First Ride Review - Specialized Stumpjumper 15 Pro And The Tech That Makes It The Best Yet

[@Emtbtoday]

Love that British racing green with the Kashima

[@MBRmagazine]

Yeah, looks great, right? Not so sure about the textured clear coat tho, as it looks and feels like you’ve spilt your energy drink all over it. 😂

[@big1pedromc]

Bike looks great. Explaining how the shock works really helps for when I get one 😎

[@alexbiketester]

Looks great, analogue bikes are not dead, still lots of innovations coming.

[@mikes.8305]

I’m stoked on this bike. But I can’t wait until this tech comes to the Levo SL lol.

[@MBRmagazine]

Well, the shock on the Stumpy fits straight into the Levo SL, and we can’t wait to try it too.

[@MBRmagazine]

Definitely not dead, but we’re expecting to see the Genie shock tech on lots more models. E-bikes too.

[@alexbiketester]

@@MBRmagazine new ebikes coming hopefully.......

[@mikes.8305]

@@MBRmagazine I’ll try as well. Just built up the stumpy 15.

[@luis77arraiz]

Great review and I really like where Specialized is going with the less progressive kinematics and the Genie shocks. Most people (riders and industry people) believe that more is better when it comes to progression but thats not the case. There is a point of diminishing returns when it gets too progressive and it looses a lot of support. Being able to adjust the main air spring progression and ramp air spring independently is really eye opening. Id love to see the data for the shock on a dyno and actual riding data as well.

[@MBRmagazine]

Hey Luis, the pendulum always swings back to the middle, right? And the kinematic is still progressive, just less so. Overall I was really impressed with the suspension on the new Stumpy, and the shock tech, especially the adjustability. I’ll get my MI data logger on it and see what it spits out. Would be cool to do a back to back with a regular shock. Watch this space

[@luis77arraiz]

Yes progression it’s great, but you can have too much too. I think this bike strikes a good balance of progression, support and good use of the travel. Let’s do some data logging and dyno testing soon 😊

[@gweflj]

By far the best review of this bike. Much better to hear an interview with the design team rather than a reviewer regurgitating a press release.

[@MBRmagazine]

🙏

[@nigelhagley8942]

Best Stumpy 15 review!!!

[@MrDaymien1]

Suspensions is so important its up there with tyre pressure. Air shock adjustability is so cool and the genie will be amazing. Nice bike,

[@MBRmagazine]

Yep, and tyre pressure is part of the suspension system 👍

[@GuyKesTV]

Great talk through and video Al. Totally here for hyping the importance of suspension tuning too, especially now so many frames and sorted in terms of feel and geometry. What's with the lack of cable routing though and did you splatter something all over the paintwork?

[@MBRmagazine]

Hey @@GuyKesTV thanks for the props on the video. Yup, I got so excited about the suspension tuning possibilities, that I totally forgot to mention that the carbon Stumpy 15 frame is wireless transmission only. And with brands like TRP getting involved, it sure looks like it’s all going that way. Can only assume the alloy Stumpy when it comes will have cable routing for a rear derailleur tho!

[@GuyKesTV]

@@MBRmagazine Looking forward to your Stumpy Alloy review then. Are you getting the new Status 170?

[@MBRmagazine]

Would love to test that new Status, but I’ve got 8 SL e-bikes that I’m testing at the mo so I’m time poor! 😅 Will probably get crusher Kirkman on that one!

[@The.JZA.]

I used to have a 2019 Stumpjumper and been riding e-bikes for a couple of years. I’m tempted to get the Expert model so I can have an acoustic bike and e-bike in the garage. I miss my old stumpy.

[@MBRmagazine]

That would be quite the fleet.

[@albertofelix5851]

Get it I have two e bikes Levo gen 3 and Levo SL gen 2 and bought the this stumpy 15 pro so unique no regrets pedals like a hard tail plush like the enduro amazing the x2 grip fork and this genie shock I can’t get off this bike

[@The.JZA.]

@@albertofelix5851 Thanks for the feedback!! I’m 99% convinced haha. I think tomorrow I’ll go into the shop and I may come out with a receipt for a new Stumpjumper (they need to order it in).

[@MBRmagazine]

@@The.JZA.you’re not messing around! Like it

[@The.JZA.]

​@@MBRmagazine Ordered the Stumpy 15 Expert in Gunmetal Grey. Looking forward to trying out this Genie shock! It's interesting when you look at the Stumpy 15 and the Enduro side by side. The new Stumpy frame is VERY similar to the Enduro if you ignore the extra linkage and position of the shock. The Stumpy definitely seems to have inherited some of the burliness of the Enduro while keeping the weight low.

[@adamgroves2811]

That bike looks so sweet but hopefully we don't have to wait too long for the Alloy frame,

[@mikes.8305]

I built one of these up the other day, and I only have one ride. I haven’t dinged the rim, but that loud clank or crunch sounds exactly like my bike on some of the jumps to flat. I think I want to play with the top chamber and see if that need less volume and more ramp.

[@MBRmagazine]

This was definitely something hitting the rim. So I’ll probably put more air in the rear tyre, or swap it out, before messing with the shock.

[@topchoice1621]

I’m not particularly a fan of specialized bikes but this one looks great

[@MBRmagazine]

How come? Is it that you don’t like how they look, how they ride, or that Specialized is a big brand? Just curious.

[@vlbz]

I would love something similar to that shock in a fork. I'm a pretty heavy and strong rider, so have to run a stiff fork for the occasional big hit. On the other hand I'm not too fast, so my setup feels harsh most of the time. This dual chamber stuff sounds like would sort it for me.

[@Emtbtoday]

And was seen on I think your web article one had the shimano cable derailleur

[@MBRmagazine]

That was Matt Hunter’s bike wasn’t it?

[@MBRmagazine]

Hunter has been in Shimano for years, so he probably had to drill some holes in this frame. 😂

[@kentao4]

Great review. My question is: does it absolutely pedal better than the previous regular stumpy? If so, how much better on the scale from epic evo to regular ‘21-‘23 stumpy? I’m 6’2” 220 and the bikes I’ve had are either not fun at all to pedal or not enough travel. I need a great mix of both. I’ve had 2019 lt stumpy- not fun on single track for me 2021 epic evo. Fun but needed a BIT more travel for when I’d take it to more demanding trails. 2022 stumpy evo- pedals better than 2019 stumpy but still heavy and sluggish. Considering the 15, current epic evo and 2023 reg stumpy pro. I can only have one bike. Which is best for “I can go to the bike park and do a few fun things but mostly I’ll be pedaling single track with moderate technical climbs because that’s what’s close?”

[@The.JZA.]

That shock looks amazing. Simple but genius. Or should I say... Genie-us....

[@Doty6String]

What a location for that bike stand. My word

[@YanDoroshenko]

The only question is how much Fox will charge for the red bands and how quickly are they going out of stock everywhere.

[@MBRmagazine]

Clip on bands for Float X2 shocks are about £10-15 for 3, so likely the same price for these.

[@MBRmagazine]

We were given a kit with the bike that included the offset headset cup and all of the volume spacers for the Genie shock, so hopefully they come with the bike.

[@SuperRobbro]

Yea, absolutely.. totally..

[@michaelwatts6122]

What are benefits of the Genie shock vs a progressive suspension kinematic?

[@The.JZA.]

Genie is essentially a two-stage air spring so it is very plush in the first 70% and then sudden ramp up in last 30%. A progressive kinematic can sort of achieve the same thing but you can't make it go from low progression to a sudden step to high progression. If I could sketch it on a graph it would be easier to understand but just know that a progressive kinematic will have a gradual ramp up in force/mm of travel whereas a two-stage air spring will have a low gradient for the first 70% and then suddenly a steep gradient for the final 30%. This can also be coupled with a progressive kinematic to give an overall very plush suspension in the main "working range" (0-70%) where 90% of riding occurs and then in the 10% where things get rowdy, the suspension firms up quickly to prevent bottom out. It's simple and genius really. Or should I say Genie-us....

[@TheNationalTrails]

Genie-arly

[@MBRmagazine]

Nice one!

[@vin374]

The POV part of the video looks sped up LOL

[@MBRmagazine]

We can assure you that it isn’t. That trail is rapid.

[@MBRmagazine]

@GoPro Hero 12, HyperView, 30fps chest mount, no trickery required! Haha

[@jasonpatrickdeleon4701]

Can you review dartmoor rocbird 2024 thanks

[@MBRmagazine]

We don’t normally do test-requests, but we’ll look into it. Thanks

[@jasonpatrickdeleon4701]

@@MBRmagazine thank you, greetings from Philippines

[@MBRmagazine]

Thanks Jason

[@dfathatgmx]

I don't understand the hype, just another overpriced mountain bike

[@MBRmagazine]

Maybe we should do an explainer video talking through the tech behind the hype? 🤔😂

[@The.JZA.]

Overpriced? It's a premium product. There are cheaper bikes on the market if you prioritize cheap over premium. It's like buying a Nissan vs an Audi. They both achieve the goal of getting you from A to B but the Audi does it in luxury and style. A cheaper bike (say an Alloy Stumpjumper from previous generation) will probably perform 90% as well as this expensive bike but if you are passionate about bikes, have the money and desire a premium bike that looks awesome, has a tonne of high end features (adjustable suspension with the best dampers and stiff + light chasses, carbon frame with tuned stiffness for performance and compliance, great brakes to stop you even when things are getting heated etc) then buy it.

[@jasonpatrickdeleon4701]

Can you review dartmoor rocbird 2024 thanks