Epic refresh in '23 or '24
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robbosmans
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Will the new Epic look like maybe similar to the Arc8? https://www.arc8bicycles.com/bikes/mountain/evolve-fs
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That definitely looks clean. Curious to know the details for travel and shock stroke, etc. I'm also really keen to hear their spin on why NOW was the right moment to move away from the Brain - because that truly should be epic!
Last edited by js on Tue Feb 28, 2023 10:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
It doesn't have to be without Brain. With this approach and design you can hide a damper from brain front fork in the top tube
There are other questions on the other hand. E.g. did they radicalized geometry?-
NSWCruiser
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Front fork still has the brain sticker.
Rear shock not sure
Sorry guys - I should have been clearer that I was talking about dropping the brain from the rear end. It had been pointed out on a few outlets that the fork still had the brain.
While I haven't seen it confirmed anywhere, given all the pics, any rear brain is either completely inside the frame (new and surprising if so) or more likely has been removed from the frame.
The joke about their spin on things is simply because I've generally found their marketing dept to be the biggest slinger of BS in the industry. Poorly designed tubeless tires and wheels leading to their 180 of promoting clinchers being only the latest in a long line. So given it's been 20 years of telling us how big of an advantage the brain system is for suspension, and that they have been making it better and better with each iteration (based on reviews, not just spec), I expect their marketing slant on why it's gone away now will be very entertaining.
One extra point to pass along that's actually about the bike though (and not the company) was a comment from another forum that if this flex-stay, min-travel, likely-$15,000+ XC weapon has a chain guide, pretty much every bike should have one. I can't say I suffer many dropped chains (maybe one a year), but I also can't say I have any argument against those 24g (or whatever this one is) either.
While I haven't seen it confirmed anywhere, given all the pics, any rear brain is either completely inside the frame (new and surprising if so) or more likely has been removed from the frame.
The joke about their spin on things is simply because I've generally found their marketing dept to be the biggest slinger of BS in the industry. Poorly designed tubeless tires and wheels leading to their 180 of promoting clinchers being only the latest in a long line. So given it's been 20 years of telling us how big of an advantage the brain system is for suspension, and that they have been making it better and better with each iteration (based on reviews, not just spec), I expect their marketing slant on why it's gone away now will be very entertaining.
One extra point to pass along that's actually about the bike though (and not the company) was a comment from another forum that if this flex-stay, min-travel, likely-$15,000+ XC weapon has a chain guide, pretty much every bike should have one. I can't say I suffer many dropped chains (maybe one a year), but I also can't say I have any argument against those 24g (or whatever this one is) either.
I may be the only one thinking this, but do we think this is the Hardtail replacement?
Could be the new diverges style of rear suspension, so no brain but also not much travel.
Wasn't the hardtail updated like a year before the last regular epic?
Just my two cents.
Could be the new diverges style of rear suspension, so no brain but also not much travel.
Wasn't the hardtail updated like a year before the last regular epic?
Just my two cents.
i'm guessing they keep the brain and integrate it in the top tube which could be very slick and light. The brain rear shock definitely seems slim enough to be hiding in that nook. Having rode some epics over the years I can't imagine wanting to ride a normal rear and with a brain fork.
Yeah you may be right on that, I just expect a Hardtail refresh as well.
Maybe they end up killing off the hardtail and just make a lighter weight Epic that is actually lighter than the Evo.
Anyway it goes, this will be an interesting bike and will probably be on my list to replace my 2020 hardtail.
Maybe they end up killing off the hardtail and just make a lighter weight Epic that is actually lighter than the Evo.
Anyway it goes, this will be an interesting bike and will probably be on my list to replace my 2020 hardtail.
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.
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.
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bikemaniack12
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Is this a prototype Sram crank we see?? XX logo, "probably" Quark sticker on it...
