Light And Aggressive
It’s easy to see how the Specialized Camber EVO could be overlooked. Nestled in between the ever-popular Specialized Epic cross-country racers and Specialized
Stumpjumper FSR trailbikes, the Camber EVO is a blend of
both. Designed to be quick like a cross-country rig yet rugged like a trailbike, can the Camber split the difference, or
does it get lost in the shuffle?
WHO IS IT MADE FOR?
The Camber EVO is designed for riders who like to push
the pace on climbs while still being able to have something
to hoot and holler about when descending. For riders whose
trails don’t call for 6 inches of travel, the Camber can be the
perfect weapon.
WHAT IS IT MADE FROM?
While the standard Camber is aimed primarily at all-day,
cross-country-style riding, the “EVO” moniker means that
Specialized kicked it up a notch. In the Camber’s case, the
EVO gets an extra . 4 inches of suspension travel, matched
with slightly slacker geometry, thanks to a longer-travel fork
and a different link in the rear-suspension setup.
The front triangle is constructed of Specialized’s FACT
9m carbon, while the rear triangle is M5 aluminum. The
bike features a tapered head tube, full-carbon PF30 bottom
bracket shell, internal cable routing, and 142-millimeter rear
dropouts. The rear suspension is Specialized’s FSR design
featuring sealed cartridge bearings.
WHICH COMPONENTS STAND OUT?
Along with more aggressive geometry, the Camber EVO
comes equipped with components to push it harder on the
trail. Up front is a RockShox Pike fork that you can read all
about in our “Field Test” on page 124. This is an especially
unique spec because RockShox doesn’t offer the Pike in a
4.7-inch-travel length, but builds the fork specifically for
this model. SRAM’s X01 drivetrain offers everything we’ve
come to expect from the top-tier XX1 group: precise shifting,
dead-quiet chain damping and clean aesthetics. Specialized
also contributed to the mix with a cockpit spec that fits the
aggressive personality of the bike perfectly. Specialized’s new
Command Post IR features internal cable routing and lighter
lever actuation than we’ve experienced with previous iterations. Additionally, the 2.3-inch Butcher and Purgatory tires
add a bit of extra confidence.
Specialized introduced the SWAT (Storage, Water, Air,
Tools) system for their 2014 models, and it materializes in
different ways across its line of bikes. Essentially, SWAT
aims to allow riders to ride without hydration packs by
integrating ride essentials into the bike design. The Camber
Expert EVO is equipped with a bottle cage, downtube-mount-ed multi-tool, a hidden chain tool and a spare link hidden in
the top cap of the headset.
HOW DOES IT PERFORM?
Setup: While Specialized’s Autosag technology will
make setup that much quicker for most riders, we found
The Specialized Camber Expert Carbon EVO 29
