HOW DOES IT PERFORM?

SWAT door:

As devoted members of the forget-the-hydration-pack clan, our testers saw the SWAT system as a game-changer. The addition of a SWAT door on the downtube removes even more items from a rider’s back and places one’s weight as low in the frame as possible. Wrapped in pouches to prevent noise and damage to the frame, there’s room for a tube, pump and even a PB&J sandwich for the most efficient packers. Furthermore, there’s no reason to remove the gear after each ride, which simplified the pre-ride routine—as long as you don’t mind week-old sandwiches.

Keep it stashed: The SWAT door allows riders to store their essential trail gear in the downtube of the bike. At maximum capacity, we managed to store a tube, pump, small sandwich and energy gel packet all within the singular storage area.

Prefers to climb: If there was one aspect in which we’d provide the Position-Sensitive Mini Brain with a gold stamp of approval, it would be in its climbing platform. Without flicking a switch, we were able to stand up and hammer on the pedals without any bob in the suspension.

Pedaling:

While it’s designed to provide optimal performance on both climbs and descents, the Brain technology certainly caters more to efficiency on the climbs. It provided a stable platform that was firm under effort, regardless of whether we were seated or out of the saddle on a punchy climb. The new Specialized Command Post IRcc dropper seatpost, now with 10 easy-to-find height adjustments, was put to use on rolling traverses where lowering the seatpost only a couple inches delivered a height suitable  for efficient pedaling while also keeping the post out of the way through technical sections of trail.

Don’t be deceived: The Camber may deliver cross-country efficiency, but it’s clearly a trail-bike once you start pushing its limits on the trail. Pushing it over steep terrain was met with ease, and the relatively slack geometry allowed us to point and commit.

Cornering:

With its geometry being most similar to the EVO models of previous years, the Camber found its stride in high-speed corners. Its low bottom bracket provided confidence while leaned over in the deepest part of each corner, yet it wasn’t low enough that we worried about being pedal jacked by each passing rock. While the Camber’s wheelbase is longer than previous models’, the short 16.5-inch chainstays preserve its cornering ability in tight switchbacks and allow us to conquer a corner without turning it into a trials event.

Pop rocks: Usually the go-around line isn’t nearly as much fun, which makes it essential for us to rip a trailbike capable enough to hit small drops without pushing the limits of the bike.

Descending:

The geometry of the new Camber made it a much more capable descender than its older siblings. It handled high speeds with ease and remained planted, demonstrating its ability to tackle obstacles that aren’t typical of a 130-millimeter-travel bike. The Camber certainly isn’t going to soak up every hit the same way a long-travel bike would, but it finds a way of gently skipping across obstacles.

Downsized efficiency: The 27.5-inch Camber runs a Fox shock with an integrated Autosag feature. Wear all the gear you will be riding with, pump the shock up to 300 psi (350 for heavier riders), balance against a wall in your attack position, then hit the valve and it’ll equalize to the correct amount of pressure for your weight. The shock mount area also provides a clever place to hide the SWAT multi-tool.

Position-sensitive Brain:

Opinions on the Brain system are very subjective, and riders can typically be divided into two categories. There are those who desire to control their shock’s performance with on-the-fly adjustments, and those who prefer to sacrifice a little performance on one side of the spectrum in exchange for the ability to focus their attention on the trail rather than their shock. Our crew prefers a setup that may require a bit more user input but offers plusher and more consistent performance. For those who prefer simplicity, however, this is certainly the best-performing Brain we’ve ever put to the test. This is mostly due to its ability to only activate and provide a firm platform once the travel has reached its point of sag, allowing it to retain supple performance off the top of the travel for low-speed compression. This was most noticeable during climbs, where it provided a firm pedaling platform that contoured the obstacles of the trail.