REVIEW: Specialized Stumpjumper 15

It’s about time to talk about bikes – so how about one of the hottest bikes released last year? Specialized released long awaited updates the Stumpjumper, marking a new era of Trail biking for the brand.

Tested Model: Stumpjumper 15 Expert

MSRP: $6000

With an ever-increasing world of longer travel trail bikes that are more and more capable than ever, what did specialized do? Take this trend and apply it to their longest running mountain model, with their own twist of course!

            Now, of course I am biased on the behalf of long travel bikes. They have a special fondness in my heart, and I find them the most fun. But, if there’s a way for someone to take on a longer bike without having to lug it up hills like longer travel bikes do, then I’m all game. The stumpjumper sits perfectly in that niche. It’s no slouch on travel, having 150mm of front travel and 145mm of rear, sitting solidly on the longer end of trail bikes. Despite this, it still climb’s remarkably well. The suspension platform that it’s built on, which ill touch on later, is the perfect blend of supportive on climbs and active on the downs.

            Speaking of the downs, this bike rips. Something that has been figured about these long travel trail bikes is that adding a little travel to an already efficient and quick bike makes for something that eats downhills like nothing else. The pedaling efficiency makes it great under sprints or flat sections of descents, while it’s travel eats up big hits or rough rocks. Taken up to somewhere like copper harbor, it is perfect for climbing east bluff and charging back down over anything, from citrus tech to flo’rion.

Now, the interesting part about the Stumpjumper 15 is what specialized did with the suspension. They designed it with way too much of a linear feel. For those who don’t know, suspension can be linear or progressive. Linear feels the same through the entire travel, so it is very predictable, but can be harsh on the end of the travel due to not enough support. Linear ramps up support the more travel you use, so it gets harder as you go through the travel. Progressiveness is less predictable, but usually is more supportive in general. Coil shocks are more linear, and air is progressive. However, specialized took this a step further to counteract the linear feel of the linkage – with the new genie shock. It features a outer air chamber that rapidly increases progressiveness in the bottom half of the travel. This leads to a very linear, predictable feel for small hits, or climbing, but has more support than a traditional air shock on big hits. The only downside? The two models without genie don’t get this benefit, and instead just ride as a normal, linear feeling bike.

            Overall, the stumpjumper is the perfect bike for someone who loves to charge, but doesn’t want the bulk of a full enduro bike. The genie models have some of the best suspension on the market, but the models without may fall short of the incredible feel.

Happy Adventuring!

-Peter