2023 Specialized
Epic Hardtail Expert
A 29″ carbon frame hardtail crosscountry bike with ultra high-end components.
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Based on build material and quality level of the frame, fork, wheelset, groupset, suspension system, and more.
Compare the full Epic model range
View Comparison5'1" – 5'6"
5'4" – 5'9"
5'7" – 6'0"
5'10" – 6'3"
6'0" – 6'5"
🐐 Estimated
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Mar 2024
Goodbye Brain, hello SWAT and Flight Attendant
Mar 2024 · Robin Schmitt, Benedikt Schmidt
What makes a true champion?Hanging out with Peter Sagan, Martín Vidaurre, and the new Specialized Epic in Chile
Oct 2023 · Dave Rome
In believing that full suspension is always the faster choice in mountain biking, the Epic WC is Specialized’s replacement for its top-tier cross-country race hardtails.
Can be set to pedal like a hardtail
Is incredibly efficient on smooth surfaces
Dialled geometry
Lovely frame build quality
Good frame rigidity with no creaks or groans
No fiddly remote lockouts means an ultra-clean cockpit
Solid component spec choices with nice wheels and a powermeter.
Suspension can either feel choppy or have you wishing for a lockout
Poor headset sealing
Minimal weight advantage over a longer-travel full suspension
Brain-equipped fork still has a thunk
No dropper provided
SRAM Level brake lever feel and power.
Sep 2023 · Alan Muldoon
Who is the Epic hardtail for? That’s the question I posed to the product manager responsible for Specialized’s XC race bikes. His response was both honest and telling. “It’s for anyone that wants an XC bike, but can’t stretch their budget to get a full suspension bike.” Best cross country mountain bikes: reviewed and rated by experts And it makes perfect sense. At 10.68kg without pedals, the Epic Hardtail Comp is a really light 29er for the money. To get even close to that target weight with a full suspension bike you’d easily be looking at double that, which instantly rules out those bikes for a lot of riders. Need to know Lightweight 29er XC race hardtail designed of speed Fact 11m carbon frame with threaded BB and 148m dropout spacing RockShox Reba RL fork delivers 100mm travel SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain with full range 10-52t cassette The cockpit has a 60mm stem and 750mm bar to enhance control Four frame sizes: S – XL with entry-level bike for £3,300 And it makes perfect sense. At 10.68kg without pedals, the Epic Hardtail Comp is a really light 29er for the money. To get even close to that target weight with a full suspension bike you’d easily be looking at double that, which instantly rules out those bikes for a lot of riders. And weight is very important. XC racers are obsessed with it; their own, and that of the bike. And for good reason. Because for a given power output, lighter is always going to be faster when going uphill. In fact, that’s where I really noticed the benefits of the Epic HT over much heavier trail forced hardtails. The combination of the faster rolling tyres and reduced weight instantly lure you into a false sense of fitness, and before you know it you have your sights set on distant riders that you know you can easily pick off. Specialized S-Works Epic World Cup: first ride review That’s not to say the Epic HT is amazing on the climbs. Fast, yes, but you do need to stay focused, pick good lines and wrestle the front end quite a bit. And that’s primarily because the Epic HT has a short 425mm chainstay length and relatively slack 74.2º seat tube angle. Taken together, these dimensions give the bike a more rearward weight bias, which makes the front end on the Epic is pretty flighty when seated climbing, at least on steeper gradients. And if the climb is chunky, then the relatively skinny 2.35in Specialized Fast Trak/Renegade tyre combo means you need to be on your A game not to lose traction or get knocked off line. Power delivery is direct and purposeful though, and the 100mm travel RockShox Reba fork really limits how much of your energy gets lost in compressing the suspension with every downstroke of the pedals. Approach the top of the cassette and SRAM’s cable operated Eagle transmission has less even jumps than Shimano’s 12-speed cassettes, but shifting is …Continue reading »
Light, reactive ride. Nice damped feel to the carbon frame. SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain offers impressive performance
Shifter hits top tube. Cables rattle in frame. No dropper post. Geometry is dated
Apr 2023
An Epic blend of hardtail handling with control and capability of a full-suspension bike
Apr 2023
It has been sensationalized, hidden under wraps (mostly), and it's finally available — Introducing the All New Specialized Epic World Cup
Apr 2023 · Henry Quinney
In some ways the Epic World Cup isn't so much a full-suspension bike with a small dose of rear travel but rather a hardtail that happens to have 75mm of travel.
Apr 2023
An all-new model for 2023, the Specialized Epic World Cup is designed to straddle the gap between a hardtail and a full suspension bike.
Beautifully sleek & lightweight frame
Clever shock offers character-bending tuneability
Wicked automated pedal efficiency
Unflappable high-speed handling
Clutter-free cockpit
Top-notch build kit
Entry price is very high
Proprietary shock is yet to be proven in the mass-market
You'll have to BYO dropper post
| Frame | Specialized FACT 11m, XC Geometry, Rider-First Engineered™, threaded BB, 12x148mm rear spacing, internal cable routing BB Standard: BSA, 73mm, Threaded Hanger Standard: UDH Color: Satin Carbon / Spectraflair |
|---|---|
| Fork | RockShox SID SL BRAIN, Bottom-Adjust Brain damper, Debon Air, 15x110mm, 44mm offset, 100mm Travel (XS-80mm Travel) Travel: 100mm Spring Type: Air |
| Bottom Bracket | SRAM DUB, BSA 73mm, threaded |
| Stem | Specialized XC, 3D-forged alloy, 4-bolt, 6-degree rise |
| Handlebar | Specialized Alloy Minirise, 10mm rise, 750mm, 31.8mm clamp |
| Saddle | Body Geometry Power Sport, steel rails |
| Seatpost | Specialized Alloy, Single Bolt, 30.9mm Type: Rigid |
| Rear Derailleur | SRAM X01 Eagle, 12-speed |
|---|---|
| Crank | SRAM X1 Eagle, DUB, 32T, XS: 165mm, SM: 170mm, M-XL: 175mm |
| Shifters | SRAM X01, trigger, 12-speed |
| Cassette | SRAM XG-1275 Eagle, 12-speed, 10-50t |
| Chain | SRAM GX Eagle, 12-speed |
| Brakes | Front: SRAM Level TL, 2-piston caliper, hydraulic disc, Rear: SRAM Level TL, 2-piston caliper, hydraulic disc Type: Hydraulic Disc |
| Rims | Roval Control Carbon, 25mm internal width, Zero bead hook, Tubeless ready, 28h |
|---|---|
| Spokes | DT Swiss Competition Race |
| Front Hub | DT Swiss 350, 15x110mm spacing, Torque caps, 6-bolt, 28h |
| Rear Hub | DT Swiss 350, Star Ratchet, SRAM XD driver body, 12mm thru-axle, 148mm spacing, 28h |
| Tires | Front: Fast Trak, Control Casing, 29x2.3, Rear: Fast Trak, Control casing, GRIPTON® compound, 60 TPI, 2Bliss Ready, 29x2.3" |
Last updated January 31
Not listed for 75 days