Specialized Stumpjumper Mystery Model

[pw_pw_la]

What if it's not even a Specialized?

Maybe it's a stolen masterpiece repainted and rebadged to avoid detection!

Did Spesh always have the cable routing going through the U stud braze-on like that?

Nice touch for a big company.

There's been a really nice original owner Epic for sale here in LA for ages. Bit of an esoteric build, but got some charm to it for sure, and a pretty great price.

For whatever reason I've had two different friends inquire and then not pull the trigger. Fools.

Always loved an Epic.

 

[Once A Hero]

1990 Comp only came in white. Maybe a 1990 Stumpjumper Team? Except the stickers don't match the catalog.

https://mombatbicycles.com/Specialized_Specs.htm

That list answers it for me, 1990 Stumpjumper Team with replacement decals.
Is it original paint though?, not looking too pearly in the photos, more like the standard black of the '89 non U-brake Comp...
I'm doubting myself again now!

 

[MuchAlohaNui]

What if it's not even a Specialized?

Maybe it's a stolen masterpiece repainted and rebadged to avoid detection!

Oh the theives and druggies do that where you live too!?

That list answers it for me, 1990 Stumpjumper Team with replacement decals.
Is it original paint though?, not looking too pearly in the photos, more like the standard black of the '89 non U-brake Comp...
I'm doubting myself again now!

Welcome to my life regarding this bike. What about early S-works steel frames? They made those too.

 

[MuchAlohaNui]

Having another go at catalogs and photos online plus all of your information you all provided I am confident this mystery is getting close to being solved.

In 1991 the Specialized Epic has several frame design spots unique but subtle to the look. The stays, once I noticed the difference was also a dead giveaway. When looking from the drive side on the Epic, the stays have a continuous diameter along the stays all the way up to the seat post clamp. Conversely, the steel frames pinch inward near the top. Just a little bit but there is a difference.

The serial number is not consistent, and from what I gather, Epic serial numbers were four maybe five digits. The one on this frame is six maybe seven. Plus the weight of the bike and the very subtle tiny spots of rust and of course my magnet investigation. This baby is steel.

So this is 1991 Team. I am highly certain.

The color is black. Black black black. Glossy black w/o the pearl found on the 1990. Catalog says components were Suntour, but I think the original owner ordered this frame with Shimano + the Chainstay brake. Stickers were changed on the downtube at one time or another, and is at this point a non-issue.

 

[RetroVelo]

This Specialized Stumjumper is a conundrum. I am the second owner. The person I bought this from became over time emotionally detached from the bike and thus, the exact model had slipped their mind. I inquired with general questions to help them recall. When I picked this up, all they said was 'the bike is rather special and was very expensive in the early 90's' and 'the parts are original' (less the tires currently mounted).

I originally thought this to be an 91' Epic (in part due to identification in the Mystery Thread) and honestly since I have owned it, has been hanging on a bike rack in the basement waiting to be worked on. The reason I say this is an Epic is due to pouring over catalog scans and comments in the Mystery Thread. However, a local guy asked about it the other day on why there are welds at the head tube. My first answer was 'well, because these bikes are lugged in either titanium or chromoly'. That was the end of that. This morning I thought, well, I'll take a Neobymium magnet to the frame.

The magnet attracts on all tubes . Now I have no idea what this bike is. Looking for photos online brings more confusion than identification.

If you would like additional photos, please feel free to ask. A few caveats to pay attention to if you'd like to help solve this mystery:

*the serial number, from what I can read, the black paint at the BB makes this a bit hard to read
*the Shimano chainstay mounted U-Brake was a very limited year optional add-on from Specialized
*the stickers (or lack there of)
*all the parts are original (XT)
*Specialized was notorious for releasing bikes with components not matching the catalog - I have a 1992 S-Works M2 Team where the catalog states Suntour XC Pro but I have a very very late number serial number in full XT, which I also bought from the original owner

Details, details details ALL IN CM:


Serial number: 8915599
Shimano XT M730/733

Top tube (theoretical horizontal plane): 53.5
Top tube actual: 52.5
Bottom tube: 61
Head tube: 8.8
Seat tube: 43
Chainstay: 43
BBody width: 73 mm
Fork steerer length: 12
Fork width: 1"
Stem length: 120 mm
Stem clamp diameter: 25.4 mm
Rear dropout: 135 mm
Front dropout: 100 mm

View attachment 708313View attachment 708314View attachment 708315View attachment 708316View attachment 708317View attachment 708318

I have an even more mysterious Stumpjumper steel frame model, no eyelets and with a 1" steerer, take a look, perhaps you can tell me what it is. Yes, someone erroneously painted this over and perhaps upgraded the components.

 

[Mod-Master]

Is there any chance of a serial number? Or has it been obscured by paint or perhaps removed?

 

[Prodigal Son]

I would look at the drop outs and how they meet the chainstays. Usually the brand id is strong in those details.

 

[RetroVelo]

Is there any chance of a serial number? Or has it been obscured by paint or perhaps removed?

Tomorrow, I will remove the bottom plastic cable guide as the number runs underneath the length of the BB. I did scrape paint and "89" are the first two digits, but it is barely legible. So perhaps it's a 1989? I've researched other BBs online and I see most serials run on the edge of the BB. So strange.

 

[RetroVelo]

I would look at the drop outs and how they meet the chainstays. Usually the brand id is strong in those details.

I will take more pics of the dropouts without the wheel. Dropouts are centered at the end of the stays and like I mentioned before, no eyelets nor evidence that they were removed.

 

[MuchAlohaNui]

I have an even more mysterious Stumpjumper steel frame model, no eyelets and with a 1" steerer, take a look, perhaps you can tell me what it is. Yes, someone erroneously painted this over and perhaps upgraded the components.

Obvious observations to me:
-sloping top tube
This makes the frame a 1990 or younger but also not an Epic.

-affixed seat post clamp with the center area indented around the circumference
This excludes M2 frames or composite frames where the seatpost clamp is milled; i.e. your bike is steel frame (do the magnet test to confirm). The actual bolt going through the seat post clamp is also not original.

-lack of eyelettes
The only non-eyelette chromoly frame they made in the early 90's were the 1992 and 1993 S-Works Stumpjumper steel frame.

-components
I suspect the thumbies are original. Check the date codes on the thumbies.

-rear dropouts
The triangle hole makes the frame chromoly. M2 frames have solid dropouts.

-rear cantilever cable stop arch
Your frame doesn't have one, unless that too was ground off with the (maybe) eyelettes. The arch went missing in 1993 and some people claim a missing arch on their 1992's. Catalog pictures have the arch, but tons of photos of 1993 Stumpjumpers do not. Rather, the frames got a metal noodle welded onto the non-drive side just below the seat post clamp. The only other frames that did not have the arch were also the 1992 and 1993 S-Works.

The serial number should have an S or K in the third digit to be an S-works.

Ultimately, I am stabbing in the dark. So take this summary worth a grain of salt.