All-New Specialized Stumpjumper

Stumpjumper History

In 1981 Specialized launched the first Stumpjumper. The Stumpjumper was able to build the excitement of mountain biking and help carry the industry to what it is today. Starting as a rigid, steel frame bike with 26 inch wheels the Specialized Stumpjumper started as a very basic bike in the eyes of a modern day cyclist but revolutionary for the time. However, it’s not 1981 anymore and the engineering behind the modern mountain bikes today has advanced to a new standard. The new Stumpjumper is a clear indication of advancement and is the reason why it continues to be Specialized’s most popular model. 

The Previous Stumpjumper

In 2021 Specialized launched the most current line of Stumpjumpers which has 140mm of suspension in the front and 130mm in the rear, a perfect trail bike for most riders. Providing optimal efficiency on the climbs and enough suspension on the downhills to hold traction and keep the rider on the bike when the terrain gets rough. However as mountain biking has grown, so has the terrain that riders want to enjoy. This is what prompted Specialized to engineer the Stumpjumper EVO, boasting more suspension travel with 160mm in the front and 150mm in the rear, a slacker head tube with adjustable headset cups to allow the head tube angle to be adjusted to appeal to more riding styles. Along with a flip chip to swap the bike into a high or low position. But why include the flip-chips and headset cups? The answer is adjustability, the ability to turn a longer travel trail bike into almost a full enduro race bike by unscrewing a few bolts is something that was unheard of even 5 years ago. Now three years later, Specialized has had plenty of time to redesign and adapt to modern trail standards. Right on time for their 50th anniversary. 

The New Stumpjumper

Why have one mountain bike when you can have two? In the 2025 Stumpjumpers case, you only need one. With 150mm in the front and 145mm in the rear, Specialized has molded the Stumpjumper and Stumpjumper EVO together to make one fantastic do it all trail/all-mountain bike. But what makes it shine, what makes it better than the increasingly large field of bikes in this travel range. After having a chance to ride the Stumpjumper my largest takeaways was the stellar climbing performance combined with a snappy personality and great performance from the new Fox Genie shock. 

Modern mountain bikes, especially bikes in this range have moved towards a slacker and longer trend which often sacrifices overall maneuverability and increases downhill performance. The Stumpjumper keeps the ability to have a slacker headtube angle whilst having a shorter wheelbase to keep the bike maneuverable and make it easier to get up on the rear wheel. This playful nature makes this bike incredibly fun, snappy and easy to get out of sticky situations but it also is able to be adjusted into a more slack position with the headset cups and the flip chip in the rear to adjust into the high or low position. Although it comes stock with 29 inch wheels front and rear it has the flexibility to accommodate a 27.5 similar to the Stumpjumper EVO by swapping to the mullet link for an even more maneuverable bike.  

With a Fox 150mm 36 up front (as tested) and the new collaboration between Specialized and Fox in the rear, the suspension feels capable as ever while still having the efficiency to make climbs feel like nothing. But what's the fuss about the new shock? The new Genie shock uses a secondary air chamber to provide more stability and support in the far end of the stroke, having a similar effect to volume spacers. This makes large hits and compressions feel less harsh and more confidence inspiring. After taking this bike off drops and through a few technical sections I was really able to feel this extra cushion and security especially in the deep end of the travel which was very confidence inspiring. 

The rear end gets an overhaul as it removes the sidearm frame design and moves to a design similar to the Levo SL’s. Not only does this provide a symmetrical look but it also allows for a harm free use of a coil shock. Previously coil shocks were not recommended on the Stumpjumper due to the sideload force that is put on the shock and would cause the shock to wear prematurely. This design choice opens up for even more riding styles especially as they will be selling an over-forked build with a 160mm in the front and a coil shock in the rear.

Comparison to the EVO 

I have been on the Stumpjumper EVO for the past two seasons and feel the bike is very efficient on the climbs and felt just as at home on longer cross country rides as it did on gnarly bike park runs. I had the headset in the middle position while I had the rear flip chip in the low position and I felt it was perfect for most conditions. Although I used this bike for more enduro riding, I always felt like I could take it anywhere and be fine. The new Stumpjumper keeps the capability of the EVO but increases the overall efficiency significantly. The overall geometry of the new Stumpjumper is nearly identical to the current Stumpjumper EVO with 450mm reach and 1219mm wheelbase (Size S3). However the slight reduction in suspension travel makes the new Stumpjumper more playful while still having the same confidence inspiring geometry for when the trail gets rough. The reduction in travel really helps on the uphills, compared to the EVO and the bike climbs significantly better. The new rear shock is very confidence inspiring in the way that I did not feel like I was riding a shorter travel bike.

Specialized’s choice to combine the Stumpjumper EVO and Stumpjumper together into one model was an excellent choice to create a platform that any rider will excel on no matter their skill or riding style, while still keeping the stellar traits of both models. 

Consensus

As modern cycling engineering has advanced so has the complexity of design, from overwhelming linkages to very slack headtube angles that some people may consider to be extreme. The Specialized Stumpjumper provides a refreshing, simple design while still being extremely capable for a trail bike, a fantastic option for people looking to find a bike that will have you smiling and worry free all ride. If you are interested in purchasing a new Stumpjumper feel free to reach out to one of our experts both online or in person.