[Luke.jenkins44]

I just bought my last Employee Purchase bike from Specialized! I'm graduating and heading back to Dallas, Texas to start my engineering career. I have around $500 of credit at my shop that I have been saving up recently to use for upgrades on my bike. Here is the link to the spec sheet.

Specialized Bicycle Components

Right now I am leaning towards going tubeless first. The roval wheels and tire combination of Purgatory/Butcher comes tubeless compatible. Seems easy and cheap enough.

Secondly, the brakes on the bike have gotten some pretty harsh reviews from what I've read/heard. I was possibly thinking of the Formula R1 or RX brakes instead. Any feedback on either of those would be helpful especially from someone who has used them. Shimano Deore XT is also a possibility.

And here is your part, give me some ideas what I could do to upgrade the bike. I went from a 2011 Spec. P1 All-Mountain to a 2013 Carve Comp to a 2012 Camber Comp and now to my Stumpjumper. I ride Downhill several times a year in Angelfire and Keystone as well as ride XC all over the area.

If you had $500, and could buy anything you wanted at cost, what would you do?

Thanks guys, I appreciate the input!

 

[trevor_b]

Shimano brakes, 1x10 via a narrow wide chainring, maybe a RS Pike (not sure on employee pricing).

Where are you planning on riding in the DFW area? From my understanding the SJ evo seems like a lot of bike for that area.

 

[Luke.jenkins44]

Shimano SLX or XT? The 1x10 is a good idea I'll look into that. I'll have to see how the revelation fork preforms at turkey mountain first before I switch out forks.

I ride at northshore mostly and hit LBJ, Isle De bouis, and ceder hill occasionally. But like I was saying I ride downhill in angelfire and keystone a few times a year so I save a lot of money on bike rentals. I also will be getting a 2015 stumpjumper HT for racing so this is my fun bike.

 

[Chuch]

Absolutely do the brakes first and I'd go xt with ice tech rotors. One by with a one up would be next on the list for me. Good luck man and enjoy.

 

[Luke.jenkins44]

I'm definitely going to go see what we have in one bys. I was thinking XT as well thanks for the input

 

[GQOSE]

Sell the fork, get a Pike

 

[Luke.jenkins44]

Heard nothing but positive reviews on both forks. Pike is the favorite it seems. I've never had a Pike come through our shop before so I haven't gotten to ride one yet. We mainly sell Cambers due to the XC nature of the trails here. I do like the feel of the Revelation since it will give me an option to do XC or Trail/AM. Not sure how much cost is on the fork either. I know they are pretty expensive. Definitely want to find a Pike one of these days!

 

[shreddin22]

I have the non evo. Version! Love it! The revelation just got revamped for 2014. I am breaking mine in now and love how they redesigned it

 

[trevor_b]

Yeah nothing wrong with the revelation fork (I have the non evo also), the pike just seems to be a "game changer" according to the internet (so it has to be true, right?).

Go xt on the brakes if you can swing it. Nothing wrong with slx though.

 

[mmckechnie]

I'd use it to get a nicer set of wheels.

 

[Luke.jenkins44]

What do you think of the Formula brakes that is comes with?

 

[trevor_b]

I don't care for them compared to my xt's. The formula c1 lever feel is too inconsistent throughout the stroke. They have plenty of power though.

 

[Luke.jenkins44]

Bike arrives tomorrow and I will upload pics and get it built. Should know about the brakes as well by the end of tomorrow.

 

[Luke.jenkins44]

What do you think of a S-works Carbon handlebar? Is it worth it? I can get it for $60...

 

[shreddin22]

I don't see many people on the forum that have 2014 stumpy's. I have a comp 29 that I picked up 2 weeks ago first 29er ever and I love it. I can't stay off the damn thing though. Lol got 45 miles on it. Rear hub seized at 6 miles so keep an eye on that rear free hub. The rear hi lo hub have had problems where a pawl comes loose and binds up the cassette

 

[shreddin22]

My lbs that I got the bike from were awesome about it!! Got an upgraded rear wheel. I will say I am disappointed with the formula brakes. What are your thoughts on it

 

[trevor_b]

My lbs that I got the bike from were awesome about it!! Got an upgraded rear wheel. I will say I am disappointed with the formula brakes. What are your thoughts on it

The formula brakes suck compared to my shimano xt's (I got the SJ comp 29 a couple weeks ago as well). I switched my xt's over to my SJ and plan to put the formulas on my backup hard tail.

Did the hub make any weird noises before letting go?

 

[MTBeing]

I'd use it to get a nicer set of wheels.

^^^ This would be my move. It's going to be the biggest bang-4-buck change you can make. Throw a set of Flows on that thing with some decent hubs and you're golden.

Sent from the trails.

 

[shreddin22]

Yes

 

[shreddin22]

The formula brakes suck compared to my shimano xt's (I got the SJ comp 29 a couple weeks ago as well). I switched my xt's over to my SJ and plan to put the formulas on my backup hard tail.

Did the hub make any weird noises before letting go?

Yes the hub didn't just seize. First I noticed occasionally It would miss shift. Than I noticed when freewheeling the pedals backwards on the bike there would occasionally be some resistance and almost sounded like chain rub. Than after that I got off thinking that my front derailleur was misadjusted which it was slightly but that didn't account for the noise I was hearing. So I then ripped off the plastic backing plate because those are infamous for falling into the cassette and causing those symptoms. Ride it a little further and that wasn't it. So I got off and freewheeled it and noticed that occasionally the cassette would get stuck and cause the derailleur to fully extend and that is not good. Lol. So I flipped it upside down. And freewheeled till I hit the spot where the hub was catching and I started applying pressure to break the pawl. After I broke it the cassette freed up because it chewed up the pawl. And I was able to ride it the rest of the way to the car.
This is not an uncommon problem on the hi lo hubs that specialized makes. My friend has a 2012 and the same thing happened to his that happened to mine.