Specialized Camber Pro 29er Mountain Bike Review

The Specialized Camber Pro 29er is more mountain bike than most riders deserve and yet it’s not even top of the Specialized line. With decades of experience designing and building mountain bikes, Specialized has applied that knowledge to the Camber Pro, resulting in a high performance FS 29er that’s built for going fast and winning …

By Jeff Barber
September 14, 2011 Last Updated: August 13, 2024

14 comments

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Like the Tallboy from Santa Cruz, I went into my demo ride assuming the Camber Pro would feel a bit sluggish and unnecessarily heavy. Of course once again I was completely wrong. The Camber Pro is probably the most responsive FS 29er I tested and it was ultra-snappy on the climbs. At medium speed over rocks the bike felt a little twitchy and stiff but once I opened things up the suspension felt plush. Of course it’s always hard to pinpoint exactly what’s affecting the feel of a bike everything from tire pressure to shock settings to frame materials plays a role. Still, I can say the Camber Pro has a racy feel that seems to be part of its DNA.

Unlike the top of the line S-works Stumpjumper 29er, the Camber Pro is not a full carbon bike the rear triangle is alloy. Still, the bike is very light and felt just as stiff (or even more stiff) than other full carbon bikes I tested. With 120mm of travel this bike dips its toe into Trail bike waters but to me it’s a pretty solidly XC bike. Still, some of the features like wider handlebars and a Specialized dropper seatpost lean toward Trail bike territory.

Specialized has a reputation for producing dialed-in racing machines and the Camber Pro is no exception. It’s a sexy looking bike that’s efficient at getting its job done, all in a neat, FS 29er package. Want to win full-on singletrack century bike races? The Camber Pro might just be your ticket.

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14 Comments

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Dustin Gaddis South Carolina // 2007
Sep 16, 2011

@watertightg - try and ride an Epic, with the Brain shock. It stays locked out when you don't need suspension but opens up to absorb hits when you needed it. It works like the Fox F29 Terralogic fork I reviewed recently. The Brain is also built by Fox.

0 reply

trek7k
Sep 15, 2011

Agreed, the two terms are similar but certainly have different connotations. For me the bike handled well in climbs (snappy) but at slower speeds it felt twitchy (suspension didn't tend to engage as well as other bikes I tested. Adjectives are important clues in reviews and if I had to choose just one for the Camber it would be racy!

watertightg 2010
Sep 16, 2011

Copy, thx. Looking for a FS that is as snappy (quick) as my Superfly HT. If it climbs as well but descends better I'd be tempted. I'm guessing the twitch might be irrelevant coming from a hard tail.

Dustin Gaddis South Carolina // 2007
Sep 14, 2011

I hear good things about the Camber. A friend of mine has last year's model, he also test rode the Epic and Stumpjumper. He thought the Epic was too racy, but the Stumpjumper felt like riding a couch. The Camber was juuuuuust right.

kkilton 2009
Apr 26, 2012

I just picked up a 2011 Specialized Camber 29er Elite last weekend. This is an awesome bike. The only weak link I could find is the Deore crankset/bottom bracket so had it replaced with a new SLX package. The bike doesn't feel heavy on the trail and I feel amazingly stable on it. Coming from an older 26er hardtail, this bike is not snappy but it rolls over everything.

A bike this good for $2K. Thanks Specialized.

Greg Heil Colorado // 2008
Sep 14, 2011

MMM this bike sounds delicious! Light FS 29er that can pedal really well but has trail leanings for rough descents.... I need to start hoarding my pennies....

watertightg 2010
Sep 15, 2011

Seems like "snappy" and "twitchy" are the phrases de jour for bike reviews these days. It would be helpful if you could say what the difference is. Seems like you are saying one is good and the pother is bad but they seem pretty much the same or the line is so fine as to be irrelevant.

watertightg 2010
Oct 3, 2011

So does anyone have a frame weight for this bike if it is even available as a frame or frameset? I've seen a full build weight of 28 lb 6oz but am wondering if a 25 lb build is possible. Would be using parts from my Superfly at just under 22lbs. IIRC the Superfly frame is 3lbs so a FS 29er (100-120mm) with a frame weight of 6 lbs would make me happy.

trek7k
Sep 16, 2011

You're right watertightg - this is a good FS 29er for those who are used to riding hardtails (like me!).

wbernest Tennessee // 2010
Sep 14, 2011

a thing of beauty

GimmeAraise 2011
Sep 16, 2011

after doing some research, this bike probably felt like a race bike because it has 110mm of travel in the fork and frame! the 29er carbon expert is looking awesome defiantly gong to consider this one!

there 26ers have 120mm

fat_billy 2010
Sep 14, 2011

trek7k, Good write ups. Hope your d660 is still speaking to you after "enjoying other" bikes. Repeat after me "Swag is good, Swag is good". Keep me in mind if you need some heavy weight stress testing. LOL Later,

GimmeAraise 2011
Sep 15, 2011

wow that sound perfect for me! i have been contemplating trek 29ers but there is no real in-between. if you say its 120mm but feels like a xc man sound like its for me. for 3000$ thats a heck of a bike. great review!

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