Specialized Launches The Outrageous Stumpjumper EVO In Carbon Fibre

In a hotly anticipated (though very much expected) move, Specialized is going all carbon fibre with the raucous Stumpjumper EVO platform.

Launched about this time last year, the latest Stumpjumper EVO came screeching sideways into the 2019 Spesh lineup as the foul-mouthed, tattoo-toting, bird-flipping half-sibling to the regular Stumpjumper. With a unique frame, and even unique-erer geometry, the radical Stumpy EVO boasted a bonkers 63.5° head angle and some trendy long reach numbers.

Perhaps because it was so radical though, Specialized only launched the Stumpy EVO with an alloy frame to begin with.

But after having tested the waters with the EVO Comp Alloy – a bike that has been thoroughly well received – it’s clearly ready to amortise the design in a more desirable – and more expensive – carbon fibre frameset.

According to Specialized, that’s dropped a good bit of weight – this new frame weighs less than 2.27kg (or 5lb, without the shock). It’s also allowed them to build the excellent SWAT trapdoor into the downtube – a feature that the alloy frame misses out on.

Specialized Stumpjumper EVO Carbon Features

• Long travel aggro trail/all mountain bike
• FACT 11m carbon fibre frameset
• Available with 27.5in or 29in wheels
• Adjustable flip chip provides High & Low ride positions
• FSR suspension design
• Rear travel: 140mm (29in) or 150mm (27.5in)
• Fork travel: 150mm w/reduced offset
• 63.5° head angle
• 76° seat angle
• 443mm chainstay length
• Reach (27.5): 465mm (S2), 490mm (S3)
• Reach (29): 445mm (S2), 475mm (S3)
• 73mm threaded BB shell w/ISCG 05 chainguide tabs
• Boost 148x12mm thru-axle
• Claimed frame weight: 2.27kg / 5lb (without shock)
• RRP: £6,800 / $9,000 AUD

Stumpjumper EVO Geometry

Like the alloy model, there will be both 27.5in and 29in versions of the Stumpjumper EVO Carbon. Likewise, there will also be two frame sizes in each platform: S2 being the shorter option and S3 being the longer option. Seat tubes are kept short to allow for big stroke dropper posts and the option to upsize if one chooses to do so.

Regardless of wheelsize, you’re looking at a head angle that’s been borrowed directly from the current Demo downhill bike. So that’d be 63.5° then.

That’s paired to a reduced offset fork to maximise the trail measurement. The 29er Stumpy EVO has a 44mm fork offset to deliver a huge 134-138mm of trail, while the 27.5in bike features a 37mm fork offset for 133-137mm of trail.

To keep weight over the front end, and for added pep on the climbs, Specialized has chosen a 76° seat angle. You do have the choice of High/Low geometry settings though, with a flip-chip inside the lower shock mount allowing you to tweak the angles and BB height.

Stumpjumper EVO Suspension

Suspension travel is the same as the EVO Alloy platform, so you’ve got 150/150mm for the 27.5in platform, and 150/140mm for the 29in platform.

Suspension at both ends comes from Fox Racing Shox, since Specialized seems to have gone a bit quiet on the Öhlins front.

That’s fine with us, because up front is a popular 36 Float fork with the superb GRIP2 damper, which is matched to a DHX2 coil shock out back. The ‘RX Trail Tuned’ shock uses standard Metric spacing, measuring 210mm eye-to-eye, with either a 50mm stroke (29er) or a 52.5mm stroke (27.5in).

If you’re on the S2 size, you get a 500lb coil spring as standard. S3 frames will come with a heavier 550lb spring.

The Build Kit

As of right now, there’s only one Stumpjumper EVO Carbon model coming into both the UK and Australia; the Pro. The spec is quite a bit higher than the Alloy Comp, and the price reflects that.

Highlights include hugely powerful SRAM Code RSC brakes with 200mm rotors, Roval Traverse Carbon wheels that feature a 30mm internal rim width, and 2.6in wide Specialized Butcher tyres. Curiously for such a hooligan-worthy bike, the tyres only get the lightweight GRID casing, and not the newer and more robust BLK DMND casing.

Specialized rounds out the cockpit with 800mm wide riser bars, and its own 160mm travel dropper post that makes full use of the fat 34.9mm diameter seat tube. Nice touches include the side-entry bottle cage, and a SWAT Conceal Carry MTB tool inside the fork steerer tube.

So what do you folks think of the new carbon Stumpy EVO? Is it what you’ve been waiting for? Or does this one get a hard pass from you? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below!

And if you’d like to know how this bike rides on some proper steep and nadgery valley trails, make sure you check out our first ride review right here.