The Specialized Stumpjumper is the lastest bike to get a makeover and it's a big one at that! The new Stumpy keeps the two wheel size options of old and adds a long, a short travel and a EVO version of each into the mix, all wrapped up in a very good looking package!

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So, are you ready for this, get your reading glasses on and settle in whilst we explain the vast array of 2019 Specialized Stumpjumper updates.....

First up, the Stumpjumper frame is all new and it's either full carbon or all alloy. There is the same layup for all carbon frames from the S Works through to the Comp Carbon versions with a weight drop of 100-250g across the range. 

There are still two wheels sizes available, 27.5" and 29er but Spesh is now dropping the '29/6fattie' name, if you want 2.8-3.0" tyres on 27.5" wheels to fit in the frame, you can buy either bike. The big news is that each wheel size now offers a short travel and a long travel option, called the Stumpjumper ST and the Stumpjumper respectively and there is adjustable geometry for all models. We'll deal with the longer travel beast first....

 

Stumpjumper

As we said you can have this bike with either 27.5 or 29 inch wheels. The 29er gets 5mm more rear travel than lasts years bike with 140mm whilst the 27.5" bike stays put at 150mm travel. The geometry has been updated so the 29er's head angle is adjustable from 66.5 to 67 degrees and the 27.5" bike is adjustable from 65.5 to 66 degrees. 

The bikes are slightly longer in reach, on the whole, Spesh say 15-20mm on average with the chains stays also lengthening by 12mm. 

 

Stumpjumper ST

Where 'ST' stands for, you guessed it - Short Travel. The 27.5" ST version of the bike gets 130mm rear travel, the 29er gets 120mm and they both have 130mm forks. This bike replaces the Camber in the Spesh range but this bike is a tad slacker and has an increased reach. The head angle on the 29er can be adjusted from 67.5 to 68 degrees and the 27.5" bike can be adjusted from 66.5 to 67 degrees. 
 

Specialized say the ST version of the Stumpy is a short travel trail bike which is fun, lively and nimble, whereas the longer travel version is designed to be a more capable 'do it all' trail bike that is better at descending than the current Stumpjumper whilst still being an efficient climber. 

 

How does the Flip Chip work?

All models irrespective of travel or price will come with a flip chip in the rear shock yoke which allows the geometry to be adjusted by half a degree steeper or slacker. It will also raise or lower the bottom bracket by 6mm and change the reach by 5mm. The chip is made of two steel parts inserted in the shock extension and depending on its orientation will change the geometry accordingly. 

 

What other updates are there?

• The innovative SWAT system has been updated to provide an easier to use and a sleeker profile with the door now interfacing directly with the frame. 
   
• The rear suspension has also been revised which Specialized say has been done to offer a more progressive leverage rate, allowing for shock tunes with a more linear spring. They say this will provide more support and a more useable range of travel with increased resistance to bottom out. 
   
• The seat tube lengths on the new Stumpy is also pleasingly short, the long length of which is something we criticised recently when reviewing the 2018 Enduro. Shorter seat tubes allow for the use of longer travel dropper posts, 150-160mm posts will be used on M-XL frames and 125-130mm posts on the smaller sizes. 
   
• Metric shocks are used all around but with the absence of 'autosag'.
   
• Tyre clearance is big on all frames. The 27.5" bike will fit up to a 27.5 x 3.0" tyre whilst the 29er is good for 29 x 26" or 27.5 x 3.0"
   
• Use of threaded bottom brackets
   
• 148mm hub spacing at the rear
   
• Internal cable routing throughout
   
• Spesh are sticking with a 51mm offset on their 29er forks 
   
• Women's specific versions of the bikes are also available

 

What is the EVO?

The EVO looks like the same bike but the geometry is quite different, it also runs a unique shock extension that slackens the bike's head angle (and seat angle) and lowers the bottom bracket even lower than the low position on the standard Stumpjumper. So, the EVO 29er has with 150mm forks and the 27.5" bike, also with 150mm forks, both sit at a slaaaack 63.5 degrees coupled with a seat angle of 76 or 75.6 depending on frame size. It's a bold move and one we really like - these bikes will be available int he UK in October and it's fair to say we will be a tad excited about riding that!

The Pro EVO bikes come with coil suspension, more powerful brakes, more aggressive tyes, wider handlebars and that WU dropper post seen on the top end Enduro's.

For a full rundown of spec's and the many, many geometry charts, you'd be best off heading over to www.specialized.com and checking it all out for yourself. We hope to get some of these bikes in for test very soon - watch this space for tests of the cheaper, alloy bikes too.

S Works - £8,000
S Works Frame - £3,200
Expert - £5,000
Comp Carbon - £3,500
Comp EVO - £3,250
Comp - £2,500
ST Base - £1,700

• www.specialized.com  

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