Specialized Epic Hardtail Comp Review

The specialized epic hardtail follows on from the brand s long standing epic fsr dual suspension model a bike that has become the brand s flagship cross country and marathon race winner.

Specialized epic hardtail comp review. The new epic hardtail is insanely light for starters. I m coming from a 2015 carbon scott scale frame with full xtr. Specialized epic geometry instead of the old 51mm offset forks which make steering quicker these bikes sport 42mm for rockshox equipped ones and 44mm for fox. Specialized claims the s works epic hardtail frame is the lightest production frame in the world weighing in at a scant 775 grams for a size.

The 2020 epic hardtail has a 68 5 head tube angle which makes descending fast seem way safer and more comfortable and it also has room to fit a 2 4 size tire in the rear. The comp combines a stunningly lightweight carbon chassis with a rockshox reba rl fork and plenty of gearing to take on the steepest climbs courtesy of its sram nx eagle 12 speed drivetrain. This shortens the wheelbase to help in tight switchbacks and it helps the stability of the bike in high speed descents. I bought the 2020 epic hardtail pro and it is the best xc hardtail i ve ever ridden.

The specialized epic has to be one of the classic cross country race bikes and for 2020 specialized has given it a complete overhaul to drop the claimed frame weight to less than 800g. Cross country courses are nothing like they used to be. The game changer the epic hardtail sports one of the lightest production frames to date but it s a hell of a lot more than that. With a frame only weight of 790 grams including paint for a size medium specialized claim it s the.

We took a revolutionary new frame design and spec d it specifically for the rigors of racing contemporary xc courses. For this reason we threw away the hardtail rulebook and drafted our own chapter to create the epic hardtail comp.