Consider it a more "epic" kind of Epic. The Specialized office is filled with plenty Epics, most of them wearing dropper posts, wider tyres and bars, and slightly longer forks. That's because the Epics they'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. Specialized finally looked around and said they should offer this bike right out of the box, so they did.
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. A zero-offset dropper post was added to give you more control on descents, but this design keeps your saddle over the BB on steep climbs. Some meat has been put on the tyres 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 Brain 2.0. The OG Brain changed the way the bike world looked at suspension. It won races and put a flag in the ground for Specialized as a true leader in innovation and suspension development, but they knew they could make it better. By moving the Brain closer to the rear axle, it would be in the most sensitive spot. 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 Specialized's 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. Each frame size has size-specific tubes that result in the stiffest, best-riding XC bike developed.
The weight- savings on the frame is equivalent to shedding a chainstay and shock extension from the previous Epic, nearly 525 grams. Now, carbon models also feature additional tyre clearance to accommodate wider, 2.3-inch tyres. 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.
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A FOX Step-Cast 34 Performance Series fork handles suspension duties up front with 120mm of travel and a GRIP damper that has Open, Medium, and Firm modes for every kind of terrain.
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The hand-built Roval Control Carbon wheels feature a modern 25mm (internal width) hookless rim, so you get the low weight, low rolling resistance, and the best possible grip with the 2.3" tyres.
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An X-Fusion Manic seatpost brings you some much-needed drop for tackling steep descents, but it also features a zero-offset design that keeps your weight over the bottom bracket for the climbs.