Specialized choice
Discussion
I can't decide whether to buy the Epic FSR Comp or the Stumper FSR Comp. I currentlyride a HT mainly on trails, along the North Downs or perhaps the single track at Bedgebury, I don't do any crazy drop off's. I am looking for a FS bike because I'm an old fella and my back is bad so I'm looking for a bit more comfort over the bumpy stuff but I do want to be able to ride up hills so the Epic with the brain looks great but I'm concerned it's a bit racey. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
i've got limited experience on these bikes but when researching my stumpy purchase it became clear that the epic has a totally race set up- pretty uncomfortable i believe; and the stumpy now comes with the brain, i think 2006 models included?
I'd go for the stumpy unless you are planning on racing a lot!
having said that, mine is still in build...
I'd go for the stumpy unless you are planning on racing a lot!
having said that, mine is still in build...
Up until a month ago, I rode a Rockhopper (also around the North Downs!). It did everything, and I used to commute on it. I've now got the Stumpy Expert, which comes with a (or should it be 'The') Brain. I tested the Epic as well, and it was far more like the Rockhopper, in that I didn't feel it ws a big enough step up for a bike with 'full' suspension. The Stumpy feels plush in comparision.
I've been out over Holmbury Hill now, and plan to start riding more single track, and the Epic just wouldn't have cut it. I don't have trouble with the climb up the hills either, but to be honest I wouldn't be bothered if it was a problem, going up is not why I ride!
I've been out over Holmbury Hill now, and plan to start riding more single track, and the Epic just wouldn't have cut it. I don't have trouble with the climb up the hills either, but to be honest I wouldn't be bothered if it was a problem, going up is not why I ride!
fourmotion said:
Up until a month ago, I rode a Rockhopper (also around the North Downs!). It did everything, and I used to commute on it. I've now got the Stumpy Expert, which comes with a (or should it be 'The') Brain. I tested the Epic as well, and it was far more like the Rockhopper, in that I didn't feel it ws a big enough step up for a bike with 'full' suspension. The Stumpy feels plush in comparision.
I've been out over Holmbury Hill now, and plan to start riding more single track, and the Epic just wouldn't have cut it. I don't have trouble with the climb up the hills either, but to be honest I wouldn't be bothered if it was a problem, going up is not why I ride!
I've been out over Holmbury Hill now, and plan to start riding more single track, and the Epic just wouldn't have cut it. I don't have trouble with the climb up the hills either, but to be honest I wouldn't be bothered if it was a problem, going up is not why I ride!
Thanks Fourmotion. Where did you get a demo ride on the Epic from? I can't find anybody who let me have a go, at least not local.
lotisi said:
Thanks Fourmotion. Where did you get a demo ride on the Epic from? I can't find anybody who let me have a go, at least not local.
Sorry to say, but I borrowed a friends! I'm sure if you give Evans a ring one of their stores must have one to demo. Then just buy it from your local bike shop!
fourmotion said:
I've been out over Holmbury Hill now, and plan to start riding more single track, and the Epic just wouldn't have cut it. I don't have trouble with the climb up the hills either, but to be honest I wouldn't be bothered if it was a problem, going up is not why I ride!
That quite surprises me. I only have a lowly (in comparison) 2005 FSR XC Pro, and that has no problems cutting it on Holmbury Hill. Granted, I'm not hurling it off massive drops, but there is 17 stone of me, so it still has to cope with plenty!
It doesn't have "the brain" on the rear shock, but it does have a platform setting (along with fully open and fully locked) and whilst I'll often lock out the front forks on a climb, I've never found the need to have the rear on anything other than the platform setting.
Kermit power said:
fourmotion said:
I've been out over Holmbury Hill now, and plan to start riding more single track, and the Epic just wouldn't have cut it. I don't have trouble with the climb up the hills either, but to be honest I wouldn't be bothered if it was a problem, going up is not why I ride!
That quite surprises me. I only have a lowly (in comparison) 2005 FSR XC Pro, and that has no problems cutting it on Holmbury Hill. Granted, I'm not hurling it off massive drops, but there is 17 stone of me, so it still has to cope with plenty!
It doesn't have "the brain" on the rear shock, but it does have a platform setting (along with fully open and fully locked) and whilst I'll often lock out the front forks on a climb, I've never found the need to have the rear on anything other than the platform setting.
I think the FSR is more like the Stumpy than the Epic but thanks for your info, I have looked at that bike too.
Kermit power said:
fourmotion said:
I've been out over Holmbury Hill now, and plan to start riding more single track, and the Epic just wouldn't have cut it. I don't have trouble with the climb up the hills either, but to be honest I wouldn't be bothered if it was a problem, going up is not why I ride!
That quite surprises me. I only have a lowly (in comparison) 2005 FSR XC Pro, and that has no problems cutting it on Holmbury Hill. Granted, I'm not hurling it off massive drops, but there is 17 stone of me, so it still has to cope with plenty!
It doesn't have "the brain" on the rear shock, but it does have a platform setting (along with fully open and fully locked) and whilst I'll often lock out the front forks on a climb, I've never found the need to have the rear on anything other than the platform setting.
I think what I was trying to get at was that for the speeds I want to travel, and the fact that I'm not a lightweight either, I want something that can take anything I can throw at it, including the occasional large drop-off. The Epic just wouldn't have given me those options. The FSR I would think is a good compromise.
ah ha, I faced the very same choice at christmas time. The 07 stumpy comp v's the 07 epic comp.
I test rode both bikes, and was really unsure. I didnt want a bike that I wouldn't be able to pedal up hill and I didn't want a bike that wouldn't stand up to everything i wanted to give it!
In the end I found out this,
The epic is a truly awsome bike, ideal if you enjoy riding hard and fast and enjoy the connection of a hardtail but want the compliance and security of a full sus. The durability of the epic isn't an issue. I know someone who's taken an epic to Morzine for four years runnig and has given it a right pounding without service and he's not had one problem.
The stumpy is all of the above but of course you get a full time active shock and slightly longer travel front and rear. the geo is less raked and for my frame I would say it is slightly more comfortable (without taking the difference in rear shock). The lockout both front and rear means that at a flick of a switch (well two) you can have a rigid bike.
In the end I chose the stumpy. The test rides showed that when climbing hills the stumpy didn't perform much different (even when left in pro-ped) to the epic but you got the added bonus of more comfort on the flat and on descents.
I think of it like choosing what size rims to have on your car. Ok those 18"s that look good might offer a slight performance gain due to lower profile tyres but the 17"s will offer a much smoother ride!
For me it's the stumpy everytime, I love it to bits, I just wish it wasn't so good because then there wouldn't be so many around
all the best and let us know on your choice!
RPM
I test rode both bikes, and was really unsure. I didnt want a bike that I wouldn't be able to pedal up hill and I didn't want a bike that wouldn't stand up to everything i wanted to give it!
In the end I found out this,
The epic is a truly awsome bike, ideal if you enjoy riding hard and fast and enjoy the connection of a hardtail but want the compliance and security of a full sus. The durability of the epic isn't an issue. I know someone who's taken an epic to Morzine for four years runnig and has given it a right pounding without service and he's not had one problem.
The stumpy is all of the above but of course you get a full time active shock and slightly longer travel front and rear. the geo is less raked and for my frame I would say it is slightly more comfortable (without taking the difference in rear shock). The lockout both front and rear means that at a flick of a switch (well two) you can have a rigid bike.
In the end I chose the stumpy. The test rides showed that when climbing hills the stumpy didn't perform much different (even when left in pro-ped) to the epic but you got the added bonus of more comfort on the flat and on descents.
I think of it like choosing what size rims to have on your car. Ok those 18"s that look good might offer a slight performance gain due to lower profile tyres but the 17"s will offer a much smoother ride!
For me it's the stumpy everytime, I love it to bits, I just wish it wasn't so good because then there wouldn't be so many around
all the best and let us know on your choice!
RPM
rpm100 said:
ah ha, I faced the very same choice at christmas time. The 07 stumpy comp v's the 07 epic comp.
I test rode both bikes, and was really unsure. I didnt want a bike that I wouldn't be able to pedal up hill and I didn't want a bike that wouldn't stand up to everything i wanted to give it!
In the end I found out this,
The epic is a truly awsome bike, ideal if you enjoy riding hard and fast and enjoy the connection of a hardtail but want the compliance and security of a full sus. The durability of the epic isn't an issue. I know someone who's taken an epic to Morzine for four years runnig and has given it a right pounding without service and he's not had one problem.
The stumpy is all of the above but of course you get a full time active shock and slightly longer travel front and rear. the geo is less raked and for my frame I would say it is slightly more comfortable (without taking the difference in rear shock). The lockout both front and rear means that at a flick of a switch (well two) you can have a rigid bike.
In the end I chose the stumpy. The test rides showed that when climbing hills the stumpy didn't perform much different (even when left in pro-ped) to the epic but you got the added bonus of more comfort on the flat and on descents.
I think of it like choosing what size rims to have on your car. Ok those 18"s that look good might offer a slight performance gain due to lower profile tyres but the 17"s will offer a much smoother ride!
For me it's the stumpy everytime, I love it to bits, I just wish it wasn't so good because then there wouldn't be so many around
all the best and let us know on your choice!
RPM
I test rode both bikes, and was really unsure. I didnt want a bike that I wouldn't be able to pedal up hill and I didn't want a bike that wouldn't stand up to everything i wanted to give it!
In the end I found out this,
The epic is a truly awsome bike, ideal if you enjoy riding hard and fast and enjoy the connection of a hardtail but want the compliance and security of a full sus. The durability of the epic isn't an issue. I know someone who's taken an epic to Morzine for four years runnig and has given it a right pounding without service and he's not had one problem.
The stumpy is all of the above but of course you get a full time active shock and slightly longer travel front and rear. the geo is less raked and for my frame I would say it is slightly more comfortable (without taking the difference in rear shock). The lockout both front and rear means that at a flick of a switch (well two) you can have a rigid bike.
In the end I chose the stumpy. The test rides showed that when climbing hills the stumpy didn't perform much different (even when left in pro-ped) to the epic but you got the added bonus of more comfort on the flat and on descents.
I think of it like choosing what size rims to have on your car. Ok those 18"s that look good might offer a slight performance gain due to lower profile tyres but the 17"s will offer a much smoother ride!
For me it's the stumpy everytime, I love it to bits, I just wish it wasn't so good because then there wouldn't be so many around
all the best and let us know on your choice!
RPM
Thanks RPM that's just the sort of info I was looking for.
I also test rode the two (Epic Expert and Stumpy FSR Expert) back to back.
Coming from a Rockhopper background the Epic felt too similiar. Thats not a bad thing, but as I was keeping the Rockhopper too, I wanted something different.
There was no difference on the ascents. But the Stumpy was so much faster downhill. The Epic was getting bullied about a bit on my usual downhill single track I do. But the Stumpy gave me so much confidence to push on that little bit faster.
The only time I found the Epic faster was on the road section I do. But I put most of that down to the tyres.
Ended up buying an 07 Stumpy FSR Expert. Changed the bars and seat post to the Euston EC70 stuff. Changed the saddle to a lighter more comfortable Ti railed one. Put Nobby Nic tyres on it and a XT cassette. I love it to bits.
Coming from a Rockhopper background the Epic felt too similiar. Thats not a bad thing, but as I was keeping the Rockhopper too, I wanted something different.
There was no difference on the ascents. But the Stumpy was so much faster downhill. The Epic was getting bullied about a bit on my usual downhill single track I do. But the Stumpy gave me so much confidence to push on that little bit faster.
The only time I found the Epic faster was on the road section I do. But I put most of that down to the tyres.
Ended up buying an 07 Stumpy FSR Expert. Changed the bars and seat post to the Euston EC70 stuff. Changed the saddle to a lighter more comfortable Ti railed one. Put Nobby Nic tyres on it and a XT cassette. I love it to bits.
westy04 said:
I also test rode the two (Epic Expert and Stumpy FSR Expert) back to back.
Coming from a Rockhopper background the Epic felt too similiar. Thats not a bad thing, but as I was keeping the Rockhopper too, I wanted something different.
There was no difference on the ascents. But the Stumpy was so much faster downhill. The Epic was getting bullied about a bit on my usual downhill single track I do. But the Stumpy gave me so much confidence to push on that little bit faster.
The only time I found the Epic faster was on the road section I do. But I put most of that down to the tyres.
Ended up buying an 07 Stumpy FSR Expert. Changed the bars and seat post to the Euston EC70 stuff. Changed the saddle to a lighter more comfortable Ti railed one. Put Nobby Nic tyres on it and a XT cassette. I love it to bits.
Coming from a Rockhopper background the Epic felt too similiar. Thats not a bad thing, but as I was keeping the Rockhopper too, I wanted something different.
There was no difference on the ascents. But the Stumpy was so much faster downhill. The Epic was getting bullied about a bit on my usual downhill single track I do. But the Stumpy gave me so much confidence to push on that little bit faster.
The only time I found the Epic faster was on the road section I do. But I put most of that down to the tyres.
Ended up buying an 07 Stumpy FSR Expert. Changed the bars and seat post to the Euston EC70 stuff. Changed the saddle to a lighter more comfortable Ti railed one. Put Nobby Nic tyres on it and a XT cassette. I love it to bits.
Thanks Westy, where did you manage to arrange a back to back test?
One other thing to consider is this. Most shocks are setup as a compromise, therefore they may work fine for a number of riders but may not suit you. I have a Stumpy FSR Pro and am considering getting my rear shock revalved as I think it is too active. www.tftunedshox.com/index.htm I understand that these guys are the people to go to if you want your shock optimised for your riding style. No affiliation to them etc etc.
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