In this installment we will cover replacing the wheelset on the Stumpjumper.  A new set of wheels can easily be the best upgrade in terms of overall improvement that you can do to your bike.  A top quality set of wheels will be lighter and anytime that you remove rotational mass the improvement in feel is much more pronounced.  The increased quality in the hubs usually includes higher quality bearings that will allow the bike to roll further and faster with the same amount of pedal input.  Likewise, acceleration should be improved as well.  Having increased engagement points (the Industry Nine freehub will engage with only 3 degrees of rotation) in the rear hub will improve pedal response and help when climbing obstacles that require repositioning of the pedals.  Bottom line, wheel upgrades can completely change the feel of a bike.  Increased agility, control and responsiveness can be expected.

The Stumpjumper was originally equipped with a set of standard wheels that included a low engagement point rear hub.  These wheels were removed from the bike at the 75 mile mark and replaced with a set of Roval Control 29 wheels.  The Roval’s were narrow rim racing wheels that were lightweight, had DT Swiss 350 series hub internals with the Star Ratchet engagement system and came with a tubeless setup already installed.   They were a great set of wheels that performed well in all conditions.  The issue was that they were light weight racing wheels being used for trail riding.  The rear wheel went out of true and was not repairable.  So, enter the new wheels:  A set of Industry Nine Torch Trail 24.5s in the 24 spoke version.  These wheels are strong, wide, light and have a high engagement point rear hub.  They come with a tubeless kit installed and ready to go.  Install was not much more difficult than changing a tire.  The only additional steps were swapping the brake rotors and cassette on the rear.  Industry Nine is known for their multitude of color choices.  They have eleven different colors for the hubs and spokes.  You may mix and match as you see fit.  These wheels are a “standard” color scheme of black rims with red spokes and hubs.  Quite snazzy looking.

These wheels come from the factory tubeless-ready. Tape+Matching anodized valve=Useful AND Classy

Rider feedback

Initial impressions: 

These are amazing wheels!  The first thing you notice is the sound of the rear hub.  Those engagement points make themselves known.  These wheels are very stiff.  It will take a bit of getting used to the lack of flex.  These things just don’t move very much.  They roll so easy!  Start on a downhill next to someone and you will walk off and leave them without pedaling.  These things are tough.  On the very first ride a fairly large stick got caught in the spokes of the front wheel and was slammed against the fork.  The stick was smashed into several pieces but the wheel received no damage.  This would have ripped several spokes out of the Roval wheel that was on previously.  These things look great, perform wonderfully and are even lighter than the Rovals that were on here before.  Industry Nine has a winner here.

Final verdict: 

If you need wheels, BUY THESE!  Cheaper than carbon, more durable and made in the USA.  WINNER!

In this installment we will cover replacing the fork on the Stumpjumper. Having a fork that is matched to the capabilities of your frame is a must. Going overboard on travel can not only result in a bike that is poorly balanced but it can void your frame warranty as well. Most frames can handle a small increase in travel without any concerns but check with the manufacturer of the frame if you are unsure. Most forks are also available in different offsets (usually 46 or 51mm) and frames are designed around a certain offset. Changing this will have an effect on the steering of the bike. Check the specs of your frame and if you are unsure, talk to someone at your local bike shop for recommendations. A new fork is a significant investment and we all want to spend our money wisely.
The Stumpjumper was originally equipped with a Fox Performance series fork with 130mm of travel. As with the shock, this is one of Fox’s lower end offerings. Also, like the shock, it is a decent unit but nothing to get excited about. After over four years of use, the fork was worn to the point that a rebuild did not make sense. The stanchions were showing major wear and would have to be replaced. It was only logical to choose a replacement that complimented the new rear shock. So, to go along the RockShox Monarch RT3, a RochShox Pike RCT3 was chosen to replace the original. This fork has a travel of 140mm. The frame is able to accommodate the increase without any difficulty. The install was straight forward with no fitment problems. When installing a new fork, the steer tube must be cut to match the length required by your frame. This is most definitely a measure twice, cut once, type of situation. If you have ANY doubts about doing this yourself, please have the install performed by a professional. New forks are not cheap and the last thing anybody wants to do is render a brand new fork useless by cutting the steerer tube too short.

Rider feedback

Initial impressions:

Oh wow! This thing is awesome. Plush, controlled and responsive. So many adjustments that it will take a while to get it dialed in completely. Loving it so far. It matches the dampening characteristics of the Monarch perfectly. Flex in the chassis is reduced dramatically. So much, in fact, that line choice has become more difficult. After riding the OEM fork for so long the flex in corners made it necessary to try and corner a little tighter. Take the same approach with the Pike and you will end up off the trail. Flex is no longer enough to require course correction. Much less fore and aft flex during braking as well.

Final verdict:

Now it is obvious why so many top end bikes come with this fork from the factory. After riding with this for several months there are no real drawbacks. It just does its job and does it well. If there was anything that could be listed as a con, it would be that increasing the travel to 140mm tipped the balance of the bike toward the downhill and made it SLIGHTLY less efficient climbing. This is not a problem with the fork, just in the travel selected. All in all, the Pike has completely transformed the Stumpjumper from a good bike to a great one. Not cheap but oh so worth it.