Mikier

Questions re Stumpjumpers while they were still lugged until 1986. The 1980s Stumpjumper MTBs are well documented as Prestige tubing and built in Japan. I’m looking for build info re the less expensive Stumpjumper ‘Sport’. The frame and fork tubing is labeled as ‘Special Touring DB CrMo’
Who made this tubing and how does it compare to the Stumpjumper’s Prestige in terms of weight and ride feel?

Where were the 1986 Sports built (Taiwan?)?

RE geometry, more MTB or road/touring bike?
Thanks
Mikie

tcs

Fun fact: Very first Stumps were welded!

zukahn1

Can't say for maker but the late 80's tubed OS chro-mo Speicilized stuff was made in Tawain by Giants pro section all the stuff I have seen from this era is pretty good to great. As for tuning it is a bit heavier with very good ride character and semi nuke proof.

Charles Wahl

My MTB experience is only with a 1984 Stumpjumper "Sport" (the lower-priced spread) that I bought locally and refurbished for my cousin-pal. (Well, I also did the same for his spouse on a 1993 Specialized HardRock that my own spouse had used for years). There's a "stats sheet" at Specialized Specs , and an article too, which (for whatever reason) pictures the "Sport" version: 1984 Specialized Stumpjumper Sport 24" wheel . The example I had is on a Flickr album of mine: https://www.flickr.com/photos/131757...57714934167376 . The tubing decals on it don't say "DB", just "Special Series Chrome Moly Tubing"
-- I wouldn't assume that it was double-butted, but straight-gauge; especially since a 1984 Specialized Expedition I can find images of online ( https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=87110 ) has tubing decals that specifically say "Cro-Mo Double Butted" -- maybe the example you're posting about does too. I'm no expert, but I think that Tange Prestige is in a somewhat different class, like something for racing-level frames.

The Stumpy I bought had really nice Saturae elliptical-section rims, and Specialized sealed-bearing hubs. I'll be glad to help with any questions you may have, but bear in mind that the bike is gone now.

The Golden Boy 

I've got an 84 Stumpjumper Sport.

It's a very *stout* bike. Rides great, but it's a tank.

I always had the impression that the regular Stumpjumper had some weight savings in the frame/fork in addition to fancier components.

EB_AZ

FWIW, this 90% OEM (I believe 1986, perhaps 1985) Specialized Stumpjumper Touring Sport I recently picked up has this "Japan" sticker on the seat tube just above the bottom bracket.





These are really special frames; I'd also love to learn more about their history and differentiation from the other Stumjumpers tiers of that era.

merziac

Very nice.

Japan, early, real, best, IMO.

Production moved to Taiwan later, not bad but not as good, again IMO.

I have an identical black one and 3 others as well as a Merz.

TXtea

I've got a really small 83-84 Sport that says "Japan" and "Chrome-Moly Tubing" if that helps at all. I've never seen one this small as it's about a 16" and has insanely long stays. I got it as a frameset, so just threw some wheels/tires on it to get a true idea on size.

merziac

"insanely long" is an understatement.

Any name or sticker residue on the NDS CS?

I have a little bigger one like this that has a Tim Neenan sticker there, pretty cool and really wish it was bigger/my size.

Charles Wahl

The ride of the 1984 Stumpy Sport (only one decent ride, really) was nothing like a road frame. Bars & grips felt very spread out, very stable but not "sprightly" like a 700C- or 27"-wheeled bike. I probably would have gotten used to it in short order, but short-term it felt body-alien. Also, definitely felt "heavier" than a road bike. Still, thinking about building a 559-wheeled bike . . . for kicks.

albrt 

Here's a picture of my 1983 Sport.



This is the only picture I have handy and the bike is a couple thousand miles away, but maybe somebody here can make inferences about country of origin.

merziac

Should be Japan I think.

due ruote 

I wonder if it's a 1-off/prototype/custom frame?
Even for that period, those are really long. Also looks like ~0 BB drop. Stumpjumper indeed.

TXtea

No sticker residue that I can see. Would've been cool to have name there though.

TXtea

That would be cool if it was. I haven't seen any others this small and haven't been very lucky tracking down catalogs from this time so I can't determine if a 16" was even offered.

SpeedofLite 

Here are pages from the 1984 and 1985 Bicycling magazine Buyers Guides that list the Specialized Stumpjumper Sport.
Although Specialized had bikes listed in the 1983 and 1986 Buyers Guides, Stumpjumper Sport was not one of them in either year.
You might find some useful information listed on these pages.

merziac

Looks like the 85 guide shows 16 1/2in. so likely is what yours is.

albrt 

Do you think Specialized really had that many extremely short customers, or were they experimenting with a big BMX hybrid? Last week I was working on a mid-1980s Schwinn All Terrain Bike (Cruiser Supreme) that suggested to me the industry was really not sure which way the market was going with mountain bikes.

garryg

I have this 84 in my stable. 24 inch tires,17 inch frame. It is minty.

Bad Lag

My Stumpjumper Sport, which has grown up and is now more "civilized".




Now, what was your question, again?

Oh, yes, geometry - it is a long wheel based bike, so more MTB-Touring oriented, but not slow or poor handling, not at all.

They are really good bikes that came with good components. If you can get one at a decent price, I'd say, buy it!

Clyde1820

A handful of years ago, I came across an early 17" with 24" wheels. Should have snapped it up, but didn't, as my preference is for 26" wheels. (Oops. Would have been a fantastic fit, for me.)

The Golden Boy 

But I'm pretty sure the unicrown fork replaced the biplane for 85.

Charles Wahl

If Mombat's data can be believed, in '85 only the newly introduced "Team Stumpjumper" was given a unicrown fork, but in '86 all three models had it (the column on the right is "fork"); I'm sure the 1984 models ("regular" and "sport") both had biplane fork crowns:

Bad Lag

Mine, a 1985 Sport, has a unicrown fork and a frame sticker sticker which says,

Special Series
TOURING
Double Butted CrMo Tubing

I did not buy it in 1985 but it was sold to me as a 1985 model.

The Golden Boy 

I think it's strange how I view unicrowns as the hallmark of a lower end frame- when in reality- that was high speed technology... and then the "step" of having the unicrown lug- they don't quite trust that TIG welding.