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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

SPECIALIZED STUMP JUMPER EXPERT

£4,750 Does this iconic steed still define mountain biking?

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 stiffness-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