mountain bikes: Test: Specialized Camber Comp Carbon 29 2x – trail tourer with trunk

Specialized Camber Comp Carbon 29: frame and geometry

It's been six years since the camber was introduced as a new model by Specialized. It has since established itself as a fixture in the California manufacturer's portfolio and fills the gap between the XC Fully Epic and the long-travel evergreen Stumpjumper FSR. In the 2017 model year, the Camber is exclusively available on 29-inch wheels and is available with both aluminum and carbon frames. While the two top models Camber Pro Carbon and the S-Works Camber main frame and rear frame are made of carbon fiber, the rear frame of the Comp Carbon and Expert Carbon is made of aluminum.

The orientation of the cam hasn't changed over the years - somewhere between cross-country and all-mountain, for up and down, for touring and trail fun in equal measure. With 120mm of spring travel at the front and rear, you are also in the golden mean here - the rear end is shared with the potent Stumpjumper, but the structure and characteristics are more geared towards propulsion. The workmanship and the look of the frame are great - the characteristic look of the raw carbon mats shimmers through the matt clear coat of our test bike and otherwise there really isn't much to complain about here.

Undoubtedly one of the highlights of the frame and the whole bike is the SWAT door in the down tube - to put it bluntly, this is a trunk on the bike: The bottle holder or the plate underneath can be removed and a storage space appears, in which, in addition to a multi-tool, a small pump and other utensils, there is also space for a compact rain jacket. So you can confidently do without a backpack on the after-work lap.

Nowhere is the hybrid character of the cam between XC, trail and tour more evident than when looking at the geometry data. The steering angle is rather steep at 68.5°, the 75 seat angle puts the rider in an extremely effective seating position for pedaling. The reach, on the other hand, is just under 450mm in L, which is typical for trail bikes, while the high stack ensures a more upright position on the bike that tends to be toury. A very unique mix.

Specialized Camber Comp Carbon 29: features

In our test, we had the Comp Carbon 29 2x, the cheapest version with a carbon main frame and a 2x drivetrain from Shimano. Alternatively, the Comp Carbon is also available with SRAM NX gears and a chain ring. The chassis is made up of a duo of Rock Shox Revelation 29 at the front and FOX Float Performance dampers at the rear. The damping can be quickly adjusted to the desired requirements using a lever on both spring elements, even while riding. Experience has shown that the rear triangle also works with an open shock absorber with almost no see-saw.

A rather wild mix awaits us with the drive: As already mentioned, a 2-speed gear system is installed on our test bike and an XT rear derailleur from Shimano is responsible for changing the sprockets. On the cockpit, this is operated with an SLX shifter, as is the front derailleur, which, however, comes from the SRAM GX series. Canadian quality from Race Face was chosen for the crank: The Aeffect not only looks good, but is also relatively light and the chainrings have a very good shifting quality. Speaking of chainrings: With the combination of 36/26 and the 11-42 SLX cassette you get a generous range of 529% and you are prepared for almost any terrain.

The brakes also come from Shimano; here the M506 is more of a model from the entry-level segment, which is combined with 203/180mm discs (L and XL) or 180/160mm (S and M). The other add-on parts are all made in-house: starting with the Specialized Command Post IIrc post with 125mm travel, through the Specialized Henge saddle to the cockpit and the tires or wheels. The latter is contributed by Specialized subsidiary Roval and fortunately, with the Traverse 29, a variant with a generous 29mm inner rim was chosen. This allows the tires to develop optimally. The proven in-house combination of Purgatory at the front and Ground Control at the rear should provide grip on the trail.

We found the choice of handlebars a little surprising: With a 27mm rise, it raises the already high front end even further.

Specialized Camber Comp Carbon 29: On the trail

We have known the camber for a long time and in different configurations. We've always been happy with it, but since the model has been around for a while now, we were curious to see how it would stack up against the competition, who are coming up with some brand new models.

Our testers all agreed: the Specialized simply looks good. Design and workmanship give no reason for criticism. On the contrary, harmonious shapes and beautiful details are striking. However, the built-in components do not all meet with unqualified approval. Colleagues start worrying about their private parts the first time they use the telescopic support. The rebound speed is reminiscent of a bolt gun. The lever, which is integrated in the clamp of the handles, cannot be optimally positioned with the chosen brake. Anyone who buys the Camber will find the right solution. For example, by removing or bending the built-in metal tube on the cable outlet of the remote support, you can find a really good position and then you get used to the speed of the support. In terms of hand strength and function as well as reliability, there is little else to complain about.

The shifting also does its job perfectly, even if some of the testers would have preferred a one-by drive. 1-speed fans who can get by with a slightly smaller bandwidth can instead use the Camber Comp Carbon with SRAM NX drive for the same price. The combination of Shimano and SRAM gears on our test bike harmonizes well and the Race Face cranks shift fine. The cheap brakes are fine and we were also pleased with the large disc at the front.

Wheels and cockpit, from our own production, are inconspicuous in a positive sense. The saddle and the tires also come from our own parts shelf, they feel really good. The chassis has plenty of traction uphill and downhill, with the rear end of the fork showing how it should be done. We particularly like the easy tuning thanks to Autosag. The Revelation at the front lacks some stiffness and cannot keep up with the rear in rough passages. We preferred to run the camber under the stem without spacers. With the spacer rings, the front wheel climbs too early for our taste on steep climbs and it also seems a bit stilted on the descent. The steering angle could be a bit slacker, following the current trend. This would make the bike significantly stronger going downhill.