5
4 Reviews
Ripping around between the tape is one way to worship at the altar of speed, but…
Ripping around between the tape is one way to worship at the altar of speed, but for all the other long, fast rides or marathon races on technical terrain, there's our all-new Epic Expert EVO. Consider it a more "epic" kind of Epic.
Take a look around our office and you're going to see plenty Epics—most of them wearing dropper posts, wider tires and bars, and slightly longer forks. That's because the Epics that we're Frankensteining are not only fast off the start line, they're even better suited to masochistically long rides, multi-day stage races, and fast backcountry missions. At some point, we looked around and said to ourselves, “We should offer this bike, right out of the box, right?” So we did.
So let's dig into the details. First off, the EVO ups the fork travel from 100mm to 120mm. This gives you some relief up front while also slacking-out the front-end by one-degree to 68.5º. Next up, we added a zero-offset dropper post to give you more control on descents, but this design keeps your saddle over the BB on steep climbs. We also put some meat on the tires with a grippy 2.3" Ground Control at the front and a stiffer Fast Trak at the rear with GRID protection at the sidewalls.
The Epic EVO also features our Brain 2.0. The OG Brain changed the way the bike world looked at suspension, and oh was it good. It won races and put a flag in the ground for us as a true leader in innovation and suspension development, but we knew that we could make it better. Simple physics told us that, by moving the Brain closer to the rear axle, it would be in the most sensitive spot. And after some lengthy R&D, it's totally new. Now, it reacts seamlessly to bump forces, it has much more consistent damping performance, and finally, it integrates the hoses into the suspension links. This means that the oil paths are improved, and that creates an incredibly sleek package that outperforms anything on the market.
This is also among our first Rider-First Engineered™ MTB frames, where the tubes place complex carbon pieces in all the right places, regardless of the frame size. As a result, stiffness is increased in the front-end for a vast improvement in the ride and in control. And to go along with this, each frame size has size-specific tubes that result in the stiffest, best-riding XC bike we've ever developed.
And while stiffness, Brain technology, and geometry features are cool and all, we know what you’re thinking, "What about the weight?” We’re glad you asked. The weight- savings on the frame is equivalent to shedding a chainstay and shock extension from the previous Epic—nearly 525 grams. And now, carbon models also feature additional tire clearance to accommodate wider, 2.3-inch tires. More traction, ultimately, equals more speed.
The build of the Epic Expert EVO meshes shredability with dependability and value, featuring a 12-speed SRAM GX Eagle groupset, SRAM Level TL brakes, and a hand-built Roval Control Carbon wheelset.
FRAME
Specialized FACT 11m, XC Geometry, Rider-First Engineered™, threaded BB, 12x148mm rear spacing, internal cable routing, 100mm of travel
HANDLEBARS
Specialized Alloy Minirise, 10mm rise, 750mm, 31.8mm clamp
STEM
Specialized XC, 3D-forged alloy, 4-bolt, 6-degree rise
GRIPS
Specialized Sip grip, half-waffle, S/M: regular thickness, L/XL: XL thickness
SADDLE
Body Geometry Phenom Comp, hollow Cr-Mo rails, 143mm
SEATPOST
X-Fusion manic, 30.9mm, (S: 100mm, M-XL: 125mm)
SEAT BINDER
Alloy, 34.9mm
FORK
FOX Step-Cast 34 Performance series, GRIP damper, 44mm offset, 15x110mm Kabolt thru-axle, 120mm of travel
REAR SHOCK
Custom RockShox Micro Brain shock w/ Spike Valve, AUTOSAG, 51x257mm
FRONT BRAKE
SRAM Level TL, hydraulic disc
REAR BRAKE
SRAM Level TL, hydraulic disc
SHIFT LEVERS
SRAM GX Eagle, trigger, 12-speed
REAR DERAILLEUR
SRAM GX Eagle, 12-speed
CASSETTE
SRAM GX Eagle, 12-speed, 10-50t
CRANKSET
Truvativ STYLO, DUB
CHAINRINGS
SRAM Eagle, 32T
BOTTOM BRACKET
SRAM DUB, threaded BB
CHAIN
SRAM GX Eagle, 12-speed
RIMS
Roval Control Carbon, 25mm internal width, tubeless-ready
FRONT HUB
Specialized, sealed cartridge bearings, 15x110mm spacing, 28h
REAR HUB
Specialized, sealed cartridge bearings, 12x148mm thru-axle, 28h
SPOKES
DT Swiss Industry
FRONT TIRE
Ground Control, GRIPTON® compound, 60 TPI, 2Bliss Ready, 29x2.3"
REAR TIRE
Fast Trak, GRID casing, GRIPTON® compound, 60 TPI, 2Bliss Ready, 29x2.3"
INNER TUBES
Presta, 60mm valve
PEDALS
Specialized Dirt
* Weights based on production painted frames as pictured. Actual weights will vary based on colorway, frame size, and component variation. Specifications are subject to change without notice.
S | M | L | XL | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Crank Length | 170mm | 175mm | 175mm | 175mm |
Handlebar Width | 750mm | 750mm | 750mm | 750mm |
Stem Length | 60mm | 70mm | 80mm | 80mm |
Saddle Width | 143mm | 143mm | 143mm | 143mm |
Seatpost Length | 361MM | 411MM | 411MM | 411MM |
Stack | 595mm | 605mm | 619mm | 638mm |
Reach | 398mm | 423mm | 446mm | 465mm |
Head Tube Length | 95mm | 105mm | 120mm | 140mm |
Head Tube Angle | 68.5° | 68.5° | 68.5° | 68.5° |
BB Height | 340mm | 340mm | 340mm | 340mm |
BB Drop | 32mm | 32mm | 32mm | 32mm |
Trail | 99mm | 99mm | 99mm | 99mm |
Fork Length, Full | 526mm | 526mm | 526mm | 526mm |
Fork Rake/Offset | 43mm | 43mm | 43mm | 43mm |
Front Center | 667mm | 695mm | 723mm | 749mm |
Chainstay Length | 438mm | 438mm | 438mm | 438mm |
Wheelbase | 1103mm | 1132mm | 1159mm | 1186mm |
Top Tube Length, Horizontal | 571mm | 599mm | 626mm | 650mm |
Bike Standover Height | 772mm | 777mm | 782mm | 804mm |
Seat Tube Length | 400mm | 434mm | 470mm | 520mm |
Seat Tube Angle | 73.8° | 73.8° | 73.8° | 73.8° |
5
4 Reviews