Specialized Camber Comp Carbon 29 review
All the easy speed of 29er wheels in a user-friendly package
GBP £3,000.00 RRP | AUD $5,799.00 | USD $3,800.00 Skip to view dealsPublished:
Specialized’s Camber 29er has always been a top-rated bike among our testers and the new carbon mainframe takes it up another notch, taking it into the top five bikes in our sister mag What Mountain Bike‘s recent Trail Bike of the Year 2016 shootout.
There are two unique standout innovations. The first is the extra Auto Sag balancing valve on the Fox Float shock, which makes setting the correct pressure a push button piece of pssssst.

Specialized’s Camber Comp Carbon 29 blends mile-munching speed with surprising rough-stuff strengths
But that’s only one facet of the Camber’s outstandingly user-friendly personality. The carbon-framed bike also gets Specialized’s unique SWAT internal storage compartment, accessed through a sealed door under the bottle cage.
As befits the mega-brand it is, the Big S and its minions also supply much of the gear. You get alloy Roval wheels with a 29mm internal width, which provide an incredible profile to the Specialized rubber combo. You also get one of our favourite droppers, Specialized’s Command Post IRcc, and a host of quality finishing kit.

The 130mm-travel Revelation fork can get flexy under heavy loading
Elsewhere there’s the welcome sight of a 1×11 SRAM GX drivetrain, while Shimano’s Deore brakes are a budget but trusty option. A 130mm-travel RockShox Revelation fork rounds out the package and helps impart the Camber with a light, flickable feel.
Surprising aggro capabilities
While the 68.5-degree head angle makes for steering that feels steep and twitchy at first jump, it also keeps the 29er wheels agile and manageable and that hint of nervousness soon melts into the broader experience of what’s an impressively chaos-capable machine. In fact, several of our testers didn’t even realise it was a 29er at all and if you’d rather have smaller wheels there’s a 650b version for the same price.

The SWAT compartment under the bottle cage is one of a series of thoughtful details
The FSR rear suspension is similarly ‘invisible’ from a ride point of view, tracking impeccably over rough trails for consistent traction and comfort. It’s easily firmed up with a flick of the compression lever if you want to push hard on the pedals or drive hard through corners or off hips and lips.
While the Revelation fork flexes noticeably if you’re carving or leaning on the 200mm rotor Deore front brake hard, the low BB and dependable Specialized own brand tyres on broad Roval rims keep the Camber surefooted.
Efficient long-distance ride
Lighter kit choices such as the fork contribute to an impressively low overall weight that makes the Camber an efficient distance machine. Epic rides give you the chance to appreciate details like the size-specific grip diameters, spin-friendly 28t chainring and the shifter-style remote lever on the Specialized Command Post dropper.
In fact, the whole bike reduces fatigue so well it stands a good chance of taking sprint finish wins from under the noses of dedicated XC bikes, but it’ll still buzz the back wheels of longer travel, more aggro bikes on fast, rough descents.

Considering its relatively steep and twitchy front end, the Camber shines on the downhills
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Product Specifications
Product
Name | Camber Comp Carbon 29 |
Brand | Specialized |
Available Sizes | S M L XL |
Weight (kg) | 13.12 |
Saddle | Body Geometry Henge Comp, hollow Cr-Mo rails, 143mm |
Seat Angle | 75 |
Seatpost | Command Post IRcc, cruiser control technology |
Shifters | SRAM GX, 11-speed, trigger |
Stem | Specialized XC, 3D forged alloy, 4-bolt, 6-degree rise |
Trail | 9.7 |
Brake Levers | Shimano BR-M615, hydraulic |
Rear Tyre | Specialized Ground Control, 60TPI, 2Bliss Ready, folding bead, 29x2.3" |
Spoke Type | DT Swiss Industry, stainless |
Bottom Bracket Height (in) | 12.99 |
Chainstays (in) | 17.2 |
Seat Tube (in) | 18.43 |
Standover Height (in) | 29.61 |
Top Tube (in) | 24.13 |
Wheelbase (in) | 45.67 |
Rims | Roval 29, alloy, 29mm inner width, 24/28h |
Rear Shock | FOX Float Performance DPS, AUTOSAG, 205x53mm |
Bottom Bracket | SRAM, PF30, OS press-in bearings, sealed cartridge |
Frame Material | FACT 9m carbon, Trail 29 Geometry |
Brakes | Shimano Deore BR-M506, hydraulic disc, dual piston |
Cassette | SRAM XG-1150, 11-speed, 10-42t |
Chain | KMC X11L, 11-speed, w/ reusable MissingLink |
Cranks | SRAM GX-1000, 11-speed, PF30, 28T X-Sync ring, 94mm BCD spider |
Fork | RockShox Revelation RC3 29, Solo Air spring, 120mm travel |
Fork Offset | 4.6 |
Front Hub | Specialized, Hi Lo disc, sealed cartridge bearings, 15mm thru-axle, 24h |
Rear Hub | Specialized, Hi Lo disc, 4x sealed cartridge bearings, 12mm thru-axle, 28h |
Front Tyre | Specialized Purgatory Control, 60TPI, 2Bliss Ready, folding bead, 29x2.3" |
Grips/Tape | Specialized Sip Grip, light lock-on, half-waffle |
Handlebar | Specialized, butted 6000 alloy - 750mm, 10mm rise |
Head Angle | 68.5 |
Headset Type | Hella Flush |
Pedals | Nylon, CEN std., w/ toe clips |
Rear Derailleur | SRAM GX X Horizon, 11-speed, alloy cage |
Frame size tested | L |