2011 stumpy evo

Think this is my first topic on here, hello everyone

So for the last couple of years, I'd been riding this:




(this picture doesn't show it greatly but i like it anyway)


The old bike was a Specialized FSR XC '09 Expert and it served its job perfectly - my first full susser, made minimal changes to it (syncros AM bars, DMR V8s, shorter Spesh stem) and it allowed me to progress my riding having had a few years off after discovering beer, women and cars.

Anyway, rode that for two years and found after a while i was going through components at a speed i didn't really think was acceptable and craved something with a bit more travel (i'm a trail centre warrior mainly due to working daft hours in retail, but enjoy getting out and hammering about wherever, and the XC was coming up short).

So i looked into what was available and had my heart set on a spicy or zesty from the 2012 lineup, but was planning from day one to upgrade with a dropper post and 2x10 and bash setup from the moment i was handed the bike. I'd looked at the stumpy evos but magazine test reviews warning of chocolate bottom brackets and reliability issues put me off.

Found myself in my LBS a couple of weeks back for the usual bits and got talking about next year's Evo lineup - i wasn't going to be able to stretch to the new carbon expert, and didn't want the comp, so struck a deal to get this for sale price with finance, as it was that or my new bike came from a different shop and brand. £300 off and normal warranty will cover plenty of reliability issues if my particular bike suffers from them.

The evo fitted all the requirements i had in my head for a new trail bike anyway, and i'm loving riding it - obviously with more travel, lighter everything, bolt through front axle, pro pedal for climbing and the dropper post to name but a few bits it would be very surprising if it didn't surpass my old XC in every way.

Anyway, pictures.... only change to standard spec currently is the superstar pedals, I bought some fat SS grips as my hands don't tend to get on with skinny ones but the standard grips are more than thick enough, the tyres seem to be performing just right for the current conditions as well.













that's all for now, i'll keep you updated as i break / upgrade it