Specialized Stumpjumper Expert Carbon 29 '12

Specialized Stumpjumper Expert Carbon 29

Specialized's best spec'd Stumpjumper lives up to the perennial Stumpie slogan, ready to race out of the box.

Upgrades over Specialized Epic Comp Carbon 29

• Lighter weight RockShox SID fork with Brain.
• Brain inertia valve damping means that the fork offers 90mm plush suspension (or 80mm if you opt for the 15.5" version) on demand when you need it, then it rides close to hardtail firm when suspension is not required.
• Custom Formula R1 S hydraulic disc brakes.
• SRAM X.9 shifters and X.0 rear mech.

Mountain Bike Sizing Guide.

'The Stumpjumper HT Expert Carbon with 80mm-travel is built for speed and efficiency, and is competition-ready off the showroom floor.'
Specialized.

Specialized Stumpjumper Carbon 29 Overview
Specialized launched the original Stumpjumper in 1981. Thirty years ago it was the only production mountain bike which you could walk into a bike shop and order. How the Stumpjumper has evolved since that steel framed bike. You never knew a mountain bike could be this quick till Specialized matched their Stumpjumper full carbon frame with 29" wheels.

29ers
The word from the USA is that hardtails and XC dual suspension bikes with 29 inch tyres (AKA 29ers) are beginning to outsell mountain bikes with traditional 26 inch tyres. Here’s why.

Pros:

• Bigger tyres offer more cushioning and better traction.
• Momentum gained via the wheels’ greater rotational mass can get you through tough sections that might slow down smaller wheels.
• The benefits of enhanced rotational momentum are especially noticeable on longer rides and when riding uphill.
• A larger wheel makes contact with trail obstacles at a shallower angle. The result is that you float over roots & rocks that you might have once stuttered over.
• Bigger wheels cover the ground quicker once they get up to speed - this is especially noticeable on climbs.
• With over a decade’s experience developing 29”-wheeled MTBs, America’s most progressive bike companies have totally nailed the geometry. 29er’s higher bottom bracket helps you clear obstacles.
• However this bottom bracket will actually be lower in relationship to the wheel hubs so this can make the bike more stable.
• Another advantage of 29er geometry is that even tall riders on larger bikes can enjoy the extra clearance benefits of a frame with a sloping top tube.
• Although the majority of 29ers are hardtails, a number of progressive bike companies are now integrating 29” wheels with full suspension. In fact they have done so with such success, 29er converts will tell you that their 100mm-travel Giant Anthem 29er or their 110mm-travel Specialized Camber 29er can downhill almost as well as a 26”-tyre 140mm-travel trail bike.

Con:

Big (therefore heavier) wheels take more time to get up to speed and they might not be quite as nimble when you have to weave through tight twisty sections.

Specialized