S-Works Stumpjumper HT 2015 Review

With 170 miles on the clock and one race completed, now is a good time to offer my initial impressions of the new Stumpjumper.

 

To provide some background I have had many bikes (just ask my long suffering wife!), but the previous generation S-Works Stumpjumper is without doubt my favourite. When I got it in 2011, 29 inch wheels were still a novelty in the UK. It was also my first true top level bike and it instantly made me a faster rider. Handling was XC racer sharp and the ride was very compliant, in fact over 4 years I can only think of two events where I missed the extra ‘squish’ of a full susser.

The new bike was never going to be the same obvious quantum leap. In fact getting on for the first time it was like pulling on a new pair of slippers. I'd transferred the saddle position from the old bike, so everything felt comfortable and familiar - just a little bit more taught. Specialized have only tweaked the geometry, creating a slightly slacker head angle and shortening the chain stays a few millimetres. I'd be lying if I said I could really tell the difference.

Much more obvious is how every ounce of power applied to the pedals is transferred into forward motion. The bottom bracket and chain stays are noticeably larger than the previous S-Works and this converts into an almost electric transfer of effort to the rear wheel. I rode a Yeti ASRc last year which was extremely stiff and tightly packaged at the rear. The S-Works feels every bit as purposeful when you put the hammer down.

With the Yeti the trade off for the direct power transfer was quite a harsh ride. The new Stumpy isn't like that, although I don't feel it cossets you in the same way the previous S-Works did, it definitely took the edge off hits from the many roots during the race last Sunday. The ultimate test will be how fresh I am after a long marathon event like the Kawasaki 100 in May.

The vast majority of bikes are now 29ers so that isn't the advantage it was 4 years ago. The frame does however come with a 142x12 bolt thru rear axle and 15mm front axle on the Rock Shox, which increase stiffness and do seem to help make the steering more direct and handling a little more crisp. Internal cable routing is a nice cosmetic touch, but I'll be honest it makes servicing a fiddle and I really liked the way the cables were hidden under the top tube on the old bike, but remained accessible.

I mentioned last year that the SID brain fork is an undoubted improvement over the Reba that came with the previous generation S-Works. I dialled the fork in straight away, it seems easier to set-up and less fickle to subtle changes in pressure. On the flip side there is not the same level of adjustment, so although it is less hassle you can’t dial it in quite as sweetly as the previous dual air design. The brain fade dial that lets you adjust the threshold, or force at which the fork activates, is now located on the top of the crown instead of the bottom of the fork leg. This means it can be adjusted on the fly and used a bit like a standard lock-out. The suspension can be opened up for technical sections and then locked down for climbs. The fork seems to have a wider operating window, coping better with the range of varied terrain you might experience on a single ride from repeated ripple bumps to big hits. I felt the Reba had to be tuned to favour either one or the other.

Frame weight is a light, if unspectacular 1250g, so the extra rigidity over the 2011 bike does carry a slight penalty. However, it builds into a light bike, my complete build is around 19.7lbs and there is still plenty of room for improvement. I bought the frameset including brain fork and kitted it out with M9000 XTR brakes, shifters and 11 speed rear mech. To increase the gear range I have opted for an XX1 10-42 cassette. My favourite Romin saddle sits on the light (197g) S-Works seatpost supplied with the frame. The Light Bicycles carbon wheels with Stan’s hubs are carried over from my previous bike, as are the S-Works bars and 90mm Ritchey stem.

To summarise:

It is always fantastic to have a that new bike feeling. Everything is running smoothly and the bike feels lithe, responsive and fresh. Specialized have definitely made a step forward with the new frame. It is so clear that the frame has been well designed, thought out and thoroughly tested. Take the slick and tidy cable routing for example, the sculpted chain and seat stays and the lightweight rear axle. The power transfer feels wonderful and brought a huge grin to my face as I hooned down the road on my first outing. The lateral strength combined with the bolt thru axles brings a positive directness to the handling. All together this means that on the trail everything feels nice and predictable. That might not sound like a glowing recommendation but it is! I spent months trying to dial in the ride of the Yeti last year. It was a great looking frame, but a catalogue of niggles took the gloss off every ride. On the Specialized I can focus on my own performance and the trail ahead, and that gives the rider so much confidence and is the biggest recommendation of all!