07 Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Comp
I should start by saying that this is the first full suspension bike that I have ever owned. In fact, it is the first time I have ever spent any time riding a full suspension bike. So when I’m comparing to ‘before’, I mean when riding a HT.
The Stumpy has now been ridden three times, a long day in the hills (Duchess Drive / 3 Brethren), an evening blast on The Eildons and an icy cold wet day in Glentress.
I was expecting the bike to go well when pointed downhill, and it doesn’t disappoint. I’ve comfortably used all of the 130mm of travel and as expected it smoothed things out nicely. The real surprise came on the ups. The Fox shock seems to push the rear wheel into the ground and offers so much grip on the climbs. The ‘Pro Pedal’ setting works superbly and there is no obvious bob on the pedal strokes. Where the bike really shines though is rough singletrack. Whereas before I would have to lift of the saddle and move the bike around, the Stumpy allows me to sit down and pedal, fast. The geometry suits me just right, it is very similar to my Cannondale F800 and it felt instantly comfortable. The combination of relaxed geometry and forgiving suspension inspires confidence and in GT I found myself riding sections faster than I have ever done before.
It’s not all great though. The SRAM shifters are annoying. They are really precise and responsive, but prone to accidental down shifts; when climbing I tend to drop my elbows, this rotates my thumb around the grips and my thumb knuckle knocks the down shift lever. I have tried to remedy this by moving the shifters in along the bar, but it is still happening. I’ll see how I get on but at the moment it looks like they may be replaced. The lightweight inner tubes seem about as thick as a condom, so they have been replaced with tubes that don’t puncture at the site of a stone. And finally, the lay back seat tube seems a bit excessive for a bike with relatively relaxed geometry. I’ve got the saddle as far forward on the rails as it will go, and I’m still sitting on the nose quite a bit. These are all niggles though, rather than problems.
The Stumpy will not however be replacing my Cannondale, it will share the shed with it! Whilst it performed really well on the Eildons, I didn’t feel that it offered me anything more on what was just a short one hour ride. I still believe that hard tails test your bike handling skills more, they require more movement on the bike, more balance and force you to pick the best line. To keep my skills as sharp as possible (which is not very!) I will still ride the ‘Dale, and still love riding it.
The Big S is commercial. From where I was sat in The Hub yesterday, I could see four Stumpy’s parked up outside plus several Epics. For some people this is an issue, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say that it has crossed my mind. The bike isn’t a conversation starter like a small brand bike is. However, if you think that bikes are for riding, and you have a £1500 budget for a FS bike, then I can’t fault the Stumpy. This bike makes me ride faster, and that can only be a good thing!
It may be commercial, but the Stumpy, in one guise or another, has been biking for longer than most of us. What it lacks in uniqueness, it makes up in its ride and heritage.
Paul C
Rating:
Mountain Bike Borders
