Our LBS now has tehm in for test ride.

Here's my thoughts on teh models

-Expert Carbon? Another £500 for carbon can't be justified in Cumbria, as there's a fair chance of a big rocky crash at some point.
-Expert – I'm taking one out next Sunday (alloy, £2500 one with brain rear shock). I think that's the one I'd go for. Is the brain shock worth the extra £300 over teh Elite?
-Elite – I'm sold on spending and extra £400 for the Talas fork over the float on the Comp.
-Comp – Looks like good value, but I think I need a bit of bling gear.

I'm going to sell the new wheels and put on my crossmaxes, so that is in the equation?

I'm sold on spending and extra £400 for the Talas fork over the float on the Comp.

That's pretty daft, you could sell the Float and buy a TALAS for less money than that. The Elite has always been the least popular model in the range.

I'd get the Expert or the Expert Carbon, the Brain shock is definitely worth it over the Triad IMO.

This is on my shortlist and I am looking to test one in the next few weeks.
My LBS has got the Expert in for demos, but if I end up getting one it will probably be through a friend of the family with a decent discount. So, I feel a bit out of order asking to take out their demo bike and then turning up in a few months with a new one (not bought from there) in need of fettling.

Also going to look at the EX8 and the Zesty – hopefully demoing an EX8 at the Dales Bike Centre (if we go up there for a weekend soon).
I'd be interested to hear how you get on with the brain gubbins, as I am in the same predicament – the difference between the Elite & Expert are minimal apart from the rear shock – so is it worth the extra money?! Hmmm.

So, I feel a bit out of order asking to take out their demo bike and then turning up in a few months with a new one (not bought from there) in need of fettling

They won't care, you just won't get any special treatment at all, and they'll relish telling you when you have warranty problems and have to return it whence from it came, or will charge you for the work.

I used to love it anyway.

The Brain thing depends a lot on what sort of rider you are, if you're someone who's happy to twiddle lockouts all day long then you're probably not going to really justify the Brain. If you're the sort of person who likes to get on the bike and ride it hard everywhere without playing with it, the Brain is spot on, just means the bike is working as efficiently as possible all the time, with no rider intervention required.

njee20 – I went in there on Saturday about something else and got chatting to one of the owners about the new Stumpjumper. I asked him if he knew when they were getting any in (they had a new Enduro, but no SJ). He said they had one that was out on loan until Tuesday, so I mentioned that i wanted to test ride that as well as the EX8. They are getting one of those soon as well.

I perhaps shouldn't have, but I mentioned that I might have to borrow their EX8, but would feel guilty taking their SJ as I might be able to get my hands on one cheaper from someone who works in a bike shop & the conversation turned distinctly icy……all of a sudden, the Stumpjumper was no way as good quality as the Trek and the 2009 Trek flew off the shelf whereas they only sold a few Stumpies etc. etc.
I can kinda understand their point, but it's not like I don't regularly spend a fair amount of wedge in there & surely he can understand that I am not going to pass up potentially saving several hundred pounds just to support my LBS?

I do like the sound of the Brain shock.

I'm surprised at the lack of reviews on the web to date. I thought this bike would have generated some interest by now. No word on the weights yet?

I can kinda understand their point, but it's not like I don't regularly spend a fair amount of wedge in there & surely he can understand that I am not going to pass up potentially saving several hundred pounds just to support my LBS?

I'm sure he can understand but he also wants to flog you a bike – it is a business after all.

Think there are some people on here with them – http://forums.mtbr.com/forumdisplay.php?f=7

I definatly rate the brain – I owned a 2008 expert AND a 2004 pro for a year, and the brain effect was great – you miss it once you have to switch back to pro-pedal after realising that you are bobbing away on climbs, and then when I got back onto the 2008 out of saddle sprints on smooth sections felt much more worth it 🙂

I definatly rate the brain – I owned a 2008 expert AND a 2004 pro for a year, and the brain effect was great – you miss it once you have to switch back to pro-pedal after realising that you are bobbing away on climbs, and then when I got back onto the 2008 out of saddle sprints on smooth sections felt much more worth it

I note that the Elite rear shock does have lockout as well as pro pedal and full.
Is the 'Brain' another bit to fail?
Do like the Expert colour though 😉

Paul

yep my thoughts are : if the brain fails…then what…. (wen guarantee runs out,,,could be expensive bit of kit …

out of interest do stumpys still have a seriously low BB height?

the reason i got shot of my 2005 one.

Low BB similar to many others. Not a problem for most.

Rode a demo Expert round The Beast at CyB on Saturday.

Maybe due to frame sizing/geometry but was much much better for me than a Trek EX8 or my current 100mm travel Kona.

Brain does work exactly as advertised but as I'm used to Propedal etc am not going for the extra £300. Also ANO part to go wrong.

Handlebars wide enough and the whole bike very lively yet foregiving. Easy to point in the right direction and able to cruise down the wrong line when I made a mistake.

No problems climbing. Eased up all those on the Beast, just set forks to shortest travel.

Winding out the forks for the downhills really seemed to set the bike up very nicely.

So if you have the money am sure you'll not be disappointed.

Cheers
Paul

PS The above opinions are purely subjective and biased to justify my purchase 😉

dont break it I fance a go if its the same one I saw in a certail lake district town bike shop this week, want to try the new enduro looks a match for my 04

When the 2010 S-Works stumpy was doing the rounds last year the mags could not fall over quickly enough in praise. Now the latest review in MBR is less than glowing, they had issues with the alloy front mech bolt among other bits. Not sure they are being objective, especially when they give the Orange a 10, when they complain about its climbing abilities.
But I agree the stumpy matt paint looks cheap and not yet convinced that 140mm travel out back is where bikes designed for riding up hill as much as down is where they need to be, but I suspect I am in the minority. I have no issues with the idea of the Brain and the Triad is a fine shock. I have used both on the 2006 models.
The big issue for me when looking at the new Stumpy is the cost compared to Lappiere. Trek and Cube bikes. All appear to be better value in some regard over whatever the Stumpies offer. Specialized crown for making great bikes with great kit at a great price has slipped a little in my view.