New 2010 Stumpjumper S-Works

Looks very nice, but giving it 140mm of travel seems a little too much for me, especially when the Enduro has 150mm. I wonder when tested if it gets the same 10/10 rating that the current model got in many reviews including MBR. That bike will be very hard to beat.
The claimed weight is a little less than the outgoing model but with an extra 20mm travel front and rear, incredible. I suppose parts are getting lighter all the time.
Apart from the shock position the bike looks very similar to the current model, and there are advantages to both shock positions.
I would say that the 140mm is too much for your average stumpy rider, unless you ride very technical rocky stuff. It will probably go downhill better but suffer on the climbs in comparison. Maybe they should have gone 130mm, where it would sit between the epic and enduro. I wonder how much it will be? At the end of the day, they have to change things to keep selling bikes and I'm sure it will sell well, as they really do make the best bikes.
I heard some time ago that Fox were going to manufacture the shocks for Specialized, after quality control problems with the previous factories. I am surpised that they get the Fox logo though as Specialized are the designers and patent holders, maybe that was Fox's terms.

According to the article the retail 2010 S-Works Stumpjumper FSR bike will have a 44/32/22 Specialized S-Works chainset as standard.

"FACT CRANK
As with last year's Epic, the 2010 Stumpy has nearly the same integrated FACT carbon crank with oversized bottom bracket spindle and bearings integrated into the frame. Specialized says this is 97 grams lighter than a Shimano XTR and still 10% stiffer. The only difference is in the rings, with 22, 32, 44 gearing. And, yes, this will still be a triple, even with the addition of SRAM XX (there's an adapter for this bb if you'd prefer to run the SRAM double instead).

Yes, you get the same crank with the S-Works Epic
Sloan explains that with any new system, and with the tradition of triples on trail bikes, Specialized would rather err on the side of too much gearing people don't use than popping their kneecaps on climbs. And, yes, he's already heard from dealers in Europe who want 2×10 instead and Specialized says it'll wait and see where the market goes beyond next year with XX." Bicycling.com

Personally I think the old (08/09) stumpy looked better - the shock and shock mount under top tube looks far less elegant than the old mount in front of seat tube - nonetheless article certainly makes credible case for weight savings and less reinforcement from new position (yes I am probably a little biased in that I ride an 08)

I also wonder whether the purpose of this bike is being lost by going to 140mm - I don't think Ned Overend's quote in the video about being the best bike for the trails most people ride most often applies anymore. People wanting trail bikes don't "need" 140mm and most probably don't want it either - I certainly struggle a little with slack angles and slow response of the 08 stumpy - even slacker and slower then the epic becomes an obviously better alternative for the trails I ride. For those needing/wanting 140mm a beefier bike like Enduro (in whatever 2010 incarnation) still seems a better option.

Obviously much speculation and possible to be proven wrong when the new bikes are widely available for testing but, for now, put me down as highly skeptical.

the new clunk-free futureshock is matte black so no call for silly white grips or saddles.


I don't think the new futureshock will be clunk free, it has to have that resistance to work. I often ride my friends 09 Epic S Works and the clunk, (which feels more like a pop to me) is more noticeable both front and rear than on my S Works Stumpy, even with the mini brain. I think the brain is pretty much the same on the new Stumpy just with Fox written on it but same design.
I am very happy with my current S Works Stumpy but wouldn't rule out the new one when the time comes for a change, but for me I would probably go back to 100mm of travel, eg Epic rather than go to 140mm and suffer with the climbing.
I also heard a rumour that all AFR shocks will be manufactured by Fox, so any replacement ones for 08/09's could well be built by them when current stocks run out. The design is obviously Specialized but if you pay right people to put them together that must make sense.I imagine that Specialized chose the wrong factory first time round, trying to save money.

Anybody else notice both names on the rear "future shock"