Specialized (United States) - Press Release: Think Fastest.

You’re looking at the fastest XC bikes in the world. Building on the legacy of the winningest full suspension XC bike in history, these freshly redesigned Epics deliver an unmatched combination of pedaling efficiency, light weight and control.

Winning IS Everything:

Epic:

If winning isn’t everything, we’re doing something wrong. For 20 years, Epics have rocketed more racers to the top of the podium than any other full suspension XC bike. Now with a smarter, tougher, more responsive Brain shock and a stiffer, lighter frame, the new race-focused Epic cuts the time between starting line and victory even shorter.

Singletrack Scorcher:

Epic EVO:

Crossing the finish line first isn’t the only way to worship at the altar of speed. When it comes to ripping backcountry miles and railing endless singletrack with ruthless efficiency, the Epic EVO—with its purebred Epic speed, tuned suspension, increased travel and trail-tweaked geo—is your crazy-fast riding partner.

Epic:

Brain Technology, It Knows:

Brain technology in the Epic fork and shock knows the difference between pedaling force and bump force—it keeps suspension efficiently firm on smooth terrain and automatically switches to active the instant things get rough, boosting control and speed. The new Epic gets a fresh Brain shock, the most durable and control-enhancing that we’ve ever made.

Speed Frame:

The culmination of two decades of obsessive refinement, the new Epic frames are lighter and stiffer than ever. The S-Works Epic FACT 12m carbon chassis shaves over 100 grams from its predecessor, employs a carbon link, and boasts a 15% increase in rear triangle stiffness. The FACT 11m frame found on the rest of the Epic range now matches the stiffness and weight of the previous S-Works chassis.

Progressive Geometry:

Dominating today’s technical XC courses demands geometry that borrows from trail bikes while optimizing XC responsiveness. Combining precise handling with improved capability in technical terrain, we relaxed the headtube to 67.5 degrees, stuck with the reduced fork offset that we pioneered in 2018, increased reach, specified shorter stems, shortened chainstays and dropped the bottom bracket by 9mm. Bring it.

Rx Tune - Your Prescription for Fast:

Riders all, our team of engineers and technicians toiled to develop every aspect of the Epic suspension into an optimally performing singularity. Chassis design, telemetry, wheel rates, spring curves, custom shim-stacks, oil viscosity—every detail obsessed over, prototyped and tuned until the whole was way faster than the sum of its parts.

Epic Evo:

What do you get when you give a crazy-smart, singletrack-obsessed development team virtually unlimited resources and tell them to make the fastest XC trail bike ever? Epic EVO. Start with the Epic front end, build an all-new rear end, swap the brain for a custom-tuned metric shock, and tune the geo for technical terrain capability. Ready, set, shred.

Evolution of a Chassis:

The heart of the EVO chassis is the same wicked-light and super-stiff front triangle as the Epic. Next, for stability, we designed a purpose-built rear end. Finally, we boosted control and trail performance by unifying the front and rear end with a stiff shock link optimized for the plush metric damper used on the EVO. Evolved for trail speed.

EVO Geo: Relaxed and Fast:

The EVO’s 66.5-degree head angle and lower bottom bracket keep things calm when the trail turns technical. For pedaling efficiency, the seat angle is 3/4 of a degree steeper than its predecessor. If you want sharper handling and a bit more clearance, just rotate the FlipChip—angles get half a degree steeper and the bottom bracket comes up 6mm.

No Brainer:

To conquer rough trails as fast as humanly possible, the Epic EVO maintains ultra-efficient pedaling manners, but trades the Brain in favor of an Rx-tuned metric shock. A purpose-built link yields a 2.8:1 leverage ratio, and milks bump-devouring performance from its 110-mm rear travel. 120mm forks with custom Rx-tuned valving complete EVO’s balanced, trail-smart suspension.

Innovate or Die:

When you’re building on a two-decade obsession with speed, no stone is left unturned. Finite Element Analysis, tube shape optimization, and some of the most experienced athletes on the planet strung up with sensors and wires helped shape the fastest XC bikes on the planet.