Specialized Stumpjumper Evo Review

Photo: theloamwolf.com

Overview:

New for 2021, Specialized have released an updated version of their Stumpjumper Evo, this time with 150 mm of travel. Unlike the normal Stumpjumper, this bike has continued the trend of a horst link suspension design, as it’s made to handle everything from xc loops to the bike park. I rode this bike for 3 days on some of the biggest climbs, best flow trails, and gnarliest jank that southern California has to offer.

Climbing:

This has got to be the best climbing 150 mm bike I’ve ever ridden, surpassing even the Transition Sentinel and the Yeti Sb150. There was basically no pedal bob, and this bike really shined on some of the steeper sprints that caught me on the Sentinel. Overall, this is basically a flawless climber due to its travel numbers and uphill performance.

Descending:

The stumpy is a very capable bike on the steep and techy stuff. I took this thing down some Laguna steeps that I crashed on last year, only to find it was no problem aboard this bike with its 29 inch wheels and super modern geometry. However, in order to get decent performance on the jumps, I had to mess around a lot with the suspension. I found that when I made the necessary changes for jumps and flowy terrain, the bike felt extremely rough on the tech trails and only half descent in the air. Overall, this bike requires a lot of adjusting if you plan on riding different types of terrain.

Verdict:

The Specialized Stumpjumper Evo is a great bike for the person who spends long days in the saddle, seeks out the gnarliest trails, and maybe wants to do a bit of enduro racing. However, if you plan on hitting jumps or jibbing around your local trails, this bike is not for you.