Jump to content

First Look: Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Expert Carbon 6Fattie


Bike Hub Features

Recommended Posts

So you haven't ridden one, but feel qualified to give your opinion that 'the bike makes no sense'?

I've ridden one. And I didn't think much of it at all. The roll and bounce in the tire isn't worth the extra grip IMO.

 

Having said that I see a lot of them on the trails and the guys that have them rave about them. Maybe my tire pressures were off.

Edited by Duane_Bosch
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 46
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

I've ridden one. And I didn't think much of it at all. The roll and bounce in the tire isn't worth the extra grip IMO.

 

Having said that I see a lot of them on the trails and the guys that have them rave about them. Maybe my tire pressures were off.

 

or you've just gone full roadie

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bike is a lot of fun - I rode one at Modders on a spez tester day.

 

However, you're completely over-biked at Modders with this machine and better served by a regular 29er.

 

This bike is best for (IMHO):

 

i.the proper gnarly stuff or

ii.for a beginner  or

iii.very sandy / beach riding

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bike is a lot of fun - I rode one at Modders on a spez tester day.

 

However, you're completely over-biked at Modders with this machine and better served by a regular 29er.

 

This bike is best for (IMHO):

 

i.the proper gnarly stuff or

ii.for a beginner  or

iii.very sandy / beach riding

You will need all that travel for the rough sand

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You will need all that travel for the rough sand

 

Or something like Kalahari Challenge, which is rocky AND sandy.

 

Look, you don't REALLY need carbon or 1x11 or full sus or a sus fork or gears or 29er wheels for that matter.  Many nutjobs are perfectly happy on single-speed, rigid, steel bikes but the "extras" are nice to have, aren't they?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've ridden one. And I didn't think much of it at all. The roll and bounce in the tire isn't worth the extra grip IMO.

 

Having said that I see a lot of them on the trails and the guys that have them rave about them. Maybe my tire pressures were off.

I suspect bike set up ie tyre pressure is very important but i suspect these tyres wont work very well in certain situations at all  - for instance sloppy slippery stuff. They would possibly have more in common with a skimmer board on the beach than a bike tyre then. In contrast, a 2.35 - 2.5 "normal" tyre works pretty well in all situations. A fad and a gimmick more or less IMO. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Look, I'm not convinced about the dual sus plus thing. I ride a Krampus (29+ for those who don't know) and chased my brother, riding a Spez Fuse 6Fattie, through all of the blue sections at Thaba Trails, and I feel I could do with 120mm travel fork instead of the rigid I'm running now.

 

In two years riding this bike, I've never felt like I needed boing at the rear too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I suspect bike set up ie tyre pressure is very important but i suspect these tyres wont work very well in certain situations at all  - for instance sloppy slippery stuff. They would possibly have more in common with a skimmer board on the beach than a bike tyre then. In contrast, a 2.35 - 2.5 "normal" tyre works pretty well in all situations. A fad and a gimmick more or less IMO. 

 

Tyre pressure is critical on plus tyres, I swear I can feel the difference between 0.6 bar and 0.8bar. Grip is more about tyre choice, the Surly Knards are impossible in mud, but the newer plus tyres, Nobby Nic plus, Rekon+, Ikon+, Ranger, Purgatory, etc all have acceptable performance in the mud and wet.

 

Oh, and 5 years in the market is hardly a fad IMO

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My W2W buddy on his Stumpy + had an effortless ride, with most of the time a grin on his face. He was a complete newby to cycling, let alone mtb'ing. This bike boosts confidence BIG time, and extremely forgiving, letting you do silly things (as a newby) leaving you with a feeling of being an old-timer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My W2W buddy on his Stumpy + had an effortless ride, with most of the time a grin on his face. He was a complete newby to cycling, let alone mtb'ing. This bike boosts confidence BIG time, and extremely forgiving, letting you do silly things (as a newby) leaving you with a feeling of being an old-timer.

Ya, people in this country need to learn how to stop the marathon bus and have some fun every now and then.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bike is a lot of fun - I rode one at Modders on a spez tester day.

 

However, you're completely over-biked at Modders with this machine and better served by a regular 29er.

 

This bike is best for (IMHO):

 

i.the proper gnarly stuff or

ii.for a beginner  or

iii.very sandy / beach riding

Same with me in that I also had a test ride at Modders. Whilst it may be too much for the relatively flat Modders trails, I loved every minute on it, and coming from my KTM 29" FS, I felt so much more "in the groove", especially on the slightly off camber slightly downhill parts where my confidence was much higher, based on the feel I had with this mamba of a bike. Being a fat bastard, I kakked on the uphills with the 1x gearing on the test bike, but that's no reflection on the machine. Sometime soon, very very soon.......

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tyre pressure is critical on plus tyres, I swear I can feel the difference between 0.6 bar and 0.8bar. Grip is more about tyre choice, the Surly Knards are impossible in mud, but the newer plus tyres, Nobby Nic plus, Rekon+, Ikon+, Ranger, Purgatory, etc all have acceptable performance in the mud and wet.

 

Oh, and 5 years in the market is hardly a fad IMO

Maybe a fad is not the right term - I am thinking of things like SS bikes and fat bikes  - appeal to a few hipsters but that's about it :-) 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Maybe a fad is not the right term - I am thinking of things like SS bikes and fat bikes  - appeal to a few hipsters but that's about it :-) 

:-(

 

My other bike's a SS.......she's also 5 years old this year

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've realized I like lower volume casings. The Spez 2.3 ground controls I had once already felt too much, and I'm experiencing the same with the 2.5 maxxis dhf I am currently running. Too low pressure and it feel like the front is rolling, go higher and it wants to wash out.

I prefer a tyre that can cut into the trail, and it'd be safe to say that 27.5+ is not for me without any experience of it whatsoever. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've realized I like lower volume casings. The Spez 2.3 ground controls I had once already felt too much, and I'm experiencing the same with the 2.5 maxxis dhf I am currently running. Too low pressure and it feel like the front is rolling, go higher and it wants to wash out.

I prefer a tyre that can cut into the trail, and it'd be safe to say that 27.5+ is not for me without any experience of it whatsoever. 

Tougher casing... Solves all that. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Settings My Forum Content My Followed Content Forum Settings Ad Messages My Ads My Favourites My Saved Alerts My Pay Deals Help Logout