We hit the trails on the new Specialized Stumpjumper Expert, go full enduro on the Rocky Mountain Altitude 29 C90 Rally and test the mettle of the Sonder Signal ST NX
£4,750 Does this iconic steed still de ine mountain biking?
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The Specialized Stumpjumper is part of mountain biking history. As the first mass-produced MTB, it brought the then-new sport to the masses. With 2021 marking its 40th birthday, does the latest Stumpy still represent what mountain biking is all about?
The frame
Gone are the days of welded steel tubing. While the two cheapest models get an alloy frame, Specialized’s FACT 11M carbon fibre is used across the rest of the range. They’ve tried to remove all unnecessary carbon from the front and rear triangles to boost the sti ness-to-weight ratio, resulting in a claimed frame weight of just 2,420g (5.3lb).
At first glance, it appears that Specialized have stuck with their usual ‘FSR’ four-bar linkage suspension design. Look closer, though, and they’ve ditched the chainstay pivot, instead relying on a single main pivot and flexible seatstays to deliver the Stumpy’s 130mm of travel. You still get Specialized’s SWAT storage system in the down tube, with room to stash spares, snacks or clothing, along with fully-enclosed internal cable routing.
The Stumpy uses Specialized’s reach-based S-Sizing system, which allows riders to size up or down depending on riding preference – up for more stability, down for more agility. There are six sizes to choose from (S1-S6). A geometry flip-chip in the lower shock mount alters the head angle and seat tube angle by half a degree, and the bottom bracket height by 7mm. In the ‘low’ setting, the bike is claimed to have a 65-degree head angle, 76-degree seat angle and 333mm BB height, with reach numbers between 410mm (S1) and 530mm (S6).
The kit
This Expert model is fitted with some serious kit, including a Performance Elite-level Fox 34 fork and DPS shock. The fork contains the brand’s well-received GRIP2 damper, while the shock comes with a custom RX Trail tune. SRAM take care of the drivetrain, with their 12-speed X01 Eagle and GX Eagle parts, plus Descendant 7K cranks. Specialized keep the cockpit and saddle in-house, and use an X-Fusion dropper, which helps keep costs down.
They also spec their own Roval Traverse 29 alloy rims, laced to a Roval front hub and a DT Swiss 360 at the rear, and fit their Butcher and Purgatory tyres, with the GRID casing and GRIPTON compound, in a 29x2.3in size. It’s a shame the
bike comes with tubes as standard and not set up tubeless. The SRAM G2 RSC brakes have plenty of adjustability. A nice bonus is the bottle cage with SWAT multi-tool that comes fitted to the bike.
The ride
“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts” summarises the Stumpjumper pretty well. All the small details make this bike a great performer on the trail. Its ride is characterised by a blend of control and excitement, whether you’re winching up the hill, thrashing flow trails or hitting the downs. The Stumpy’s low 13.26kg weight and decent pedalling support make for helpful e ciency on the climbs. It makes light work of most ascents, whether smooth or technical, but steep trails still require a conscious e ort to weight the front wheel and stop it from lifting.
Tearing along singletrack, the Stumpjumper will easily carry speed over undulating terrain. The rear suspension has enough sensitivity to take the sting out of most obstacles, without wallowing. With plenty of progression, it feels like there’s more than 130mm of travel on o er for biggest hits. We didn’t notice the flexstay design hindering performance in any way.
Handling-wise, it wasn’t long ago that these kind of geometry figures would have been found on enduro bikes, and you can feel this in the composure the Stumpy o ers out on the trails. It handles downward gradients with confidence and encourages you to push its limits.
These are harder to find than you might imagine, too, with the lowslung BB helping the bike to find grip through all types of corners. On twisting singletrack, it’s no thug to muscle around. There are slightly sharper-handling trail bikes out there, but its all-round capabilities are hard to fault. The only thing we’d consider changing is the G2 brakes – stoppers with a little more bite would make the Stumpjumper Expert’s ride even more confidence-inspiring.
Overall, though, Specialized have built an incredibly versatile mountain bike, which encapsulates what this sport is all about – it’s a steed that can go anywhere and do everything. LUKE MARSHALL www.specialized.com
The Stumpjumper is a brilliant platform that highlights what mountain biking is all about. A true all-rounder that provides a ton of fun