Cross country racing has evolved over time with courses becoming rowdier, more technical and inherently different so the best bike for the job needs to be lightweight and stiff yet also able to descend and climb with equal prowess. Specialized combined their current XC race geo with some trail DNA which means a longer top tube, shortened head tube and a slacked out front end. The result is a tremendous increase in downhill stability plus a wider fit range without sacrificing climbing proficiency.
The weight aspect, however, was more complicated as the frame was already so light. Until now, there were two ways to lighten up a frame - use less of the same grade of carbon or use less of a higher-grade carbon. Option one is never a viable solution as it sacrifices stiffness and strength. Whilst Specialized chose option two, they weren’t content with the amount of weight they could cut out by just using a different grade of carbon. So they began looking at their layup schedules to see if they could be improved, which shed light on a new discovery - layup inefficiencies.
Beginning with a Rider-First Engineered™ frame technology, each size Epic Hardtail is specifically tailored to size - every carbon layup and tube are exclusively selected based upon hundreds of hours of collected ride data. This not only creates the optimal balance of rigidity, weight, and responsiveness across every frame size, but it identified how to save weight through the studying of the layup.
Through extensive layup studies, Specialized found that by further controlling the construction and layup schedules, weight could be drastically decreased whilst maintaining the ride characteristics that you’d expect from a top-level XC race bike. From this discovery, each frame now features complex cut carbon plys that allow difficult junctions to be covered with less overlap. Whilst this does complicate the carbon frame puzzle by adding more pieces, it allowed Specialized to design and place them more intelligently, resulting in a lighter frame, stronger junctions, and a drastic increase in stiffness. The weight savings was taken further by using Japanese military ballistic-grade carbon, which is now called 12m, to create the lightest mountain bike they've ever made - less than 900 grams for a size Large frame in fact (the same weight as a full 24oz Purist water bottle).
For the build, the S-Works spares no expense, opting for a custom RockShox SID World Cup fork with Brain, SRAM XX1 Eagle™12-speed shifting, SRAM Level Ultimate hydraulic disc brakes, and hand-built Roval Control SL carbon wheels.
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For the optimal blend of stiffness, crazy light weight, and strength, the frame is constructed from S-Works FACT 12m carbon fibre. When combined with a XC 29 Geometry, this Epic is guaranteed to deliver uncompromising, blistering speed and agile handling come race day, no matter the course.
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The RockShox SID World Cup 29 fork with Brain provides 90/100mm of efficient travel. It features Brain technology that distinguishes between terrain and rider input to maximise your power, while a Brain Fade adjusts the oil flow when not hitting bumps.
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The 1x drivetrain is controlled by SRAM's venerable XX1 Eagle™ components to form the ultimate in efficiency and intuitive feel, while also having the added benefit of significant weight savings and minimal required maintenance.