Trying to help my friend decide on a new bike. He was pretty much ready to buy a Specialized Camber Comp in 29 flavour.

But the guy in the shop is trying to ease him towards the 650b Stumpjumper. on account of him being a “big lad”.

He’s 15 stone – 80% of his riding is south downs, stanmer, with monthly visits to the Surrey Hills and an annual jolly to BPW (but nothing more gnarly than the reds).

Doesn’t want a bike that he’ll rattle to bits – but conversely, needs to be an efficient mile muncher for XC duties too.

Any thoughts or real world experiences? Absolute top ceiling is £1800….which limits other choices….

Stumpy is gonna be more playful than a camber, Have ridden both from 2015

I have both bikes in 29 flavour and have tried the 650b stumpy. For the 80% of his riding, I’d suggest the 29 Camber, with the proviso that he’d want one with a Pike fork and probably look at upgrading the wheels in the longer term (I’ve found Mavic Crossmax XLs are significantly stiffer and more reponsive).

With the right fork and wheels, the Camber 29ers are a really good fun bike – irrespective of wheelsize and suspension travel.

Although, if the 650b stumpy comes with a Pike and the DT based hubbed wheels as standard, I think I’d be tempted if I hadn’t got the money to upgrade a boggo Camber 29.

As a left field option, he could try a Stumpy 6fattie (650+). I tried one back to back against a Camber 29, Enduro 29 and my ‘posh bike’ Tallboy LTc and it was the most LOL fun by a country mile – pops off anything and absolutely bombs descents,

Id go for the stumpy 29er. More versatle.

I’d go for the camber 29er. More versatile 😉

On a serious note both are great. I ride a camber evo all over Surrey hills and do anything from classic trails, XC runs around 3 hours or so and the odd trip to the Lakes. It had made me a better rider which makes me wonder if I should have more bike, but the urge soon passes!!!

I’m rather a ‘big’ lad, and ride the South Downs, Stanmer, Surrey too.
Never ridden the Camber however, but do own the Stumpy Evo 650.

If i only EVER rode the SDW type stuff, i’d be happy with the Cambers lower travel, but i find that running the STumpy set-up slightly softer means it never feels like too much bike for the trails i ride it on, but does feel grippy, fast and capable. I’d want more than a camber for Surrey, or BPW, or even areas of Stanmer and the downs.

I swapped my stumpy’s Rev’ for A Pike and run 2 tokens in them, to get the fork set-up nice and soft, without blowing right through the travel. The stumpy rocks when set-up like this. I’m 18st tho, so that might be different for him.

How about a Camber Evo? Sits in between the two sounds like the best best compromise?

If he is buying new then I dont think there is such a thing as “evo” in 2016, they’ve dropped the moniker and both stumpy and camber are evo spec as standard.

Both great bikes and he cant really go wrong. FWIW, I’m 15 stone and 6’4″ and have had two XL stumpy 29ers. Both have been ridden everywhere from Surrey Hills, BPW, Welsh trail centers, Alps, Spain etc and they coped with it all perfectly well.

Only bit of advice I would add is that moving from the previous generation, the shorter stays and slacker front end on the 2016 bikes are a noticeable improvement.

Ah right sorry didn’t realise Spec had got rid of the “evo” bikes.

If the main concern is just whether or not the Camber will rattle itself to pieces then I don’t think there is a concern. The Camber should be up to the task of the riding described in the initial post. Possibly some stronger wheels depending on how hard he is on rims.

I think it really depends on which side of the fence your mate sits on. Thinks the slightly steeper geom of the Camber makes it more agile and fun rather than twitchy.

Or thinks the slightly slacker geom of the Stumpy makes it more confidence inspiring and allows him to push his riding more rather than the bike feel like a big comfy sofa making the trail lifeless.

In this case I think you could easily make a case for either bike as shown by the responses on the thread i.e. seems fairly equal split.

I’d want more than a camber for Surrey, or BPW, or even areas of Stanmer and the downs.

Yeah, right.

I’ve a Camber 29er evo and live in the Tweed Valley; there isn’t anything in Surrey/Stanmer or the Downs that’s anywhere near as steep/techy/gnarly as the stuff we go down here.

Only qualification though is that mine came with a Pike, which I’ve extended out to 140mm 🙂

yes its a pretty close call – both great bikes as I said earlier.

@b r

you might not have spotted the “I’d want……” element of my post. When i used to only have the option of a fully rigid mountain bike, i rode all the same stuff i ride right now (more or less) so, the response was less drawn out of need, than from desire.

I’ve also ridden on DH courses in parts of Scotland, like Fort Bill, on 120mm hardtails. And, i didn’t die.
So, hard as you may be, reading seems not to be your speciality.

I’m sure the OP will be thankful for your interest in HIS comments.
8)

I am 6′ 6″ and ride a XL camber evo. Its fine for all the riding I want to do (Surrey and occasional to Wales). In reality it will go a lot faster over rougher stuff than my skills allow. In my case more travel would cover up lack of skill until the inevitable… Make sure it has a Pike or similar fork. Mine came with Reba’s and they were too flexible. I think for me, 29ers suit my height (looks like a 26 under me!) and for the first time I felt like the bike fitted.

Cannot recommend my Stumpjumper 29er Comp enough. Love the bike.it’s such advance overview the 26 version I have. Only other one I might look at the the Stumpjumper Fattie 27+, mate at local bike shop has one & it’s awesome. Pity the rear on my bikes just bit too narrow to take the plus sized tyres.

@lardman

I quoted you directly? I did borrow a Stumpy 29er before getting the Camber, and around here preferred the lighter frame and having a Pike up front meant it didn’t matter I’ve ‘only’ 120mm out back.

Also ex-Bucks, so have ridden all the Surrey stuff (and more).

Cheers guys…. This seems far from clear cut !!

Had the same dilemma (also ride the same locations as your mate). I went for the SJ 6fattie in the end 🙂
As mentioned above, it’s a lot of fun, and doesn’t seem any slower than my ’08 meta on the climbs. In fact the more techy steep climbs I’ve done now seem a lot easier as I can just stomp on the pedals and the rear wheel doesn’t lose traction.
Plus when the worlds supply of 650b+ tyres have all died from punctures I can just stick a pair of 2.35 tyres on or buy some 29er wheels and ride them instead.
The spec of the 6fatties is a lot better than the equivalent 29 or skinny 650b IMO.

Here it is, resting at the top of Witch’s table.

I’ve got this years camber and tbh love it! I went for the 29er comp, I’m on the lighter side at 10st but I love the connection to the trails it climbs well and just a great bike.

The only thing I don’t like and it’s a small gripe is the paintwork it scratches far too easy for a bike, I almost went for the stumpy but I don’t need the additional travel, the 120mm is more than enough for me.

Is he tall and 15St? I am so base my comments on that. If he’s got the proportions of a shotput best ignore me.

A current Camber isn’t in any way less well made than the current Stumpy – the front triangles are the same.

I don’t think the issue is between the frames – both will do the job. It’s the wheel size I take issue with… tall, XL etc just lends itself to 29 as being a better all round match.

He’s a 5’10” 15 stone. So reasonably…err “sturdy”.

He just text….Having deliberated over the above two bikes all week, He pulled the trigger on a…….

…a Canyon Spectral. After all that! Thanks for the advice anyway. Tempted to buy a Stumpy myself now!

😀

Lol always the way, tbh it was the fact that canyon was out of stock when I decided to get the new bike but I was looking when the new models where just being released by canyon.

I’m rather a ‘big’ lad, and ride the South Downs, Stanmer, Surrey too.
Never ridden the Camber however, but do own the Stumpy Evo 650.

If i only EVER rode the SDW type stuff, i’d be happy with the Cambers lower travel, but i find that running the STumpy set-up slightly softer means it never feels like too much bike for the trails i ride it on, but does feel grippy, fast and capable. I’d want more than a camber for Surrey, or BPW, or even areas of Stanmer and the downs.

I swapped my stumpy’s Rev’ for A Pike and run 2 tokens in them, to get the fork set-up nice and soft, without blowing right through the travel. The stumpy rocks when set-up like this. I’m 18st tho, so that might be different for him.

@lardman what year is your Stumpy and what travel is your Pike? I run a ’15 650b Evo and am about to upgrade from the 150mm Rev to a Pike or Lyrik. I’m debating on whether to go 160mm and bin the headset spacer and keep geo the same or keep the spacer, go 160mm and slacken the HA a touch. BB won’t hurt being raised a tiny bit too… 8)

Thanks