Our Stumpjumper has never really fit the mould of a normal trail bike, nor restricted itself to a specific type of off-road riding. It’s a jack of all trades, a monster on the dirt and a machine that’s ready to take your mountain biking to the next level.
As we head closer towards sunnier summer and the promise of longer daylight hours, it’s about time we started to prepare for whole weekends spent ragging the local trails. To do that, you’re going to need a proper trail-blazing bike – here’s why that bike should be one of our Stumpjumpers…
Three different versions
The Stumpjumper is renowned for its versatility, able to crush just about any trail you can throw it down. That’s because there are three different iterations of the Stumpjumper: standard, ST (short travel) and EVO, all with their own unique capabilities to help you master your local trails.
The standard Stumpjumper is based on the classic design that you all know and love, a fast and planted bike that zips across rough ground with an unparalleled level of assured confidence. The ST is a little different, decreasing the amount of travel slightly to make a snappier and nimbler machine, built to navigate tough and technical cross-country courses. The EVO, on the other hand, is our super-slack and hard-hitting Stumpjumper, specifically designed to crush enduro and gravity trails.
The stiffest Stumpjumper yet
Okay, we admit it, there was room for improvement in the stiffness department on our previous Stumpjumper model. That’s why we developed our own unique mountain bike-specific stiffness testing system alongside the new Stumpjumper, all in a quest for super-stiffness.
We think we’ve just about hit ultimate stiffness with our new design – it is, after all, our stiffest Stumpjumper yet. This new-found stiffness largely comes from our all-new Sidearm frame design which connects all three mounting points of the rear-end shock to the frame, meaning that there is a significant increase in stiffness on even the gnarliest of trails.
The new Sidearm design also allows for the rear suspension to do its thing without any interference from frame flex. It’s a radical design modification, but one that’s so efficient in its use of material that we’ve been able to shed weight from the overall frame without compromising performance.
Putting you, the rider, first
Like many of our new road machines, the new Stumpjumper has also been given our unique Rider-First Engineering treatment. This treatment ensures that every frame size is optimised for performance on the trail with no variation relating to different dimensions. Smaller frames are no stiffer nor more responsive than their larger counterparts, each frame carries the exact same super-stiffness and nimble responsiveness.
Sweet spot suspension
We’re still working on the FSR suspension design, but after two decades trying to perfect it, we’re pretty confident that this is the best version yet. We’ve further refined the angles and geometry of the design, meaning that there’s a lot less reliance on the rear shock damper. This makes the bike nimble and supple over small bumps, but doesn’t lessen its ability over the bigger stuff thanks to a firm mid-stroke and exceptional bottom-out support.
We’ve also added our nifty little Rx Tune device to the Stumpjumper, keeping it in the suspension sweet spot and landing it plum in the middle of the adjustment spectrum, meaning that everyone can fine-tune their own suspension to suit their riding style. The women’s Rx Tune does exactly the same thing, but just operates at a lower pressure to account for typically lighter women’s bodies.
Adjust your ride on the go
The new Stumpjumper features a handy flip chip in the swing-arm, which when flipped, changes the bottom bracket height by 6mm and the head tube angle by half a degree.
These might sound like minute changes, but just flipping the Stumpjumper from its ‘high’ to ‘low’ geometry setting will make it feel a whole lot slacker. This feature is therefore perfect for when you encounter rough rock gardens and need a more confident and planted ride feel.
Customise your ride
Everyone wants a unique bike, one that no other person in the world is riding. We understand that, which is why we’ve used standard stroke and eye-to-eye metric shocks, giving you the option to swap them out and replace them with any aftermarket shocks that you desire.
We’ve also done away with the pesky PF30 bottom bracket and gone back to a threaded BB system, making it easier for you to customise your machine and make it truly unique. There’s also now room to fit tyres of up to 3” wide, so go crazy and try out all the different combinations possible to find your perfect ride.
A wealth of added features
The devil is in the details when it comes to a trail bike, with the small details often making it the beast that it is. On our Stumpjumper we’ve got a wealth of added features that make the bike an absolute dream to ride and maintain.
Full guide tubes are now run throughout the frame, making internal cable servicing a lot easier than ever before. We’ve also added a new chainstay protector that virtually silences the drivetrain and makes chain slap a thing of the past. And then there’s the SWAT™ Down Tube Storage box; it’s lighter and sleeker than before but boasts a massive 20% more volume, which is more than enough room to store a spare tube, multitool and emergency snack.
A bike for every budget
Not all of us share the same budget when it comes to buying a new trail bike, that’s why we’ve got several different models of each Stumpjumper. From the top-of-the-range S-Works with the best components that money can buy, to the entry-level Comp with cheaper yet incredibly reliable components, there’s a model for just about everyone.
Each Stumpjumper is also available in women’s specific model, giving everyone the chance to find their perfect trail-blazing bike.
If our new Stumpjumper sounds like the bike for you, be sure to view our entire range here. If you’re still on the fence about it, why not pop in to one of our stores and try it out for yourself – our friendly team will be more than happy to help.
