Test ride in Waterdog, Belmont

Specialized Epic WC 2014 long term review

Having ridden Epics for the last few years, I've gotten to know them quite well. The snap crackle pop of the earlier brain suspension, sometimes a delay in activating, and generally a harsh ride. But that's what a XC race bike is supposed to feel like right? A stiff platform to maximize your pedal force. As with previous iterations, the latest 2014 Epic WC keeps getting better as the platform is evolved. This brain rear shock with auto sag has really dialed in the plushness, while not giving up the stiff XC platform. Throw in some SWAT technology and this bike is ready to race.

We recently took this bike to Moab, Utah on a week-long road trip. Moab not known for being XC friendly, I decided to see how far I could push the Epic in rough and demanding terrain. The Epic passed with flying colors as both bike and rider survived unscathed. Would it have been better on a more squishy bike? Maybe a Camber or the winner of our recent Enduro Compare-O, the 155mm travel Specialized Enduro. But the Epic did surprisingly well in the tough all mountain terrain. Throw on a dropper post and this bike would handle most anything you throw at it. Too bad it's a 27.2 seat post. Not to worry as a Specialized dropper post is coming soon in that size.

Unboxing the Epic

We rode the mid-level Epic Expert WC with retail approximately $5700. XO 1x11 on the drive train, Magura brakes, and al bar/stem and post rounded out the spec. The bike is easily upgradable to carbon to lighten everything up. They didn't skimp on the wheels, carbon Roval control. Finally a 15mm through axle was present in front to really tighten up the front end. This one weighed in right around 24 lbs. That's including the tube, CO2, and hidden multi tool.

The WC version has shorter chain stays for quicker more agile handling. A more aggressive geometry is also featured with a steeper head angle. Clean internal cable routing is also new unlike the previous Epic, where the cables were external and running under the bottom bracket. The suspension is more dialed with the auto sag function and improved brain adjustability. They reduced the number of adjustment clicks to the rear which may sound like a downgrade, but now each click makes a difference. Previous models you'd have to move it multiple clicks to feel any difference in ride, now 1 or 2 clicks makes a big difference.

SWAT gear

SWAT (storage water air tools) is featured on this bike and I love the ability to carry water bottles on the bike. Even the top one can handle a big water bottle (medium size frame), a tube, CO2, and hidden multi tool up in the top tube. I guess the Specialized engineers who were watching the Leadville 100 saw everyone taping gels, tubes on their top tube, and a second water bottle in the jersey pocket, so they came up with a solution. For those that don't like to ride with a hydration pack, this works. Couple it with the Specialized SWAT bib and the rider can carry another big bottle and a ton of food on the bib itself.

Huge chainstays on the Epic WC

With this combination, we were able to go on 4-6 hour rides without the need for a hydration pack, and with the Specialized Epic World Cup Edition, we were able to cover a lot of ground in 6 hours.

Check out our forum thread https://forums.mtbr.com/specialized/2014-expert-epic-wc-891013.html

Lighter, faster, smoother - pick three. The Specialized Epic focuses even deeper into racing.



Specialized Epic Copper Mountain.

For 2014, Specialized assembled their largest development team ever to revamp their top-selling bike, the Epic. With a three year old design as a baseline, they looked to make the Epic faster, lighter and smoother. They saw two audiences for the bike: the top-level cross country racer and the hardcore enthusiast who races regularly and is always looking to go faster than his buddies or faster than he's gone before.

Eric Schuda (engineer at Specialized) spent some time at the Leadville 100 mountain bike endurance race and observed. Schuda saw many bikes taped with tubes, tools, Gu, bananas on to the frame to transport the necessities for the 100 mile race. He looked at how folks were using their racing bikes and looked for solutions not only for going faster but also longer with efficient ways to transport tools and water.



Specialized Epic S-Works.

The Changes

The big change is a frame that's laterally stiffer and about .5 lbs lighter. The new carbon frame has lighter, more optimized materials yet has thick chain stays to provide lateral stiffness. The seatpost is now 27.2mm in diameter to save weight and to make room for the brain shock cable that is fed in between the seat tube and the moving seat stays.



Left: Specialized Epic Front Triangle. Right: Specialized Epic Internal Routing.

The cable routing is now internal. This is a big diversion for Specialized as they've stayed the course with their neatly organized external cable routing. Their old system tucked the cables under the down tube in a very organized manner and it worked well when set up properly. But it was a bit dated as most of the competition migrated to a much cleaner internal routing system. Internal routing is great for the end user but is a nightmare for bike shops and home mechanics as feeding the cables through tiny frame holes is never easy. To counter this, specialized designed in big port holes for the cables and seal them off with big, elegant caps that guide the cables out of the frame. In the frame, they house the cables in a foam 'noodle' material that prevents any kind of rattling noise inside the frame.



Specialized Epic Hard Cornering.

The latest Brain Shock still strives to lock out during pedaling and activate during trail bumps. But it is now smoother than ever during this transition between locked out and active mode. It is light years ahead of the first brain shock almost a decade ago and it is noticeably better than the Specialized Epic we tested from 2012. The transitions are much smoother now and the ride is almost seamless. But one can still tell this is a Brain shock as a slight 'knock' can be felt through the frame during the transition.

SWAT (Storage, Water, Air and Tools) has been introduced for the endurance racer who prefers not to use a hydration pack. A family of tools and water carriers has been integrated with the bike. Two water bottles, a chain tool, multi-tool and flat repair kit are now designed in the frame itself. They are all designed in and readily available but can all be easily removed if the extra weight is not desired. An in-depth look into SWAT is available HERE.



Specialized Epic SWAT Removed.

What We Liked

What the Specialized Epic does is make you go fast uphill. It has performed this task well in the past and this new version does an even better job at it. One of the new sample Epics with very rideable parts weighed in at 19.6 lbs without pedals. This is a responsive frame that is very stiff laterally.
Stomping on the pedals results in best of class acceleration. Whether it's spinning efficiently or jumping out of saddle with massive torque, the frame and brain shock respond to deliver the best acceleration in a full suspension bike.



Specialized Epic Vista.

We loved the wheels and tires. Specialized Carbon Roval SL wheels are the best of any bike manufacturer bar none. They are light, stiff, durable and affordable. The old wheels Roval wheels were good but these new ones are wider, lighter, stiffer and more durable. The new 1370 gram, 22 mm internal width, hookless rims are just phenomenal. They are a decent value at just under $2k but the Roval Control Carbons are the best for the money at $1200.



Specialized Epic in Durango with Mtbr and Chad Cheney.

SWAT is good. Two large water bottle capacity is a godsend and it will make one leave the hydration pack at home whether on a bike race or just a long ride. The hidden multi-tool above the rear shock is actually very cool. Some may be tentative about adding weight to the frame but this tool is the smallest, most functional one we've seen to date. And it is so easy to access that it will be used often.

Continue reading for more information and full photo gallery.

What We Didn't Like

The 27.2mm seatpost is step backwards in our opinion. It makes it incompatible with the dropper seatposts in the market or already in one's garage. One can argue that this kind of bike does not need a dropper post since it is a pure racing bike. But we will say that this bike and every bike (even hardtails) are better off with a dropper post. Dropper posts not only relate to the technical terrain but also with the evolving descending style of the rider. Once a rider uses a dropper post on some bikes, the cornering style and descending/pumping style evolves to better techniques, making it difficult to adjust to a fixed height post. 27.2mm means there is no Specialized Command Post compatible with this bike. But we are fairly certain that Specialized will release a 27.2mm dropper post by the time this bike is released in the winter.

We're still not crazy about the Brain adjustment knob located near the rear skewer. It just makes it too inconvenient to use during a ride. We were hoping that one of the new remote dials would make its way to the Brain shock. Alas, it is not to be.



Specialized Epic Chain Stay

We were hoping for shorter stays on this bike. We see it in the World Cup Edition which is shorter by 10mm which is a fun and agile bike. But the World Cup Edition bike has 10mm less travel and a higher BB. So the shorter stay really should be in the standard Epic as well.

Bottom Line

Bottom line is the Epic is faster, cleaner and lighter than before. If you race, then this is your steed. If you want more fun and flexibility, perhaps a 23 lb Camber is for you. But if you want to go fast, then the Epic is right up your alley. The $10k Epic versions are cool but the smart money is always on the lower cost versions then uprade the whees to carbon Rovals.



From the Manufacturer

New Carbon Frame

What: The completely redesigned, all-new FACT IS 11M carbon frame features a concentric shock linkage for optimal pivot FSR location and suspension movement, two water bottle mounts with SWAT compatibility, internal cable routing, tapered head tube, PF 30 bottom bracket, and 142mm rear hub spacing. The World Cup Epic features 95mm of rear wheel travel, while the standard Epic retains 100mm of suspension.

Why: It's all about the fastest ride. The new frame is lighter, has clean lines, better suspension action, and can carry everything you want right on the frame. The new frame also has increased drivetrain stiffness.

How: Our engineers and frame designers spent countless hours refining this frame to squeeze every bit of performance from the ride, cut every non-essential gram, and reworked the tube shapes and locations to make room for the ground breaking SWAT technology.



Mini Brain Rear Shock, with New XC Tune

What: Externally tunable, trail-sensing rear shock with AUTOSAG, pioneered by Specialized and manufactured by Fox. All-new shock tune with new internals makes this the best Epic shock ever.

Why: AUTOSAG assures perfect shock setup every time, while the new Brain tune offers the best efficiency and control over smooth and rough terrain.

How: When a rider encounters bump forces, the Mini Brain's inertia valve disengages, allowing oil to flow and the shock to immediately transition from firm (efficient) to fully active (compliant) suspension settings. The external Brain Fade dial allows riders to fine tune their suspension.

New S-Works Cranks

What: New S-Works Crankset is sleeker and lighter than before thanks to a new integrated spider design.

Why: We set out to shave every possible gram and create an aesthetic that ties into the design language of our frames.

How: We created an all-new design with integrated carbon spider. The result is an insanely lightweight crank that partners with both single and double ring setups.

S.W.A.T. Kit

What: Fully integrated emergency repair kit, featuring storage, water bottle holder, air canister and multi-tool. Stage 3 Kit standard on Expert Epics and up.

Why: Gives riders the ability to solve any minor mechanical problem on the trail, and eliminates the need to wear a pack.

How: The S.W.A.T. items are strategically integrated into the frame at the water bottle and organized by location and weight for easy access.



Competitive XC Geometry: Epic vs. Epic World Cup

What: Two uniquely tuned and designed bikes for competitive XC racing and endurance XC racing.

Why: Riders' needs vary based on terrain. Epic riders demand a race bike that can tackle a variety of course conditions. They are looking for a wide gear range, water carrying capability, and repair item storage.

Epic WC riders demand explosive power and tight geometry necessary to dominate the World Cup race circuit. Weight and stiffness are top-priority for this rider.

How: Epic models are built around a double chainring chassis and 100mm travel. Epic Expert models and above come equipped with SWAT kits and features an XC race tune rear shock.

For riders looking for the most competition- focused XC race bike, WC models are built with a dedicated single-ring chassis featuring short 439mm chainstays, aggressive geometry, and 95mm of travel. WC models are SWAT ready and feature a WC race tune rear shock.

New Roval Carbon Wheelsets

What: All-new, lighter-weight Roval Control SL 29 wheelsets (S-Works) with Zero Bead Hook technology, and Roval Control Carbon 29 wheelset (Marathon and Expert).

Why: Zero Bead Hook technology creates a lightweight and impact resistant wheel. The lightweight wheels improve climbing performance and acceleration out of corners.

How: We designed this lightweight carbon wheelset with a carbon rim that is stronger and stiffer than alloy, so the wheels remain in-true longer, and absorb impact better.

Zero Bead Hook simplifies the rim manufacturing process, resulting in a lighter-weight rim that with edges more resistant to sharp rocks and rough terrain.