Thinking about getting a Stumpjumper carbon comp hardtail for xc racing. Is there anything better than that for £2k that you would recommend.

Cheers

Stu

Good bike certainly, worth trying other things around that price, the Stumpjumper doesn't particularly stand out IMO. Look at the Trek 9.7 or whichever is the one at that price, Scale 30, Giant XTC etc. I'd look at FS too, you could get an Epic, Top Fuel etc for that budget.

stu_d – A month ago I got an '09 Stumpy Expert HT in the end of year sales for a total of £1850 which included a set of 2010 Roval Control EL wheels, xt cassette, Thomson seatpost, and new tyres, pretty damn good deal. Weighs approx 21.25lbs and is a rocket along the flat and uphills, bit twitchy on steep, tech downhills though!

They're light, but not that light I'm afraid!

I cant reccomend it as I dont own one, but if I had the cash it would be an 09 Lappierre race 400.. 22lb Scandium tubed lovelyness off the shelf and under £1600 right now if you can find one in your size….. Unless you buy something stupid like a DH bike it really wont make much difference to your race results what you buy.

There are certainly cheaper carbon bikes out there but the Stumpy hardtail frames, both alloy and carbon, have been refined over the years into one of the best race frames available.

Thanks guys. bennnyboy, is that twitchy compared with a general trail bike or compared with xc race bikes?

have been refined over the years into one of the best race frames available

You imply other things out there are inferior. The Scale is a fair chunk lighter, if that's what we're going for. Don't get me wrong, I had an S-Works Carbon hardtail and it was a great bike, but I would certainly look at other things, there's nothing about the Stumpjumper that stands out IMO.

having been riding round on a Giant XTC carbon-alliance for the last six months I'd recommend trying one of the XTC range. Fast and stable. Really nice bikes.

Kev

stu_d – 'Twitchy' compared to my 5 inch travel xc full sus and 6 inch travel full sus but that's to be expected really! In the 4 weeks I've had the Stumpy HT it's all I've been riding, it's a nice involving frame, find it very satisfying to be out and about on. Great for getting the miles in but does get uncomfortable after about 3.5 hours.

There are certainly cheaper carbon bikes out there but the Stumpy hardtail frames, both alloy and carbon, have been refined over the years into one of the best race frames available.

Specialized were one of the last companies to make a carbon fibre frame.
Not saying they are bad, but they have hardly been around for years to be "refined".

Aye, 2006 for the first S-Works Carbon hardtail, the S-Works changed slightly for 2008, the old design became the normal Stumpjumper, and hasn't changed at all!

Trek did an OCLV hardtail circa 1994, that has evolved!

I would still stick with the scandium Lappierre…. it just looks so nice in a way carbon never will… 🙂

The Lapierre does look good, still not sure about the weight on that though, XT wheels are heavy, and there's nothing on it that's light really. Very nicely specced, but closer to 24lbs I'd say.

Dunno, just what the bumf says, the identically specced carbon bike is exactly the same weight according to Lapierre..
My Scandal is pretty lumpy at about 26lb (got some silly bits on it) and I compared the 2 admittedly just by hand side by side and the Lappierre was very noticeably lighter. I did try to buy the scandium Lap as a frame only but they wouldnt sell me one anywhere, only the carbon one that I wasnt so bothered about, hence the Scandal.

Not scandium for 2010 anyway, just 7005.

I've been racing Stumpjumper Hardtails for almost 10 years. I waited until 2007 to go to Carbon.

The Stumpjumper Carbon HT is a race bike. It feels like a race bike, it rides like a race bike, and even I have managed a podium spot or two on one.

There might be better out there, but not much, especially when you factor in Specialized's superb after sales support.

The Scott Scale is nice, but to me, it's a little 'old school'.
The Trek is nice, but unchanged AFAIK for a long while.
Lapierre's are very nice. I see a lot of those at races here in France. They're always slightly heavier than they look.

I'd get a Spesh.
SB

The Trek is nice, but unchanged AFAIK for a long while.

Except for the change to the frame design in 2007 and the type of carbon used in 2008!

The Trek always used to be 'the' carbon race HT, certainly worth a look.

Careful stratobiker! njee knows best. 😉

I just bought a s/h cannondale f500 from 2002, not sure how quickly things progress, but I'd struggle to go any faster than that thing will let me, its a effin' rocket ship! and I wont cry if it gets totaled mid race.

Going to go gheto tubeless (free, ish as I already have some UST race tires), lighter cassette (possibly 9s roadie, swap the middle for a 38t and ditch the big ring) and cranks some (RF deus in the spares box, WTF is £200+ of cranks doing in my spares box?), other than that there's not much weight to shave!

It'll be 21.5lb by my rough calculation.

When your carbon frame breaks, which it will, Specialized will warranty it with no hassles. Trek will whinge that you bought an undersized seatpost and not warranty it (even though you bought the correct size seatpost).

I'd stick with Spesh purely on the outstadning level of warranty they offer.

GB

Gee is right, and I should say I'm playing devil's advocate really. As I said, I had an S-Works carbon HT, and would have another. I'd just be wary of being blinkered to other things out there.

It would be an xtc carbon for me, I love my 2008 one and if i had £1350 lying about I would get the new frame.

"I had an S-Works carbon HT, and would have another"

But njee you inferred earlier they were dull, heavy and not fully developed! 😉

Merida & Moda do very nice hardtails for about £2K

But njee you inferred earlier they were dull, heavy and not fully developed!

But the shock never went wrong! 🙂

Specialized one of the last people to use Carbon ?….. what did legend mr overend ride back in the day?

ive had my 09 stumpjumper expert carbon since april and love it, the new treks are very nice , but i also have an epic so stuck with another specialized. find the size spot on, nice and stiff but still comfy .

Gee has a very good point aswell, specialized are very helpful even when dealing with warranty's !

As always – if you want a fast bike spend the money on wheels.

£400 frame, ~£1000 wheels.

Fresh off 2nd at Dusk 'til Dawn solo.

just built an s works and loving it… sure the comp rides very similar..

I've a Giant Anthem Advanced Carbon frame for £700.

xcstu – Liking your stumpy. Good to see some flat bars and ends – raceee!

Sam……what does your singular weigh?

I'm 63kg's and tried one last weekend but found it particularly heavy!! Might not have had the right gear for the 'puffer' and it had a Whyte fork, which didn't help either. Maybe I just need gears no matter what 😐

Specialized were one of the last companies to make a carbon fibre frame.

No they weren't, they were making carbon road frames way back in the mid 90s. Carbon tubed with steel lugs, beautiful bikes too.

Alek, eat more pudding, you're too light.

Have a go on my Singular, I think it's lighter. Give me a call.

For what it's worth I think the Giant xtc advanced is lovely – built one up as an alternative to my Hei Hei and it's absolutely awesome – very comfy and is a great value package if bought new. Scott Scales and Sparks are awesome rides too but watch the weight limit if you're a heavy rider. . . .

Building a BMC elite up at the moment. My alu one is being built up trail'ish, but an alu or carbon one could be built up very light if that's what you're after.

Sam……what does your singular weigh?

I'm 63kg's and tried one last weekend but found it particularly heavy!! Might not have had the right gear for the 'puffer' and it had a Whyte fork, which didn't help either. Maybe I just need gears no matter what

That bike above was about 20lbs. The Swift frame is not super light at about 5 lbs give or take depending on size. If you want light you could get a Ti Pegasus which is 1600g, might not leave much room to spare in a £2000 budget for nice parts though. Please set my mind at ease and tell me you meant a White (Brothers) fork?

I've a Giant Anthem Advanced Carbon frame for £700.

Dickie – what size?

Remember seeing that Singular at D2D, very nice it was too. Are they Topo-C wheels?

Specialized did indeed do some carbon MTBs in the mid 90s, some with ti lugs IIRC, but they didn't do anything between about 1997 and 2006, and the new bike wasn't exactly a close relative of the old ones, so it's a fair comment that they were late to the carbon thing!