Would you rather forget your wedding day than the rolling resistance values of your competition tyres? Then the S-Works hardtail from Specialized is just good enough for you. The Americans award this title of nobility as rarely as the Queen knights someone, and the World Cup version of the Stumpjumper is packed with high-end components. The result is the lightest and fastest bike in the test. Without shaved calves, you don't even need to get on the agile World Cup racer. The acceleration of the Stumpjumper with its hookless carbon fibre rims is like a ¼-mile sprint in a dragster. The Brain system keeps your hands on the handlebars at all times. But you can save yourself the brake parachute. Because even when nosediving over the trails, the stiff carbon fibre racer is hungry for top times. At least until a root takes the air out of the narrow tyres - like on our test lap.
ConclusionThe S in the S-Works Stumpjumper stands for superlatives: super light, super fast and unfortunately also super expensive.
PLUS Lifetime warranty, second chainring included, S.W.A.T. compatible, lightest bike, carbon wheels
MINUS Brain system not as effective as handlebar remote control, expensive
The alternative For 4199 euros, you can get the Stumpjumper Expert Carbon with a double groupset, SID Brain fork and Roval carbon wheels. The gearing is a mix of XTR, SLX and Sram X7 derailleurs.
