Specialized’s Stumpjumper family

THE SPECIALIZED STUMPJUMPER has always been a bike aimed at the mountain biking majority of the time and one that pushes boundaries of what’s possible in bike design. In 1981 the museum-worthy, steel framed, cantibraked, fully rigid original Stumpjumper was the first mass-produced mountain bike. It was designed with the aim of feeling like a custom bike but one that was available to the masses. This, along with the name, is the feature it has most in common with the Stumpjumper as we know it today. In fact, like a lot of young riders from the early 80s, in 2018 the Stumpy has spawned offspring. The latest generation Stumpjumpers reflect and continue to shape the fast-evolving trail riding scene. The new range includes 130mm and 150mm Stumpjumpers, each available with 27.5” or 29” wheels, plus a more gravity focused Stumpjumper Evo. They include secret storage doors (carbon models), a geo-altering ‘flip-chip’, space for 3.0” tyres and no more “proprietary bullshit”. And, like your own personal coffee order or your next computer purchase, it’s more customisable than ever before. Confused but intrigued? So was I! Specialized flew me to their Trail Days press camp in Aínsa, Spain to learn more about the new range the best way I know how: by taking to as many different trail types as I could, on as many models as I could, over three memorable days. With the spectacular trails in this region thrown into the spotlight through the Enduro World Series, this mountain biking playground offered a little bit of everything: long climbs, gnarly descents, twisty-flowy-fastness, loose-organic-roughness, and views so dramatic that sometimes I just stood there, glad for the journey as much as the ride.