Trek / Specialized MTB - Same Basic Frame ?

[dr_gn]

A work colleague was looking at getting an ex-demo 2012 Trek Fuel EX8 (reduced from £2300 to £1150, but sold!). Looking at the photo of it it struck me that the frame shape is almost identical to my own 2009 Specialized Stumpjumper Comp. Are they made in the same factory with just detail frame geometry changes for different manufactureres I wonder?

Trek Fuel EX8 2012:



Specialized Stumpjumper Comp 2009:

[Jimbo.]

Same factory? Potentially, although I think Specialized and Trek dislike each other enough - and have enough muscle - to ensure than they never share manufacturing facilities!

[P-Jay]

Might be made in the same factory, for a long time Giant's giant factory in Taiwan was knocking out 90% of the high-end off-the-shelf bike frames for different manufactures, doesn't make them the same frame though far-from, it's just out-sourced manufacturing all the R&D was done by the brands themselves.

There are a few visual differences between those two, I can't see the FSR pivot at the end of the chainstay on the Trek, and the Spesh has a standard headtube.

[dr_gn]

Yeah, I can see lots of detail differences, but the overall design is pretty much identical.