mountain bikes: Test: Specialized S-Works Stumpjumper FSR 29 – new frame, old strengths?

Test: As the prototype of the modern trail bike and one of the oldest bikes in the US manufacturer's portfolio, the Stumpjumper occupies a special position in the MTB market. The reinvention of the "Stumpy" for the 2019 season was all the more exciting - despite the completely new frame and modern geometry, the orientation of the bike has remained the same: from the leisurely tour to the demanding trail adventure, the Stumpjumper 2019 should also have a huge range of different areas of application can cover. 150mm of travel at the front and rear should also be more than sufficient for the occasional enduro trail.

Specialized S-Works Stumpjumper FSR 29: frame and geometry

The eye inevitably wanders to its asymmetrical frame construction upon first contact with the new Stumpjumper. The Stumjumper now has a one-sided strut in the area of ​​the damper, which has been tried and tested for many years on the demo downhill bolide. Of course, that's by no means the only innovation - in its entirety, the frame is said to be up to 20% stiffer than its direct predecessor - and at the same time weight savings of between 150 and 200g.

Apart from the aluminum entry-level model, Specialized consistently uses carbon as the frame material for the new Stumpjumper: From the inexpensive Stumpjumper Comp Carbon to the elegant S-Works Stumpjumper we tested, all models share the same frame; the rear end is also made of carbon fiber on all models.

A pleasant innovation in the new Stumpjumper is the move away from proprietary damper dimensions - there is now room for a metric damper in the rear triangle; The bike comes from the factory with a special tune, more on that later. Otherwise, Specialized seems to have given a lot of thought to the small but fine details: the internally routed cables run through laminated liners, which make installation child's play, with the bottom bracket they turn their backs on the unpopular press-fit standard and rely on classic ones BSA thread. The SWAT technology, the trunk of the frame, so to speak, was also retained for the 2019 model year. Opening a flap in the down tube reveals ample storage space for tools and even a thin rain jacket. Since the new Stumpi does not have a plastic casing for the SWAT compartment, you have more space and less weight at the same time.

The geometry of the predecessor had gathered some dust in the fast-moving MTB world, with the new Stumpjumper 2019 you are back on the pulse of time, but without following the extreme trends. The steering angle is neither particularly flat at 66.5°, nor is the seat angle particularly steep at approx. 74°. But to get straight to the point: the Stumpjumper impressively shows that a carefully balanced geometry is the key to an excellent trail all-rounder. The short chain stays also keep the wheelbase extremely compact to prevent the sluggish articulated lorry feeling. For fans of somewhat more extreme dimensions (long reach, slack steering angle, etc.) there is also the Stumpjumper Evo from this year.

Specialized S-Works Stumpjumper FSR 29: Features

The S-Works variant of the new Stumpjumper FSR 9.000 costs over 29 euros - a steep price, but which is roughly on par with other top carbon models in this class. On the other hand, the Californians really don't make any compromises when it comes to equipment. Would you like an example? For the drive, you rely completely on the noble XX1 Eagle group from Sram, from the shifter to the chain and rear derailleur to the crank. The Fox Factory chassis with a 36er at the front and DPX2 at the rear is one of the best the market currently has to offer. Own components can be found on the cockpit, where the Specialized Trail carbon handlebars are held by the Syntace MegaForce stem. You also rely on your own Command Post IRcc for the dropper post, which comes with an adjustment range of 130 (size S) or 160mm (M/L/XL).

The wheels are also practically made in-house. Specialized's own brand Roval contributes the Traverse SL, which not only looks good with 30mm wide carbon rims. The hubs contain tried-and-tested technology from DT Swiss, and the long-lasting toothed disc freewheel from the Swiss specialists whirrs at the rear. The tire combination of Butcher at the front and Purgatory at the rear is well chosen – both tires are 2,6″ wide, but they are rather narrow.

Specialized S-Works Stumpjumper FSR 29: On the trail

For us, a Specialized Stumpjumper has always been a bike that guarantees one thing: absolute riding fun and great all-round properties. That's why we didn't find it understandable why the last editions of the bike were a bit "average". That has changed with the current Stumpy, we can reveal that here! With the second most expensive bike in the test, everyone naturally expects a podium place...

On the way to the summit, the Specialized S-Works Stumpjumper really packs a punch. This is due to the low weight and also to the absolutely successful geometry. There we have it again, the Stumpy feeling: sit on it and have the feeling that you've known the bike forever. The load distribution fits, the front wheel stays down for a long time. The seating position is not necessarily far forward and the chainstays are also rather compact, but it still works great. The Traverse carbon wheels with the in-house Butcher and Purgatory tires also support the climbing section, with which we have always had very good experiences. The Sram Eagle cassette with the 30 ring on the front fits the bike well. Depending on the damper setting, it rocks minimally, but this can be effectively prevented with the lockout lever.

If you want to build on the "old" successes of the Stumpjumper series, then after a very successful climb, absolute driving pleasure must also arise on the descent. And here, too, our test candidate is no slouch. If you wanted to summarize the driving characteristics as briefly as possible: Perfectly balanced. The Stumpy always remains agile, and yet always runs smoothly. Here we want to mention again the very good positioning of the rider on or in the bike. The center of gravity is subjectively felt to be quite low, which in combination with the short rear is a lot of fun in corners. But even if you open the tap on the straights, the chassis shows that it makes a good contribution to the overall performance. Always enough to swallow, always enough feedback, no sagging in compressions or berms. Fast work on fast shots. We have to praise the Fox 36 again, and the Float DPX2 Factory in the rear is also convincing. In addition, it is also quick and easy to set up, no tuning orgy like with an X2.

When it comes to equipment, we have nothing to complain about. The Sram Guide RSC brake is impeccable. A bit more digital in character than a Shimano or Magura, but that suits such a sporty bike. The XX1 circuit, also from Sram, is probably the best thing you can do. Even if one or the other tester would have liked a different chainring on the crank. Steel lasts longer, aluminum is lighter and more elegant... It doesn't matter, it's more a matter of taste, the shifting is very, very good. The chassis can hardly be more noble or better. Full marks for the Fox Kashima station wagon. The Syntace Megaforce stem is also very good, very light and very nice. We like the in-house parts almost without exception. Only the dropper post is just way too fast for our taste. You have to take care of your “crown jewels”. In our opinion, BikeYoke Revive or a Fox Transfer would have been more suitable for the otherwise excellent equipment. Parts such as the saddle, handlebars and grips show that Specialized knows how to construct its own components. You can definitely see your own parts as an upgrade compared to many products on the market. This also applies to the wheels and tires. They work excellently tubeless, are light, robust, look great... In terms of equipment, everything is top-notch, except for the support. In other words: a great bike with great components.