2024 Specialized

Epic 8 Pro

Goodbye Brain, hello SWAT and Flight Attendant

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Specialized’s cult favorite rowdy XC winner jumps up a whole weight category to burly downcountry, but does it still have the race speed our expert tester loved before?

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We tested the 2024 Specialized Epic 8 EVO. But what is the big brother of the XC race bike capable of? Read on to find out.

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Specialized’s new S-Works Epic 8 is possibly the fastest XC MTB ever made and definitely the most high tech. It’s not just the latest RockShox Flight Attendant Ai suspension that makes it radically rapid. This rad new superlight but steezy racer is also fully loaded with the ultimate race spec. It joins the Epic 8 Evo as one of two new Epics launched by Specialized; we’ve got all the details on both new Specialized Epics right here if you want to check out the details, prices and spec. I’ve also had the chance to ride the Epic 8 Evo, and witness first hand the bike’s transition from XC race machine to down-country weapon, check it out right here. Specialized S-Works Epic 8 Need to know Sub 1,800g yet impressively stiff 120mm travel XC frame RockShox SID Ultimate Flight Attendant Ai suspension technology Progressive XC race/downcountry geometry Top line SRAM AXS SL transmission with power meter Superlight Specialized/Roval wheels and kit High volume internal storage and titanium bolts Epic is in it’s eighth generation as Specialized’s flat out full suspension race bike. Epic 7 had already been overtaken by the slacker, longer travel but lighter Epic 7 Evo as the World Cup winning weapon of choice for the Specialized pro team. No surprise then that Epic 8 is effectively a progressive evolution of the Evo then, with a 66.4º or 65.9º head angle, 75.5º seat angle, 15mm longer reach (475/480mm in large) and 120mm of rear wheel travel to match the fork. The S-Works frame also uses top spec 12M carbon fibre, a carbon shock linkage and titanium bolts to keep it one of the lightest race frames available, at 1,795g for frame and conventional SIDLuxe shock. That’s 150g more than the previous ultra light Evo but the bigger, stiffer down tube now has full SWAT internal storage. You also get chainstay and belly armour, a removable steering stop and fully plumbed head tube routed controls. Suspension The S-Works is the first production bike to debut with the latest version of RockShox’s Flight Attendant Ai suspension. This uses sensors in the SID Ultimate fork, SIDLuxe Ultimate shock, Quarq XX SL power crank, XX SL rear mech and XX shifters to build a comprehensive ride ‘picture’. It then automatically switch the fork and shock between open, pedal and lock modes depending on incoming impacts, bike orientation, pre-emptive shift signals and rider referencing ‘effort states’. You also get a RockShox Reverb AXS seat post to complete the wireless kit out. With the hoses of the Level Ultimate Stealth 4 pot brakes hidden by the bars, the one piece Roval SL down swept ‘stem’ carbon bars look super clean as well as being very light and stiff. That also describes the sub 1,300g Roval Control SL rims, but the Specialized FastTrack and Renegade tyres use a tougher Control carcass than the ultralight S-Works options used on the Epic World Cup. You also get proper Trail grips and a comfortable Body Geometry S-Works Power saddle, …Continue reading »

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Specialized presenta la nuova Epic 8, e con essa anche la versione Evo, cioé quella con più escursione. Il numero non può che far ricordare la Tarmac 8, presentata lo scorso anno, di fatto allineando due dei modelli più amati del marchio californiano. Anche questa volta la versione da gara della Epic si differenzia molto da quella da “downcountry” ma, al contrario di quanto successo nel 2020, la Epic 8 Evo difficilmente verrà usata in gara al posto della Epic 8, che vedete nella foto qui sotto. Quest’ultima ha infatti già 120/120mm di escursione, rinuncia al Brain a favore del

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