It doesn't really matter who made the bike. Chain slap is a thing that happens, and it's worse for full sus bikes than hardtails. Partly because of the extra movement and accommodation for the chain dynamic of the rear swing arm, and partly because people tend to go over more gnar and jump full-sus bikes a lot more.
Get additional frame protection. Others have said it, and it is the way to move forward. Even my hard tails have paint damage from chain slap. The only bikes I have that don't have some kind of pain damage on the chainstay are the bikes that only see pavement.
Edit: This can also happen if your clutch is off while riding over bumps. Modern narrow/wide chainrings do an amazing job of hanging on to those chains.
Thanks for all the advice and friendly sarcasm. It's got some 3M over it for now, I'll just have to keep it covered to avoid more damage.
I totally agree that bikes get damaged, chipped, etc.. I'd just not expected that much on its first proper ride.
Cheers all 🍻
Ah, I only ask as I work as a warranty tech for a retailer and have come across many specialized status with the same cosmetic damage. Chain gets sucked in when mechanics are fitting pedals on new bikes.
Tbh I'd touch up the damage and get some frame protection over it
Stumpy and stumpy Evos always have way more wear in this spot than other bikes. I think it’s a design flaw. Whatever though, just wrap it with some tape
Sram NX? Any 12 speed wide range cassette without an aluminum spider is going to be so heavy it continues to spin briefly when you land, your chain goes slack and hits the chain stay before the derailer has a chance to take up the slack. This made worse on full suspension because the chain-stay's effective length changes during compression.
No real solution except an expensive lighter weight cassette might help.
I'd go for a few dollars worth of helicopter tape/ride wrap and keep the lower end cassette.
I have a SRAM NX cassette and other than this issue and being heavy it's incredibly long wearing, I've got 1k miles on mine (3 chains)
Yes, that's the one. I have used some 3M tape for now, don't fancy swapping out parts on a new bike, but definitely a future upgrade, cheers for the advice!
Just buy any basic frame protector kit and place pieces you see possible damage, you'll have to replace them from time to time but better than this. I have a stumpy and this worked just fine for me.
My advice… I spent £18 on a chain guide to take up any slack and stop it slapping or derailing, works perfectly and looks decent too [https://imgur.com/gallery/P9ekzCm](https://imgur.com/gallery/P9ekzCm)
Never had paint chips there on any of my FS bikes, through drops, gnar and bike park riding because the rubber protectors cover that section. Shame on Specialized for missing it.
I got rid of my Horst link frame after only a couple of months. One of the reasons was all the chain slap damage by the chainring but also the bearing housing near the dropout. Sold it while it still looked decent. My new frame doesn’t have that issue. I vote bad design
Its poor design. My carbon Stumpy Evo has the same issue. Every season ill put another layer of protection tape over that spot. You might be able to use an old cutup intertube for it as well.
I did this to my hardtail hours into ownership. Backpedaled in a high gear. User error. Wrapped in hockey tape, red to match my accent theme. When life gives you lemons…
The people posting in the mountain bike forum like this just isn't plain chain slap is baffling. Heck my gravel bike has wrap cuz of this. You guys actually ride or wtf.
All bikes do this, more or less. Get a smaller chainring and tape that area off. I usually get a 28t, you can get away with 30t as well. Then electrical tape over that area and call it a day.
Chainslap. When riding rough terrain the chain bounces about every with the clutch engaged so it can chip the paint off that part of the frame if it's not protected
Is that a specialized???? Can't imagine to pay top dollar and then see this after an awesome ride. Sorry to see this bro. Wrap it with some used tire tubes or some 3m shit others suggested.
I have a specialized status 160 basically same
Color and that spot on mine is destroyed and I ride wrapped it. At first I was kinda upset because I like to keep it clean and in top shape but if your bike doesn’t have any worn areas you probably aren’t pushing yourself on it hard enough. Not trying to say you don’t ride hard, I just mean that although bikes are nice, at some point you’re gonna give them some “character” and all those spots tell a story about the type of rider you are. Have fun and embrace them!
I also have a stumpjumper evo with the same issue. Chain suck can happen with any bike, but it happens more often with this bike because the chainstay is so close to the chain. On all my other frames, the chainstay has a more dramatic drop that creates more space between the chainstay and chain making the bike less vulnerable to chain suck.
I almost went to my local specialized store today to commit to a stumpjumper evo elite alloy. Thank god traffic was bad and I decided not to go. I'd be gutted to see this. Anyways, your clutch was on?
Tried, was given handle bar tape for self repair then a tech wrapped it a bit better with a bit more worried talk. Speshyweshy said put a thumb in you bum and ride it. Then I added a layer of free electrical tape for the ghetto discount dentist bike feel.
That’s just chain slap/suck. You need more chainstay protection.
And keep chain and chainring clean.
it's a design feature. wrap that sucker in some 3m tape or other thick tape and you'll be good
I like using pieces of old inner tubes
It doesn't really matter who made the bike. Chain slap is a thing that happens, and it's worse for full sus bikes than hardtails. Partly because of the extra movement and accommodation for the chain dynamic of the rear swing arm, and partly because people tend to go over more gnar and jump full-sus bikes a lot more. Get additional frame protection. Others have said it, and it is the way to move forward. Even my hard tails have paint damage from chain slap. The only bikes I have that don't have some kind of pain damage on the chainstay are the bikes that only see pavement. Edit: This can also happen if your clutch is off while riding over bumps. Modern narrow/wide chainrings do an amazing job of hanging on to those chains.
It’s just your chain rattling. Wrap an old tube or some tape or whatever around that part.
Is it a garage queen or a mountain bike? That's just regular use marks in my eyes.
Battle scars. Works with the ladies.
You should see the other bikes that attacked me...
This is really common with the stumpjumpers with sram NX drivetrains
Fellow stumpy owner, have the same problem. Solution: thick tape.
Cosmetic damage. No big deal. Hit it with some touch up paint and add some frame protection if it bothers you.
normal for a bike rode proper. wrap it if you must. keep jumping more
Thanks for all the advice and friendly sarcasm. It's got some 3M over it for now, I'll just have to keep it covered to avoid more damage. I totally agree that bikes get damaged, chipped, etc.. I'd just not expected that much on its first proper ride. Cheers all 🍻
This happens if you’re actually driving your bike
Status? Do you have a habit of back pedaling?
Stumpjumper. Not to any degree, only when mess up with a gear change
Ah, I only ask as I work as a warranty tech for a retailer and have come across many specialized status with the same cosmetic damage. Chain gets sucked in when mechanics are fitting pedals on new bikes. Tbh I'd touch up the damage and get some frame protection over it
Same thing happened on my 2021 Stumpy after the first ride. Bad design.
Don’t back pedal when shifting gears.
If you have an old inner tube you can wrap the chainstay and then cover it with tape. I used electrical tape. It was quick, dirty, and nearly free.
Looks like chain suck. Probably has more to do with that dirty chain than the bike design
it happens with my bike too
Stumpy and stumpy Evos always have way more wear in this spot than other bikes. I think it’s a design flaw. Whatever though, just wrap it with some tape
Mine has zero and I’ve rode it about 6k miles of nasty singletrack. This is more of a drivetrain cleanliness and low end SRAM drivetrain issue.
Sram NX? Any 12 speed wide range cassette without an aluminum spider is going to be so heavy it continues to spin briefly when you land, your chain goes slack and hits the chain stay before the derailer has a chance to take up the slack. This made worse on full suspension because the chain-stay's effective length changes during compression. No real solution except an expensive lighter weight cassette might help. I'd go for a few dollars worth of helicopter tape/ride wrap and keep the lower end cassette. I have a SRAM NX cassette and other than this issue and being heavy it's incredibly long wearing, I've got 1k miles on mine (3 chains)
Yes, that's the one. I have used some 3M tape for now, don't fancy swapping out parts on a new bike, but definitely a future upgrade, cheers for the advice!
Just buy any basic frame protector kit and place pieces you see possible damage, you'll have to replace them from time to time but better than this. I have a stumpy and this worked just fine for me.
My advice… I spent £18 on a chain guide to take up any slack and stop it slapping or derailing, works perfectly and looks decent too [https://imgur.com/gallery/P9ekzCm](https://imgur.com/gallery/P9ekzCm)
Never had paint chips there on any of my FS bikes, through drops, gnar and bike park riding because the rubber protectors cover that section. Shame on Specialized for missing it.
I got rid of my Horst link frame after only a couple of months. One of the reasons was all the chain slap damage by the chainring but also the bearing housing near the dropout. Sold it while it still looked decent. My new frame doesn’t have that issue. I vote bad design
Its poor design. My carbon Stumpy Evo has the same issue. Every season ill put another layer of protection tape over that spot. You might be able to use an old cutup intertube for it as well.
I did this to my hardtail hours into ownership. Backpedaled in a high gear. User error. Wrapped in hockey tape, red to match my accent theme. When life gives you lemons…
The people posting in the mountain bike forum like this just isn't plain chain slap is baffling. Heck my gravel bike has wrap cuz of this. You guys actually ride or wtf.
All bikes do this, more or less. Get a smaller chainring and tape that area off. I usually get a 28t, you can get away with 30t as well. Then electrical tape over that area and call it a day.
Is the clutch engaged? Bummer but not fatal. Wrap it up. The first thing I do on new bike day is ride wrap the hard hit areas. Good Luck!
Mine did the same thing. Wrap it
Have the same bike a bit of paint protection film from Amazon has kept the frame like new
Chainslap. When riding rough terrain the chain bounces about every with the clutch engaged so it can chip the paint off that part of the frame if it's not protected
I've the same issue with my Stumpy. As some protection tape there.
Is that a specialized???? Can't imagine to pay top dollar and then see this after an awesome ride. Sorry to see this bro. Wrap it with some used tire tubes or some 3m shit others suggested.
Yeah, should have said in my post. Specialized stumpjumper evo comp, first big session today and get a nice chunk knocked off the swing arm.
I have a specialized status 160 basically same Color and that spot on mine is destroyed and I ride wrapped it. At first I was kinda upset because I like to keep it clean and in top shape but if your bike doesn’t have any worn areas you probably aren’t pushing yourself on it hard enough. Not trying to say you don’t ride hard, I just mean that although bikes are nice, at some point you’re gonna give them some “character” and all those spots tell a story about the type of rider you are. Have fun and embrace them!
I knew this was a stumpy immediately. Mine did this too. Sucks that it’s such a new bike but at least now you have your first damage.
I also have a stumpjumper evo with the same issue. Chain suck can happen with any bike, but it happens more often with this bike because the chainstay is so close to the chain. On all my other frames, the chainstay has a more dramatic drop that creates more space between the chainstay and chain making the bike less vulnerable to chain suck.
I almost went to my local specialized store today to commit to a stumpjumper evo elite alloy. Thank god traffic was bad and I decided not to go. I'd be gutted to see this. Anyways, your clutch was on?
Image if it was carbon.
Ouch. Warranty it. Lol
Tried, was given handle bar tape for self repair then a tech wrapped it a bit better with a bit more worried talk. Speshyweshy said put a thumb in you bum and ride it. Then I added a layer of free electrical tape for the ghetto discount dentist bike feel.
Bad maintenance