I had laid eyes on this bike for a long time. I got a 2013 model earlier this year with 2 months of waitlists but it was a worthwhile waiting.
My Stumpjumper
Specialized was a major American brand and founded in California. In 2001, Merida Taiwan has bought over 49% shares which explains why most of their bikes now are Made in Taiwan (I guessed it is for cost effective also). This includes my StumpJumper.
This is an all-aluminum bike and if you are weight weenies, it is not much different from the carbon bike. The StumpJumper Carbon Comp is just ~500g lighter than this bike. My bike weighs <12kg but that is with top tube bag, 2 bottle cages, Maxxis Crossmark tires (heavier tires), Wellgo Magnesium pedals and it is a medium size (17.5”). For a 29er and medium size frame, this is light!!!
For my height at 173cm, I can either pick medium or small size frame but I prefer the medium frame as it looks nicer with big wheels.
This bike comes with:-
Frame: M5 fully manipulated alloy
Rear Derailleur: SRAM X9
Front Derailleur: SRAM X7
Shifter: SRAM X7
Brakes: Magura MTS, Hydraulic disc (160mm rotor)
Fork: RockShox Reba RL 29 with 90mm travel
Crankset: SRAM S-1250 with PF-BB30 bottom bracket
The Ride
The M5 frame is the highest aluminum grade that you can find for Specialized MTB. It is quite a stiff bike but it does flex at areas it supposed to which gives it a very comfortable bike to ride for hours. For its class, it has one of the shortest chainstay length at 435mm.
Going down the trails with the 680mm flat handle bar gives you a better control and yet you can still steer clear from obstacle around the trails. But, I have reduced the size by 10mm in total for better gripping.
Coming from a 26” bike and not a super strong rider, I find that I need an extra effort when going uphill. If you are a strong rider then it will not be a problem as the big wheel momentum will help you go faster and faster. 1 thing for sure is 29er can gets you going through rocks and tree roots without coming down and push over. Going downhill, 29er will definitely push faster than the 26”.
Bike Components
I love this bike so much that I am still keeping all the original components to date. The only thing I have changed is the tire which I am currently using Maxxis Crossmark that adds another ~250-300g to my bike weight and it is still considerable light.
Shifting gears of this bike is as easy as shifting automatic gear in a car. I have used Shimano XT, Deore and Shimano non-series and they are nowhere come close to SRAM shifting. By pairing with the SRAM X7 shifter and X9 rear derailleur all you need is just lightly tap and it will accurately shift to the gear that you want. X9 rear derailleur comes with a lock actuation that eases when removing the rear tire. Not much said on the front derailleur as it works as good as the rear.
Also, this X7 shifter has something similar with Shimano Rapid Fire. It allows you to downshifts (to a larger sprocket) 4 gears in 1 go.
This bike comes with 2 chainrings only (38/24) and for a 29er this is more than you needed for. I have tried other 29er bikes with 3 chainrings (that normally you found on your 26” bike) and I find the middle gear is pretty much redundant (add weights). With 2 chainrings it gives you 20 speeds only. But, that doesn’t stop you from doing an average speed of 35km/h on a flat road and still able to go up on a 20-30° gradient hills.
I suspected that Specialized was given the exclusivity of selling the Magura MTS brake for 1 year only as you don’t see them previously except Specialized bike. Right now you can purchase the MTS directly from Magura. The MTS brake was actually designed off from MT4 with very minor modification and reduced ~10g in weight. Those of you who come from Shimano families may not like this brake as Magura MTS does not bite as good as its rival. But, if you are looking for good modulation and light weight then you are at the right place. It weights ~320g (incl rotor) comparing with its rival Shimano SLX weights ~454g. I have heard stories about brakes failed when it heated especially those who are using DOT fluid. I came down a hill dropping from 768m to 32m (above sea level) in 10 mins, the brake works as it should. The only setback is the rear brake does make a lot of squealing sounds and that can easily resolve by replacing them with aftermarket pads. The good thing about Magura caliper is you can see your brake pads worn out without taking them apart.
Some may have commented that this fork is too short. Well, it really depends on the trails that you are going and your body weight. If the intention is to have huge drop or going downhill with huge rocks in your path then obviously you will need a longer fork. So far I have no complains over it.
The Verdict
Don’t look at this bike as aluminum as you can hardly feel it is sluggish and cornering through the trails are fun. Most importantly it keeps within your budget for XC bike at MYR6300. I would recommend to anyone who wants to get a bike for race or cycling with your buddies.
Traveling & Cycling 