A Couple of Pieces of News from Specialized

Specialized Gravity and Brembo Partner to Design New Downhill Brake

This won't be the first crossover between the bike and motorsports industry and it'll be far from the last. My best friend in high school bought an incredibly beat-on Infiniti G35 sedan in our senior year. We cut the cat off in a parking lot on the way home from picking it up just to be able to hear that (now what I know is a small engine) purr. The car was ultimately held together by zip ties, hose clamps, and JB Weld - and yet, it had Brembo Brakes on the front. I probably said the word Brembo a thousand times that summer, and damn was he proud to have something so sought after. I'm a long way from owning a car worth more than one of their brake calipers, but I do like the sound of Brembos on my bike. Perhaps some day.

Specialized Bicycles and Brembo Brakes have joined forces to engineer a championship winning brake. Brembo has been renowned for their premium braking products on vehicles and motorcycles since their 1970s partnership with Ferrari.

“At Specialized, we’ve always believed that racing is the ultimate proving ground for innovation,”said Armin Landgraf, CEO of Specialized. "We hold our partners to the same high standards we set for ourselves, and Brembo’s legacy of forward-thinking engineering and race-proven performance made them the clear choice. This partnership represents a strategic investment in cutting-edge technology—designed to support our athletes at the highest level.”

There was no mention of the brakes being even potentially produced for the general market at this moment in time. It looks as though this collaboration is an exclusive R&D partnership between Specialized and Brembo in the goal of developing the best performing downhill brake possible. Either way, we wish them all the best, and are looking forward to seeing some Brembos on Specialized Team Bikes this weekend in Val di Sole.

"Officially entering the highest level of professional Downhill racing is a thrilling new challenge for Brembo. We are proud to do so with a team and a brand that share our same vision of performance and innovation, and it is no coincidence that this is happening in the year of Brembo's 50th anniversary in Motorsport competitions" stated Andrea Paganessi, Brembo MotorcycleGlobal Chief Operating Officer. "Today, we can confidently say that thanks to Brembo's technological advancements, braking has been taken to an entirely new level.”

The 2026 Specialized Stumpjumper 15 Gets a Few Updates

Starting June 18, 2025, all MY26 Stumpjumper 15 models will officially be renamed Stumpjumper 15 EVO—because this bike has been further updated to enhance descending capability. The MY26 Stumpy has more travel, upgraded suspension, and taller rise bars to further justify the inclusion of "EVO" in its name.

What’s New—What Makes It EVO

Suspension & Geometry

•Fork: 160mm travel (up from 150mm)
•Shock: FOX FLOAT X GENIE with piggyback (replaces standard FLOAT w/ GENIE)
•Geometry: Head tube angle slackens by 0.5º (from longer fork)

Control & Contact Points

•Cockpit: Higher-rise bars for better control, comfort, and trail feel
•Tires: Updated Butcher and Eliminator combo for improved grip and confidence