So being an avid rigid/HT fanboi, I’m (not sure why?!) tempted by dipping my toe into the FS arena again…

My current bikes are all ‘lesser known’ smaller brands (kinesis/travers/kingdom)… but I REALLY like the look of the Specialized stumpy – i’d go for the normal one – 150/140mm travel.. more for long weekends in Wales, and i want to get into trips abroad etc too…

The Expert model is about £3800, but has carbon wheels, pikes and RS rear shock, and SRAM gx. That#s the best price i can find it (online)..

The comp model is the same frame, but Fox shocks, alu wheels, and SRAM nx/gx mix…
It’s up for just under £3k in my LBS< but they may be able to drop the price a bit.
I reckon there’ll be about £1k difference in teh end…

So..I’m more of a fan of shimano TBH… would it be better value to just get the fancier bike, with carbon wheels and RS pikes straight away? but…tit’s an XD free hub, so i’m stuck with sram…

Or if i can get a good price on teh comp, then the fox shocks are pretty good, and I can ride it as is, then upgrade (if needed) teh geras etc to shimano at a later date (as shimano freehub..).

Both 12 speed…

Thoughts..

DrP

Have a look at the concept store sales, tehy have some excellent discount.

http://www.specializedconceptstore.co.uk/

On the lower model just bear in mind you’d be upgrading your 12 speed Sram to 11 speed Shimano unless you can get a microspline freehub for the wheels as shimano have a different freehub standard for their 12 speed. Not sure if maybe Sunrace have a 12 speed cassette that fits on an HG freehub – or younstick with the sram NX cassette and run just shimano 12 speed shifters.

What Fox forks are on the lower model –
do they compare well with a Pike?

I wouldn’t worry so much personally about having carbon or alloy wheels.

What Fox forks are on the lower model –

A FOX 34 Rhythm fork … actually meant to be really quite good, as it’s got the GRIP damper…

DrP

I had the alloy one with the 34’s as mentioned above. Monster truck of a bike and a decent weight considering it was alloy. I personally prefer an alloy frame just so I don’t get precious about it – the sram NX worked fine and I thought the forks were pretty good.

What I did struggle with was the suspension setup – the rear shock took a lot of playing with being the cheaper fox model and even using the specialized calculator on their website it still wasn’t great. I looked at upgrading to a decent shock but being metric it wasn’t cheap.

I also upgraded the wheels on mine but that was more down to having them already. Standard rovals are fine

Assuming you are looking at a 2019 model I having both the 2019 model in 29 and the earlier models in both 650B and 29 I would be going with the 29 Expert, I prefer the SRAM Eagle to the Shimano and have no problems with the drive train or the carbon wheels, I think the carbon wheels have the better hub, ours does.

We looked at getting the carbon comp and selling all the kit on as we just wanted the frame but got a too much to pass on deal on an S Works frame and built it up with spares and stripping a 650B one.

We looked at getting the carbon comp and selling all the kit on as we just wanted the frame but got a too much to pass on deal on an S Works frame and built it up with spares and stripping a 650B one.

I think the frame is the same…from the comp to teh s-works…

Hmm… decisions…

DrP

Frame is the same, its just the shocks that are different and the SWAT box is a godsend. It was the price we paid for the frame that swung it as we had the rest of the stuff in the garage.

TBH, i’d prefer the 29 carbon comp with shimano stuff on it – mix of XT and SLX stuff!

But they only seems to have those (2019) version in medium, and i’m sure i’ll need a large…

Anyway, i’ll try the L in the LBS at lunch, and see what £££ they can do!

DrP

All our bikes are medium but having thrown a leg over the medium Stumpjumper it felt small compared to the earlier models and so we opted for the large which six months down the line was the right choice

cool…

Hmm… just seen i could get teh ST version (120/130mm travel) from Rutland for £2700…

now, I’ve always said to my mates that a 130mm travel FS would be ideal locally..and i reckon it’d be fine for wales etc etc too…

Hmmm… dilemma added! “Do i consider teh short travel version?!”

DrP

now, I’ve always said to my mates that a 130mm travel FS would be ideal locally..and i reckon it’d be fine for wales etc etc too…

Hmmm… dilemma added! “Do i consider teh short travel version?!”

That’s why the Whyte T130 is massively popular, in ‘real-world’ use it’s perfectly suited to what most of us do. I’ve taken mine to Morzine, BPW, FoD etc and ridden the SDW on it… it does everything brilliantly.

It also has a threaded BB and free-lifetime bearings 😉

Not that i’m saying get one…. but… get one.

https://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/310016/products/whyte-t130-c-r-275-mountain-bike-2019-petrollime.aspx

just seen i could get teh ST version

Buy a spare linkage, shock and forks and you’ve got both as the frame is the same. That’s my plan.

I have the S-works Stumpy from 2018 and ride around the Brighton area too, along with Wales and further afield when i can. It’s a 140/150mm version.

I’m using 27.5 wheels in it most of the the time, with larger volume (2.4WT) tyres and bike feels great. The Roval Carbons that came with it are not particularly light, so i wouldn’t buy the bike on the merit of the wheels. I only use the 29″ Roval wheels in the summer with fast rolling tyres on for longer days in the saddle.

For the shorter travel at 130/140mm i think the benefit of Pike chassis is not so important. For longer travel bikes, i reckon you’d notice the difference much more.

For the 1k difference i’d but the cheaper one, ride and upgrade back to Shimano (as i have done) when the bits wear out. It’s only the rear mech and shifter that will need changing, as the SRAM cassette will be fine with Shimano drivetrain. Spend the money you’ve saved on a better rear shock (a coil) and something towards some posh wheels maybe.

Its a fab bike for this area tho. Buy it.

Dr. P – just as a counterpoint, I’ve had 2 stumpy FSRs, the most recent a 2015 ‘evo’

I also enjoy riding, now almost exclusively, a LLS ti hardtail.

I just find the stumpy very ‘meh’ – it is very vanilla (IMHO, YMMV etc)

Now, the FSRs have come on a fair bit in terms of geometry, and yes that will make a difference. But I can’t forgive a bike for being beige. It does nothing that makes you go ‘yeah!’, and in particular I hate the wallowy suspension that no end of spacers and tuning was every able to overcome.

IMHO! boo to beige! 🙂

wasn’t there talk of the stumpies wearing rear shocks out very quickly due to leverage ratio or something.

and in particular I hate the wallowy suspension that no end of spacers and tuning was every able to overcome

Coil…. say no more.

Tis true the FSR link is very ‘vanilla’, but the bikes have come on alot since 2015.

My previous Stumpy was a 2015 evo with an air shock, but my current 2018 coil version is a very different beast.

Ok ive got a 2019 stumpy

the new expert is a lot better equipped than the 2019 one. my frame currently says sworks on it and i can confirm its the same as all of them.

From the kit point of view the 34 are ok. the pikes are a bit better but firmer. Ive put a 160mm air shaft in mone and its a lot better bike (29er expert) The brakes are crap. the carbon rims are mated to rubbish hubs. The extra for the expert is just worth it imo.

I came from a liteville (horst) to this and its very similar. however this is a lot more trail bike (steeper) and covers ground better. i really like it. Its true about the suspension but the newer version is very linear (but not as much as the evo) so you really want an air shock on there. The comp one is rubbish. The rockshox one you can fit a gnardog spacer to it along with the others in there (remove one it comes with 3) and its 10x better.

Any questions just ask.

this is mine 🙂
https://photos.app.goo.gl/rc1BZmq9wesKGMDq8

Well… I went for the comp in the end..
Mainly ‘cos the LBS took another few hundred off it… Making the difference between it and the expert (at the cheapest I could find it) Almost £1200..
Plus the guys in the shop were saying the roval carbon wheels were lifetime WARRANTY (on manufacturing defects) , not crash /use replacement…
That put me right off those wheels…

Seeing as the frame is the same, and I’m happy with the fork at the mo, I think I’ll just ride as it is!
I’m going to replace the bars with some narrower carbon ones.. 800s are just far too wide!
Oh, and tubeless the tyres and shove a baguette in the SWAT box…
Will pick it up tomorrow!

(oh… For those with a 2019 one.. Did yours come with a chain device? The spec website says they do… But that may just be the 2020..as mine hasn’t and the shop wouldn’t take it off!)

DrP

I’ve recently had a great price on the aluminium comp. You can’t go wrong if you get a great price. With the money you’ve saved you can easily upgrade the casette to a gx… Though did get a set of xm1501’s. I did have a rental carbon bar and stem put on from my previous bike. I thought about a carbon comp. But after having carbon before and an aluminium Evo and fattie just felt no benefit of carbon for the price at this time. Great bikes.

Sounds like a good deal Dr P. You can put that money saved into a set of Hunt Carbon wheels and still have a chunk left over.
I was really impressed with the new Stumpjumpers when I had a demo on one at trail days in the Lakes. A really good all rounder.

EDIT: I had a SWAT box on my 2016 SJ and with the SWAT tools on it too, I never had to use a pack. They really are very useful.

Congratulations on the new bike !

Sounds good. All our Stumpjumpers came with the Mini chain device. Thinking about it all our Specializeds have including the Turbo Levos.

Which size and colour did you opt for.

im not sure the 2019 comp came witht he chain device originally. Cheap to buy and easy to fix.

I can recommend filling the headset with marine grease before you take it anywhere and fitting invisiframe asap!

We also use this guy for all our bearings.

http://vi.raptor.ebaydesc.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItemDescV4&item=301804085047&category=177803&pm=1&ds=0&t=1557243999000&ver=0

I went for a cool “purpley blue shiny” colour!
Ordered a shimano chain thing, that’ll fit onto the isg tabs…

Also ordered some cool “DYED bro” frame protector… Day of the dead theme! Not sure how long they’ll take to arrive…

Off racing XC on the rigid SS this weekend, so prob give it a blast tuesday eve 👌

DrP

Will look great in the sun as it changes from blue to the purple colour and back.

So Carbon comp, rather than Alloy comp?

sounds like a great bike, v nearly bought an Evo before I rode the Enduro and went for that instead

SWAT box is a abomination

FTFY

How so? I’ve found mine v useful to store a pump, spare tube, and even a jacket went in there. My only complaint about it is that it’s not waterproof

Ordered a shimano chain thing, that’ll fit onto the isg tabs…

don’t do this. Buy the Specialized one. Once you’ve got over the slightly uneasy feeling you realise that it’s better to buy the Specialized one. And the Specialized pump because it fits in the SWAT box, and the chain tool for the steerer and before You know it you’re a fully paid up member of ‘that’ club…

Congrats from an ancient Stumpy  🙂

Looking forward to seeing the pics op.

Good luck with the race!

Sooo… I got the bike home, and there it’s stayed!
I’ve sat on it a few times, and (genuinely) had a dream I’ve ridden it, but not been out yet!
I wanted to get the frame protector on it, swapped teh bars to narrower carbon ones, and converted the tyres tubeless (i refuse to ride MTB with tubes now!)..

No chance to ride this weekend, so hopefully will get out for a bit Tuesday night!!!

Looks purdey though!!

That’s lovely!

I do like a carbon Stumpy…..

[url=https://flic.kr/p/ehsgpj]13-04-24 DSCN3688[/url] by STW stumpy01, on Flickr

Although what is dyedbro.com?

“do you even drift Bro”…
A clothing company (wha… Sick!?? Hear me out!) who make great/cool frame protectors..

It’s like REALLY thick 3m/helicopter tape, with decals and patterns!

I went for this ‘day of the dead’ pattern on teh top tube and seat stays. Looks Braap braap!

DrP

Looks lovely.   equally I’m waiting for some tubeless valves to turn up before I can ride my new one tomorrow.    Inspired by Tracey’s pictures in the “weekend” thread, I’m quickly coming to a conclusion that there need to be a heavy fun bike outside of racing.

Look forward to the ride report.

….ah, I did think that didn’t look very Specialized-esque!

Although what is dyedbro.com?

I thought that looked good too.. I wondered what dyedbro.com was, so I went to dyedbro.com ! 😉