flawlessly, matted with an X-0 front der you are blessed with 30 gear choices. The specialized carbon crank is stiff and the flex issues of earlier chainrings is no longer present. Front shifts are sharp. The larger volume 2.2 tire up front is nice for railing the downhills while the 2.0 out back rolls a bit smoother (in theory) with less weight to accelerate.
Weaknesses:
Cost. Cost. Cost. Perhaps the S-Works tires in terms of their durability since they are prone to sidewall cuts due to their lightweight focus. Specialized is great with their tire warranty, but I like the Control series of tires from specialized for everyday riding; save the S-Works for the occasional race.
Stock Enduro with Specialized Command adjustable seat post (excellent adjustable post)
Bottom Line:
Buy this bike if you have the cash, and you are looking for a bike to handle everything short of downhilling. CC racing, all-mountain riding, trail riding, endurance racing; this bike can do it all...and fast. Go for the Pro Carbon model if you can't swing the extra cash for the S-Works; that's the route I'm planning on.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Fred Jorgensen
a Cross Country Rider
from North Vancouver, BC, Canada Date Reviewed: May 24, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Canyon
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$7400.00
Purchased At:
Obsession Bikes
Strengths:
Low weight, excellent fork, great balance front-back. The ultimate all mountain bike. Rear suspension is very active - Brain works as it should. Light front end makes log jumps and step ups like nothing else. Moderate jumps - no problem.
Weaknesses:
Price, but for a unique product, expect to pay. Active front Brain fork may be ok for cross country, but for all mountain I set it to 'No-Brain', i.e. no lockout.
Stock, with Gravity Dropper seatpost (Classic, not the lousy Turbo). Also changed the stem to shorter Thompson with a slight rise. Pedals: Shimano 647.
Bottom Line:
Specialized has really delivered in this one. Even the Captain tires are supreme. (Much better than stock tires on other Specialized bikes.) But why can't they (and other manufacturers) include decent pedals of your choice (XTR or whatever)? At this price level, what's the big deal? Bottom line: Go see it, lift it, buy it!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Yogi
a Cross Country Rider
from Lakewood, CO Date Reviewed: February 1, 2008
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$2000.00
Strengths:
Climbs VERY well on smooth / semi-rough trails. Carbon is super stiff and dampens trail vibration. Frame looks sweeeeet!
Weaknesses:
Brainfade rear shock doesn't handle square edge bumps well. Bike feels unbalanced. Front end wanders unless you use long stem or lower handlebar really low.
Similar Products Used:
Owned Intense Tracer, Intense Spyder, GT STS. Test rode '07 Ellsworth Epiphany, '07 Specialized Enduro SL.
Bike Setup:
2006 carbon 130 frame, full 2007 XTR, Mavic Crossmax SL, Fox TALAS fork.
Bottom Line:
When a company charges $3,800 for a frame, I think the buyer has the right to be ultra critical, so here goes...
This review is for the 2006 Stumpjumper S-Works carbon which has 130mm of rear travel. When I first bought the frame, I was amazed at how well it climbed, especially on the more tame trails in my area. My climbing times increased by at least 10%. My previous bike was a 2003 Intense Tracer with a fox RP3 shock. Both bikes have FSR suspension, but the inertia valve of the Brainfade shock allowed more adjustibility...from hardtail firm to plush. Climbing is definitely this bike's strong suit, but it did not do as well on rougher climbs, rock gardens, etc. The suspension worked well on downhills, but the rear end bounced around too much on rough climbs and I often had trouble keeping my line. This really suprised me. I prefer a more active rear suspension. After a full season of riding, some of the other shortcomings became more obvious. Something about the Stumpy's geometry causes the front end of the bike to wander on climbs much more than other bikes I've ridden. The remedy was to get a longer stem and/or lower the handlebar. This setup resulted in a forward-biased ride, which made the bike feel unbalanced and sketchy in corners. I fiddled with front and rear air pressure, and tried two different TALAS forks...90-110-130 and 100-120-140. At 120mm if felt pretty good, but never perfect. I'm an experienced rider and I learned to compensate for this, but this was a pretty big issue for me considering the price and hype. Another area that this bike fell short was on square edge bumps. The Brainfade shock simply does not open up fast enough. When hitting bigger rocks, waterbars, etc I was getting thrown off my line more than I should. Again, adjustments in pressure and bump threshhold didn't help much. I heard that this was a common issue with the '06 Brainfade shocks and Specialized compensated for this with their AFR shock for 2007 and 2008. The last thing I'll note is the lack of on-the-fly adjustibility. You can't adjust the Brain's bump threshhold or the rebound while riding. In fact, the rebound knob is nearly inaccessible. This is an area where the RP3 or RP23 is preferred. Sometimes I wished I could just open it up, but the Brainfade doesn't have an on/off lever. Don't get me wrong. I think this is a great bike (4 chili's), but it is not worth full retail (3 chili's). I have traded this frame for a 2008 Yeti 575. Once the snow melts I'll post my comparison.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Garrett Lucas
a Cross Country Rider
from Indian Trail, NC, USA Date Reviewed: September 15, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Catawba (US Whitewater Park)
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$3900.00
Purchased At:
Private Owner
Strengths:
Talk about light! Holy S#it...running it tubeless with XTR pedals I have on it...my medium frame set-up as shown below weighs 25.5 pounds. Super smooth shifter with the XTR group. the AFR with the brain combined with the Fox Talas up front makes this bike plush when it needs to be.
Weaknesses:
The clear tape that Specialized puts on the frame to protect the Carbon from cable rub wasn't in the exact places they needed to be. I had to go by some clear 3M stuff to finish the job. That's all I can think of...oh darn! Had I paid retail I would have said the price, but I found a kick-ass deal.
Similar Products Used:
2003 Specialized Epic Marathon Disc, Trek Top Fuel 9.8
Bike Setup:
Stock except for a few things. SRAM rear derailleur and shifters were swapped out with '07 XTR. Marta SL brakes were also swapped out for Avid Juicy Ultimate Carbon brakes. Specialized Captain tires were put on in place of the OEM rubber. ODI lock-on grips as opposed to OEM.
Bottom Line:
If you have the money to spend on a insane bike, that will make you not want to stop riding...your search stops here. The AFR shock and brain are easy to set-up initially, and even easier to fine tune to your riding style. The carbon frame damps vibration so well that I doubt I will ever go back to an aluminum frame for XC. The bike tracks extremely well when your climbing and bombing down the hills. I couldn't be more happy with the money I spent. I did buy the bike lightly used, it was maybe ridden a handful of times, but very well maintained by a bike mechanic. I lucked out on paying $3900 for the set-up, because I don't think I could have justified spending the retail cost on this thing.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark
a Cross Country Rider
from Sydney Date Reviewed: July 1, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Fujimi Panorama
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1.00
Purchased At:
Kato Cycles
Strengths:
This is the 2006 carbon with fox brain...Great looking bike with an excellent frame and parts finish. Rides up hill, downhill and across the flat like a race bike (with complementary whirring sound of the knobbies).
Weaknesses:
Cost.
Similar Products Used:
A 5 spot test seemed to be the closest.
Bike Setup:
XO, XTR, Mavics, RLC...
Bottom Line:
A fantastic bike that attracted me by looks and promise, and has delivered performance (plus the looks). After 10+ years on a Litespeed titanium hardtail, the switch to a full suspension could not have been smoother. This bike gives you all the acceleration your legs can muster (even though your only racing mates or yourself) and confidence to rail along modest type downhill courses, after burning up the other side! This bike has succeeded in keeping me hammering about in the Japanese and Australian mountains and I am always happy to ride and see the bike gleaming and ready to go again. My only complaint, if I can have one, is that the XTR brakes sometimes squeel...but they still stop fine! I hope to be riding this bike for 10+ years too.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Todd
a Cross Country Rider
from Laguna Niguel, CA Date Reviewed: April 22, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Woods Canyon
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$3300.00
Purchased At:
Surf City Cycles
Strengths:
Great looking, green anodize for rear triangle is perfect and saves weight over paint. Specialized shock and trail-tune offer incredible adjustability.
Weaknesses:
None yet save a crazy high price for a frame! Might be nice to have a flippable linkage for adjustable travel like the older Stumpjumpers. 120 is plenty but 130 would be.....plenty plus.
Similar Products Used:
Stumpjumper FSR Anniversary, Epic S-works 2007, 2005, Marathon 2004, S-Works Enduro SL 2007, a few ti hardtails and softtails as well.
Bike Setup:
Full '07 XTR including wheelset. Thomson stem, Masterpiece layback post. Ritchey Low Rise carbon bar, Fox RL fork, WTB Rocket V saddle. Specialized Resolution 2.3 fr, 2.1 rr and Stan's.
Bottom Line:
With very limited time on the frame, my observations are that it is flex-free and eats bumps with travel to spare. Seems a little relaxed in the front end compared to my old Anniversary Stumpjumper but it is also giving 20mm more travel. While it does seem to settle in just a bit more on climbs than my '07 Epic, it is a ton more comfortable and more fun to ride overall. Seems like adjustability in infinite as I stopped to try defferent compression, pressure and rebound on the trail. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I was able to refine the ride to exactly my weight and conditions pretty easily. It also only weighs aound a pound more with mildly beefed up components. Comes in at 25.4 lbs. If you are deciding between the two, don't race and ride on a variety of terrain, this is the one to go for. Resolution Pro tires seem just fine for So Cal conditions though I might prefer smaller knobbies and less rolling weight but not a big deal. '07 XTR is incredible, though I do prefer the triggers to the Dual Control.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Myke Beardsley
a Cross Country Rider
from Denver, CO - USA Date Reviewed: March 28, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Moab's Porcupine Rim -Colorado's Monarch Crest Trail - Colorado's 401 in Crested Butte
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$6000.00
Purchased At:
Wheat Ridge Cyclery (consistently listed in the country's top 10 bike shops)
Strengths:
Premium components. Solid design. Felt right at home from the first ride. Can't wait for the snow to melt out of the high-country trails and for the real attacks on the singletrack. I expect to be nicely surprised by it's light weight when I weigh it in a few days. I've added Time Atac ti/carbon pedals, S-Works carbon bar-ends, a Specialized mudflap shock protector, and am waiting for a carbon water bottle cage to arrive.
Weaknesses:
Not enough time on the bike yet to discover any so far, and doubtful I'll find too much to complain about in the coming months. I did have one noisey brake rotor (front) after a long descent. It was probably heat induced but it hasn't happened a second time.
Similar Products Used:
The S-Works Stumpy is my 1st full suspension bike. Currently, my only other bike is a 1997 Litespeed Tellico hardtail XC racer (6AL-4V titanium) that was a $6000. build 10 years ago.
Bike Setup:
The mudflap shock protector made by Specialized specifically for this bike was a very worthwhile add-on ($16.). The S-Works carbon bar-end add-ons ($65. + CNC'd alloy bar plugs for $25.) are very ergo but a bit too short for my hands - I'll adapt. I swapped out the Thomson 90mm stem for the same in a 100mm. The Thomson seatpost came on the bike in the straight-post variety and not the advertised bent model. I prefer the straight post. The 2007 S-Works Stumpjumper FSR comes with the Fox Talas RLC and not the Fox Talas X as seen in some of Specialized ads.
Bottom Line:
I'm 62 years old and this bike has reversed those numbers. My sit-bones would always be sore after the season's first ride but not on this bike. Will I miss my 22 lb. hardtail - maybe not even on those long singletrack uphills and definately not on the baby-headed downhill ribbons.
Neither rock, nor stump, nor gnarly singletack shall defy you. Rise up humble mountain biker and seize thy kingdom.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mike bagg
a Cross Country Rider
from yucaipa, ca, usa Date Reviewed: March 23, 2007
Favorite Trail:
santa ana river trail
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$6500.00
Purchased At:
palm springs cyclery
Strengths:
unbelievably light. carbon frame absorbs minute vibes. climbs very well. bombs down hills and over rocks and ruts.
Weaknesses:
the specialized resolution tires send water straight into my face on rainy days. the 2007 xtr crank arms show wear early on despite shimano's efforts to eliminate the problem.
Bike Setup:
everything listed on specialized's site for the 2007 stumpy s-works, except i got the talas rlc instead of the x. oh, and i swapped out the specialized saddle for a wtb laser 5 ti.
Bottom Line:
I made a huge mistake when i went into palm springs cyclery for an inner tube and walked over to this bike and picked it up off the rack. i couldn't believe what i was feeling. how could they pack so much into a bike and have it weigh 25.5 pounds (with pedals)? i test drove it for half and hour. the bike shop has a mini set of technical trails less than a block away. this bike is an excellent climber. even with the talas in the middle setting at 120mm i can get up the same steep hills my gary fisher sugar2 can--and at the same speed. the rear shock is much better than any former brain shocks out there. specialized is telling the truth when they state that they have eliminated the first-bump lockout-feel problem. it's plush over all the bumps, even the first one. another sweet feel is the magura carbon shift levers--no more cold fingers from freezing metal shifters. the rear dérailleur cable is fully enclosed, which i like. the cockpit is more scrunched than my sugar2--i felt claustrophobic at first, but now i'm used to it and have forgotten how stretched out i was in the sugar. within the first week i took the tubes out and poured in stan's and have been tubeless ever since. the bottom line is: this bike is the best thing i've ever ridden. it's components are ultra dialed in, light weight, and efficient.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rob
a Cross Country Rider
from Snoqualmie WA Date Reviewed: March 12, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Dalles Ridge
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Price Paid:
$5500.00
Purchased At:
Singletrack Cycles
Strengths:
Classic Specialized product updated for the most discriminating rider. Just purchased, so I'll update as I go along, but just taking it out for an hour tonight, I could see the massive differences in plushness, and travel compared to where I was for the past 14 years (on an old GT RTS2). XTR upgrade to the componentry was key for me. I pulled off the SRAM derailleurs, and shifters, and swapped out for XTR. That is how I roll. Weight of the bike is amazing, and control is very consistent. This bike goes where steered. I can already tell that I'm going to have a much easier time clearing certain obstacles with this. The confidence I have in the frame, and cockpit is going to translate into better riding. This is one time when the money I paid will be worth every penny.
Weaknesses:
None at this time. I'm already spoiled, so the only thing I could ask for would be an even lighter bike. Yeah, right.
Similar Products Used:
GT RTS2 ('93), and a '98 Schwinn Homegrown
Bike Setup:
Bike is stock, with the exception of the upgraded XTR componentry. Came with Magura hydraulics.
Bottom Line:
To quote Monty Python, "bring out your dead." I can't wait to hit the trails this week.
$
Overall Rating:
Overall Rating:
