I’ve ridden and raced for years….2lbs makes a large difference in the handling than most people think, as does where that 2lb sits on the bike…which is why I’m targeting the 25lb mark.
I do like the fact that the epic evo doesn’t have anything proprietary on it…which is a surprise coming from Spech
It’s a truly exceptional bike. I’d recommend it wholeheartedly.
I ride a Ranger set up as a trail bike and I love it. I know a guy who built his out to 26lbs even, so you can definitely get it light without going absurd.
Have a buddy that’s racing one, but it’s not XC, more marathon length events.
Hump
When I was shopping, the Ranger frame was pretty heavy - like 2 pounds heavier than all of the other XC/DC frames out there. It’s heavier than the Ibis Ripley and a few other DC or Trail bikes that I would have considered…
The guys on the MTB Pod raved about the Revel Ranger. I went looking a while ago, it definitely looks like an interesting bike, and can even come with a little coil shock!
It didn’t seem like it was really an XC bike - by design - as said above the descriptions make it sound like a DC bike/very sporty trail bike that you could do XC on if you wanted.
If you thought that the blur was a tank, why do you think the revel will be better? The blur 3 is 600g lighter in the frame, and a shorter wheelbase which means it would be more nimble. The revel looks sweet, and I kinda want one, but it will not be less yanks than a 2019 blur
Was able to fit me an Epic Evo close to my area yesterday. Put a deposit down and just working through spec and component swaps…so far:
Starting at just under 25lbs for expert build, should be closer to 24mm s when done
Looking at other brands initially because I couldn’t find an epic evo…persistence pays off!
Congrats!! When you decide on bar, take note of your controls hitting the top tube when the bar turns 90 degrees or more. I, and many Epic Evo owners, ended up with a 25mm rise bar and 5-10mm of spacers under the stem to avoid this. If you want an aggressive position I’d recommend padding the top tube where the controls hit before you end up with an unsightly paint chip there, or worse (I’ve heard of cracked frames).
This happened to a good friend of mine. S-works, a few months after he bought the bike. Specialized didn’t crash warranty it, just gave him the option of buying a new complete frameset (with both fork and shock).
Luckily he had a warranty via the credit card he purchased it with - covered the replacement frameset.
Which credit card? That sounds sensible to buy through credit card for that benefit.
Thanks
I don’t know, unfortunately. Worth checking existing cards to see what they cover…
That’s why my Evo hasn’t seen dirt yet. I got a neutral stem and a bar with 15 mm of rise. That’s not enough to clear the top tube without adding a stack of spacers.
Either I’ll have to go for a high rise bar or get rid of the AXS shifter that’s why I am having a close look on the Zirbel shifter at the moment - which come with their own set of dependencies.
At least I knew what I am getting into - the forums are full of horror stories of ruined S-Works frames.
Man, stuff like that makes me thankful for my Trek’s with Knockblock. IIRC, Spesh even had at least one frame with “bump stops” on the frame to catch the fork crown and prevent full spin TT disasters. Seems that either designers need to set top tubes with appropriate clearance, or add some form of limit. It think the Trek KB was a bit extreme, but the concept can still be applied in ways that don’t lead to the steering issues that some dislike. Just a shame to ruin a frame like that, especially since I can imagine a rather simple fall resulting in a dead bike.
Specialized engineers are capable to do just that - the bar of my Spesh Enduro clears the TT easily. The reason for making this geo choice is beyond my technical grasp.
FWIW, on the Blur my:
all clear the top tube using the stock 60mm stem with 7 degree rise, no spacers.
They don’t clear it when the stem is inverted, but only the shifter, and only barely.
I think it’s to fit two bottles inside the frame. Definitely a design miss whatever the reason. I can easily overlook it since the bike is otherwise so great!
My 2017 Canyon Exceed has something similar and as it was my first bike, I always assumed every bike would have something similar and was very surprised when I found out otherwise.
edit: They call it IPU (Impact Protection Unit)
I have the bump stops on my epic hard tail….I really like them. The bar just spins on my canyon spectral….I don’t really like that.
Joe
Yeah, I know some people complain about it but I have never ever hit the block under normal use. Granted, I have the updated version with more rotation.