{"id":126249,"date":"2016-04-27T22:43:33","date_gmt":"2016-04-27T20:43:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/?p=126249"},"modified":"2016-04-28T06:50:56","modified_gmt":"2016-04-28T04:50:56","slug":"tested-specialized-stumpjumper-fsr-expert-650b","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/en\/tested-specialized-stumpjumper-fsr-expert-650b\/","title":{"rendered":"[Tested] Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Expert 650b"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[ad3] For over 25 years now, the most iconic bike in the Specialized lineup has been the Stumpjumper. \u00a0Since its inception, the Stumpy has always been the Morgan Hill brand&#8217;s most honest interpretation of and the ultimate trail bike. \u00a0Nowadays there are divisions upon subdivisions in how we categorize the modern mountain bike. \u00a0If we were to get nerdy and technical, at 150mm of travel front and rear, the 650b version of the Stumpjumper (it&#8217;s also available with 135mm travel and 29&#8243; wheels) would fall somewhere between &#8220;All Mountain&#8221; and &#8220;Enduro&#8221; categories. \u00a0To be honest, we try to analyze a bike and rate its intended purpose using far more factors than just rear wheel travel. \u00a0After all, bikes these days come in various shapes and sizes; with the recent surge of highly capable short travel 29&#8243; bikes, it has become increasingly difficult to judge a book by it&#8217;s cover. \u00a0It&#8217;s also a bit ridiculous to pigeon hole a bike and marginalize it to one\u00a0category over another simply based off of a few millimeters. \u00a0Bike industry rant aside, let&#8217;s see if the Stumpy is still the ultimate trail bike.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_126265\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-126265\" style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/DSC_0377.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-126265 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/DSC7552.jpg\" alt=\"_DSC7552\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1065\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/DSC7552.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/DSC7552-750x499.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-126265\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Short chainstays, a low bottom bracket, sub-28 lbs and the ability to completely forget about wearing a hydration pack on your daily ride. Certainly off to a good start.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Details &amp; Features<\/h3>\n<p>Perhaps the most notable feature of the latest Stumpjumper is the addition of SWAT to the frames. \u00a0SWAT is the Specialized answer to the hydration pack; as of a couple years ago, the brand began designing apparel that had built in storage(<strong>S<\/strong>torage <strong>W<\/strong>ater <strong>A<\/strong>ir <strong>T<\/strong>ools). \u00a0Now, mainly in the form of a removable door which the bottle cage bolts onto, we see a great deal of storage in the Stumpjumper&#8217;s downtube. \u00a0It&#8217;s nice and low in the frame so as not to negatively affect the handling.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_126257\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-126257\" style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/DSC7552.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-126257 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Untitled11.jpg\" alt=\"Untitled1\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1067\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Untitled11.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Untitled11-750x500.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-126257\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Clockwise from left : the SWAT door. You can fit a lot in there(more later)&#8230;Top right is a housing for a multi tool and bottom right is a chain tool that is built into the headset cap with storage for a spare link.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Go ahead, fill it up. \u00a0We&#8217;ve seen everything from jackets and burritos, to soft flasks and paraphernalia stuffed inside of this downtube. \u00a0To give you an honest gauge of storage capability, we\u00a0managed to fit\u00a0the following items in at\u00a0once in Downieville: Keys, spare tube, lightweight jacket, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/en\/tested-dynaplug-tire-repair-plugs\/\">DynaPlug<\/a>, CO2 &amp; head, tire lever. \u00a0With water in your bottle, the only things you&#8217;d need to carry on your body are a snack, your phone and wallet &#8211; at least for your daily rides. \u00a0That&#8217;s massively advantageous if you hate having a big sweaty pack on your back. \u00a0It&#8217;s also really nice to not have to fuss with packing a bag each time you ride; you just grab your bike and leave. \u00a0More quality time and you&#8217;ll never have an &#8220;damnit, I forgot my multi tool&#8221; moment&#8230;<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_126258\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-126258\" style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/DSC7552.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-126258 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/DSC_0074.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_0074\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1067\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/DSC_0074.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/DSC_0074-750x500.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-126258\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Specialized include two rolls to keep everything quiet. There is a hand pump in the small one under the tube. \u00a0The larger one has a long tab to make it easy to reach.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_126252\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-126252\" style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/DSC7552.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-126252 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Untitled4.jpg\" alt=\"Untitled4\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1067\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Untitled4.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Untitled4-750x500.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-126252\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">No stone left unturned : Clockwise from left : Downtube guard, sleek internal cable routing and lots of tire clearance.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_126264\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-126264\" style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Untitled3.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-126264 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Untitled3.jpg\" alt=\"Untitled3\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1067\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Untitled3.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Untitled3-750x500.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-126264\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">FSR yoke and linkage.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Geometry<\/h3>\n<p>With regards to geometry, the Stumpjumper initially came off as a bit of a mixed bag. \u00a0420mm chainstays and a 335mm bottom bracket had us throwing up the hell horns, but we sighed\u00a0a bit when we took note of\u00a0the rather conservative 67\u00ba head angle and shortish\u00a0618mm top tube(size Large)<\/p>\n<p>In afterthought, we realized that the numbers were carefully chosen and echoed of the classic Stumpy genes from\u00a0the last 25 years. \u00a0The Stumpjumper has never been\u00a0a bike that prematurely dove onto trends. \u00a0It has always been a <em>modern classic. \u00a0<\/em>This bike is no exception yet it adds\u00a0remarkable improvements to the user experience with SWAT. \u00a0While we get excited to ride other bikes with the same travel featuring more aggressive numbers like a 65\u00ba head angle as opposed to the Stumpy&#8217;s moderate 67\u00ba, \u00a0we are aware that wild numbers like that may not be ideal for the working man&#8217;s trail bike on the average\u00a0trail network.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-26-at-4.03.53-PM.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-128425\" src=\"http:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-26-at-4.03.53-PM.png\" alt=\"Screen Shot 2016-04-26 at 4.03.53 PM\" width=\"1342\" height=\"1272\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-26-at-4.03.53-PM.png 1342w, https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-26-at-4.03.53-PM-750x711.png 750w, https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-26-at-4.03.53-PM-1161x1100.png 1161w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1342px) 100vw, 1342px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-26-at-4.04.26-PM.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-128424\" src=\"http:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-26-at-4.04.26-PM.png\" alt=\"Screen Shot 2016-04-26 at 4.04.26 PM\" width=\"1348\" height=\"1226\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-26-at-4.04.26-PM.png 1348w, https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-26-at-4.04.26-PM-750x682.png 750w, https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-26-at-4.04.26-PM-1209x1100.png 1209w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1348px) 100vw, 1348px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3>Specs<\/h3>\n<p>Upon first glance of the Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Expert, you&#8217;ll quickly realize that the product managers&#8217; intentions were clear : this is the bread and butter\u00a0bike in the lineup.\u00a0\u00a0You can certainly drop major\u00a0coin on the flagship S-Works Stumpy and upgrade to carbon fiber seatstays amongst other things, or on the other end of the spectrum, spend $2,100 less and still receive some of the most attractive features. \u00a0All in all, this is the model with the best value. \u00a0Carbon cranks, proven Shimano XT brakes, a custom tuned Fox shock with Autosag, a SRAM 11 speed drivetrain with a Specialized in house chainguide. \u00a0For this price you won&#8217;t see carbon wheels, but\u00a0the aluminum Roval Traverse Fattie wheelset is\u00a0mighty impressive. \u00a0It&#8217;s hard to find any sort of shortcoming in this bike&#8217;s build. \u00a0If we had to nit pick, we&#8217;d opt for a better bar\/stem combo but that&#8217;s really reaching for something to complain about. \u00a0No pun intended.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_126261\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-126261\" style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-126261 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/DSC7565.jpg\" alt=\"_DSC7565\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1065\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/DSC7565.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/DSC7565-750x499.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-126261\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">SRAM 11 speed drivetrain with carbon cranks. Not bad. The 30T chainring is a bit small for 650b wheels, but it&#8217;s easy to swap to 32T and those negotiating huge climbs may appreciate it.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_126259\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-126259\" style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/DSC7550.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-126259 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Untitled21.jpg\" alt=\"Untitled2\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1067\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Untitled21.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Untitled21-750x500.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-126259\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Typically SRAM and Shimano don&#8217;t play nice together, but Specialized spec their own Command post IRcc which has better lever than the RockShox Reverb anyway.\u00a0The controls\u00a0are dialed but long limbed riders who frequent steep terrain may lament the lack of a 150mm travel seatpost option from Specialized. That said, the 125mm option will suit 90% of the riders out there.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>On the Trail<\/h3>\n<p>So, how did this modern classic treat us? \u00a0Starting with <strong>fit<\/strong>, our 6 foot tall, long limbed tester was a bit cramped on the size large. \u00a0Based off of numbers alone, an XL would be a bit too much bike and we weren&#8217;t too keen on running a longer 70mm stem. \u00a0It&#8217;s not a huge deal to be between sizes, but just know that the bike runs small and if you&#8217;re looking for a long\u00a0stretched out feel, you&#8217;ll want to size up. \u00a0One thing that we did to stretch out a bit on the bike was to opt for a wider bar(780mm). \u00a0We liked the sweep and rise of the stock handlebar, but along with things like grips and saddles, we have our preferences just like any other rider.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-126256\" src=\"http:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/DSC_0143.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_0143\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1067\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/DSC_0143.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/DSC_0143-750x500.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/>Aside from that, we felt right at home with short chainstays and a low bottom bracket. \u00a0Both of these factors help to encourage\u00a0excellent behavior in the corners, the former making it easier to snap the rear end around and latter helping to improve traction with a low center of mass. \u00a0Riders in super rocky areas may have a bit of a hard time with a 335mm BB and might\u00a0consider 170mm cranks. \u00a0A better low cost option is\u00a0upping the travel of the fork to 160mm with a simple air spring swap. \u00a0This should yield about a 4mm increase in pedal clearance and will slacken the bike out a touch as well.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-126262\" src=\"http:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/DSC_0137.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_0137\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1067\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/DSC_0137.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/DSC_0137-750x500.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>With regards to <strong>climbing<\/strong>, the Stumpy was plenty efficient kinematically speaking. \u00a0The FSR design has been around for a long time\u00a0and has proven to be a great design. \u00a0The 30 tooth front chainring made it incredibly easy to motor up just about anything. \u00a0Stronger riders may want to opt for a 32 or 34 tooth but it all comes down to preference. \u00a0In terms of how the bike&#8217;s geometry played in, the head tube and seat tube angles are well aligned to distribute your weight forward on the\u00a0climbs and make them a bit easier. \u00a0With that in mind, the super short stays will leave you searching for a touch more traction in the steepest of climbs. \u00a0A small price to pay for how alive they make the bike feel in corners.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/DSC_0196.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-126260\" src=\"http:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/DSC_0196.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_0196\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1067\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/DSC_0196.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/DSC_0196-750x500.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">Speaking of <strong>cornering<\/strong>, this bike flat out rips&#8230;for the most part. \u00a0It really shines in the flat turns and low speed technical corners as well as switchbacks. \u00a0After all, it&#8217;s a classic trail bike &#8211; it should. \u00a0The aluminum rear end is plenty stiff and the rubber protective molding keeps it quiet. \u00a0Those looking for a mega premium ride can upgrade to carbon seatstays with the Stumpy S-Works, but it&#8217;s doubtful that anyone could discern between the two frames in a blind test. \u00a0The takeaway point is that the aluminum construction makes sense out back for durability&#8217;s sake, and helps afford a rad spec at a lower price. \u00a0The carbon front triangle does a great job and muting trail chatter while providing a stiff, resilient ride throughout. \u00a0When you stop and think about it, it&#8217;s quite a marvel\u00a0that Specialized engineered a carbon layup\u00a0that rides this well yet provides all that storage inside the front end.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>As far as the <strong>components<\/strong> are concerned, the Butcher\/Purgatory tire combo was fast rolling but kept us in control in a wide range of terrain. \u00a0The Pike fork is was stellar; we opted to run 3 volume reducers to give us a nice bottomless feel on the big hits without sacrificing compliance on the small bumps. \u00a0A SRAM 11 speed drivetrain and Shimano XT brakes speak for themselves as your workhorse gearing\/braking options. \u00a0While we enjoyed the Command post and found it to perform flawlessly, at times wished for the full infinite adjustment and a longer travel option.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-126253\" src=\"http:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/DSC7560.jpg\" alt=\"_DSC7560\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1065\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/DSC7560.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/DSC7560-750x499.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">The Stumpy is spry and light on its feet, but it&#8217;s not a monster truck that will blow you away when things get super burly. \u00a0Don&#8217;t take that the wrong way, while\u00a0extremely capable at <strong>descending<\/strong>, it&#8217;s more of an every day steed\u00a0than some offerings on the market. \u00a0Bikes like the Yeti SB6C or the Evil Insurgent feature the same amount of travel but are designed(and inherently marketed) much <del>differently<\/del> more aggressively. \u00a0The short front end and somewhat conservative head angle keep it snappy and quick in most mixed\u00a0terrain, but when things start to approach big bike territory, it begins to pucker slightly. \u00a0Specialized doesn&#8217;t leave you high and dry though, a 200mm front rotor helps keep things under control at higher speeds and on steep terrain. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-126266\" src=\"http:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/DSC_0377.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_0377\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1067\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/DSC_0377.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/DSC_0377-750x500.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">There are things you can do build your Stumpy out on the more aggressive side should you feel the need. \u00a0A 160mm air spring for the fork helps tremendously and cost under $40. \u00a0You could also go as far as swapping the rear shock out for a RockShox Monarch Plus Debonair or a Fox Float X. \u00a0You&#8217;ll lose the Autosag feature on the Fox, but on the long, rough descents, you&#8217;ll welcome a reservoir\u00a0to help manage heat. \u00a0Keep in mind that you&#8217;ll only be able to fit a small water bottle at that point. \u00a0Lastly, a larger shock will allow you to<a href=\"http:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/en\/tech-rock-shox-camp-in-canada\/\"> fine tune<\/a> your progression with volume reducers. \u00a0The Stumpjumper is pretty linear in nature so larger or more aggressive riders in particular may want to consider this, especially in rowdier terrain. \u00a0With all of that in mind, the shock is well tuned from the factory and the rider looking for a middle of the road quiver killer won&#8217;t need to bother with any of the aforementioned. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Overall<\/h3>\n<p>So, after a few months on the Stumpjumper, where do we stand? \u00a0It&#8217;s safe to\u00a0say it is the gold standard as the modern classic trail bike. It\u00a0should suit the majority of riders for the majority of mountain biking that they&#8217;re doing. \u00a0It&#8217;s not a long, low, slack enduro bike, nor is it an anorexic XC rig; rather it sits comfortably in the middle as Stumpy always has. \u00a0Keep in mind that Specialized makes this bike in 3 different iterations to suit just about anyone&#8217;s taste : 650b, 29&#8243; and 27.5+. \u00a0The lineage is the same though, it&#8217;s a utilitarian quiver killer for the enthusiast who likes to set it and forget it.<\/p>\n<p>SWAT makes the ride experience dramatically better and the incredibly well thought out components\u00a0leave virtually nothing to complain about. \u00a0Each and every part on this bike has already proven its mettle; even the in house saddle was impressive. \u00a0Whether you&#8217;re a rider who splurges and buys a new bike once every few years, or someone who is a fickle, incessant upgrader it&#8217;s worth a serious look. \u00a0Speaking of test rides, Specialized dealerships are generally quite\u00a0good about keeping a solid demo fleet so you can take one out and see if it&#8217;s for you. \u00a0 Most likely you&#8217;ll come back smiling.<a href=\"http:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/DSC_0352.jpg\"><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-126251\" src=\"http:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/DSC_0352.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_0352\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1067\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/DSC_0352.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/DSC_0352-750x500.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.specialized.com\">www.specialized.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p>[ad12]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[ad3] For over 25 years now, the most iconic bike in the Specialized lineup has been the Stumpjumper. \u00a0Since its inception, the Stumpy has always been the Morgan Hill brand&#8217;s most honest interpretation of and the ultimate trail bike. \u00a0Nowadays there are divisions upon subdivisions in how we categorize the modern mountain bike. \u00a0If we were to get nerdy and technical, at 150mm of travel front and rear, the 650b version of the Stumpjumper (it&#8217;s also available with 135mm travel and 29&#8243; wheels) would fall somewhere between &#8220;All Mountain&#8221; and &#8220;Enduro&#8221; categories. \u00a0To be honest, we try to analyze a<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":170425,"featured_media":126265,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3683,3677],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v19.3 (Yoast SEO v19.7.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>[Tested] Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Expert 650b | MTB-MAG.COM<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, 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Mountain&#8221; and &#8220;Enduro&#8221; categories. \u00a0To be honest, we try to analyze a\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/en\/tested-specialized-stumpjumper-fsr-expert-650b\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"MTB-MAG.COM\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/mtbmagcom\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2016-04-27T20:43:33+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2016-04-28T04:50:56+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/DSC7552.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1065\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Ian Collins\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" 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