Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Expert Carbon

I was very impressed with this bikes ability to kick ass on the whole trail. Although I've always respected their product I've never been a big fan of the big S. This bike changed that. I used to think Specialized bikes preferred to stay on the ground, but the Stumpy has evolved into a bike that is super fun on the DH, easy to manual and pop off trail obstacles. It is very nimble but still has a degree of stability that is lacking in many xc/trail bikes. It climbs like a goat, but my one complaint may be that it tends to wheelie and wonder a little more than my current ride on super steep climbs. This is probably due to the short chainstays, but that is also why it gets killer traction and you can stand while climbing more than other dually trail bikes. I never felt the need to dial down the Fox TALAS fork, that probably would have eliminated the wondering front wheel, but it wasn't even a big enough issue to to reach down and flip that dial. The Brainshock worked great, you could set it to be very active, or to eliminate all suspension movement until you hit something hard enough to open it up. I preferred to keep the "brainfade" adjustment just firm enough to reduce pedal bobbing when seated, which kept the ride smooth and seamless.

Now I am lusting for aI Stumpjumper EVO version. It should be an even better descender.