Upgraded suspension from Fox adds plushness, Brain technology adds efficiency, and all-around great components reduce weight. More fun climbing, more fun decending.
M5 manipulated alloy frame with 140mm of travel, aluminum rocker link, and sealed cartridge bearing pivots turns rock gardens into Zen gardens
Specialized/Fox Brain rear shock with Brain Fade, remote Trail Tune inertia valve, and adjustable rebound lets riders dial in the perfect blend of pedaling efficiency and bump compliance
Fox F140 RL air-sprung alloy fork with external lockout and rebound adjust can handle the big drops
Both 2Bliss Ready, the S-Works Purgatory 2.2" front tire works in concert with The Captain Control 2.0" rear tire to deliver exceptional traction for pinpoint cornering and braking in varied conditions
Super light, custom SRAM Carbon S-2200 10-speed double crankset with GXP spindle and removable spider promises stiffness, performance, and durability
Shimano Deore XTR Shadow rear derailleur with carbon cage delivers ultra-light, top-of-the-line shifting performance and legendary durability
Submitted by
MrRoundel
a Cross Country Rider
from LA 'burbs
Date Reviewed: December 22, 2011
Strengths: Components seem pretty hearty to me. Great looks, very lightweight, lightning handling, very good braking.
Weaknesses: Front derailleur seems to hang a bit when downshifting. I'm sure that an adjustment would help but it's in all the way at the shifter and needs to loosen up a bit. The location of the front shock makes it a little awkward for switching modes.
Bottom Line:
I'm stoked with the bike. It hasn't let me down, despite some pretty hard rides. I'd by another in a heartbeat if this one got stolen (I lock it even when it's in my garage. I live in pretty good area but it doesn't take long for these things to ride away under the ass of an ass.). I don't think that I'd do a lot of big jumps on it, considering the 120mm travel limitation and the lightness of the frame. However, since I only weight in at 160 lbs., it could probably take a few launches. The big question is, will I?
I'd give 'er a 5, but the brakes do seem a little wanton for a bleed already. Also, I've got to reserve a "5" for perfection, just in case it comes along. Sort of like not rating women "10's" back in the day when I used that system extensively. Sigh.....;-)
Similar Products Used: Closest I got was my first mtb, a Specialized Hardrock Pro Disc from 2003. That there's a workhorse of a bike, I'll tell you. It's my backup and I'm not hesitant to hop back on it at anytime, despite the better comfort and handling of the full suspension Stumpy.
Bike Setup: Bone stock but now running tubeless in the Captains.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
shawnb1975
a Weekend Warrior
from Amesbury, MA
Date Reviewed: November 6, 2011
Strengths: This is for the 2012 model, it's a new body, geometry, etc. from the 2011.
The suspension system and handling are simply amazing, it turns even the twisted, rocky, rooty trails of New England into something more resembling butter... That may be a bit of exaggeration, but the difference is still pretty amazing.
Weaknesses: The rock ring and carbon fiber cranks scratch easily, but it's a mountain bike, not a beauty contest.
Bottom Line:
This is simply the best bike I've ever ridden. The Brain was super simple to set up and with the auto-sag, you know it's set right the first time. I had the shop change out all the Shimano to SRAM and the drive train is so smooth. The Avid 7 breaks do a great job of handling the steep dives, hard stops and allow you to modulate the breaking effortlessly.
Similar Products Used: Banshee Pyre, Stumpjumper 29'r, hardtails, and a few others that I can't recall at this point.
Bike Setup: SRAM XO, X9
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
minuteman228
a Weekend Warrior
from Gilbert, AZ
Date Reviewed: October 16, 2011
Strengths: This bike is awesome all over. It got a penchant for both XC and heavy all mountain use. I just put this bike today through the wringer doing National trail all the way. After pushing the limits (both man and machine) real hard, I have a renewed respect for what this bike can do. It rips over the rough stuff like it's nobody's business. IT IS THE BEST ALL MOUNTAIN RIG. Also raced it a few times on XC races and it holds its own.
Weaknesses: Nothing really. I've heard a lot of complaints about the factory DT swiss wheels, but never had one with 'em. I guess being a lighter rider helps a bit. I've since replaced them with Mavic Crossmax STs which made the benefits from the Brain system a lot more pronounced.
Bottom Line:
Great bike. Would buy one again if this thing breaks (which so far, has been really solid). If you want an All mountain machine that you woould find difficult to outgrow, get this one. I don't know how much better the more expensive Stumpy models perform, but this one's more than enough firepower to bring to the trails. If your guts can handle it, this bike definitely can and then some.
Strengths: super versatile, relatively light (28.0 lbs stock with xt pedals), TALAS RL is great and adjustable on the fly if you are quick about it, positioning on the bike is great! I have no beef with SRAM or Brain stuff, but I love the Shimano and FOX kit on this bike (better quality than Comp and Expert FSR models, IMHO)
Weaknesses: wheels are a little flimsy but true ok, heard negativity about the Triad but have no complaints myself, tweaked the XTR r derailleur twice and had to rebend B axle assembly to get it to shift like it should
Bottom Line:
If you need one bike to do everything from AM to light XC racing, this is the bike for you! TALAS RL and Triad can be locked out to suit the occasion, adding versatility. Climbs like a champ in any suspension configuration and descends like it was made for it! What a great value!
Bike Setup: 2009 FSR Elite: Stock, with Black Spire bashguard and XT pedals. I weigh 145 and run 150 PSI in the Triad to keep it more snappy for technical trails.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
kmp282
a Cross Country Rider
from Colorado
Date Reviewed: June 9, 2011
Strengths: Nice, plush and fast ride. Love the Fox Tallas RL fork
Weaknesses: Factory DT Swiss Rims: spokes break to easy
Bottom Line:
Replace DT swiss 420sl as soon as you can or make a deal with the dealer. Worst set of wheels ever. Lost track of the number of times I’ve had to replace the spokes. Some under warranty replacement, until Specalized started to blame me. Then out-of-pocket I’m 6 1” 220. Hey Specialized I never broke a spoke on the Yeti AS-X.
Nice Plus ride. I’m still working out the setting on the Brain. I’m thinking the sales pitch set my expectations higher than it actually delivers. Still all in all a sweet bike in most conditions always a comfortable stable ride at any speed.
Bike Setup: factory stock 2009 Stumpjumper FSR Elite
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Devastazione
a Cross Country Rider
from Italy
Date Reviewed: April 26, 2011
Strengths: Absolutely comfortable,confidence inspiring,simple and sturdy. It'a a Specy !!
Weaknesses: Wheels sucks bad,replaced them immediately with some swanky Rovals.Not impressed by the Brain. Some cheapish Specialized fixtures in order to cut costs(for them....)
Bottom Line:
I love my Stumpy Elite. I can do things with it I could only dream about with my Lapierre Zesty. It climbs everywhere and comes down in total safety and comfort.I only have 2 issues and suggestion for you out there : replace those DT swiss 420sl as soon as you can!! Worst set of wheels I've ever used. They roll incredibly slow,they're pretty heavy and there's a good chance you'll start to blow spokes at the very first ride even if you are a skinny XC chap like I am.
The other issue is the Brain valve. I was looking forward to test this mighty Specialized technology but bottom line I really don't like the way it conditions the shock. House suggested set ups for my weight are ok on the uphills but I would love a to have a fully open shock on the way down. Unfortunately this does not happens,or at least it does not happens for my likes.On very rough downhills I have to stop and disengage the Brain manually if I want to have a true joyride,if I decide to keep it engaged it will work just fine but nothing to be overly enthusiastic for.
Submitted by
engineerjoe
a Downhiller
from asheville NC US
Date Reviewed: March 24, 2011
Strengths: Plush suspension travel, great balance and feel.
A true do-it-all bike. I love the travel adjust on the talas
Weaknesses: wheels could be upgraded eventually, I'm not a fan of Avid brakes either, so I'll swap them out soon.
Bottom Line:
In my opinion, this is one of the best engineered bikes available. The total feel of the bike breeds confidence.
It can bomb the downhills and by hitting the pro-pedal and lowering the front shock it can still keep up with the hardtails on the climbs
I needed to have something that can pedal all day and be comfortable but it needs to be able to handle an occaisional 5 ft drop or tabletop jump. I had narrowed it down to the SJ FSR or the Enduro, and I got a great deal on the SJ.
I'd reccomend this bike for recreational riders to cross training or even racers for rough trails. This is the closest bike I've found to a true "do-it-all" bike.
Submitted by
Tomf
a Cross Country Rider
from Fullerton, Ca
Date Reviewed: December 6, 2010
Strengths: Light, fast, good riding position. Great suspension.
Weaknesses: tires
Bottom Line:
I have the 2010 Stumpjumper Comp. Have been riding a 2008 FSR Expert for the last 2 years. This bike has made me a much better rider. The suspension feels tight and you don't even realize how much work it is doing. Trails that I used to cruise down (San Juan, The Luge) I now attack and flow down. Point and shoot, that is all you need to do. Riding positon is good too. Great on hills. The front end wanders a little bit on steep climbs.
Similar Products Used: 2008 Specialized FSR Expert
Bike Setup: Stock, except Candy Pedals
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Mick Lynn
a Cross Country Rider
from Ellicott City, MD, USA
Date Reviewed: December 1, 2010
Strengths: Suspension - Fox Talas Fork, Fox/Specialized shock.
Nice geometry. XTR rear derailleur shifts smooth & clean, Avid Elixir brakes respond well with negligible 'grab'. Specialized tires 2.2 Purgatory front, 2.1 Captain Control rear handle well.
Weaknesses: mismatched components - SLX front derailleur (w/ XTR rear), should have XT crank, DT Swiss wheels seem a little flimsy (ugly too with red trim).
Bottom Line:
Very nimble bike, sure on descents, climbs well, springs forward out of turns. The rear shock configuration definitely gives bike more of a XC race feel over previous model, without sacrificing handling through the rougher stuff. Will look at upgrading to Mavic ST tubeless wheelset and Shimano XT crank & XT front derailleur in the Spring. Looking forward riding it in 2011 endurance races.
Similar Products Used: 2008 Specialized Stumpjumper Comp
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
savakntr
a Cross Country Rider
from Athens Greece
Date Reviewed: October 12, 2010
Strengths: Nice Looking, Great Frame, Weight, Handling, comfort riding
Weaknesses: In the First month I had to change the whole drive train with Shimano XT, The saddler and the saddler stem with Specialized Avatar and KCNC scandium, the Brakes with Shimano XTR (the old disks were just rubish), the Handle bar and Handle bar stem with KCNC 98 gramms, and of course the rims with XTR.
Submitted by
japan rider
a Cross Country Rider
from Hakuba Japan
Date Reviewed: October 9, 2010
Strengths: This bike is an extreamly good climber keeping the back wheel planted. it is fantastic on the down hill with the fox tallas, the elixer breaks are good as well.
Weaknesses: shimano rear hub always need maintaince but that can be expected.
Bottom Line:
fast good bike that will handle anything you can throw at it from technical climbs to fast down hills it handles it all fantastically.
Submitted by
alt255
a Weekend Warrior
from Sturgis, SD, USA
Date Reviewed: August 25, 2010
Strengths: Great ride! Coming from a hard tail, I'm surprised how well this thing climbs. Between the Fox Talas and Triad you can make this thing ride great on any trail.
Weaknesses: Rubber/plastic chain stay guard fell off a couple of times. No big deal I'm just glad I found it again. Now its staying on. Also, S-Works The Captain tires have gotten bad reviews so I'm a little worried about blowing a side wall mid trail... So far so good though.
Bottom Line:
Great Bike! I would recommend it to anyone. It has made me an addict again.
Similar Products Used: This is my first full suspension bike.
Bike Setup: Mostly stock. I changed out the pedals to Speedplay frog pedals.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Scott
a Cross Country Rider
from Coeur d'Alene, ID
Date Reviewed: August 9, 2010
Strengths: good suspenchen solid bike great tires
Weaknesses: cant think ot any off the top of my head
Bottom Line:
its acualy my moms bike but ive yoused it more then she has and beat it up. real good solid bike great climber great downhill preaty light. the only thing ive replaced was tubes not tires rear dearailur cable and housing the cable and housing went for a really long time till i took it in a mudy race. best bike ive ever riden
Favorite Trail: Nothing specific but riverstate park
Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$900.00
Purchased At: ebay or somthing lik
Similar Products Used: non
Bike Setup: FSA SHIMONO EASTON
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
funkadelicbob
a Cross Country Rider
from Belleview, FL- USA
Date Reviewed: June 20, 2010
Strengths: Excellent component spec, tires, FSR rear suspension, build quality. Very eye-catching red and black color.
Weaknesses: Slightly narrow handlebar, seatpost seat adjustment has to be really cranked or it will slip.
Bottom Line:
This review is for the 2010 version. This bike is spec’ed perfectly. 5.5 inches of travel front and rear hits the trailbike sweet spot. The Stumpjumper Elite is the highest level of bike without the Fox/Specialized Brain rear shock. In my opinion, the Brain negates the small bump compliance that you get from the Triad in exchange for an almost imperceptibly better pedaling platform. It just didn’t seem worth it to me, as the Elite pedals quite well with the shock fully open and handles all the bumps like a champ. I just couldn’t see dropping another 500 bucks for tech that makes the ride harsher; if I need a firmer platform, ProPedal is just a flick of a switch away. I have to note that I have used ProPedal only rarely, but when I did, it felt almost exactly like the Brain tech. I know that you can tinker and get a plusher ride out of the Brain shock, but if you’re going to do that, why buy it in the first place???
The ride: This bike feels incredibly stable, both barely moving and at speed. It inspires confidence. The TALAS fork is a thing of beauty. Although not a thru-axel fork, it corners like one. It is probably the best fork I have ever used. The bike keeps glued to the trail through all sorts of nastiness and I immediately noticed improvements in my climbing ability as well as point-and-shoot finesse when heading down hill. The tire spec is just about perfect, with the 2.2 Purgatory up front and the 2.0 inch Captain in the rear. I was originally a bit skeptical of this set-up, as I ride a lot of loose, sandy trails, but they hook up incredibly well. I just can’t say enough about this bike. Just go ride one and you’ll see what I mean. Riding is definitely believing.
Hey all, I'm new to the forums and relatively new to mountain biking, despite the fact I've owned my Rockhopper Pro since 2006.
Anyways, I have been doing A LOT of riding recen Read More »
I found an 07 elite looks pretty mint guy i think bought as a leftover and only has around 100 miles on it what is this thing worth he wants 1200, good or bad? Thanks in advance fo Read More »
Does anybody have any advice for correcting ghost shifting on a stock 2011 Stumpjumper FSR Elite? Brought back to the dealer already once, and correction was a small twist of gear Read More »
I am trying to decide which of these 2 bikes I want to buy. I am not an expert when it comes to technical specs and the MSRP of the both bikes are $3000. Based on the technical spe Read More »
I recently been looking for a new mountain bike. Originally I had hoped to buy a frame move a lot of my current stuff over, but no non EVO frameset has put in the position of look Read More »
