Comments on: Interbike 2009: Ride Report- Specialized S-Works Stumpjumper Carbon

By: Guitar Ted

Guitar Ted — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:55:43 +0000

@professed: The Alma I have no experience with, (not the least due to the fact that it was never made in a size larger than 18″, which is too small for me), and also I did not see one displayed at Interbike this year.

I agree that it is a tricky, subjective business when speaking of thses things.

By: professed

professed — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 08:40:13 +0000

Gt, your sliding stiffness scale is most helpfull. Where would you slot in the orbea alma? I found it smoother riding than a superfly but also very stiff for power transfer. Its all a tricky and subjective field isn’t it ?!

By: Guitar Ted

Guitar Ted — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 03:22:02 +0000

@Big Chris: Judging from your comment on the Tall Boy post, I would guess that the carbon hard tail isn’t your cup of tea. It is a racers type rig- XC that is- and lighter than steel, stiffer than titanium, but smooth enough not to kill you during the time it takes to hammer out a fast lap or two……or three. It is a “go fast” type of bike with not a lot of compromise for comfort in comparison to FS rigs.

If that isn’t your cup o tea, then I’d pass on the carbon hard tails altogether.

By: BigChris

BigChris — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 02:25:01 +0000

Well I am not asking to compare them to the tallboy, sulton or that hammocl ellsworth makes ok let me narrow it down. did your ass and back hurt more than other ht’s?

I am trying to understand the need for one. Is the stomp and mash torsional rigidity and weight savings worth ones L1 and L2 and stool push?

I mean all the info I really see is that all these carbon HT’s are the same.

By: Guitar Ted

Guitar Ted — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:12:20 +0000

@Rob from Ottawa @ Toddre: We didn’t find anyone at the BTI booth to chat with, but if wecan get ahold of someone at VooDoo, we’ll pass that Canzo request along.

@BigChris: Vertical compliance is a nefarious term that is akin to trying to find the lost city of Atlantis in terms of hard tail rigs. There are too many factors involved to really say it is the farme, because you have the seat post extension, material for the seat post, wheel compliance, and tire pressure all giving similar sensations.

That said, I feel the entire frame, and in particular the top tube, is actually where a lot of “vertcal compliance” is felt in frames. However that may be, the Fisher felt smoothest to my mind, but the Specialized and Jamis rigs are also no slouches in that area. And then factor in that carbon is a vibration dampener, then things can get really tricky to discern.

But any of this is splitting hairs. They are not suspension rigs, and anything with a rear damper is going to be way more efficient in rough terrain over the long haul.

By: EJ

EJ — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 22:14:43 +0000

Super-stiff, huh? If only felt would add a proper XL to their carbon lineup. Seriously, a 29er available in nothing bigger than a shortish 20.5? Show us tall guys some love.

By: BigChris

BigChris — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 21:23:05 +0000

What do you make of vertical compliance of this or any carbon HT

By: Toddre

Toddre — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 20:35:05 +0000

If you talk to Voodoo, tell them to male a bigger Canzo

By: Rob from Ottawa

Rob from Ottawa — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 20:26:19 +0000

Yeah, I’d also be interested to hear if you guys talked to Voodoo.

By: Guitar Ted

Guitar Ted — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 20:15:53 +0000

@xbrian: I did also ride the Hei Hei. The ride report on that is coming soon. I stopped by the vooDoo booth at the Demo, but I didn’t see a Canzo, which I was hoping to ride. Only 29″er at the time I was there that I saw was a titanium Zaka.