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Bike Perfect

Lifestyle

Graham Cottingham

Specialized's Epic 8 XC MTB embraces algorithm-controlled suspension and ditches the Brain

Specialized SRAM RockShox Guy Kesteven SWorks

Rider charging on Specialized S-Works Epic 8.

Specialized has released the latest iterations of its Epic cross-country race platform. The new Epic 8 cross-country bike gets a geometry and suspension overhaul while the Epic 8 Evo fully embraces downcountry.

The new Epic 8 bikes share the same frame but are now more distinctly different in performance, with the Epic 8's goal of dominating cross-country races and the Epic 8 Evo bulked up for hard and fast trail duties.

The FACT 12M frame features 120mm of travel and has been made 76 grams lighter than the previous S-Works Epic. Specialized says the chassis, geometry, kinematics, spring curves, and damping performance have been fine-tuned by Specialized's Ride Dynamics team to maximize the Epic 8's performance. The new frames now come equipped with a SWAT internal storage hatch under the downtube bottle cage.

Although both bikes use the same frame, the Epic 8 and Epic 8 Evo have different trail intentions.

Specialized Epic 8

The outgoing bike wasn't exactly an outdated slouch, however, with the demands of modern XC racing it was the Epic 7 Evo that had become the Specialized sponsored racers’ bike of choice for most of the 2023 cross-country season.

To reflect this, Specialized has made a concerted effort to increase the descending performance of the new Epic 8, which is said to be more capable than the previous Epic EVO. In the low geometry mode (a flip-chip gives you two geo options), the Specialized Epic 8 combines a 450mm reach (medium) with a slack 65.9-degree angle and a short 435mm rear end. The seat angle is size-dependent ranging from 76.5 to 75.5 degrees over the five sizes, interestingly the bottom bracket drop is also size-dependent measuring at 52mm on an XS to 42 on an XL.

There is a lot of suspension wizardry going on with the Epic 8 and we aren't just talking about the new RockShox Flight Attendant equipped S-Works model either.

The suspension itself features Specialized Ride Dynamics-developed custom valving as well to ensure the suspension is working at its optimum. the suspension features three positions, Wide Open, Sprint, and something Specialized has called the Magic Middle.

Magic Middle is essentially a pedaling mode, although Specialized has played around with the tune so that has a firm initial breakaway to combat pedaling influence followed by digressive damping allowing more travel to be used on the same magnitude bumps,

Kinematics have also been tweaked and are claimed to give 20 percent less pedal bob than the Epic 7 EVO, whilst absorbing 12 percent more bump and vibration forces.

That all sounds pretty great on paper, Guy Kesteven was lucky enough to find out if all these changes added up on the trail when he tested the Specialized S-Works Epic 8 ahead of the launch. He summed up the new top spec XC bike as a "next-level technology and velocity benchmark that makes maximum speed easier than ever."

Specialized Epic 8 Evo

Although downcountry orientated, the Epic 7 Evo had found itself being lined up at the most competitive cross-country races in the world. Now that the racey Epic has been radicalized, the Epic 8 Evo can get back to hustling trail bikes in the woods. The new Evo shares the same geometry, albeit a little slacker and taller as it's fitted with a 130mm fork, and features a two-stage, open or locked, custom Ride Dynamics tuned shock.

To meet the rowdier demands of downcountry and light trail riding, the Epic Evo gets a burlier Fox 34 fork and some enduro spec SRAM Codes with a 200mm rotor up front.

Guy Kesteven also got to swing a leg over the Specialized Epic 8 Evo and he thinks it has what it takes to be a downcountry champion, saying, the "Epic Evo Pro has muscled up a weight category, but punchy pedaling, welterweight agility and trail brawler spec make it a downcountry champ."

Pricing and specifications

The Specialized Epic 8 will come in Comp, Expert, Pro, and S-Works builds, it will also be available as a frame and fork option. The Evo edition will come in Comp and Pro specs or as a frame only.

If you want to read more about the new Specialized Epic 8, head over to Specialized.com.