ORIGINAL EVO.LUTION

Any new Specialized model is always something to take note of but when its a new addition to the one of the absolute original names in mountain biking - the Stumpjumer - a bike that even has a nick name its been around so long ‘Stumpy’, there are always going to be a lot of eager beavers waiting for the main players to ride and review.

The update to the range comes in the form of a the EVO part of the Stunpjumer range that was always a bit more rowdy and sat in between a regular Stumpjumer and the Enduro.

The Enduro has always seemed a bit full on for me, early adaptors of long travel 29ers the the time last came for me to buy a bike the Stumy Evo was considered but not the Enduro even though it raced against my eventual purchase the SB6. 160mm and 29 seemed too much, I had a 29 wheels on my Camber EVO and they were a bit bendy but that only had 120mm, anyway at the time if you wanted a race bike for not racing on you went 27.5 and 160mm wow how things have changed in 4 years.

Only a couple of people of rode - I went to BIKE Mag but they are closed for now which is such a shame. So just Mike Levy at Pinkbike and Brandon at Vital for now.

Super in depth review by Vital, with every bit of info you could want before buying a bike. Really positive review which was good to hear.

Mike at Pinkbike even agrees wit the Marketing line of ‘ultimate trail bike’ which is quite the endorsement for the new Stumpy.

Both reviews said the bike felt lighter and better at climbing than the Enduro but no confirmation whether it would keep up when the going go super rowdy. And the S-Works is so much money and I not sure I want or need carbon rims or the AXS dropper, I am FOX transfer man myself, not sure its performance or the triple Kashima! but maybe a frame build is an option, I really do love that single side shock stay.