Mountain Biking - Considering having an EPIC affair.

Yes, you heard right. I am seriously considering cheating on my mountain bike. I own and have ridden Cannondales for years but now find another attractive spin.

I have been pouring over the website and bikeshop looking at the Specialized Epic. I will of course keep the Scalpel as it is a sweet ride and handles like it is on rails. The C'dale will be my "sure thing" but I would like to get a little bit of strange sometimes also.

I like the specialized setup for racing primarily. The inertia valve that keeps the shock working in bumps but locks it out automatically on the easy terrain. No bobbing from pedal pressure. I would get the entry level epic and upgrade a few things to shave weight down to about 25lbs over time. I weighed this bike at the shop at 26.75 lbs the other day. It was running some heavier tires and wheels than I run so I couls shave some weight almost immediately with a wheel/tire swap. I'd also get a lighter seat and carbon post.

Anyone have an Epic?

Hey sam if you some preliminary reviews a number of people have them here. There have been a few threads with glowing reports of xc performance :)

When I first rode the epic I felt very fast. I actually didnt think it was working, but I moved the little rubber seal thing to the top and rode it on the trail for a little bit and stopped and looked and noticed it was using all of its travel. They arent made to be the lightest bikes because they dont have to be, having the brain shock makes everything good. From the epic pro and up for 2004 the brain shock has a threashold adjustment also, in case you want the shock to be less or more sensitive.

Don't have one yet, but demo'd one a while back and ordered 2 of 'em - for Christmas presents for me and the wife. Can't wait to get them and ride!!

I rode on familiar trails and was climbing things I shouldn't have been, felt fast and comfortable and stable. I'm selling my Enduro for this bike. Find one you can demo, them make your own call....

I absolutely love my Epic. It's quite fast and responsive on hardpack singletrack. At 120 pounds, I can easily throw it around under me in rock gardens, and it loves to jump logs. I'd recommend it to anyone. I haven't noticed any pedal bob and I like the lockout.

Thanks sm266, I will probably put the layaway down payment on it today. I cannot wait to ride it the first time on singletrack. Perhaps in about a month.

When I first rode the epic I felt very fast. I actually didnt think it was working, but I moved the little rubber seal thing to the top and rode it on the trail for a little bit and stopped and looked and noticed it was using all of its travel. They arent made to be the lightest bikes because they dont have to be, having the brain shock makes everything good. From the epic pro and up for 2004 the brain shock has a threashold adjustment also, in case you want the shock to be less or more sensitive.

I did think aboput going with the Pro but I want v-brakes (lighter weight) and the extra cost of the threshold adjustment to me was not worth it.

Thanks for the reply.

Not from personal experience , but I have a friend who was riding the Epic and loved it, He had some kind of frame issue come up and when they replaced it he somehow ended up with the freeride frame, I think it was the Enduro, and he does not like that one as much. I've read the reviews and they sound good, I think I might have trouble with the funky looking shock mount, but that's just me. It would be a great race bike, funky is good at the races...

Say it ain't so Sam... say it ain't so!!

Have you checked out the Intense Spyder? Might be a better race frame, depends on the rider though.

Have you checked out the Intense Spyder? Might be a better race frame, depends on the rider though.


No, I am sold particularly with the brain shock set up. The frame is not the issue as much as how the combination of it and the shock work.

I've ridden one, it's allright. It can really surprise you when you go to bunny hop, jump, manual, or any move where the shock would normally move on a full suspension bike. You never know if the suspension will be locked out or not. You also don't get the traction benefit of full suspension when climbing which some people miss.

Still, when locked out it is a great pedaling bike and while you miss the traction benefits of full suspension when climbing most of the time you do get the efficiency of a lockout which is nice.

A good xc race bike would have to fall between an S-works hardtail and a Santa Cruz Blur.