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Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Expert EVO – First ride review

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$3900

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Familiar Stumpjumper looks conceal serious trail capabilities

BikeRadar verdict

4.5 out of 5 stars

"Familiar Stumpjumper looks conceal serious trail capabilities. We like it"

6 comments
Tue 30 Nov 2010, 8:00 am GMTBy

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Among the many new bikes that Specialized launched back in August were the particularly interesting EVO models. These are tweaked and tuned versions of existing Specialized bikes, which have been beefed up to boost their abilities. It’s exactly the kind of thing that people do with their own bikes, only Specialized can change frames as well as parts.

Since the 140mm-travel (5.5in) Stumpjumper FSR came along, people have been wanting a model with slacker angles and bigger tyres. If you’re one of them, wait no more…

Ride & handling: Pumped-up Stumpjumper FSR really delivers on the trail

The Stumpjumper EVO is a real trail tamer. The revised geometry gives it a mini-downhill-bike feel, but with a steep seat angle, adjustable seatpost, twin-ring transmission setup and reasonable weight, it’s ready to ride all day.

While regular Stumpys are fitted with Specialized’s inertia-valve BRAIN shock, the EVO gets a custom Fox RP23 instead. While the BRAIN is a pretty clever bit of kit, it’s never found favour with riders who like to work the trails – and the bike – to get the most out of them, so doing without it should be a popular move.

The custom Fox shock features a kind of reversed ProPedal lever. Instead of the three-position dial controlling the amount of platform damping when the lever’s on, here the dial controls what happens when it’s off. Effectively you have a fixed compression setting for climbing, and three low-speed compression settings for descending.

If you want to point and shoot, leaving it fully open will deliver maximum plushness. But if you like to work the trail, launching off roots and lips, a firmer setting will give the bike a little bit of ‘pop’ to help things along.

Frame & equipment: More travel with custom tuned shock, plus big tyres and adjustable seatpost

The EVO has a little more travel than the regular Stumpjumper FSR – up 5mm to 145mm (5.7in) at the back, up 10mm to 150mm (5.9in) at the front thanks to a Fox F150RL QR15 fork – but that’s not what makes such a difference to the bike’s capability.

While it may closely resemble the standard Stumpy, the EVO’s M5 aluminium frame is unique to it, with revised geometry and some extra features. The key change is that the head angle has been knocked back to 67 degrees. It also has a slightly lower bottom bracket, and ISCG mounts that aren’t found on the regular bike.

Choose the Stumpy EVO as your weapon and you’ll get a bunch of good stuff, such as the custom SRAM carbon cranks with 24/36t chainrings and a bashguard. You also get Roval Traverse wheels with 26mm wide rims.

Specialized’s Command Post is a remote adjustable seatpost with three positions – right up, slightly down and way down. The release lever is integrated into the inboard locking collar on one of the grips (you can run it either side).

What's the score with BikeRadar reviews? You can find a full explanation of our ratings here.

Manufacturers description

More travel and meatier spec on the EVO allows this Stumpjumper FSR to blur the lines between fast & flowy XC trail and more technical all-mountain riding.

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User Reviews

There are 6 reviews on this post

Showing 1 - 6 of 6 comments

  • An even lower BB despite most Spesh BBs being far too low as standard?

  • Gotta sell my Zesty 714 and get this one !!!! So long carbon frames !!

  • Almost like a resurrection of the classic 2005-2006 Enduro. Specialized seemed to dumb down the Enduro when they switched to the SL design and never got their mojo back. Looks awesome

  • So the BB is lower, normal stumpy 335, EVO stumpy 338.

    Whoops!

  • first ride out today changing from a 2008 trance x1.

    Evo desends better and climbs better than the trance but with few points.

    Descending you have to keep the pedals level or you be hitting them on every little root - never had this problem on the trance - but once i adabted my foot work it was fine.

    Climbing you need to lock out everything, the non-travel adjustable 150mm fork makes the bike want to wheelie on technical climbs, even when sat on the nose of the saddle trying to push the front down. unlocked i reckon the trance is a bettter climber but locked the spesh takes it due to the lower overall weight.

    on a little side note my trance has a travel adjustable revelation if i was to take into account this then the trance is a better technical climber with the fork wound down. Why spesh didnt spec some sort of travel adjustment to the fork i dont know - probably cost - but that would have sorted 1 of the only issues this bike has.

  • just an update. spesh really should have put a travel adjustable fork for technical climbing on this bike.

    Down hill it rocks but the climbing gets steep and technical its not as much fun - though all the reviews i read did point this out - going to try putting a slightly longer stem on it to get more weight over the front for climbing, hopefully this shouldn't effect the DH ability much.

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Specification

Name:
Stumpjumper FSR Expert EVO (11)
Built by:
Specialized
Price:
$3900.00

Available Sizes:
L, L, L, L, L, L, L, L, L, L, L, L, M, M, M, M, M, M, M, M, M, M, M, M, M, M, L, M, L, XL, S, S, S, S, S, S, S, S, S, S, S, S, M, S, M, L, S, M, L, XL, S, M, L, XL, S, M, L, S, M, L, XL, S, L, M, L, L, XL, XL, XL, XL, XL, XL, XL, S, S, M, S, M, L, S, M, L, XL, S, M, L, XL, S, M, L, XL, S, M, L, XL, M, L, M, L, XL, M, L, XL, S, M, L, S, M, L, XL, S, M, L, XL, S, M, L, XL

Frame & Fork:

 
Frame Material:
M5 manipulated alloy w/ ORE TT/DT, EVO geometry, tapered HT, alloy PF30 BB, ISCG 05, sealed cartridge bearing pivots, link extension for shock, replaceable derailleur hanger, 145mm travel
Fork Model:
Fox F150 RL, air spring, tapered alloy HT, reb adj., LO, 15mm thru-axle, 150mm travel
Headset Type:
1-1/8 and 1.5" Threadless, Campy style upper with 1.5" lower, cartridge bearings

Geometry:

 
Seat Angle:
70.5 Degrees
Head Angle:
67 Degrees

Brakes:

 
Brakes Model:
Custom Avid Elixir CR SL, hydraulic disc, pad contact & reach adj., alloy backed semi-metallic pads, stainless hardware

Transmission:

 
Cranks Model:
Custom SRAM Carbon S-2200, 10-speed AM double, PF-30, removeable spider, Gamut shift guide, S: 170mm, others: 175mm
Bottom Bracket Model:
SRAM PF-30, OS press-in bearing, sealed cartridge
Rear Derailleur Model:
SRAM X.0, 10-speed, mid cage
Front Derailleur Model:
SRAM X.7, 10-speed, S1 direct mount for DMD, bottom pull
Shifters Model:
SRAM X.9, 10-speed, aluminum trigger
Chain Model:
KMC X10, 10-speed, w/ reuseable Missing Link, nickel plates
Cassette:
Shimano HG81, 10-speed, 11-36t

Wheels:

 
Rims Model:
Roval Traverse AL, alloy disc, 26mm, 27/32h
Front Hub Model:
Roval Traverse AL, alloy disc, 15mm thru axle, 27h
Rear Hub Model:
Roval Traverse AL, alloy cassette body by DT Swiss, QR, 32h

Contact Points:

 
Saddle Model:
Specialized BG Henge Comp, hollow Cr-Mo rails, 143mm width
Seatpost Model:
Specialized Command Post, 3 position, 125mm adjustable height w/air spring, remote operated, single bolt head
Stem Model:
Specialized XC, 3D forged alloy, 4-bolt, 31.8mm clamp, adjustable rise
Handlebar Model:
Specialized Enduro low-rise bar, 7050 alloy, 720mm wide, 8 degree backsweep, 6 degree up, 31.8mm

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