Checking Out The 3 New Specialized Stumpjumpers - Video

Apr 24, 2018
by Mike Kazimer  


Specialized had all three versions of the new Stumpjumper on hand at the Sea Otter Classic, so we took the opportunity to chat with Steve Saletnik, a product manager at Specialized, about the new models.





MENTIONS: @pinkbikeproductions, @SeaOtterClassic


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165 Comments
  • 187 2
 threaded bb
bottle cage
perfect internal routing (front to back one push)
all wheelsizes
short or long travel
progressive or conservative geometry
no more proprietary shit
clever solutions for ppl who don't want to carry a backpack

Specialized have really hit the nail on the head with this one.
  • 8 52
flag Lagr1980 (Apr 24, 2018 at 13:36) (Below Threshold)
 nice bike but... its stronger than me... thanks BigS but no thanks.
  • 13 37
flag FrozenTreads56 (Apr 24, 2018 at 14:10) (Below Threshold)
 but does it 26? either way this is the first time in a while I've been interested in purchasing something from S works
  • 8 26
flag vinay FL (Apr 24, 2018 at 14:17) (Below Threshold)
 @FrozenTreads56: Why wouldn't it? Get the 27.5 model, get a longer shock and put in a longer bottom out bumper and get a longer travel fork and it should work nicely with 26", shouldn't it?
  • 7 63
flag RedRedRe (Apr 24, 2018 at 14:38) (Below Threshold)
 too bad the frames crack...
  • 27 2
 Tell me again, which one of these blokes works for Specialized? Hahaha.
  • 15 0
 @RedRedRe: What are you talking about? And they have a kick ass warranty. I'm sold
  • 4 0
 @blkmrktrider156: Dudes just a troll.
  • 3 0
 @RedRedRe: ya so I guess they can't be real engineers right?
  • 4 1
 @blkmrktrider156: haha except their 'lifetime on frame' doesn't include the chain or seat stays, as they're not part of the frame according to Specialized. I got one year out of mine and 2 months out of the replacement because Jason doesn't understand stress.
  • 6 2
 From my experience with several pair, Roval wheels are lame if you ride hard or weigh more than 170lbs. I'd love to see the ditch Roval and go the Santa Cruz route with traditional wheels. That said, I am happy to see the host of other new changes such as the 160mm dropper. Next up is for them to cut prices and go direct sales so they'll be able to maintain their market share against the impending direct sales domination...
  • 3 1
 only problem is that not every model is available in 27,5 in austria (europe?), only 29er on the highend versions Frown
  • 1 0
 @ryan83 : wait, didn’t santa cruz just release their in house carbon wheelset?

Also roval hubs = dt swiss hubs.


But yeah, agreed, Roval is not exactly the dream.
  • 1 1
 @Aprilfisheye: Roval hubs have not been dt swiss hubs for years. And the rims appear to made out of butter, I need to retrue mine almost everytime I ride roots/rocks/drops. Unfortunately I is broke and so stuck with em.
  • 1 0
 @Aprilfisheye: @Aprilfisheye: You only got the DT Swiss hubs on expert builds and above (and even then, you only got pawls and not the star ratchet on the expert). The lower models were the absolute rubbish hi lo hubs.

Actually, I think you may only get DT Swiss on the S Works now.
  • 1 0
 @vinay: lmao I was joking about the 26 part but yeah that's a good point
  • 4 13
flag RedRedRe (Apr 25, 2018 at 9:02) (Below Threshold)
 @ryan83: any wheelbuilder will tell you that good part of their costumers are roval wheelset owners.
Specliazed underbuild the wheels (with shorter spokes among other things) to meet a lower weight on paper.
Don’t expect anything from specialized to be durable. It is their business model. If things are durable, they sell less.
In countries like France, Italy, Spain, where people ride much more than everywhere else, most stores stopped carrying them because A) people who had one, will not buy another, B) stores are forced to spend thousands on specialized inventory (saddle bags tires etc) that nobody wants. Trek is taking over their place. Better bikes anyhow. Not a trek fan myself.
  • 7 2
 @RedRedRe: there is a lot wrong with everything you just said
  • 2 0
 @Timroo1:

But there's still a lot right about what he said.

Historically the big S has sacrificed durability for weight savings on tons of models. They've gotten wiser and stopped speccing control casings on trail/AM bikes (thank you) but the Roval wheels I've been on tend to not hold up (especially the rear) under hard riding.
  • 2 0
 @WasatchEnduro: agreed. My roval wheels have held up this far, but I know that they might take a dump on me sometime.

My issue was more with him saying "don't expect anything from specialized to be durable"... or "France, Italy, Spain, where people ride much more than everywhere else". There are hard riding people all over the world, let's be real.
  • 1 0
 @Timroo1:

For sure. And my frames have been fine, if a little flexy in the rear at times (2xEnduro, 2xStumpy).

Remarkably the 24h Roval front wheel has held up very well, much better than the 28 rear, though I switched to carbon f/r (non Roval).

And overall i really like their line of (grid) tires.
  • 3 2
 @RedRedRe: Can you upload spreadsheets of your claims? Show statistics, sales data, customer satisfaction surveys. Also provide quarterly breakdown of Trek/Specialized profits with regional separation (CE, USA, LA, Asia). Please provide at least 500 customer data points, so that we can extrapolate satisfaction indices and peg them to sales data.

Otherwise this is just internet anecdotes with no supporting claims whatsoever.

#fakenews
  • 3 11
flag RedRedRe (Apr 25, 2018 at 11:27) (Below Threshold)
 @singletrackslayer:
I am not a marketer (like Specialized). Don't make spreedsheets. Since you seem to sell/work/be affiliated with Specialized, maybe you can provide some warranty data?

I'll give you a basic round up of what happens outside your turf...
Specialized are bought by three category of people....
The newbies who don't know any better and buy the bike from a nearby shop.
The aging roadies who don't know any better and buy the high end bikes from their local shop.
The people who don't care much and they think it is a good deal since they are always on sale.

I can tell you than almost all of the good shops that used to sell Specialized in Europe, now they sell Trek, Santacruz, Scott, Cube etc. and they dropped Specialized. Trek/Bontrager replaced Specialized as average joe brand.
  • 2 5
 @Timroo1: yeah, every single thing I have had from Specialized failed like it was made of cartboard.
Warranty on things other than bikes is easy, but they still give you the same crap.
I expect a jacket to last more than three months?
Same issue with other people I know.

Go to Europe in those country I listed, maybe I have to specify South of France, and have an idea of how many more people ride and race.

Specialized does one thing very well, the helmets. For sure better than Giro and Poc.
  • 1 0
 @muletron: Incorrect. Roval wheelsets on Expert and S-Works builds are and have been DT Swiss 240s for years.

As for the rims, they are nothing special.
  • 3 1
 @RedRedRe: Nothing you have posted in this entire comment thread is true. Protour is that you?
  • 1 4
 @TheRaven: it looks like everybody writing comments owns a specialized.
You prove that what I write is not true. Fanboys United.
  • 3 0
 @RedRedRe: Most people commenting just think your ignorant generalizations are funny.

I guess we will just accept your infinite knowledge of mountain biking participation rates worldwide though.

And if your bikes are "failing like cardboard", maybe stop riding like a hack? Best of luck!
  • 4 0
 @ryan83: Roval wheels are no good for me either, I had never blown a hub or rim until I got Rovals.. Made for light guys
  • 3 0
 @RedRedRe: No everyone writing comments just knows your full of it. You're the one who is making the claims, you're the one who needs proof, not me.
  • 1 0
 @TheRaven: The 2018 and 2019 Expert models that came with carbon rims did not have dt swiss hubs. They had specialized hilo hubs. The 2018 pro had a dt 350 rear hub. The 18 and 19 s-works are dt star ratchet internals. But the last expert to come with dt internals was the 18 fact 11 expert that had aluminum rims and the 17 experts and they were both 3 pawl not star ratcher
  • 1 0
 @RedRedRe: in SA Spaz sell via concept stores. Their service and warranty response is top drawer. I cracked a 2011 S works frame and they did a part warranty replacement and I kept the parts from the cracked frame. So far the new ali frame has shown no durability issues and the performance is great. I agree that the wheels are weak especially out back but then again look at what one WC dh weekend does to the most expensive rims. The Epic S Works was by far the most popular and winning bike on the Cape Epi. I reckon your perspective is rather narrow...
  • 1 0
 They have, and having no Spez logo on the bike is also a good move.
  • 1 0
 @Timroo1: na, all and I'm mean all of there trails a lightning fast and full of sniper rocks, big rocks.
  • 1 0
 @striveCF15: yeah that's somewhat annoying if you want the smaller wheels but when i last spoke to one of the main distributors in the Vienna region they said that nobody (like a handful a year) chooses 27.5 over 29 here. so from a sellers point of view i do understand.
  • 66 1
 I don't want to want a Specialized... but I think I want a Specialized
  • 2 2
 brilliant !!
  • 4 0
 The Evo looks awesome.
  • 4 0
 I’ve had several specialized and liked all of them. No problem with the frames at all. They are higher then some brands but I’d say it’s worth if if you are someone who’ll keep a bike for several years.
  • 4 0
 I completely agree with this. They make great bikes, but Ive never been a big fan. Im feeling like I could be won over.
  • 1 0
 similar emotions. they continue to perplex me when I see they stole TITS. who does that? what did TITS do to you? other than give you a safe place to route your cable? what would you do big s if you had your own TITS and someome routed their cable in them? .... yeah, hurts... don't it?
  • 25 2
 Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher, Fer sher.
  • 25 1
 I love those paintjobs too. Makes them more timeless than stuff they've done in the past.
  • 10 6
 There will come a time when those minimalist paint jobs and colors will scream 2018. They're cool, I like them, but nothing is timeless.
  • 52 0
 @TheR: Besides your moms hoohoo
  • 15 0
 @TheR: the bicycle, as an idea, is timeless.
  • 16 0
 @TheR: Plain color will always be timeless quite simply because some finishes (anodizing, powdercoating) don't lend themselves for complex paintjobs. You can always do transfers but doing nothing besides the application of your logo has always been an obvious choice. Since I've been riding mountainbikes, there have always been frames with a plain anodizing or powdercoat. And because it is something that's been done over so many years, it makes it timeless.
  • 8 0
 @TheR: Maybe the colors themselves, but simplicity is timeless. If anything, the sus layout and frame design will date the frame moreso than the paint.
  • 3 2
 @honda50r: Zing.
  • 3 0
 @TheR: Sure it is.. Its called black! and it's always cool!
  • 1 0
 @bohns1: Yeah, sometimes they have a "new black".
  • 1 0
 I do like a raw finish. It's not as flashy as a fancy paint job but it always looks hardcore
  • 31 8
 Have you guys mentioned there are new stumpjumpers? I haven't seen it anywhere
  • 37 0
 There are new Stumpjumpers? Weird, I hadn't seen that anywhere either.
  • 10 2
 @mikekazimer: Don't look like a Session = Don't care. Although Specialized does get a +1 for including "Looks like a Session" in their launch video.
  • 2 39
flag vinay FL (Apr 24, 2018 at 13:50) (Below Threshold)
 @mikekazimer: That wasn't nice. There are people who don't read the entire PB website cover to back so he could have missed it.

@Lookinforit: Yes, there have been a couple of articles last week. There has been one article describing the differences between the three "types" (two based on the same frame geometry, EVO is longer and slacker). There is no Stumpjumper hardtail anymore. The new Stumpjumper replaces the old one and the Camber models.
  • 36 0
 @vinay, I think your internet sarcasm-o-meter might need to be recalibrated...But thanks for chiming in Wink
  • 7 4
 @mikekazimer: Yeah, it is broken, I know. Too much sarcasm for today. I'm all love now. I'll have it fixed asap before I venture on the big bad internet again!
  • 1 3
 @Lookinforit no money, no honey. Can't wait various sites reviews of this new "benchmark" bike.
  • 1 0
 @RedRedRe: protour, is that you?
  • 2 0
 @pinhead907: just went to see the promo, haha
  • 23 0
 That Evo looks the business
  • 1 1
 Can't imagine it climbs the greatest.. But then again anyone purchasing the evo probably isn't too concerned with going up..
  • 1 0
 @bohns1: I think you might be on to something here. But even black goes in and out of various degrees of popularity. It was the hot color for cars when I was in high school, but now not nearly as much. And matte black wasn’t as popular, say 20 years ago, as it has been the last few years.
  • 4 1
 @bohns1: Weight aside it will be the better climber.

Steeper seat angle and longer rear centre.
  • 2 1
 @bohns1: Why wouldn't it? It has a steep seat angle like the regular Stumpjumper coupled with longer chainstays and a longer reach. If anything it should climb better than the regular model!
  • 2 0
 @SintraFreeride: Where did you hear that?
  • 1 0
 @bohns1: HA = decending, STA = climbing
  • 2 0
 @jclnv: I'll have to demo that to believe it.. I think the st will be the best climber out of the lot.
  • 2 1
 @SintraFreeride: personally I think the st will be the best climber... I remember the long stays on my 14 stumpy and hated them.. Couldn't manual for shit.. Thing was like a semi truck.. Now on my shorter stayed ride they have got easier to get in to. I like nimble bikes.. I'll still toss a leg over the evo tho to try it... We'll see
  • 2 0
 @fartymarty: On paper sure! My money is on the st for being the the more nimble more fun ride on most trails..
  • 4 0
 @bohns1: well...thats personal preference I would not care about...I rather have a bike that stays on course at high velocity! Also personal preference Wink
  • 1 0
 @themountain: yep... To each their own!
  • 3 1
 @bohns1: The ST is a joke. A 30lb 120mm bike.

If you prioritize manualing over handling you should be on a 650b bike with the shortest rear centre and highest BB possible.

Nimble just means sketchy at speed.
  • 1 0
 @jclnv: Hear what? The Evo Geo? Or that it climbs better?
  • 2 0
 @bohns1: The ST will climb well due to the shorter travel and lighter weight but the EVO will have more traction (longer chainstays) and suffer less from wheelying due to the longer front centre. Short chainstays will make it easier to manual for sure but are less stable and provide less traction.
  • 1 0
 @jclnv: on a fuel ex 9.9 now and manuals are easier for me on a 29 than 650..bit harder to get into.. But easier to hold... The st can be way lighter than 30lb.. Proper components /get rid of the tubes and swap my carbon hoops..
  • 1 0
 @bohns1: The ST shares the same frame as the standard Stumpy. It's way overbuilt for a 120mm bike. Even the S-Works weighs 28lbs. A Scott Genius 700 Tuned weighs under 27lbs and is a 150mm bike with proper geo/sizing.

Those Stumpy frames are boat anchors. Keep your Fuel.
  • 1 0
 @jclnv: Definitely keeping it for this season. But my fuel isn't way lighter than 28lb and it's the 9.9.. Once u go minions even with carbon hoops, dropper, cb enduro pedals it's damn close on a 21.5 frame. Either way going to see what Yeti does this season and or if yt really vamps the Jeffsy.
  • 1 0
 @bohns1: Speak of the Jeffsy, the geo is a bit dated cf the 29 Capra. Hopefully they do update it but think it may be next year so they can sell a few 29 Capras.
  • 1 0
 @bohns1: Those ST weights quoted are mediums!

Add about 3/4" lb per size.

Graves Stumpjumper is heavier than Keenes Enduro! I think that full length internal cable routing isn't light.
  • 1 0
 @fartymarty: ya I'm talking an updated Jeffsy..
  • 1 0
 @jclnv: ya probably not.. Either way it looks nice.. I'd only be buying frame only in anything that I purchase anyways..
  • 25 5
 "for sure!" "for sure!" "for sure!" "for sure!" "for sure!" "for sure!" "for sure!" "for sure!" "for sure!"
  • 6 1
 Fer sure
  • 10 0
 Does FSR stand for “for sure”
  • 11 4
 But no XXL. With a company the size of Specialized you would think they would make XXL carbon molds and in turn carbon bikes for us tall folk.
  • 14 2
 Isn't it ironic that you're the minority?
  • 9 2
 Or just make the XL bigger Soon the sizes will be XL, XXL, XXXL, and XXXXL so nobody is offended
  • 6 0
 @judgerider348: oh I'm not offended. Plenty of tall riders out there who share in the frustration of limited bike options.
  • 4 0
 @MTBrent: how is it ironic? I'm not following you.
  • 2 0
 @judgerider348: plus it doesn't matter what a brand calls the size. If the specs aren't there for tall riders then it's on to another brand...
  • 2 9
flag RedRedRe (Apr 24, 2018 at 14:42) (Below Threshold)
 @ COnovicerider these frames crack under average people weight, an XXL is no go.
  • 2 2
 @COnovicerider: That's makes no sense. The height person but one weighs 110lbs and the other is 265lbs would most likely ride the same bike then but the heavier person will break it assuming how hard they both ride.

I'm 6' 5" 195 lbs and look at the numbers and go sit on one or demo before purchase.

There are so many factors they can only afford to manufacture what makes money for them.
  • 2 1
 @judgerider348: huh?
  • 2 2
 Get yourself a Pole or a Nicolai and you will be getting a bike that fits you like a glove. The other pluses are they climb walls and descend with so much confidence!
  • 2 1
 @COnovicerider: 'Big' riders = 'Small' segment. Irony.
  • 1 1
 @MTBrent: ah, got it now. Thanks.
  • 9 0
 Wow that guy looks so nervous...
  • 4 0
 I think it's because Kazimer wouldn't let him get a word in edgewise.
  • 8 0
 3600usd >> affordable.
  • 7 0
 Definitely want a go on the evo!!
  • 6 1
 I couldn't focus at all on what they had to say. What the hell was Steve doing??? Someone give him a teddy bear to hug
  • 4 0
 I like the idea that you can mount standard shocks & metric shocks on the new stumpjumpers.
  • 6 1
 every time he says "Yeah for sure" take a shot
  • 3 8
flag sml2727 (Apr 24, 2018 at 15:28) (Below Threshold)
 And on a side note, A Canyon Spectral is a better value.
  • 1 0
 Andddddd I'm dead.
  • 1 0
 I rode one last Sunday. Great ride! The bike cornered really well, plowed through rocks and climbed well also. It was hard to tell if the sidearm actually stiffened the frame in an hour ride but my first impression was really good. I think the SSS is on the money with these new stumpers!
  • 3 3
 I make sure to say "hopping the bottom portion of a dead tree" in when telling stories for fear of being sued. Too soon? Kidding. The new bikes look rad. Would love to try one. Nice to see some affordable options also with similar progressive geometry and no more proprietary BS.
  • 2 2
 "connect your hands and feet to your bike" ?!?! Of all the bizarre half baked marketing mumbo jumbo i've heard over my long 20 years affair with the biking industry - this sentence wins.

Thanks for that specialized, until today i really had a hard time properly placing my hands and feet on your bikes.
  • 2 0
 If only they offered the same colours outside the U.S. as in. Way to stick it to others.
  • 5 3
 Why no carbon option for the enduro model? Just curious as to why they chose alum over carbon.
  • 13 0
 They're sort of testing the waters with the EVO model - I'm sure they wanted to gauge the reception first rather than committing to opening another carbon mold.
  • 7 10
 Same reason that people are dumping carbon cranks for Ti cranks. We have to get rid of what we have now so we can over pay for something else or the mtn bike companies would die.
  • 3 1
 @hbar314: hahaha...these conspiracy theories are fought just by not buying into the hype.
  • 1 9
flag hbar314 FL (Apr 24, 2018 at 14:14) (Below Threshold)
 @Lagr1980: As M. Cyrus once said, "can't stop, won't stop". Because there are struggling bike builders in already low cost locations (Like Santa Cruz, CA) I would feel bad if I didn't continue to buy the next big overpriced bike product that just came out. They have jobs too!
  • 5 1
 @hbar314: Please for the love of all things two wheeled never quote Miley Cyrus ever again... ever
  • 2 2
 As bikes creep towards Pole-like geo they naturally become carbon averse, thus Spec will just dump the carbon into the ocean.
  • 1 1
 @blkmrktrider156: All I wanted was to break your walls, all you ever did was break me
  • 2 0
 @mungbean: I don't know how many guys will get how hilarious that joke is...but for those of us who were in that particular comment thread on that day, its gold.
  • 4 3
 Same issue as previous Stumpy. Chain is gonna ride that chainstay regardless of that funky band-aid chainstay protector. Chain sits too low.
  • 1 0
 It looked like this would be an issue so when I saw one in the shop I shifted it into the smallest sprocket and sure enough the chain was rubbing on the ribbed-for-your-pleasure chainstay protector. Not sure that really means anything tho but I think ideally it wouldn’t contact anything. Trim down the rib closest to the chain ring maybe?
  • 4 0
 @WasatchEnduro: got to apply pedal pressure and sag to get chain height. The chain will raise, no more dragging once you start pedaling.
  • 3 0
 @OldschoolAK: True dat Oldskool, makes sense.
  • 2 3
 the irony of how Specialized would sue everyone and everything with anything close to something they've branded and yet they release this after the growing popularity of the Orbea frame design that has the similar "arm" next to the rear shock.
  • 4 0
 the demo had the asym frame before the rallon.
  • 1 0
 Can someone explain to me Fox Rhythm series? are they the very bottom end fox or some OEM option?
I been looking at buying the new EVO, but the fork has be reconsidering.
  • 13 10
 So it’s not an Orbea?
  • 15 1
 To be fair, spec was the first to do this design with the Demo.
  • 5 2
 Yeah, for sure
  • 1 0
 *Holding back ego*
*comments about cable routing*
*comments about slight number tweaks*
Pretty solid direction
  • 1 0
 You can win one of these S-Works versions right here:

access4bikes.com/giveaway

Winner chosen on May 26.
  • 1 0
 Sarcasm: EVO only in aluminum, why is it so? Carbon has so many advantages against aluminum.
  • 3 0
 Nice!
  • 2 0
 TL;DR this is the best bike ever, buy it.
  • 1 0
 I like it. But just bought a 17 S works Enduro. My question is when will they release that universal yoke for the Enduro?
  • 1 0
 The flo yellow ST in the video. Is that 29 or 27.5? Pre production color? Can’t find it on Their website.
  • 2 2
 Just an awesome redesign. Too bad I just got a Yeti SB5 LR, loved my last stumpy. May go back??
  • 3 2
 If they had an extra 10mm in the reach they would be perfection.
  • 1 0
 15mm.
  • 1 0
 Which one? The EVO is longer. Though I'd like to see reach over 500mm for the largest sizes.
  • 1 0
 @SintraFreeride: The standard bike.
  • 1 0
 Shit single sided righty frame.
  • 1 0
 You can put your weed in it.
  • 1 0
 That Steve was pretty damn nervous ahaha.. those bikes look sick though!!
  • 2 2
 More new standards just breeds more new Specialized bikes.
  • 2 2
 I feel a lawsuit coming on.
  • 1 1
 Where’s the gearbox? No gearbox? Why?
  • 1 3
 The big S did a way with a proprietary shock??? I can’t wait to see who they sue saying it was their idea.
  • 1 1
 is that brother rallon?
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