The Stumpjumper EVO’s geometry adjustments allow for a high level of customization. After some experimentation, my preferred all-round setting ended up being neural / low. That gave the bike a 64-degree head angle, 42mm of bottom bracket drop, and 443mm chainstays. Those numbers would have been radical just a few years ago, but we’re seeing more and more bikes in this travel bracket released with similar head angles – the Transition Sentinel and Norco Sight are two examples that come to mind.
Now, 64-degrees isn’t that far off from what you’ll find on a DH bike, but thankfully the Stumpy EVO climbs much, much better than a downhill sled. That relatively light weight helps, and while the Horst Link suspension layout may not be quite as snappy as some of the dual-link designs out there, the latest version has a good amount of support for those out of the saddle sprints. Traction takes priority over an extra-firm, super efficient feeling ride, which helps keep that rear wheel from spinning out on those slippery, tricky root-filled climbs.
Pedal strikes are a little more common in that lower geometry setting, but I ended up sticking with it because of the cornering benefits. Plus, most of the climbs where I live are more rooty than rocky – there’s a little more give when you hit a pedal on a stump compared to running into a solid chunk of granite.
I did spend some time with the bike in the slackest and lowest setting, but found that it felt too slack on mellower terrain for my liking. It gave the bike a lazy feel, and took away some of the easy handling that I enjoyed in the middle / low setting. Changing the head angle doesn’t take that long, though, and I could imagine regularly switching it up for trips to steeper shuttle zones or a lift-served bike park.
