4 times I have had to check to make sure this bike really does have 29" wheels....
There are a lot of people out there, diehard Specialized owners included, that were bummed that it took Specialized so long to come out with a 29er. Their first couple 29er bikes were a little lackluster in fact. It's as if they were only half hearted attempts. In 2008 we saw the addition of a Stumpy HT Comp 29 & the Stumpy FSR 29. It was great to see although many thought a little late. I had the chance to ride a Stumpy HT Comp 29er, truthfully it didn't feel right. Granted I had ridden many other 29ers up to that point (Niner SIR9, Orbea Alma, SyCip Super Unleaded, Gary Fisher's, etc.), not all of them rode the same but, the Spec felt too much like a hybrid bike.
One of my favorite traits of any good 26" bike is the ability to rail corners. How the tires feel glued to the dirt, constant hook up, the stable feeling on climbs... it's the epitome of MTBing. This bike, S-Works Stumpy HT 29, has all of those qualities and more. They NAILED the geometry. The organic lines of the frame make the bike look very aggressive and it is.
Being that I am a Clydesdale rider I made a few upgrades to the bike for my own fit. I swapped the Specialized Carbon 30.9 seatpost out for a Thomson Masterpiece 30.9. It's a little longer and less flexy under me. I also changed out the Spec Phenom SL saddle out for a custom Fizik Gobi XM saddle. I have Gobi's on all my other MTB's and realized I could live without it. I am also toying with changing out the wheels for a set of Industry Nine 29er XC wheels. We have sold several pairs of their wheels lately and I like their ruggedness yet lightweight. Something about those thick aluminum spokes plus they would look awesome on the bike. Nothing wrong with the Roval Controle's just personal preference.
In 1993 I switched from flat bars to riser bars. Since then whenever I see someone running flat bars I either think they are old school racers that won't make the leap to risers or weight-weenies. Senor Plastik, as I like to call the bike, came with a set of Spec Carbon flat bars, yikes. I was already dreaming up the perfect riser bar even before I bought the bike. Then I rode it offroad. I'm sticking with the flats! The flat bar quickened up the steering 100%. Sometimes 29ers are built with too much head tube angle and the steering is super slow, tight technical sections are a nightmare. This bike steers just like my 26er's! Wow.
I'm riding again this afternoon. I haven't ridden another bike since Senor Plastik has been added to the stable. Not saying I won't, just not right now.
Look for Part 5 soon....
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