Specialized Epic Review | The 2021 Specialized Epic vs Epic EVO - Which Would You Choose?

Summary

Esta revisión detallada compara las bicicletas 2021 Specialized Epic y Epic Evo, destacando mejoras en geometría, suspensión y rendimiento. Con un enfoque en la eficiencia y versatilidad, la Epic ofrece una plataforma sólida gracias a su sistema Brain, mientras que la Epic Evo, sin Brain, se perfila como una opción más cómoda y versátil, adecuada para carreras de larga distancia y rutas técnicas. Ambas modelos presentan mejoras significativas en comparación con versiones anteriores, pero a un precio elevado.

Takeaways

• 🚴‍♂️ El 2021 Specialized Epic y Epic Evo son bicicletas de montaña de carrera que han experimentado cambios significativos en su diseño.
• 🔍 El Epic cuenta con un marco de fibra de carbono más ligero y rígido, y un nuevo sistema de amortiguación Brain que mejora la respuesta y la durabilidad.
• 🏞️ El Epic Evo está diseñado para ser más versátil y cómodo, con un mayor desplazamiento y sin el sistema Brain, lo que lo hace adecuado para rutas más técnicas y carreras de larga distancia.
• 💡 La geometría del Epic ha sido modificada para ser más laxa y estable, lo que mejora la sensación de manejo en el sendero.
• 📏 El Epic Evo tiene un ángulo de dirección aún más laxo que el Epic, lo que proporciona una sensación de manejo más directa y ágil.
• 🏁 La versión de competición del Epic ofrece una plataforma firme y eficiente, ideal para carreras de montaña a alta velocidad.
• 🌟 El Epic Evo, aunque más bien un bike de ruta, mantiene una eficiencia competitiva y es más adecuado para el uso diario y la comodidad en rutas variadas.
• 💰 Ambos modelos tienen un precio elevado, especialmente la versión S-Works, lo que los coloca en un segmento de alto rendimiento y lujo.
• 🛠️ El Epic Evo ofrece la posibilidad de personalización y adaptación para el usuario, incluyendo la instalación de un poste de dirección remoto y la capacidad de ajustar la geometría.
• 📈 El Epic y el Epic Evo representan una evolución en el diseño de bicicletas de montaña, con énfasis en la ligereza, la rigidez y la versatilidad en diferentes tipos de terrenos.

Q & A

¿Cuáles son las diferencias principales entre la bicicleta 2021 Specialized Epic y la Epic Evo?

La Epic tiene un marco de fibra de carbono más ligero y un sistema Brain que mejora la rigidez y la respuesta a los baches. La Epic Evo, sin embargo, está diseñada para ser más versátil y cómoda, con un mayor desplazamiento y sin el sistema Brain, lo que la hace más adecuada para rutas más técnicas y carreras de larga distancia.

¿Qué mejoras ha habido en el sistema Brain de la nueva versión de la Epic?

El sistema Brain ha evolucionado para ser más sensible y rápido en respuesta a los baches, con un diseño que permite una plataforma firme incluso en la posición más firme, mejorando así la eficiencia y la respuesta en la montaña.

¿Cómo ha cambiado la geometría de la Epic en la versión 2021?

La versión 2021 de la Epic tiene un ángulo de dirección más laxo, un brazo delantero más corto y un asiento más inclinado, lo que proporciona un manejo más progresivo y una mejora en la eficiencia en el sendero.

¿Cuál es la principal diferencia entre la suspensión de la Epic y la de la Epic Evo?

La Epic tiene un sistema de suspensión Brain que se ajusta automáticamente según la condición del terreno, mientras que la Epic Evo tiene una suspensión más tradicional sin el sistema Brain, lo que la hace más adecuada para terrenos más desafiantes y carreras de larga distancia.

¿Por qué podría un ciclista elegir la Epic Evo sobre la Epic estándar?

Un ciclista podría elegir la Epic Evo por su mayor versatilidad y confort, especialmente si planea participar en carreras de larga distancia o senderos técnicos donde la necesidad de un manejo más suave y una mayor capacidad de desplazamiento es esencial.

¿Cuál es el peso aproximado de la versión de prueba de la Epic y la Epic Evo?

La versión de prueba de la Epic sin pedales pesa aproximadamente 9.45 kilogramos, mientras que la Epic Evo pesa alrededor de 400 gramos más, sin embargo, ambos son muy ligeros para sus categorías.

¿Qué tan caros son los modelos de la Epic y la Epic Evo?

El modelo S-Works de la Epic y la Epic Evo cuestan aproximadamente 19,000 dólares, aunque hay modelos más accesibles disponibles a precios más bajos, comenzando desde aproximadamente 6,500 dólares.

¿Qué tipo de neumáticos vienen en la Epic y la Epic Evo?

La Epic viene con neumáticos de 2.3 pulgadas, mientras que la Epic Evo también viene con neumáticos de 2.3 pulgadas en la parte delantera y en la trasera, diseñados para soportar el mayor desplazamiento y ofrecer una mejor tracción en terrenos variados.

¿Qué tipo de manejo ofrece la Epic en comparación con la Epic Evo?

La Epic ofrece un manejo más ágil y eficiente, gracias a su geometría más agresiva y su sistema Brain. La Epic Evo, sin embargo, ofrece un manejo más suave y estable, adecuado para senderos más desafiantes y carreras de larga distancia.

¿Qué accesorios adicionales vienen con la Epic Evo que no vienen con la Epic estándar?

La Epic Evo viene con un poste de manillar caído (dropper post), un neumático delantero más agresivo y un sistema de cambio sin filiales (wireless shifting), lo que la hace más adecuada para un uso más variado y para el manejo en senderos más técnicos.

Outlines

00:00

🚴‍♂️ Pruebas intensivas de bicicletas de montaña

Este vídeo presenta una comparativa entre la bicicleta 2021 Specialized Epic y su versión Epic Evo. Durante un mes, se realizaron pruebas intensas para analizar las diferencias entre ambas. Se discuten mejoras en el diseño, rendimiento y qué tipo de ciclista se beneficiaría más de cada modelo. La Epic de 2021 muestra mejoras sutilmente en el marco de fibra de carbono, con un ligero descenso de peso y un aumento en la rigidez. La避udBrainsuspension ha sido actualizada para ser más firme y responder más rápidamente a los obstáculos del sendero. Además, se presentan cambios en la geometría, como un ángulo de dirección más laxo y una altura de asiento más baja, para mejorar la sensación de maniobras y estabilidad.

05:02

🛠️ Detalles técnicos de la Epic y la Epic Evo

La Epic Evo se presenta como una versión más versátil y menos centrada en la competencia que su homóloga regular. A pesar de compartir el marco principal, cuenta con un sistema de suspensión de 110 mm en la parte trasera y un manillar de 120 mm en la delantera, sin el sistema Brain que caracteriza a la Epic. La geometría es aún más laxa, lo que proporciona una sensación más estable y confiada en el manejo. Se discuten las diferencias en el manejo y cómo la ausencia del sistema Brain afecta la experiencia de pedaleo, haciéndola más adecuada para rutas de larga distancia y menos para carreras de nivel mundial.

10:03

🤔 Consideraciones sobre la polarización del sistema Brain

El sistema Brain de la Epic ha sido fuente de controversia entre ciclistas. Aunque mejora la eficiencia al simular el comportamiento de un bicicleta de ruedas únicas, introduce un 'golpe' en el sistema de suspensión que algunos encuentran molesto. Se explica cómo funciona este sistema de valvula de inercia y cómo se ha ido mejorando a lo largo del tiempo, permitiendo un mayor rango de ajuste y una sensibilidad inicial incluso en la configuración más firme.

15:04

💨 Experiencia de manejo en senderos técnicos

Se explora cómo la Epic maneja en condiciones técnicas y en alta velocidad, destacando la capacidad del sistema Brain para adaptarse a diferentes tipos de terreno y mantener una plataforma sólida durante el esfuerzo. Se resalta la importancia de la geometría y la respuesta del manejo, así como la mejora en la estabilidad y la capacidad de 'pump' en secciones técnicas, donde la interacción con el terreno es crucial para mantener un ritmo rápido y eficiente.

20:05

🏁 Comparación entre la Epic y la Epic Evo

Se hace una reflexión sobre las impresiones generadas por ambas bicicletas, destacando la versatilidad y la comodidad de la Epic Evo frente a la eficiencia y respuesta de la Epic. Se discuten las opciones de personalización y adaptación para eventos de larga distancia y cómo la Epic Evo, a pesar de su enfoque en la comodidad, mantiene una capacidad competitiva. También se menciona la ligera ventaja en peso y la ausencia de elementos propietarios que facilitan la personalización y el mantenimiento.

25:05

💸 Consideraciones finales y elección personal

Se presentan las consideraciones finales sobre las opciones de compra y la decisión personal entre la Epic y la Epic Evo. A pesar de los altos precios de las versiones S-Works, se reconoce la disponibilidad de modelos más accesibles. Se abordan las opciones de personalización y la compatibilidad con futuras mejoras, y se invita a los espectadores a explorar más detalles en la web. Finalmente, se cuestiona cuál de las dos bicicletas sería la elección personal, teniendo en cuenta su versatilidad y rendimiento en diferentes tipos de eventos y condiciones.

Keywords

💡Specialized Epic

El 'Specialized Epic' es una bicicleta de montaña de suspensión completa que se menciona en el guion como una de las bicicletas de montaña de carrera más ligeras del mercado. Es conocida por su diseño de suspensión 'Brain', que permite una respuesta rápida y eficiente al choque, lo que la hace ideal para carreras de montaña. En el guion, se describe cómo los ingenieros han mejorado la rigidez y han reducido el peso del marco, lo que demuestra su compromiso con la performance en la montaña.

💡Brain Suspension

La 'Brain Suspension' es un sistema de suspensión patentado por Specialized que se destaca en el guion por su capacidad para ofrecer una plataforma firme y eficiente durante la pedaleada, mientras que se mantiene suave y sensible a los golpes. Este sistema utiliza un 'inertia valve' que se desbloquea en respuesta a la entrada del piloto, permitiendo una sensación de 'cerrojo automático' cuando se acelera y una acción suave cuando se desacelera o se choca, lo que mejora la tracción y la comodidad.

💡RockShox SID SL

El 'RockShox SID SL' es un horquilla de bicicleta de montaña que se menciona en el guion como una mejora significativa sobre versiones anteriores. Es conocido por ser más ligero y tener una acción de suspensión progresiva, lo que significa que ofrece más soporte y control a medida que se profundiza la compresión. En el contexto del video, se destaca como un componente clave que mejora la experiencia de conducción y la eficiencia de la bicicleta.

💡Geometry

La 'geometría' de una bicicleta de montaña se refiere a las medidas y ángulos que definen su diseño y cómo se comporta en el terreno. En el guion, se discute cómo los cambios en la geometría del 'Specialized Epic', como un ángulo de dirección más laxo y una distancia entre ejes más corta, afectan positivamente la estabilidad y la maniobrabilidad de la bicicleta, haciéndola más adecuada para diferentes tipos de senderos.

💡S-Works

El término 'S-Works' se refiere a la línea de modelos de alta gama de Specialized, conocidos por su uso de materiales premium y componentes de alto rendimiento. En el guion, el 'S-Works' se asocia con la versión más costosa y equipada de la 'Specialized Epic', que incluye características como el cambio sin hilos SRAM AXS, un marco de fibra de carbono ultraligero y un conjunto de ruedas de alta performance, lo que subraya su posición como una de las opciones más exclusivas para ciclistas competitivos.

💡Tire Clearance

El 'Tire Clearance' es la cantidad de espacio disponible para las ruedas y neumáticos en una bicicleta, lo que permite al ciclista elegir el tamaño de neumático que mejor se adapte a sus necesidades. En el guion, se menciona que el 'Specialized Epic Evo' tiene más espacio para neumáticos, lo que le permite a los usuarios montar neumáticos más grandes y obtener una mejor tracción y comodidad en el camino, especialmente en condiciones desafiantes.

💡Dropper Post

Un 'Dropper Post' es un tipo de poste de montaje que se puede ajustar a diferentes alturas para adaptarse a diferentes situaciones de conducción. Se menciona en el guion como una característica del 'Specialized Epic Evo', permitiendo al ciclista bajar el sillín para mejorar la posición en descensas técnicas, y luego subirlo para una mejor pedaleada ergonómica en subidas o caminos planos, lo que agrega versatilidad y comodidad al ciclo de montaña.

💡Rear Shock

El 'Rear Shock' es el componente de suspensión en la parte trasera de una bicicleta de montaña que absorbe los golpes y choques para mejorar la comodidad y el control. En el guion, se discute cómo el 'Rear Shock' en las bicicletas 'Specialized Epic' y 'Epic Evo' ha sido diseñado para ser duradero y para ofrecer una respuesta rápida y precisa, lo que es crucial para el rendimiento en la montaña.

💡Stiffness

La 'rigidez' de una bicicleta de montaña se refiere a la resistencia del marco y otros componentes a deformarse bajo carga. En el guion, se destaca cómo los ingenieros de Specialized han mejorado la rigidez del marco del 'Specialized Epic', lo que aumenta la eficiencia y la respuesta al pedalear, lo que es esencial para las carreras de montaña y para mantener la estabilidad a altas velocidades.

💡Handlebars

Los 'manubrios' son las barras que sostienen el control de dirección de una bicicleta. En el guion, se menciona que el 'Specialized Epic' y el 'Epic Evo' vienen equipados con manubrios de 760 milímetros de ancho, lo que proporciona una base estable y un control preciso, lo que es especialmente útil en senderos técnicos y en descensas rápidas donde la maniobrabilidad es crucial.

Highlights

2021 Specialized Epic和Epic Evo自行车进行了多项更新，包括更轻的碳纤维车架和改进的悬挂系统。

Epic车架通过工程师的努力减轻了100克，同时提高了后端的刚性。

新的后避震和Brain系统旨在提高长期耐用性并更快地响应颠簸。

RockShox SID SL前叉比前代轻，搭配新的DebonAir弹簧和Brain阻尼器。

Epic的头管角度变松弛，为67.5度，配合更短的把立和更宽的车把，提供了更激进的前端几何。

Epic Evo采用了120mm前叉和110mm后避震，去掉了Brain系统，更注重耐力赛和马拉松骑行。

Epic Evo的头管角度为66.5度，比标准Epic更松弛，提供了更稳定的操控。

Epic和Epic Evo都配备了SRAM AXS无线变速系统和碳纤维组件。

Epic的S-Works模型配备了Power Meter和超轻的Roval Control SL轮组。

Epic Evo的车架允许内部容纳两个水壶，即使在没有Brain系统的情况下也保持了轻量化。

Epic的Brain系统经过更新，提供了更坚定的平台和更快的响应。

Epic Evo的悬挂系统在没有Brain的情况下提供了更平滑的骑行体验。

Epic和Epic Evo的几何变化使得它们在高速和低速时都表现出色。

尽管Epic和Epic Evo的价格昂贵，但它们提供了高端的组件和卓越的性能。

Epic Evo的舒适性和多功能性使其成为长途骑行和多日赛的理想选择。

Epic的Brain系统虽然高效，但可能会给某些骑手带来不适的敲击感。

Epic Evo的悬挂设计和几何使其在技术性路段上表现出色，同时保持了高效的踩踏性能。

Transcripts

slack head angles two point three inch

wide tires short stems wide handlebars

and an epic without a brain now if you

were looking for any more proof that XC

riding has changed and XC bikes have

changed then look no further than these

two new bikes right here on my left is

the 2021 specialized epic and on my

right is the epic Evo there for the past

month we've been testing these two new

bikes and we've brought them up here to

Canberra for a few days of intensive

back-to-back testing to really knuckle

down on the differences between the two

in this video we're going to be going to

some detail about the new epic and epic

Evo and what's changed over the previous

versions we're going to be talking about

how they ride on the trail how they

compared to each other directly and

ultimately what kind of rider is best

suited to each bike

[Music]

[Music]

okey doke so the first bike we've got

here is the 2021 specialized epic now at

first glance this bike doesn't look too

much different from the previous version

but there's actually a load of small

incremental improvements on this bike to

add up to a big difference on the trail

now first up of course it's a full

carbon fiber frame specialized engineers

have managed to chisel away a hundred

grams off this frame and that puts it as

one of the lightest full suspension

frames on the market now despite the

weight drop they have boosted stiffness

in the back ends a specializes the back

end is 15 percent stiffer laterally but

more crucially there is less side load

on the rear shock around 30% less the

rear shock itself is also new and that's

all about improving long-term durability

the brain is also new and specialized

says in the firmest position the back

end of the spike is firmer than the

previous epoch but it also responds

faster to bumps as well up front we have

the new rock shock sid SL fork now this

came out earlier this year big

improvement over the previous said a lot

lighter we've got the new debonair

spring and here significantly more

progressive and in the damper side of

course we have the position sensitive

brain damper that specialized in rock

shocks have developed together now just

like the brain shock on the back you

have five positions of firmness for the

brain sitting in the softest position

it's completely disengaged so it's nice

and soft so you can tune how firm the

platform is with that blue dial on the

fork and the black dial on the brain

damper on the rear shock geometry wise

there have been some big changes on the

new epoch significantly slack a head

angle 2 degree slacker in fact at 67

point five degrees now when many of

specialized competitors are operating

around a 69 even 70 degree head angle

this is quite slack in comparison of

course we have a reduced offset fork on

the SID SL and specialized is also

running nice wide bars 760 millimeters

wide on our test bike here and a 70

millimeter stem length on all frame

sizes so a nice progressive front end on

this bike seat angle has been steepened

to 75 point five degrees the chainstay

links it's at 433 millimeters the big

number that stands out though is the

bottom

back at height which has been lowered by

nine millimeters that is a lot a

specialized can get away with that

because of the brain shock on the back

the shocks it's a lot higher in its

travel it has that strong firm platform

and that keeps the pedals away from the

ground so you can get away with the BB

sitting closer to the ground to help

lower the riders center of gravity now

as far as speck is concerned the bike

that we've been testing for the past

month is the absolute top of the Pops

s-works model ultra premium bill kid on

this bike we've got SRAM access Wireless

shifting carbon fiber everything we have

a power meter as stock as well and we

also have the new row valve control SL

wheel set big performance enhancer on

this bike this is a brand new carbon

fiber race wheel set sub 1,300 grams

incredibly lightweight but also quite

wide least have a twenty nine millimeter

internal rim width and that's designed

to support 2.3 inch tires front and rear

now that adds up to a very very light

weight bike our test bike here which is

a medium sized weight without pedals

it's just nine point four five kilograms

incredibly light weight now we should

mention here that there are obviously

more models coming into Australia for

2021 I believe there are four complete

epochs coming to our shores if you want

information or pricing specs geometry

and all of the features on the new epic

make sure you got to flow mountain bike

comm we've got a handy link in the video

description below if you want to know

more about the epic now while there are

a lot of exciting improvements on the

regular epic we think it's the epic Evo

that a lot of you are going to be very

interested in now we've been riding the

epic Evo for the past month that is this

bike here and just like the regular epic

this guy is all new for 2021

now specialized has had the epic Evo and

its lineup for a couple of years and

basically it took the existing epic put

a bigger 120mm fork on it bigger tires

or drop post and a wider handlebar and

called it done this new epic Evo however

is a full commitment to the concept so

the frame is still very similar to the

regular epic indeed the main frame is

identical between the two but the back

end is different the travel is different

as well we've got a 120 millimeter rock

shock sit on the front and we have a

rock shocks Sid luxe

shock on here delivering a hundred and

ten millimeters of rear travel there is

no brain to be found on this bike that

is the big difference between the Evo

and the regular epic this is still a

cross-country bike but it's less of a

World Cup level short track cross

country bike and more of a marathon

slash short travel trail bike even the

geometry is different on the epic Evo

it's even slacker than the regular epic

so we have a sixty six point five degree

head angle on this bike which for a bike

with 110 million is super slack the

cockpit is actually quite similar 760

millimeter wide bars the stem is ten

millimeters short a sixty millimeter

stem here to quicken up the steering a

touch we also get a more aggressive

front tire that's a ground control 2.3

inch tire in the front but they do stick

with a 2.3 inch for AK on the rear the

bike that we've been testing here is the

absolute top of the range s-works model

but there are several models coming into

Australia for 2021 again follow that

link in the video description below and

there you will see specs pricing

geometry and all of the details about

the new 2021 specialized epic Evo

alright so we're here with the two epics

and I've got my pal here Mike Ross

cheers cheers pal to a couple of great

days of riding here in Canberra but

before we go any further well the heart

of the epic is its brain what is the

brain tell us a bit about it the brain

and the epic go hand-in-hand ever since

the epic was launched back in 2002 it

featured the brain suspension design and

the original the original design goal

was to basically create a full

suspension bike the panel like a

hardtail and it was to kind of coax

World Cup athletes you know national

level cross-country hardcore racers off

their hardtails onto full suspension

bikes which we all know these days are

the faster more comfortable and dare I

say more fun option but here we are

nearly 20 years later and an efficiency

is still you know big goal of any

cross-country full suspension bike so

the the brains evolved quite a bit on

this bike but at its core the brain is

an inertia valve and an inertia valve is

basically comprised of a cylinder with a

brass mass inside it you

have oil coming in from the shop and the

brass mouse sits over the port's for the

oil to move through so when it's locking

it it's basically a lockdown when you

hit a bump that brass mass moves inside

the cylinder it dislodges and it allows

the oil to flow past that brass mess

through the reservoir into the IFP so

then when you hit a bump the idea is

that the suspension will compress once

that brats mass moves

it's basically an automatic lockout

that's probably the easiest way to

describe it the inertia valve can

differentiate between rudder inputs used

sprinting and saddle and inputs from the

trail you know hitting a bump hitting a

rock or a root it's improved a lot over

the years you know it's pretty clunky

when it first came out and over the

years it's gotten smoother they've added

the brain fade kind of function which is

where at least on the rear shock you get

oil there some oil can still pass around

the inertia valve so you will still get

shock movement even with the brain set

to the firmest setting so you'll still

get that kind of initial sensitivity

that traction that comfort but when

you're really pushing on the pedals it's

designed to be nice and firm I think on

on that point this new epoch we've got

an update on the brain damper on the

rear shock so specialized has actually

made it slightly firmer in the thermos

position you do have five settings on

the brain depth both on the rear shock

and on the fork so you've got zero being

the softest five being firmest and it's

worth pointing out as well that in the

softest position in zero the brain

switched off basically sends the brain

to sleep there's no brain and and I

described that before as being day 3

port-to-port you know you kind of like a

couple of days into a multi-day stage

race the body's hurtin you know you've

got a technical stage coming up and you

can just do you can turn the brain

damper off on the fork and the rear

shock you've got nice supple and smooth

suspension well as much as it can be for

a hundred mill race bike yeah but it

does disengage the brain completely so

you can do that otherwise then you've

got another four positions on the fork

and rear shock to play around with and

I've personally found that really useful

for adapting the suspension for

different trail types and perhaps

difference between you just try riding

with mates versus race day you know you

can have different settings on there to

play around them yes so the the concept

of the brain is exactly the same as the

original epoch significantly improved

and the brain over the years has been a

polarizing you know part of part of

these bikes it's like I guess it's like

the Vegemite of mountain biking some

people love it some people hate it

simple which can't get used to it but

what is that what is what do people have

a gripe with what is it about the brain

that is so divisive yeah sure so aside

from a little bit of extra weight and

extra complexity the big deal cut okay

wait all right yeah aside from a bit of

extra weight and a little bit of extra

complexity the the big defining

characteristic that people some people

really can't deal with is the knocking

sensation that you get through the

suspension so basically when you have

that brain set on anywhere from one to

five whenever you encounter a bump and

the shock does give way that inertia

valve does move you get a knock through

the frame you can feel it through the

contact points right you know pedals and

the grips now originally I thought this

knocking was from the brass masts

physically knocking against the cylinder

and that it's it's within but it's not

it's actually to do with fluid dynamics

it gets a little bit complicated but

it's pretty much so I'm told I don't

fully understand it but it's basically

when you get a really fast rush of fluid

inside the shop so when that brass best

moves and you get oil moves through

really quickly and you get a knock

through the oil and you can actually

feel that through the rest of the bike

so as long as this bike has an inertia

valve there's basically no way to get

rid of that knocking sensation yeah it's

a lot better on this bike than it was on

the earlier editions of the epic yeah it

keeps getting better it does get better

but that knocking will still be there so

if you've ridden an epic before or you

you know you you're looking at test

running this bike and you feel that

sensation and you just can't get your

head around it you you're not into it

then then you can scrub the epic off the

list because it's always gonna do it if

you can get your head around

that knocking sensation yo can you get

used to it it's yeah absolutely

yeah absolutely and I think you can once

you do get used to it there's a lot of

performance advantages that come with

that system surely yeah on the epic we

have here their brain equipped epic the

lean and mean 100 mils short

cross-country racing machine what

impressed you the most yeah that's well

there's a lot to be impressed by it so

it's a very high-end buy client suit

very high suit bike I think for me the

the efficiency is huge on this bike and

as we're saying before it does take a

bit to get your head around that

knocking sensation from the brain and

also to play around with the settings

you know you do need to spend some time

trying those those firmness things on

the on the brain platform but once you

do get past that the efficiencies in

incredible is it's such a strong

platform the fork is really impressive

so the way the brain damper works in the

fork is a little different to the rear

shock and what they have in there is a

position sensitive damper it's been

updated for the 2021 model so now you

get 15 millimeters of FreePlay or sag

yeah and regardless of how firm the

brain setting is that 15 mil is the same

doesn't because I can bring in four

because like a regular look exactly and

the idea is that say when you're seated

pedaling along a fire road with lots of

washboard bumps it's a really I think a

good example the fork is still

responsive it's still comfortable you

know your wrists aren't getting bashed

about like it would do if you had a

fully locked out fork yeah but once you

hit that 15 millimeter mark that's when

the inertia valve engages so you get

this firm platform on to you once you go

through and with the five levels of

adjustment you can tune how how firm it

is and basically how big the impact

needs to be Damone activate shot or the

fork so that 15 mil it's it's great it

works exactly as advertised so you get a

little bit of comfort a little bit of

traction especially when you're not

loading the front end because you know

how much weight you have on the front on

the fork

it defines how it reacts so when you get

up out of the saddle and you're

sprinting you get that really nice firm

platform it's super solid and it's the

same with the rear shock as well as far

as that platform keeping your higher up

in the travel when you're on the gas you

get really good snap out of the corners

yeah we were also discussing that on

some of them majora Pines single track

you've got these kind of like rolling

sections and so it's not necessarily

just climbing and fire roads where the

brain works it also works in technical

sections where you want to pump the bike

and move it through high rewarding if

you're engaging with the terrain and

pushing your bike and pumping the bike

and catching the backside of them you

know rocks and logs

you just rewarded with with rapid pace

yeah it's so funny feel like you feel

like you're on fire

it's so fast and the other thing I like

in terms of on technical trails high

speed berms

the forks amazing because it sits at

that that 50 mil you know sits right up

behind it's travel and it sticks it

doesn't dive like in a traditional form

that's open yeah because when when the

fork dives either when you hit the front

brake or you're loading it up through a

corner and you're on a steep your head

angle steepens you know and everything

shifts forward and it all gets kind of

tight and sharp this is really steady

he's bounced out yeah yeah holds you up

and springboard out of there

big time big time and I think it's

exciting that I think that brings me to

the other thing that impressed me most

about this bike it's a nice transition

is the geometry in general but the

steering yeah really really good so we

mentioned before that specialize has

taken two degrees off the head angle so

it's very slack for a race bike right

and the previous model had a really good

steering it did yeah yeah we both with

both tests of the previous versions like

we know well is a huge factor so they've

taken two degrees off that again mm-hmm

sixty sixty seven point five degrees

well that's trial bike country if for a

lot of brands that's that's that's trail

trail bike territory exactly so it keeps

it really steady because they've

shortened the stem a touch the steering

is you know they've quicken up the

steering by shortening that stem length

so it's not lazy at all and I think

because it's

sits up higher and it's travel at the

back as well you get a really nice sharp

response out of this bike the lower

bottom bracket too you can run the bar

and the stem a little bit lower because

everything sitting a little bit lower to

the ground

as mentioned before specialized can get

away with that lower Beebe because of

the brain shock and it just sits that

much higher anyway yeah so efficiency

and and steering handling on this bike

is so good okay

really really good well what are some of

the less impressive features of the epic

in your opinion yeah okay so that's a

good question because I've really

enjoyed riding this bike and it has

impressed me in a lot of ways I think

right now big elephant in the room is

the price this s-works model which is

the absolute top of the range

epic option $19,000 now that's a number

that's hot been popping up a lot more

lately but more with e-bikes ryan hi

Andy by IND bikes this does I mean it

does have typically a motor in the rear

derailleur but there's no motor helping

you pedal it's an extraordinarily

high-end bike mind you this does have

two higher in fact 12m frame this is the

superlight frame option so once you go

down to the pro you get the fact a

Lebanon carbon frame which then comes on

all the all the cheaper models and

pricing kicks off I think around six six

and a half grand formal for the

entry-level model so there are there are

far more accessible models than this but

on the s-works bike $19,000 outside of

sponsored riders and I mean yeah that's

that's a lot of money right yeah yeah

huge amount of money there is there's

nothing you could possibly upgrade on

this bike at all it's as high-end as it

possibly gets and it's light to 9-under

nine and a half kilograms without pedals

for a medium test bike that's super

light so you're definitely paying for

that performance that's for sure

and I guess the other attribute is the

efficient suspension while it is you

know super responsive

it can be pretty unrelenting you can you

do get more feedback through the front

and through the rear and you do really

need to be on your a-game you know you

need to be attacking the trail you need

to be riding just that little bit faster

the faster you ride and the faster you

hit stuff the quicker the valve opens

here easier it opens so if you're having

an off day it can be a pretty pretty

harsh bike to ride alright we've talked

about that all that race epic let's talk

about the epic Evo the epic that may

have gotten in trouble of schools to

spend it a couple of times

drank their parents gin refilled the

bottles with water

welcome to the Evo a slightly cooler

more comfortable riding bike yeah yeah

you're right this is the naughty one for

sure yeah sure so the as mentioned

before like there are some similarities

between these two bikes but I think what

impressed me most about the Evo yeah is

just how far specialized has committed

to the concept with your spike yeah it's

all in right yeah no brain no brain no

brain

yeah total commitment which we love no

brain on the rear it's got a standard

metric I'd I shop on the backs there's

nothing proprietary about that very few

proprietary things on this bike in the

first place the threaded bottom bracket

it's got SRAM udh derailleur hanger yeah

it's a guide I shot put a normal four

drop post

I think weird going on no and yeah we

really like that and you can still fit

two water bottles inside this frame just

like the regular epic because the main

frame is the same the back end is a

little different it's and stiffer a

little bit more tire clearance but yeah

I think what what's impressed me most is

that the commitment to the concept so

rather than just kind of taking the same

bike and tweaking it a bit this is

created a new bike mmm I think you feel

like you get so close to that efficiency

because of its you know suspension

performance weight geometry you get so

close the efficiency of the regular yep

without a brain and a slightly

increasing a slight increase in travel

opens it up to you know so much more

right totally totally yeah it's more

versatile yeah it's more comfortable

it's actually

yeah because you don't have the brain on

there the you drop 300 grams or there

abouts so the claimed frame weight on

this with the shock is somewhere around

1600 grams it's extraordinarily light it

doesn't have the brain damper in the

fork either so it goes to the the bigger

CID fork which is 120 will travel 35

miles stations there's there's the

regular charge of race day damper so no

no brain in the fork either and that

fork is really really good in fact at

the front end of this bike is great

right

66 and a half degree head angle yes so

they're nice barely fork on there it's

plush you've got a slightly shorter stem

so 60 mil stem same with the head about

seven sixty but the front of this bike

feels solid right if you feel more

confident kind of plowing plowing it

into stuff I think the other thing that

impressed me about the Evo is racing

comfort is the way I'd kind of describe

it because geometry why is it kind of

like suggests you know this like being

aggressive trail bike it's not it's

still a cross-country bike yeah it's

still very efficient right like even

without the brain on the back this this

shock it's either open or locked though

you only get two positions and there's

no remote lockout so we were riding it

open the whole time it's fine yeah

plenty efficient yeah it's not the same

as the brain for sure you don't get that

same sprinting platform when you're

really sort of hammering on the bike but

it's plenty of fishing and I think with

the more relaxed geometry the smoother

for the smoother rear suspension the

fact that you have the drop post on

there this actually is a really good

option

I would I would choose this for 50k 100

K marathon races multi-day stage races

where a full-blown race bike for someone

like ourselves who's not necessarily I

finely tuned athlete well may be able to

speak for myself but if you if you're

not one of those kind of people who gets

up and does yoga every morning and does

interval sessions and you know has

someone right hand yeah who can who can

handle being on a race bike for four or

five days in a row yeah

then this is this is the better option

and it's not that much heavier it's

still under ten kilos for the bike we've

been tested

granted it's very high-end it's the

s-works level but it's only about 400

ish grams heavier than the regular epic

but it comes with a dropper the bigger

for the bigger front tire you know it

sort of hits all of those talking those

those main features right yeah mm-hmm so

that's that's kind of what impressed me

about the Evo I'd say the full

commitment from specialized the

commitment to the concept yeah and the

racing comfort don't view this

necessarily as like a hardcore technical

trail bike still the cross-country bike

and it may indeed be the better

cross-country race bike for a lot of

people yeah yeah yeah great and on the

flip side there's anything that bugged

you I didn't impress you about the epic

Evo yeah okay so I think the the same

talking point on price has to be

mentioned because it's the same price

the s-works models the epic Evo and the

epic and it's an extraordinary amount of

money whichever way you look at it as I

said before there are numerous models

coming into Australia so you don't have

to spend nineteen thousand dollars just

to get one of these you can spend closer

to six grand to get on the Evo

I won't hop on that too much more I

think the only other thing I think the

spikes really dialed in straight up it's

a great build kid it's a great geometry

the suspension design if it were my bike

I would probably look at different tires

and that's obviously condition specific

and rider specific as well I'm pretty

hard on tires even though I'm fairly

light my local trails seem to shred

tires I'm blaming the trails though I've

already put a couple of Nick's into the

back of this tire yeah

the sidewalls are kind of thin I'd be

putting on something that's a bit more

robust and I'm not the biggest fan of

the ground control I'd probably put

something with slightly bigger cornering

you know aging blocks on there tight

race it's personal preference so it's

hardly weakness but on this but a big

deal no no not at all and the question

on everyone's fingertips at their

keyboards what would you choose out of

this motorbike a lot of people want to

know that's a really good question and

I'm not going to cop-out

I'm gonna give you an actual answer but

I will say both bikes really impress me

they impress in different ways and

obviously they're different tools for

different jobs even though they're very

close in terms of travel and I'm afraid

parts of the frame of the same and so on

I really like the efficiency from the

brain suspension design I think this is

the best yet from specialized and for

anyone who's racing at that high level

or has aspirations to race it at high

levels nothing better it's so efficient

and and there's something addictive

about that efficiency and responsiveness

and the power for sure but if I had to

choose between two I picked the Evo it's

more versatile it's more comfortable

it's more fun you've got a drop boson

there you've got smoother suspension

it's a really really good bike but the

thing is it's still capable of being

raced you know if you if you did buy

this bike if you did buy the Evo and you

wanted to do racing a bit more seriously

but you didn't want to have to trade it

and buy an ethic and admit that you made

the wrong decision if you had this bike

there's a few things you can do there's

a geometry chip and lower shock mount so

you can flip that and that steepens all

the angles by half a degree you could

change the tires to something a little

bit faster mainly the front tire and if

you were riding a course where you

didn't necessarily need the dropper post

you could you could say where are they

there are places in the world and riders

who don't need dropper posts I know it's

hard to believe but if you could if you

were willing to commit to that then you

could drop you know good three 400 grams

by taking off that reverb access because

it's quite heavy so there are things you

can do to kind of race it up if you

wanted to take your racing more

seriously

yeah the frames also remote lockout

compatible as well so there's other

thing that you can do there longer-term

but versatility wise comfort wise fun

speed it's the Evo is the more versatile

option of the two for sure yeah well

yeah like likewise after riding these

bikes for the last few days I would also

choose the Evo out of a 2 because the

Manta cos its versatility and ability to

ride like a Ripper trial bike

as well as a very very capable multi-day

race bike yeah to be to be my pick so

that brings us to thank you everybody

the end yeah so we've we need to point

out that there's a load more information

about both these bikes on the website we

have a news story that'll take you

through both the epic and the epic Evo

all the models coming to Australia

pricing specs geometry all the

information about what's changed on

these new 2021 models compared to the

previous version there's also a review

on each bike and in the reviews I go

into a ghen izing amounts of detail

about our experience posting these two

bikes so if you found if you have you

found anything lacking in this video

follow the link in the video description

below that will take you through to the

reviews if you enjoyed the video make

sure you give us a big happy thumbs up

be sure to let us know your thoughts

about the new epics in the comment

section below

ask any questions you've got for us

about these two bikes and how they

compare to each other and if you haven't

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do it now please we have many many more

videos coming in the near future we ride

the thick of new bike launch seasons as

rites of secret stuff coming your way

soon thank you very much everybody

no worries we'll see you next time thank

you well my pleasure my pleasure we hope

you enjoyed the video we'll see you next

time do you wanna do you wanna cut it

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