1983 Specialized Stumpjumper, lugged

[First Flight]

Here is another one of the bikes we have had for awhile and finally took some pictures. Pretty clean early Stumpie. Neat lugged construction.

More pictures and details @ MOMBAT: 1983 Specialized Stumpjumper

[83stumpjumper]

With the exception that mine had bullmoose bars, that was my first Stumpy! Loved that "anthracite grey" paint job. Man I loved that bike! Thanks for posting the photos.

[foxpuppet]

wow... just wow, love the attention to detail on this build!

[flyingcloud]

Sold a few of these back in the day...awesome bike!

[jaxes88]

glad to see that you still have some gum sidewall tires on it,

[83stumpjumper]

I don't think most members on this forum understand that this was THE bike that launched the sport of mountain biking to the general public! It took a style of riding that was pretty much limited to the hills north of San Francisco, and brought it across the country, and then the world. There were NO MTB's available at LBS's until this one came along, and that was in limited amounts too. The custom Fat Chance, Ritchies and such didn't start catching on until the Stumpjumper got the riding public out on the trails.
I don't think for one second that mountain biking started with the Stumpjumper, but it was definetly the Stumpjumper that brought it to the main stream.
These original early Stumpjumpers are works of art in my eyes.

[CS2]

I don't think most members on this forum understand that this was THE bike that launched the sport of mountain biking to the general public! It took a style of riding that was pretty much limited to the hills north of San Francisco, and brought it across the country, and then the world. There were NO MTB's available at LBS's until this one came along, and that was in limited amounts too. The custom Fat Chance, Ritchies and such didn't start catching on until the Stumpjumper got the riding public out on the trails.
I don't think for one second that mountain biking started with the Stumpjumper, but it was definetly the Stumpjumper that brought it to the main stream.
These original early Stumpjumpers are works of art in my eyes.

While not everyone here would agree, I do.

[girlonbike]

I don't think most members on this forum understand

This has been hashed out alot in this forum and this is the only sentence that I disagree with. Well. I'm not sure I would call them works of art - that's colker's realm.

[83stumpjumper]

Not for nothing, but many folks on this forum think their 1998 Trek is vintage. The first few years of the Stumpjumper the bikes were just beautiful. The biplane fork and the bowed out chain stays. Not to mention the lug work and braze ons. Modern bikes lack those finer details now. I never said it was the best bike of it's time, although it probably was since there were so few others of it's type available. There was NOTHING cooler than those big Tommy brake levers!!! Regardless of what some people might think of the Big Red S these days, credit must be given to them for opening the doors to a new biking sport.
I'd still like to see a section on this forum for 1990's bikes. If I knew how to start one, I would do it myself.

[flyingcloud]

As someone who was building custom handmade frames in 1983, but that was also one of the first Specialized dealers in Oregon, I sold a number of these bikes and fully recognize the contribution they made to the sport. Certainly they are not on the same level as many of the classic handmade bikes of that era, but these early models with their Japanese made fully lugged frames and attention to detail did indeed help bring the mountain bike into the mainstream and Mike Sinyard's ability to recognize a trend and develop a innovative product is something he can surely be proud of. And that bike is a real beauty!

[PiasRoller]

Too bad the big red S got to where it is by burning all in it's the path; borrowing ideas and peoples work; and continues to do so proven recently by David vs' Goliath lawsuits.
I do agree the old Stumpy's were awesome works of art and their new stuff is too.

BUT...
friends don't let friends ride Specialized for free.

[balindamood]

Too bad the big red S got to where it is by burning all in it's the path; borrowing ideas and peoples work; and continues to do so proven recently by David vs' Goliath lawsuits.

Their more recent actions have upset me to the point where I have liquidated my Specialized collection (three '86 and earlier SJ's, an '85 RH, '85 Allez, and memorabilia). I have not dumped my '83 Expedition yet, but it is going to go soon. Gary Fisher is/was my litmas test/line of tolerence, and they have passed it. Like the bikes, was never too hip on the company, and am now just disgusted.

[83stumpjumper]

The bicycle business is just that, a business. That means a company is going to do what it has to to inovate and make a profit. If Specialized stole the idea of a mountain bike from the original builders, then didn't every company that came after them? They should all be accused then. As for lawsuits, all companies sue and put out cease and desist orders to protect their product or intellectual property. That's just business. Specialized just seems to be more aggresive about it than others.
No, I have no affiliation with the company other than I've been riding their bikes since 1983 and like what they put out. My criticizm of them would be that they offer too many different bikes now, they should narrow down the choices I think. A company shouldn't be demonized for protecting itself, that's good business practice. Now if you don't like their products, don't buy them.

[girlonbike]

[QUOTE=83stumpjumper;9917678As for lawsuits, all companies sue and put out cease and desist orders to protect their product or intellectual property. That's just business. [/QUOTE]

You make these widesweeping generalizations. You're incorrect here. All companies do not because all companies do not have a team of lawyers or a pile of cash to afford it. Somebody has copied my company's product but we didn't have the resources to go after them and suddenly all 40 of us were out of jobs.

[83stumpjumper]

If your company had lawyers, they would have fought it, right? I am very sorry to hear that 40 people lost their jobs over it. Yes, Specialized is a huge company, and they have more resources than most. Should they be blamed for that? That's just how business is. They got that big buy selling products that people liked, and bought. Big business operates in ways that smaller companies can't, Coca Cola, Ford, GE, because they are looking to protect their brand name. Specialized is no different. Trek, Cannondale and Jamis would do the same. I'm sure we'd be disapointed by the business practices of a lot of companies who's products we use. Bikes are personal choices, we all have our reasons for buying what we ride. I just happen to like Specialized.

[Fred Smedley]

If your company had lawyers, they would have fought it, right? I am very sorry to hear that 40 people lost their jobs over it. Yes, Specialized is a huge company, and they have more resources than most. Should they be blamed for that? That's just how business is. They got that big buy selling products that people liked, and bought. Big business operates in ways that smaller companies can't, Coca Cola, Ford, GE, because they are looking to protect their brand name. Specialized is no different. Trek, Cannondale and Jamis would do the same. I'm sure we'd be disapointed by the business practices of a lot of companies who's products we use. Bikes are personal choices, we all have our reasons for buying what we ride. I just happen to like Specialized.

I like my 95 Stumpjumper, my mid eighties stumpjumer ....not so much, it certainly missed the handling characteristics it was supposed to be coping. Most argue that they steered like a rock, Buy a modern Specialized product, not given their dishonest legal actions of late.

[girlonbike]

I like my 95 Stumpjumper, my mid eighties stumpjumer ....not so much, it certainly missed the handling characteristics it was supposed to be coping. Most argue that they steered like a rock, Buy a modern Specialized product, not given their dishonest legal actions of late.

I do love their bottles.

[Fillet-brazed]

I do love their bottles.

That latest bottle and its new nozzle amazes me that it actually made it to market. That nozzle (or whatever it's called) is awful the way it collects a big load of dirt/dust in that little cavity at the end. Not to mention the massive size of the thing. I've always loved the Specialized bottles since the 80s, but now always grab for my Trek bottles... pretty much perfect.