Specialized Stumpjumper EVO Comp Alloy 29 in review
The Specialized Stumpjumper EVO is the underdog in this group test. It has comparatively little travel but tries to compensate for this deficit with its extreme geometry. We were curious to see how the concept performs and how the bike would fare against the competition.
Here you’ll find an overview of the best budget enduro bike 2019 in test
When it comes to geometry, the Stumpjumper is the most radical bike in the test. It has a super slack 63.5° head angle, a very low bottom bracket and long reach. However, Specialized combines these values with only 140 mm travel on the rear and a 150 mm FOX 36 FLOAT Rhythm fork up front. The remaining spec of the € 3,499 bike is trimmed towards downhill performance. The SRAM CODE R brakes, Specialized Butcher GRID tires and the cockpit consisting of an 800 mm handlebar and 40 mm stem all confirm that this bike is not about winning hill climb competitions. The Stumpjumper EVO has the same asymmetric bridge between the top and the seat tube as the regular Stumpy, designed to provide optimal stiffness. There is a flip-chip on the lower shock mount with which you can adjust the head and seat tube angles by 0.5° and change the bottom bracket height by 6 mm. The bike is available in only two sizes and we opted the longer S3 option.
The steeper the better! The Stumpjumper EVO is made for steep descents.
The Specialized Stumpjumper EVO Comp Alloy 29 in detail
Fork FOX 36 FLOAT Rhythm 150 mm
Shock FOX FLOAT DPX2 Performance 140 mm
Brakes SRAM Code R 200/200 mm
Drivetrain SRAM NX Eagle 11–50
Seatpost X-Fusion Maniac 150 mm
Stem Specialized 45 mm
Handlebar Specialized 800 mm
Wheels Roval Traverse 29
Tires Specialized Butcher GRID GRIPTON 2.6″
Specialized only offer the Stumpjumper EVO in two sizes. Instead of M and L they are called S2 and S3 and are based on the length of the bike.
The rear suspension of the Specialized Stumpjumper doesn’t suit its progressive geometry. It uses up the available travel too readily and only offers a moderate amount of progression. As a result, it quickly reaches its limits in rough terrain – but this is exactly where the geometry shines.
The X-Fusion Manic dropper post performed convincingly over the entire test period. We actually prefer it over the Specialized Command Post featured on the more expensive models.
The chainstay guard effectively dampens chain slap on other Specialized models. However, it gets overwhelmed at higher speeds, causing the bike to rattle audibly. We heard the chain slapping the chainstays several times.
| Size | S2 | S3 |
|---|---|---|
| Seat tube | 400 mm | 450 mm |
| Top tube | 599 mm | 635 mm |
| Head tube | 100 mm | 105 mm |
| Head angle | 63.5° | 63.5° |
| Seat angle | 76° | 76.5° |
| Chainstays | 443 mm | 443 mm |
| BB Drop | 47 mm | 47 mm |
| Wheelbase | 1,220 mm | 1,252 mm |
| Reach | 445 mm | 475 mm |
| Stack | 619 mm | 623 mm |
The Specialized Stumpjumper EVO Comp Alloy 29 in review
As you ride it, you’ll immediately notice that this is not your run-of-the-mill trail bike. Due to the super-slack head angle in the low setting, the front wheel tends to topple from one side to the other on the climbs. You’ll find it worth reaching for the compression lever on the shock to suppress any bob at the rear. Due to the very low bottom bracket, you’ll also have to be careful of pedals strikes on more technical terrain. Overall, the Specialized Stumpjumper EVO is a capable climber, but its short travel doesn’t make it climb more efficiently than the best bikes in the test. After a few rides, we switched to the steeper and higher geometry setting as the front wheel felt somewhat unstable even on the descents. In the higher setting, the handling is more balanced and controlled, though the geometry remains aggressive.
The slack head angle, the bike’s length and the low slung top tube mean that the Stumpjumper EVO instils you with the confidence to keep pushing a little harder and going a little faster. Unfortunately, the suspension can’t always keep up. The linearly tuned 140 mm travel quickly gets overwhelmed by bigger hits and passes the blows onto the rider, requiring you to get back on the brakes. Cornering, the Stumpjumper handles well in the high setting, though it needs an active riding style in flat sections and requires a lot of input from the rider when things get tight.
Unfortunately, once the geometry comes into its own, the suspension is already at its limit!
Conclusion
The Specialized Stumpjumper EVO is a very unique bike for a very unique type of rider. If you tend to ride steep trails that aren’t all that demanding or rough, this is a great choice, offering extremely agile and lively handling thanks to the short travel suspension. But as soon as you push it too hard, the suspension will let you know.
Tops
- confidence inspiring in the steep terrain
- agile handling despite the extreme geometry
- good climbing characteristics
- looks
Flops
- slack setting is too low
- suspension quickly reaches its limits
- very niche
For more info head to: specialized.com
The test field
Here you’ll find an overview of the best budget enduro bike 2019 in test
All the bikes in test: Canyon Strive CF 5.0 | FOCUS SAM 8.9 | Propain Spindrift Performance | RADON Swoop 9.0 | SCOTT Ransom 920 | Trek Slash 8 | YT Capra 29 AL Comp
