should i upgrade my bike

gsxrian

I'll brought a stumpjumper FSR comp 2008 model in 2009.

on the cycle to work scheme,had to add another £200 to get the bike.

I can start another scheme in april,and was thinking about selling mine for £600-£700

and getting a new bike,but how much better spec bike could i get for £1700...

or if i keep it what upgrade.would be worth getting for the stumpy?

Thanks Ian

weeksy59

The only really slightly weak component on your bike spec is your Avids. They're mid-bottom level of the brakes really. However i know they're not really a big factor for you so maybe not a huge worry.

Do you have a list of all your specs for the bike ? would make it easier for people to asses.

weeksy59

Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Comp 2008 £1499.99 inc FREE delivery!



Click to enlarge

1 left in Small!

With an all-new chassis design that is lighter, more efficient, features a lower stand-over height and the same incredible handling, the completely redesigned Stumpjumper FSR® continues to be best bike for the trails most of us ride, most of the time.

FRAME All new Stumpjumper FSR M5 manipulated alloy frame w/ ORE TT/DT, sealed cartridge bearing pivots, DMD Direct Mount F. Der, replaceable derailleur hanger, disc only, 120mm travel

REAR SHOCK Fox Triad, custom on-the-fly 3-position switch 1) lock out 2) Open 3) ProPedal pedal assisting damping, adjustable rebound, 7.25x1.75"

FORK Fox Float 120 RL, 120mm travel, rebound/compression adjust, lock out, alloy steerer

HEADSET 1 1/8" threadless, alloy cups w/ 10mm insertion, sealed cartridge bearing

STEM Specialized adjustable rise, 31.8mm clamp, 3D forged w/CNC finish

HANDLEBARS Specialized XC low rise 31.8mm bar, 6066 butted alloy, 6 degree up, 8 degree backsweep, 640mm wide

TAPE/GRIPS Specialized thin lock on grip, dual density

FRONT BRAKE Custom Avid Juicy 5 SL, hydraulic disc, 185 and 203mm rotor

REAR BRAKE Custom Avid Juicy 5 SL, hydraulic disc, 160 and 185mm rotor

BRAKE LEVERS Custom Avid Juicy 5 SL, hydraulic disc

FRONT DERAILLEUR Shimano M581 LX, DMD, top swing, dual pull

REAR DERAILLEUR SRAM X-9, 9-speed, mid cage

SHIFT LEVERS SRAM X-7, aluminum 9-speed trigger

CASSETTE FREEWHEEL Shimano HG-50, 9-speed, 11-34t

CHAIN SRAM PC-971 w/ Power Link

CRANKSET Shimano A/A/S 2pc custom

CHAINRINGS 22S/32A/44A, 4 bolt 104/64mm

BOTTOM BRACKET Shimano M542, 2pc custom for Specialized

PEDALS Crank Brothers Smarty custom for Specialized

RIMS DT Swiss custom for Specialized X420, 24mm w/ eyelets, 28/32h

FRONT HUB Specialized Hi Lo disc, 28h CNC flange and disc mount, sealed cartridge bearing, 9mm DT RWS alloy QR

REAR HUB Shimano custom M525SL hub for Specialized, 32h, alloy QR

SPOKES DT Swiss 1.8mm stainless, alloy nipples

FRONT TYRE S-Works The Captain 26x2.0", 120 TPI, tubeless ready aramid bead, dual compound

REAR TYRE S-Works The Captain 26x2.0", 120 TPI, tubeless ready aramid bead, dual compound

TUBES Specialized Ultralite, .6mm, presta

SADDLE Specialized XC MTB, hollow Cr-Mo rails, SL foam

SEAT POST 2015 butted alloy, two bolt non-setback, 30.9 x 350/400mm

SEAT BINDER Alloy collar w/ QR, 34.9mm clamp ID

gsxrian

weeksy59 wrote:

The only really slightly weak component on your bike spec is your Avids. They're mid-bottom level of the brakes really. However i know they're not really a big factor for you so maybe not a huge worry.

Do you have a list of all your specs for the bike ? would make it easier for people to asses.

Brakes are not a big factor for me at all.

if i keep it for another year,then i wont get the same money back for it,

where if i sell it this year,i could put that onto my £1000 cycle scheme, :?


and really would want a bike with 140mm fork travel!

weeksy59

gsxrian wrote:

weeksy59 wrote:

and really would want a bike with 140mm fork travel!

You bottoming yours out now ?

gsxrian

weeksy59 wrote:

gsxrian wrote:

weeksy59 wrote:

and really would want a bike with 140mm fork travel!

You bottoming yours out now ?

no it has never bottom out,but would be good to have more travel on the forks.

think you would get a better ride on the DH section!

Anonymous

its always tempting to get a bigger bike, they are undeniably cool, but if you re not botomoing out your forks, it sbecause hey are good for what you ride. there is no point in carrying extra travel if youre not going to use it.

in my opinion the only weak spot on the bike and its only a slight one a that is the rear hub. it is bomb proof and will last forever but it is a big old chunk. id be tempted to swap it for a better quality item but the honest truth is that its fine really.

a set of x9 shifters would improve shift feel.

apart from that, id leave it alone.

why not use your next voucher to buy a different bike altogether, summat that has 140mm travel?

dresbo

I would have to disagree that more travel isn't required unless you're bottoming out. I reckon that a fork with 100mm of travel is going to be stiffer in the travel to compensate for the lack of length in the travel.

I'd say that with 140mm you're getting a much more supple front end, which will be more sensitive (depending on the compression curve of course) on the small stuff and will handle the big hits well too.

Chris5.5

I think the problem is for £1800 you will get a 2010 Stumpy Comp. Although it has 140mm travel you have paid £1k* for the same bike with a bit more travel.

*less the savings by buying cycle to work so say £600.

I have the 08 Comp as well and the only thing I have upgraded is the Stem for a shorter Hope one.

Eventually I will get wheels, a Thomson seatpost and maybe some Carbon bars. But honestly there is no stand out item on the bike that needs to be replaced.

Chris

Stuey01

It's an excellent bike.

If it were me I would
- get wider low rise bars (I like 685mm easton ea70's with a .5" rise)
- get a 36t middle ring and a bash guard.
- get bigger tyres

Other than that I'd leave well alone.

edit, if it's anything like my mate's 08 stumpy elite the stem is super long, I'd swap that too.

gsxrian

Thanks for your help,

have spoken to my mates,who have said the same thing,
so i'm going to keep the stumpy,but will start to upgrade it when parts start to wear out on the bike..



Plus seeing i'm doing london to brighton and the big wheel,i'm going to get a road bike.you just cant go wrong with this scheme

weeksy59

Good man The right decision if you ask me.

For the price of a stem and the ease of fitting i'd be tempted to try one to see if it sorts out the stability issues you have at times without affecting your downhill flow too much.

gsxrian

weeksy59 wrote:

Good man The right decision if you ask me.

For the price of a stem and the ease of fitting i'd be tempted to try one to see if it sorts out the stability issues you have at times without affecting your downhill flow too much.

but if i went for a longer sterm surely that would make the bike steer slowly,which isnt good for downhill!

weeksy59

God knows mate, i have no idea what the stem affects.

Both the above guys seems to have swapped for shorter stems ?

junglist_matty

dresbo wrote:

I would have to disagree that more travel isn't required unless you're bottoming out. I reckon that a fork with 100mm of travel is going to be stiffer in the travel to compensate for the lack of length in the travel.

I'd say that with 140mm you're getting a much more supple front end, which will be more sensitive (depending on the compression curve of course) on the small stuff and will handle the big hits well too.

It depends on a lot more than travel... for example, I'm a big lad, I'm 6ft2, 100kgs, If I got on a bike setup for someone who was 80kg regardless of the length of the travel the fork had I would more than likely bottom it out. If you have an air spring you set it up so it performs well for your weight, if you have a coil spring you replace the coil for one that suits your weight...

However, as you say, the longer travel forks do tend to be more sensitive to the smaller bumps i.e. root sections making the overall ride a bit smoother on the old wrists.

dresbo

junglist_matty wrote:

It depends on a lot more than travel... for example, I'm a big lad, I'm 6ft2, 100kgs, If I got on a bike setup for someone who was 80kg regardless of the length of the travel the fork had I would more than likely bottom it out. If you have an air spring you set it up so it performs well for your weight, if you have a coil spring you replace the coil for one that suits your weight...

Totally with you there. I find as time goes on I want more and more travel. I suspect it's justan excuse to buy new stuff.

junglist_matty

dresbo wrote:

Totally with you there. I find as time goes on I want more and more travel. I suspect it's justan excuse to buy new stuff.

My opinion is that most riders have too much travel, I think that unless your doing crazy stuff, a 140mm fork is more than enough. My hardtail bike (NS Surge) is built to be super strong, yet not over the top heavy. I would happily take it off a 6ft drop and I wouldn't really have the balls to do anything bigger than that so whats the point in having some crazy amount of travel? There is none.

An example is my friend who doesn't have a lot of money rides an XC bike with XCR forks (rubbish 100mm XC forks), he outjumps, outdrops and outrides another of our friends who has a bike worth over £3000 with almost twice the amount of travel!!!

supersonic

Hell, I think 100mm is enough! The key is controlled travel.

More travel does allow less spring rate, which in turn allows the suspension to cope better with hits. But damping is essential too, plus other factors like fork stiffness etc. Longer travel necessitates larger geometry changes.

What riding do you plan to do?

Northwind

junglist_matty wrote:

An example is my friend who doesn't have a lot of money rides an XC bike with XCR forks (rubbish 100mm XC forks), he outjumps, outdrops and outrides another of our friends who has a bike worth over £3000 with almost twice the amount of travel!!!

But, the long travel guy could probably do less than he does now on the 100mm XC bike, so it's not wasted. Some of us need our skill substitutes!