CASESTUDY

Trail-Tested, Technically Told

CGI for Specialized’s Stumpjumper 15

For the launch of the latest generation Stumpjumper, Specialized wanted to go beyond showcasing ride performance and clearly explain the engineering beneath it.

Central to the story was the newly developed Genie air shock, created in partnership with Fox Racing. The system uses a multi-air routing design to reduce bottoming out under high-impact compressions, delivering a smoother, more controlled ride across rough terrain. This behaviour is internal, dynamic, and difficult to communicate using traditional filming techniques alone.

The challenge was to make this engineering visible without interrupting the pace or energy of the ride.

The Approach

Fakery worked alongside live-action riding footage, integrating targeted CGI sequences to explain how the Genie system functions under real riding conditions.

Rather than relying on overlays or callouts, the approach focused on seamless transitions between live action and internal visualisation. In the first sequence, a wide action shot transitions smoothly into slow-motion CGI, isolating the rear shock and revealing airflow behaviour during a heavy compression event. The sequence then returns to live action without breaking narrative flow.

A second sequence used footage from a frame-mounted camera during a technical descent. Compression visualisations were overlaid directly onto the real-world footage, allowing viewers to intuitively understand how the shock absorbs repeated impacts in real time.

The Approach

Fakery worked alongside live-action riding footage, integrating targeted CGI sequences to explain how the Genie system functions under real riding conditions.

Rather than relying on overlays or callouts, the approach focused on seamless transitions between live action and internal visualisation. In the first sequence, a wide action shot transitions smoothly into slow-motion CGI, isolating the rear shock and revealing airflow behaviour during a heavy compression event. The sequence then returns to live action without breaking narrative flow.

A second sequence used footage from a frame-mounted camera during a technical descent. Compression visualisations were overlaid directly onto the real-world footage, allowing viewers to intuitively understand how the shock absorbs repeated impacts in real time.

Revealing What Matters

The CGI was used selectively to explain behaviour at the precise moments it mattered.

Airflow routing, compression response, and rebound behaviour were shown clearly without technical labels or explanatory text. The result was an explanation that felt immediate and readable, while remaining accurate to the engineering.

The visuals aligned with the sport's energy, ensuring clarity without sacrificing momentum.

The Outcome

The final content supported Specialized’s launch campaign while also serving a wider technical purpose.

In addition to marketing use, the animations became a valuable reference tool for Specialized’s technical teams, helping mechanics and product specialists understand and explain the Genie system with confidence.

The project demonstrated how CGI can bridge rider experience and engineering intent, enabling functional storytelling that remains on-brand, in motion, and grounded in real performance.

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