New stumpy is electronic shifting only

For the “I wouldn’t buy it” crowd, were you considering buying a stumpy anyway?

My wife love it and has installed on two of her bikes.

I already own an older stumpy Evo currently (bought 2nd hand as a frameset and cobbled together with various parts), which I do really like and will want/need to replace eventually so I would be looking at more recent versions of the same thing yes.

It’s also not my most ridden bike, so spunking mega-bucks at it’s replacement and/or going used again (more likely TBH) would put me in that awkward position (if for example, I bought a 2024 Stumpy in say 2026ish) of having bought into some proprietary features (e.g. the shock) and some significant drivetrain constraints as basically you’re now tied to AXS with that particular frame (of course that could change), SBC want to sell punters (the wealthy ones at least) a ‘Package’ that “just works” and the expectation is that they’ll have traded up before any real problems emerge. it’s the ‘apple-ification‘ of the MTB.

Like others I’m still sceptical about SRAM reliability, and as much as people say current GX and up are reliable just how “reliable” are we talking here? Do you think you’ll still be using that same mechs in 5 years? or will you have bought a new bike and flipped it on before then?

I don’t actually see that many people about still running 10 or 11 speed SRAM on MTBs, partly because they flooded the market with 12 speed at all price points a few years ago, and partly I suspect because spares became scarce and expensive (cue people telling me all about their surviving 11 speed SRAM MTB) Vs just buying a whole new drivetrain or bike…

“Reliability” is often judged over the period people own a given bike. A high price point, flagship bike like these new Carbon Stumpys are probably only with their original owners for a couple of years, how reliable will an AXS mech bought in 2024 be for it’s second or third owner come ~2029? what about that double chamber shock?
I’m still unconvinced.

I’m not down on leccy shifting at all, I’ve played with mates Di2 on road bikes and seen that it is durable, but it’s still not the ‘affordable’ option, and if I were going to have it anywhere it would be on a curly barred bike first.

My MTB(s) don’t really see enough use these days to justify the investment in leccy shifting over cheaper and still pretty reliable Bowden cables. gearing Range isn’t really a differentiator, so aside from some minor maintenance savings, and my ever present question over SRAM’s reliability/durability why would I volunteer to be forced down the route of AXS only on an MTB?

As noted the poverty spec Aluminium versions will be along in due course for people like me to consider, and will likely retain cable routing options, and more standard shocks perhaps. They’ll actually probably cost SBC more to manufacture with those features and still have a lower asking price because of the lower tier components bolted on.

Leccy shifting is actually a cost benefit for the OEMs; less complexity/cost in making the frame, fewer hours for assembly… Yet customers pay them more for that product currently, I’d like to see a tipping point where simpler bikes with leccy shifting start to become more affordable, how far off is that?

I am using the same mech after 5 years…has a few scrapes on it but works perfectly. Jockey wheels were replaced with aftermarket alloy ones when the originals wore out, but it works every time and has been a perfect shift every single time.
I’m fully expecting another 5 years of flawless use from it. I’d say 5 years in is the point where you can claim something is reliable.
My only grumble with it (and I’ve always said this) is the cost, that is prohibitive and it is a shame. I understand why it is a premium but I also think it shouldn’t be as expensive.
Once you have it, it is very very easy to live with – if you use a Garmin or similar bike computer then you charge that, you’d charge the mech battery as well (although not as frequently as the bike computer).
The shock can be changed to something else, so hopefully won’t impact second hand sales – although I really hope we are past the point of building in obsolescence into kit and can run components for a long time.

i think AXS will always be one of those marmite products. Some people are put off by the cost. Some are put off by electronics and batteries. Some people (like me) love the system and was keen to try it as soon as it released.

having nothing but 2 brake hoses come from my handle bars is perfection for me (i have a AXS reverb too) and thats before the shifting performance AXS brings me.

A buddy mocked me when i first got it. a few years later he bought a bike that happened to have it. he now has it on both his bikes. Sometimes you have to try these things before you write them off. But equally, i appreciate some folks dont like or want it.

A bit like i will never want to ride or buy say a Pole. Or despite the rave reviews, a Geometron isnt on my radar.

I would not be surprised to see either an alloy Stumpjumper OR potentially an alloy bike under another name with similar geo (Camber, Pitch?) appear soon, all setup for traditional gearing.

I would not be surprised to see either an alloy Stumpjumper OR potentially an alloy bike under another name with similar geo (Camber, Pitch?) appear soon, all setup for traditional gearing.

Agree they’ll deffo have an alu version with normal cable routing.

Apparently they’d been sitting on this launch for a while, as they offloaded the backlog of the old model.

So timing of metal version may depend how many of the old ones are still unsold?

Makes even more sense when you realise how many of them must have been hiding in plain sight out on the trails – lots of reviewers stating they’ve been on theirs for months.

It seems crazy that Shimano still don’t have a single wireless groupset and Sram just keep pumping out more affordable options. I’m more of a Shimano guy, but must admit that AXS is very nice to use (but not convinced I want £300 worth of mech bashing into rocks)

Yeah, as said before….. right now, prices as they are, I would NOT buy a bike with electronic anything.

I already own an S-Works Stumpy, so I’m the right target audience. I’d rather spend the large amount of money on frame and suspension!!  Proprietary shock and AXS,  not for me.

Thought experiment – how hard would it be to make a retrofit electronic actuator?

Sram just keep pumping out more affordable options

What’s affordable? My last rear mech was £35.

Right now I wouldn’t buy any bike with electric only shifting. Want the option to fit stuff from other companies. I might change my mind when Shimano brings theirs out, or I might not. I ride with people who have had a lot of problems with the Sram electric stuff. Don’t particularly want to have to charge batteries to shift gears either. I like gadgets as much as the next guy but I’ve ridden bikes with AXS/Transmission and it wasn’t doing anything special, except costing a lot.

Of course I’m not actually interested in the new Stumpjumper because I have the current Evo. The new one doesn’t appear to be any better except maybe the shock which I’ve already upgraded.

” SBC want to sell punters (the wealthy ones at least) a ‘Package’ that “just works” ”

You make that sound like a bad thing. 🙂

Shimano is falling behind. They have some very nice feeling kit but Srams AXS is brilliant.

Setting up new AXS is simple with their free phone app too.

Setting up new AXS is simple with their free phone app too.

You know life is simpler when you need to download an app. 😀

You don’t need the app. Bolt on mech, bolt on shiftier, hold pair button on mech, light flashes, hold the button on the shifter

Job done, shifting works

^ tbh either way, that’s me out  : ) All this stuff just makes me more appreciative of all that the Cotic and Starling FS bikes are. I’d have one of those and cable XT/Deore mix, JD.

Call me a retrogrough but carbon fibre and electronics just leave me cold. I like bike when they’re low tech yet work brilliantly.

My thoughts exactly Jameso, except Orange single-pivot frames rather than Starling now I’ve sold my Murmur

😀

Orange count, 100% – I just have steel tubes on my mind at the moment

Agreed about carbon fibre…no need for it, but people want it and if you want to sell bikes, you need to offer it. Just wished they do a recycle scheme for them instead of landfill.

“ Call me a retrogrough but carbon fibre and electronics just leave me cold. I like bike when they’re low tech yet work brilliantly.”

My singlespeed hardtail ticks all these boxes (as long as you don’t look too closely at all those shims and ports in the fork damper).

My base model alloy Levo feels kind of simple despite the complicated motor shenanigans – no carbon parts, 10 speed (LinkGlide). The motor makes such a huge difference in my time/energy squeezed life. I’m hoping it’ll keep running happily, it turns six this autumn. I’m concerned that the next Levo might be electronic shifting only which would be so annoying – I like this cheap tough cassette.

Once you have ridden extensively with AXS then cable shifting really does feel archaic albeit not superseded.

It’s not essential tech though and cable shifting still remains just as precise and easily maintainable.

It’s purely a cost | affordability focus & trade-off.

To the person that said you don’t need the app, when I paired my shifter and mech the buttons defaulted to zero. I.e. when I clicked either button nothing happened and I had to go in the app to set that up. Is my experience not typical?

That doesn’t sound typical to me…I paired and it worked. Done it 3 times now.

“ Call me a retrogrough but carbon fibre and electronics just leave me cold. I like bike when they’re low tech yet work brilliantly.”

I think there’s two separate things at play here.

an aesthetic preference for a particular look is hard to quantify. People like the look of different things. Some like skinny tubes, some like swoops and curves.

‘low tech’ on the other hand often means “pick a point in time that you think is perfection and decide everything beyond that it stupid”.

Personally can’t wait to see the back of gear cables, always found them annoying to set up and maintain precise shifting on. A lot of that has been down to less than perfect cable routing on bikes and the smaller distance between gears on 11 and 12 speed setups. Wireless does away with all of that and charging a battery is hardly a new thing in 2024.

Thought experiment – how hard would it be to make a retrofit electronic actuator?

Like the archer/D1X ones?

‘low tech’ on the other hand often means “pick a point in time that you think is perfection and decide everything beyond that it stupid”.

I think it’s much more like K.I.S.S.

Why complicate and add huge expense when the transmission is the least important aspect of an MTB in terms of performance.

There’s something very satisfying about only spending where it adds a tangible benefit.

That though is also subjective…it can easily be argued that something like wireless shifting requires less on-going adjustments as there are no cables getting dirty or stretching; the shift is consistent no matter the conditions – for some people those are tangible costs.
I’ve yet to find anyone who thinks it is a bargain price as it very clearly isn’t, but there is slightly less faff and set-up involved – bolt on, adjust b-tension screw, pair and maybe a couple of tweaks of the microshift. Cable is pretty similar but a bit more faff with cable tension and a crisp shift…
Longevity is up there (but this also costs), so that would be another tangible benefit – replace a drivetrain every 3 years instead of yearly (or sooner).

I guess my dribble above shows it can be justified/explained away and appeals to come people whilst others see it as a faff. Charging a battery every 5 or 6 weeks that takes a minute to get the charging started and done in about 1 hour really isn’t a big deal. I’ve said it previously but those who find stuff a faff tend to be the ones that rush out the door and lather lube on a chain as they are off for a ride…a bit of preparation beforehand saves a load of stress and hassle.

Hydraulic brakes…they came on the scene and very few people complained about the set up of them – v-brakes are probably the easiest brakes to set up in terms of speed and ease. Hydraulic brakes require more effort to set them up – but they are now standard as despite this extra work (changing a cable on a v-brakes is about a minute, maybe 2 if you want to do the outer as well), but you really can’t bleed a hydraulic brake in that time. People don’t tend to moan about brakes and bleeding them – it isn’t difficult but can take time…the same applies with gears as well – plenty see the benefits (but the cost is definitely not 1 of them).

“ Longevity is up there ”

This isn’t an issue for the Stumpy but having done a lot of miles on my Levo, I can’t see SRAM cassettes matching LinkGlide ones for the mileage for the price. Hence I’m hoping that the alloy Levo keeps cable routing and/or Shimano make a wireless mech that works with their heavy duty cassettes.

From Guy Kesteven’s latest article:

Either way, you’re going to have to get used to frames that only work with radio-controlled ratios as I know there are at least a couple more high-profile bikes coming soon that’ll only have piping for a dropper post and rear brake hose. Or to put it another way, when I asked their distributor if he’d seen how much heat the Stumpy was getting, they replied “Yeah, about that….”

Guy also edited that article to reflect something that many in the industry seem to forget…. Not everyone has access to that kind of money or tech. I’m an exact case of this – I own the carbon standard Stumpjumper 14 comp. It was the top of my budget (although it’s nice to know it can be upgraded in future) – Had it been 2k more upfront with only 1k drive train options as an ownership prospect I’d be out.

Guy basically admitted he hadn’t even thought of it as a problem until he saw all the comments on bike forums as he has constant access to all the latest and greatest tech, as will the Specialized designers. It makes them out of touch. He then added it as a con on his review, so fair play to him.

Hopefully by the time I’m in the market for a new trail bike Spesh will back track. If they build in so much geometry customisation they should include lots of options for building the bike up for all budgets too.

Or even more hopefully Cotic will start to offer a trail bike with either a carbon or steel rear triangle so I can finally buy one of those instead!

My personal choice would be AXS if it came with it however

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/spotted-matt-hunters-aluminum-stumpjumper-has-a-cable-actuated-derailleur.html

Looks like it may be the alloy option

I’ve just gotten back into cycling after about 3 years of not doing so, life getting in the way etc.

My current bike, is an 853 gen 2 slackline, with an XT drivetrain, and due to my work circumstances being what they are now, I’ve been able to get another bike on cycle2work.

Upper end of the budget for this was/is £4k, and if I’m spending anything like that, there’s a pretty decent saving to be had.

Coincidently, the Spec Stump LTD 23 model is £3850 at my Rutland Cycling (local, they take the vouchers) and it’s E only shifting too.

And, because it’s very different to what I have, and because I rode one, and loved it, I’ve decided to buy one.

So, I fit the demographic of “would I be spending that much on a bike” and “will e-only shifting stop me”, and the answers are yes, and no it won’t.

I don’t disagree that it has some disadvantages, mostly cost, and the AXS battery thing, but I’m also not selling the other bike.

While I do appreciate I’m in a position of privilege, the fact is it’s becoming more and more of a mid life, disposable income, high spend consumer driven market.. I don’t think their sales will suffer.

cogwomble

Coincidently, the Spec Stump LTD 23 model is £3850 at my Rutland Cycling (local, they take the vouchers) and it’s E only shifting too.

Pretty sure that bike will have routing for a cable mech – it’s only the new ’25 carbon version that doesn’t. So it will be “e” but not “e only”/

when I paired my shifter and mech the buttons defaulted to zero. I.e. when I clicked either button nothing happened and I had to go in the app to set that up.

Has having to use an App ever made anything better?

True, it will have routing, but then a full length outer and cable ties, although a little unsightly, always allow an RD, even on bikes not meant to have one.

It’s always an option, but should I break my RD, I’ll put the same one back on.

You don’t need to use the app though…unless you really want to tinker with it, then it works right out the box – pairing in a couple of seconds, microshift adjustments are done on the controller and setting the b-tension screw is dead simple as well. No app required unless you want to mess with the way it works and reconfigure the buttons or update the firmware.