Epic refresh in '23 or '24

Discuss light weight issues concerning mountain bikes & parts.

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snaxez
Posts: 311
Joined: Fri Jun 06, 2014 7:14 pm
Location: Estonia

by snaxez

bikemaniack12 wrote:
Tue Mar 07, 2023 8:45 pm
Is this a prototype Sram crank we see?? XX logo, "probably" Quark sticker on it...
yes, you can see more in new axs thread viewtopic.php?f=1&t=171631

Alfus
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by Alfus

bikemaniack12 wrote:
Tue Mar 07, 2023 8:45 pm
Is this a prototype Sram crank we see?? XX logo, "probably" Quark sticker on it...
No, is not a prototype, is the final version of the new sram XX1 SL

by Weenie


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prebsy
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by prebsy

KonaSS wrote:
Sat Mar 04, 2023 2:50 am
My total speculative guess is that this is a new 100mm travel (or close to) full suspension that is light and they market as a hardtail killer. Not to say that it acts like a hardtail, just that it is light enough to question the need to ever ride a hardtail.

The EVO is then marketed as their 120mm travel bike that is light enough to race.

And I wouldn't be surprised if the Epic hardtail is discontinued, based on market demand. Seems like for Specialized to compete in the hardtail space, they need to have one of the lightest bikes on the market, which probably requires a decent amount of engineering. I wouldn't be surprised if the the big players just cede this space to smaller manufacturers, cause the return just isn't there. Super high end hardtails will become a niche market.
I think this is right. I think this little corner of the market is one really influenced by what the pros are riding. I can't think of many hardtail XCO rides last year... MVDP rode the exceed once or twice? I think mona and loana are the only ones i really remember riding HTs but they also weigh like 40kg.

js
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Location: Canada

by js

How do so many people forget that PFP won worlds on a hardtail?

There are definitely still occasions where they're not at any disadvantage in the right hands. Now whether she'd still have chosen a hardtail if BMC had a super-epic-caliber in their options, that's a different story.

I'm just gald to see that XC bikes keep getting more and more capable, without losing their WW roots (road bikes, I'm looking in your direction here).

Karvalo
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by Karvalo

prebsy wrote:
Wed Mar 08, 2023 2:20 pm
I think this is right. I think this little corner of the market is one really influenced by what the pros are riding. I can't think of many hardtail XCO rides last year... MVDP rode the exceed once or twice? I think mona and loana are the only ones i really remember riding HTs but they also weigh like 40kg.
A lot of women ride hardtails quite regularly still. In the mens field it's very rare now, mostly only at Albstadt IIRC?

zscs
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by zscs

Might be an interesting information; as we suspected based on the photos leaked: 'rumours' say the new Epic won't have Brain anymore - at least for the rear suspension. :o
Anyone who could confirm this info?

HHH
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by HHH

IMO,
Front Brain + No rear Brain= No sense

js
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Location: Canada

by js

I recall Jordan Sarrou was racing a non-brain Epic at World Cups previously. Now we see this new version of an Epic (the Epicaliber if you will) seemingly without a rear brain. And while the Trinity kids won't have access to that new model for their Cape Epic effort, they too have apparently opted for a brain-less Epic - seemingly on front and rear here, though I'm not 100% sure of the Fork, which seems like it had a lock-out lever up top, but not an Ultimate lockout.

Image

The article still mentions the front and rear having the brain, but the canister at the rear axle and hose up the seat stay are both clearly missing from the back end of the bike.

Full article - https://en.brujulabike.com/spectacular- ... epic-2023/

Hexsense
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by Hexsense

^
That bike in the artible and picture you share is Epic Evo, linkage components are different from Epic.
That shock is Sidluxe Ultimate. That blue long lock out lever and very slim shock tube is easy to spot even without logo. In this case the logo is also clearly visible.
The fork is Sid Ultimate (not SL, and no Brain). It clearly look different. Sid SL is slimmer hand have shorter travel than normal Sid. Here, it isn't Sid SL.
For Brain or no Brain, Focus on top of the damper leg. Brain top cap looks very different to this.

Nothing here has brain.
The article mistakes it.

js
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by js

Correct. That's why I figured it was worth sharing - it's not that it's a new bike, but that it shows Specialized riders clearly moving away from the Brain (even if the PR people who set up bike reviews still want to suggest otherwise).

The only question I had about the fork was about the lockout lever. Granted it's not the clearest in the photo, but that doesn't look like the minimalistic, hollow lever the Ultimate usually sports. Maybe these bikes will be swapped to remote lockouts later on, so that's what's already on top of the fork crown.

Datmo
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by Datmo

Casually teased/revealed in the new SRAM Eagle videos. Could this actually be the Epic EVO or have they just got rid of the Brain? Does the graphic behind the Epic logo on the chain stay say WC or EVO?
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Last edited by Datmo on Wed Mar 22, 2023 7:16 am, edited 2 times in total.

citrusparty
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Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2017 12:44 pm

by citrusparty

This has more shots of the rear shock

https://youtu.be/bknKhIvDJks

req110
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by req110

Interesting is that sram axs app considers the bike as Epic WC 2025.

Btw, new axs gruppo

- PITA installation process compared to existing Sram AXS Eagle
- i don't see much of a benefit in direct mount rear mech for mtb purposes
- the shifter does not look good at all

makes me not wanna upgrade my bike :D
SW SL8 RTP 56cm @ 9270 / CLX II / CS OSPW / CEMA BB
S Epic 8 L @ XX T-Type / Berg Ratheberg 30 / Quarq / Fox Transfer SL 100mm / 3p

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prebsy
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by prebsy

i also saw that 2025 in the install video... hopefully that's not true. I don't SEE anything that indicates a brain but i also see no remote lockout. I find it hard to believe that bike gets raced withh no way to lockout the rear.

js
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by js

req110 wrote:
Tue Mar 21, 2023 9:30 pm
Btw, new axs gruppo

- PITA installation process compared to existing Sram AXS Eagle
- i don't see much of a benefit in direct mount rear mech for mtb purposes
- the shifter does not look good at all

makes me not wanna upgrade my bike :D
Are you just saying this stuff so other people won't buy it and there will be more groupsets for you?

While the install is admittedly different than previous, they've taken out so many ways to screw things up, it's basically fool-proof now. But saying you don't see a benefit in the direct mount rear mech for MTB - that's where I'm pretty sure you're joking. Right?

by Weenie


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