When I was lucky enough to get the Epic Evo a year and a half ago it was like something I’d been waiting for for a while. I’ve been keeping an eye on the plastic full squish bikes for a little while. I’d even had a few which were good, but underwhelming. Then came the Epic Evo, and it was all the things I’d been waiting for on a full suspension bike. I realize I never fully posted about that bike…maybe I’ll do that soon since it’s kind of my favorite, but…this is about the newness….the new Stumpjumper.
Over the past year I’ve spent a lot more time riding the EE (Epic Evo) and it’s been a ton of fun. I miss my single speed sometimes but the squish, the difference, all the things have been pretty cool. I’ve also been riding more with some friends on FS bikes, all my rides are time crunched, and the commute back and forth the trails is flat, which is no Buenos on the SS geared for Pisgah. Also, honestly, I like all the bikes and I spend a lot of time on them.
I’ve had this nagging feeling like I’ve been beating up the EE and I’m always curious about a little more travel. I’ve been scheming on how to make a new Stumpjumper feasible. Finally I got to the point I felt like I could make it work and borrowed a bike or two in order to figure sizing. Even with Specialized’s new sizing I’m still firmly between two sizes. I finally settled on the S5, which is bigger than I thought I wanted but has been the right move. I’m also trying to embrace that this is a “trail” bike and not an XC bike so the bigger “proper” size made sense.
The Build
The idea here was to do this relatively budget. I bought the frame/shock new but was going to source most of the other parts from other bikes, my parts stashes, or borrow/buy from friends. That went out the window when the steerer on the fork I had planned on wasn’t long enough for the larger frame. So it’s a pretty nice “budget” build.
- 2022 Stumpjumper Frame S5
- Fox Performance Elite rear Shock
- Fox Factory 34 140 mm Fit4 Fork
- PNW 200 mm Rainier Dropper w/Wolftooth Remote
- XT M8100 Brakes
- Sram X1 Eagle Crank w/32t ring
- 31.8 mm salsa Rustler Bars, 50mm Thomson Stem
- Specialized Henge Saddle
- SLX 12sp shifter/Deore Derailleur
- XT 12 sp Cassette
- Wheels off Stumpy Comp (specialized Rim on Shimano hub) *maybe the least appealing part of this thing
- Maxxis Forekaster Tires (one has already been changed to Eliminator)
It’s a hodgepodge to say the least but for the most part is pretty sweet. The only two parts of the build that I think I notice are the mixmatch in the drivetrain and the wheels. The drivetrain is probably as simple as a new ring or different crank but it works as is. It’s just a little noisier than I think it should be. With that said the Shimano 12sp shifting is really good even with the lower level spec. The wheels, well, these are a lot heavier than I’m used to. However, wheels aren’t cheap, so these’ll do for now.
The Ride
I have ridden it for a few weeks in all kinds of conditions I’m pretty amazed at how well it does everything. I’ve been a big proponent of this size/style bike for a while. With that said I’ve never spent a lot of time on one that I was really happy with, that’s changed now. This thing does all the things really well while still maintaining a different feel and personality from the EE.
Climbing the bike feels very willing. It doesn’t seem to want to wallow back in the travel and keeps you well supported. When things get chunky the traction is there and even with my 175mm cranks (the typical spec is 170mm) I don’t find myself striking the pedals, much even in the more technical areas. It doesn’t quite provide the same urgency to go fast that I feel like the EE does but it’s certainly no slouch. I’ve come to appreciate the support and activeness of the rear end when the going get’s rough.
The bike really excels when you point it downhill. The extra 20 mm of travel front and back become apparent. The bike wants to go and attack those chunky spots. I’m also on a slightly bigger frame than the EE so that has to be considered and it’s noticeable. The Stumpy feels sure footed and ready for me even when I’m not quite ready. It stays up in the travel only diving when necessary. I feel like I’m still learning how to ride it sometimes.
This bike is incredibly versatile and I feel like a lot of the praise I gave it before is fully justified. We have two of them in the house now, Katie’s had one for about a year now. Honestly my only regret in building this bike up is the fact I waited so long.
Final Thoughts
Building a bike up from the frame is so much fun, even when you’re scrounging for parts. It’s a blank canvas that you can make your own. Big thanks to the fellas at Sycamore Cycles for the help figuring out what to go with, being able to get the frame, having the fork in stock, then helping with all the misc stuff you forget about. These guys know how to put a bike together and love helping.
