Specialized epic review

Replacing the Brain with AI and specialized epic review At least as it relates to the Specialized Epic 8, which relies on the newly introduced electronic RockShox Flight Attendant suspension. What kind of speed do you enjoy most?

Mar 12, You must login to Pinkbike. Don't have an account? Sign up. The Specialized Epic has a long history of being one of the fastest bikes out there, with a specific bent towards racing, long efforts, and efficient travel over terrain. Looking back at that history can be a good education in the progression of bike design as a whole, as things have changed quite a bit since the model was introduced back in As the 8th iteration of their ideal XC bike, Specialized has pushed this new Epic far into the future, with geometry, travel numbers, and frame features that feel indicative of the future of the sport.

Specialized epic review

All good things come in twos. Can this concept work? And why do we still prefer the thoroughbred Epic 8? To better cope with the increasingly demanding cross-country tracks, both the Epic 8 and the Epic 8 EVO have been made significantly more capable, with the EVO variant now specced with a mm fork, paired with mm travel at the rear. The Pro model on test weighs Since both bikes share the same frame, there are a lot of similarities between the Specialized Epic 8 and the Epic 8 EVO. Specialized opted against remote lockout lever on the handlebar. The tire combination of a Specialized Purgatory up front and Ground Control at the rear, both with the more robust GRID casing and softer rubber compound, are further indicative of its gravity orientation. But even though the two bikes rely on the same frame, they differ in some important respects. In particular, the front end of the Epic 8 EVO is about 4. Both models are available in five frame sizes ranging from XS to XL. As expected, the riding position on the Specialized Epic 8 EVO is significantly more upright than its race-oriented brother. This makes it more comfortable on long days in the saddle, and it immediately feels less racy as you swing your leg over the saddle. There is no Magic Middle setting. On long and rough gravel roads, we would have preferred plushier suspension for a more comfortable ride or simply the Epic 8 with RockShox Flight Attendant.

Grosey 2 days ago. Despite the incredibly low weight, the Control SL wheelset have handled some serious whacks to the rims, specialized epic review. The beautiful carbon yoke helps to keep the weight down of the Epic 8.

It featured the same frame and shock with the Brain damper, but added a mm travel fork, dropper post and chunkier tyres to create a more approachable XC bike. There was a greater focus on comfort and plush suspension performance, though as a side benefit it was also significantly lighter. Specialized has taken that feedback on board and has completely overhauled the Epic and Epic EVO platform for , shifting their intentions in the process. The Epic has evolved into a dedicated mm travel race bike platform, and in a lot of ways represents an evolution of the previous Epic EVO. Meanwhile the new Epic EVO has been pumped up even more, turning it into a lightweight but highly capable trail ripper. For those who are less concerned by remote lockouts and place a greater emphasis on having fun on the trail, the Epic EVO is a seriously fast and capable XC bike. Both the Epic and Epic EVO share the same brand new frame and suspension design that sees rear travel increase to mm.

Originally launched back in , the Specialized Epic debuted as the very first full suspension bike on the market to feature a fully automated lockout system. That early Epic and every model since was built around the Brain — an inertia-valve shock damper that could transition from fully locked out, to fully open whenever the rider hit something hard enough. Mike McAndrews, the director of suspension technology at Specialized, came up with the concept as a way to woo racers off of their hardtails. XC racing has of course progressed significantly over the past two decades, and so too has the Epic. For , Specialized is launching an entirely new Epic and Epic EVO, and both represent a stunning leap forward in terms of suspension performance, geometry and handling. For more info about the EVO, check out the full review here. The general suspension layout carries over, and so too does the dual-bottle capability only the XS size is limited to fitting a single bottle inside the mainframe. Make no mistake though, because the frame is brand-spanking new. The S-Works Epic, which is built from FACT 12m carbon fibre, is claimed to weigh just 1,g medium size, including shock, thru-axle, hanger and hardware.

Specialized epic review

Rocketship fast when you hit the pedals; far more capable and confident than the amount of travel might suggest; covers ground incredibly quickly. Specialized gave the Epic and Epic EVO a makeover for , stretching both bikes out and lowering and slackening them. Travel is increased from mm to mm and, unlike the Epic, the EVO forgoes the use of the auto-adjusting Brain shock — which places a remote reservoir containing an inertia valve down by the rear drop out, connected via a hydraulic that runs through the shock yoke and down the seatstay. Cables are routed internally and just behind the bottom bracket, and where the rear triangle meets the front, Specialized has plugged the gap with a thin rubber grommet to help prevent crud build up. The Epic EVO is available in five different sizes, all of which sport 29in wheels. The With a bottom bracket height of mm with a drop of 36mm the Epic EVO feels ground-huggingly low.

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Specialized Epic. In direct comparison to the EVO, however, the lower front end and the flimsier tires come at the cost of its descending prowess, so you must back off slightly and choose your line a little more carefully. Jo also owns the previous version of the Epic EVO, which would prove to be a great point of comparison with the new bikes. Pinkbike needs a more competent rider and reviewer. You could easily drop some weight and rolling resistance by swapping to a set of lighter duty tyres, which would be worth doing if you were shaping up for some marathon racing or a multi-day event. ChazzMichaelMichaels 2 days ago. On flat terrain, the Wide Open mode really is wide open and generates ample comfort, especially on corrugated gravel roads. You have to ride them like an XC tire, but even still I found them sturdier than some of the other paper-thin options out there. Really your only option is to run the lever reach further out, or pair them with the thicker and heavier HS2 rotors like I have on my Lux World Cup. Looking back at that history can be a good education in the progression of bike design as a whole, as things have changed quite a bit since the model was introduced back in Kind of on the edge. Also there's no way a test like this can be accurate enough to see a.

After months of teasing, the Specialized Epic World Cup has finally arrived!

But the really cool thing about it is that the bike automatically firms up for the next smooth pedaling section. Everything about the bike — the spec, the tyres and the attitude, is set up for between-the-tapes thrashing. First Name Required. Upduro 2 days ago. But that rapidly becomes difficult to manage. Everyone there to race is there to race. More posts from Chipps. L0rdTom 2 days ago. Climbing 5k' once and climbing ' fifty times are the same amount of climbing, and the same amount of descending. Michelin revamps its Wild Enduro Racing Line tyres. Almost every Enduro in every size is out of stock on the UK Specialized website. Did they use a powermeter on each lap? Very red and very fast RadBartTaylor 2 days ago.