Just built up my middle aged white man of middling performance machine (hahahaha!) Incidentally I’m not even that good and tgarson definitely is NOT middling.
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That’s a beautiful bike and scary light build. To be fair - I could have easily overcome my S-works phobia if there was a way I could have gotten the build I wanted without paying 15K MSRP. Last year when I was looking the Epic 8 had just come out, were in short supply, and there was no way I was going to get a deal.
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Upgrades I would do first are cassette–even going up to the 1295 (X01) from GX is a noticable weight savings. The crank and chainrings are boat anchors plus allows you to go shorter if desired. If you stay with the Eagle ecosystem the X01 and XX1 shifter and derailleur are nice but doesn’t make a big enough difference as compared to cassette and crank set so I’d run that GX shifter and RD till you break it and pull use that money for a faster, lighter set of XC tires. Otherwise, it is more spendy but I’d go with different wheels/hubs. I like carbon wheels more than I like carbon frames! Lastly, may not be a weight savings but a carbon bar (especially if you have a 35mm clamp stem) is so much more comfortable than alloy. I dabbled for a while with the 35mm bars/stems and they were just too stiff for my riding, even in carbon, so I went back to 31.8 with a nice carbon bar in (gasp!) 720mm width. Amazing how much faster I can ride tight trails after being on 800s. Good luck, so much fun to research and upgrade bikes!
Any resources for 3D printing parts? Specifically files for doing it at home.
I really like my Leaf Components Blip holders but would like to do some custom. Also, SWAT box storage like Jonathan’s.
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Yes, I just moved to a 36t on my XXSL, love it, I get to use more of the cassette.
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800s are silly to me. I’m a larger guy at 6”2, and 800 is still too wide. On my enduro I have 760 and it’s great.
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That’s the exact opposite way I felt about Rickshox to Fox. Fox felt stiffer and less small bump compared to the RockShox.
Any 5-8 guys go from a medium Epic Full Sus to a small??
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Anyone on Dubs find them really bouncy? They grip really good but I feel like they bounce over rock gardens. Pressure seems on the lower end since I do get rim strikes.
Agree, I work at a bike shop and you would be amazed at how many people try to just run them stock width and are not necessarily super tall. They often return for their warranty check and are like “yeah, you guys were right, the bars need cut down”. The trails we have do not play well with 800s and it’s not that comfortable.
I think it’s gonna be too small. Any reason specifically you are not getting along with a Medium?
Just curious
And there’s me at 5’9" with mine cut down to 660mm on my hardtail, which was “WOA! Too Narrow!” at first, then I got used to it. Helps that I raced in the 90’s where 500 was WIDE. 720 on the full sus, but I have to be aware of what bike I’m on because one fits in places the other really doesn’t…
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Finally got my new bike (almost) finished up. Quite happy with how the shakedown ride felt, a couple of small tweaks to saddle and bar position still to make. Also need to dial in the shock pressure and install a longer chain.
Bucking some trends around here with a Chisel FS, Fox SC 34, WAO Faction Wheels, Barzo front Mezcal rear in 2.35, a mix of XT/XTR for drivetrain and brakes, Race Face cockpit. Only parts remaining from stock are the dropper, saddle, and shock. I was pleasantly surprised it weighed in at 12.2kg with pedals and two cages in a size Large.
I mostly ride in North Vancouver and we don’t really have XC like much of the rest of the world, hence some of the beefier parts you see. I also moved a bunch of parts from previous/other bikes onto this one, in an effort to keep it somewhat economical…
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Hey guys, looking to tap into the collective wisdom here.
Current ride is an EE7, sitting at 21.4 lbs as it stands. I’ve got a bit of bike money burning a hole in my pocket and I’m trying to figure out the smartest upgrade path. I’ve narrowed it down to a few options, but I’m open to other suggestions too.
Option 1: Component Upgrades (~0.75 lb estimated weight savings)
- Swap Mechanical GX Eagle RD + Shifter for Electronic (Wheeltop or AXS X01)
- Upgrade to Allied Duet integrated bar/stem
- Swap to S-Works Power Saddle
- Upgrade to Roval Control SL seatpost
Option 2: Suspension Overhaul
- Current setup: Fox SC 34 Fit4 + Float DPS (both freshly rebuilt, no complaints)
- Upgrade to RockShox Flight Attendant for electronic suspension + lockouts
Option 3: Leave It Alone
- The bike is light, reliable, and rips as-is. Maybe I should just ride it and save the cash?
Would love to hear what you guys think. Which route would you go?
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Are you racing? Is it moderately technical? If so, I’d go option 2.
Maybe also consider:
Option 4: Spend that money on a cool bike race
Maybe something like BCBR or another multi-day stage race, or go to one of the World Cup locations and ride the trails there…
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I race and travel quite a bit with my bike—got a big camper setup for it. I’ll be racing at least five times this year, with the BT Epic as my endish year event (race #6). Outside of racing, I plan to hit 4–5 different trail destinations across the U.S. throughout the year, and I ride local trails 1–2 times a week consistently. So the bike sees a good mix of racing, travel, and regular trail use.
The racing funds are a different “pool” of money. However I did not think of a “big” stage race or something cool like option 4. Thanks!
The above does not mention gravel races/events I will also be attending.
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Spend that money on a clinic if you’re losing time descending, through the twisty stuff, and if you just want to be a better mountain biker in general.
Gamechanger.
If you’re fast, then disregard!
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@teddygram I would leave it as is. You got a great bike and at 21.5 is already super light. I don’t think there’s much performance gains from any of the upgrades you mentioned. Flight Attendant is sweet but I would only replace/upgrade only when things wear out or break. But that’s me.
I also second the idea of a clinic or coaching for DH if there is a need.
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This is great advice in here!
I make up time in twisties, break even/slightly loose time on technical down hills and loose time uphill. I would say with my fitness and size I’m a competitive sports rider but can ride with the experts… for a brief moment.
I forgot to add that I own (2) shockwiz and tune my suspension at each race course as I am typically there 1-2 days before.
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