I'm currently in the throes of trying to decide what new bike I should buy….

So far it's down to 3 – Fuel EX8, Stumpy FSR & Zesty…..

I may be able to get a decent discount on the Stumpjumper so it's kinda top of my list at the moment, unless i test ride them all & it's no good compared to the others.
Looking at the 2010 spec. the main difference between the Elite & Expert is that the Expert has the brain shock whereas the Elite has a Fox Triad…..

I know what the brain shock does, but am wondering how useful it will be on a bike like the Stumpy. I can see the point of it on the Epic, but wonder whether it will be just another thing to mess around with/have to maintain/not be able to get spares for in a few yrs and won't be any real benefit……

SHould probably try to test ride one with & one without……..

erm………anyone………….?

Yep, the Brains are very good. I had a 2007 Expert Stumpy and the operation of the rear Brain shock was excellent. Very firm when smooth and fully plush when on anything rougher than a fireroad.

I am sure they are better now than they were then. I'd get one again.

I've an '07 Stumpjumper FSR (With brain)

I reckon it depends on what you want the bike for tbh

I think the brain is very good, but is let down by not being able to turned off or adjusted very quickly, so in that respect I think I'd prefer a 'conventional' open-propedal-lockout levered shock as the brain dial takes seemingly forever to wind from one end to the other, though I've been told the brain is as good as off only 4 full turns from fully on. It sags a little more (and gives more traction) at the fully off end of the click range, which is something like 20 full turns away from fully on
When fully on, it is good, doing what its supposed to and firming the back end up a fair bit for pedalling and opening for bumps
The problem I've found with that is that it runs less sag which means it doesn't have as much traction as when the system is turned off

Most of the time I leave it off as I can usually live with the bob/extra sag and benefit from the suspension being a little more active on climbs/descents

I also have reservations about trying to jump/drop off stuff with the brain fully on, though logically I can't really think why

Hmmmm, OK then.

I think I need to try one.

Presumably the 'brain' part of the shock takes the place of 'open, pro-pedal, lock-out' on the Fox Triad that comes with the Elite?

So, the brain perhaps needs to be set before setting off for the kind of conditions expected & then probably best left as it's a pain to adjust, whereas the Triad shock can be adjusted on the fly depending on whether you are climbing, descending etc?

I think i would end up using the brain shock fully open for general riding & then perhaps turning it on for events/races where the courses are generally not that tricky & there might be fireroads/hills where I'd like a bit more efficiency. Does this sound about right, or am I way off the mark?

Any reliability issues with the Brain shock? Presumably Mojo can service it….?

I was under the impression that the brain wasn't meant to be adjusted once you'd found your correct level, because it does the rest automatically.

Yes the Brain basically acts as an automatic open/Pro-Pedal lever, you can over ride it to both extremes, so it's fully active or fully firm, but you will never get it 100% locked out.

I think it's excellent, maintenance is a non-issue, spares neither. If you're the sort of person who's always using lockout levers it's probably fine, but if you just want to ride the bike it does undoubtedly make it more efficient.

"the brain perhaps needs to be set before setting off for the kind of conditions expected & then probably best left as it's a pain to adjust, whereas the Triad shock can be adjusted on the fly depending on whether you are climbing, descending etc?"

Thats pretty much what I end up doing

"reliability issues with the Brain shock?"

I've had one shock leak (oil) and they managed to replace pretty much everything including all of the brain assembly (on warranty) for some reason?

"Presumably Mojo can service it….?"

Specialized warranty is 5 years kept valid by getting a full service done by them every year or so (£85, so about the same as elsewhere) so no need to send it to somebody else

I think its usefullness depends on what you want the bike for. For most riding I think I'd prefer it to a system where you have to choose. Its just when you start to take the bike to its upper end of its 'riding spectrum' as it were when you'd like to be able to get the most out of the suspebsion that It starts to become a pain, especially when you hot a road/smooth firetrack to go back up again. That said niether decending with the brain on, or climbing with it off, really makes much difference