I thought the video mentioned that the fork was 120… so I got that wrong…
As for Sauser it was all pre pandemic around the time the first Epic Evo came out with the brain in the rear… I believe it was a Specialized sponsored promo or some interview… I was looking for anything and everything Specialized Epic Evo as I was looking to transfer from 140 Stumpjumper(SJ) to an Epic… LBS recommended the EVO as they said the jump to an Epic With 100mm from a SJ at 140mm would be drastic… after heming an hawing I ended up with 2021 Epic Evo and it’s a badass my SJ served me well but the Epic Evo is a whole new game!!
Yeah, all the new Spark RC’s are 120 front and rear .
Cool, I didn’t follow the development of the Epic or Epic Evo, it just seems like a progression of the DC thing. Mostly to match the increased technical nature of riding these days (bike parks etc).
Evo looks like a great bike for a lot of people. Glad you like yours .
Sofia just confirmed on IG that her bike is the previous gen. It’s still the same bike she’s been riding since 2020. Which explains the appearance of a steeper HTA (69.5 vs 67.5).
Here is an article I just found regarding Speed Company they road Orbea Oiz 120mm… It’s a good read… well worth it.
Sorry for the Spanish but I’m a US expat in Spain and needed the practice hopefully Senor Google can help you out.
Thanks, I’ll have a look. I really like the look of that Orbea. I very, very nearly ended up on one myself. I’m glad in hindsight I got the bike I was originally after (Spark) but they’re slick.
Interestin. Also in the BikePerfect article they suggested that possibly one of the bikes was set up with a TR (120mm) front end and the prototype rear.
I see the IG post and your comment to her but am confused because the frame pictured there is most definitely the current (2021-present) epic frame. She would have had that in 2020 because they were released mid year 2020 (I bought mine in Fall 2020). The 2020-earlier gen had a split top tube above the shock where it intersects the seat tube.
Also if you look closely at the pictures you’ll be able to see that the rear brain is the 2021-current brain that is a single vertical cylinder and not the doubled one from 2020-earlier.
I’m out of date on forks, but is Pauline’s and Matt’s bikes running the 32mm SIDs or the 35mm? They look like the 35’s to me, but then look like 100mm travel ones? I’m not seeing the brain valve on Beers bike (but not sure what it looks like these days anyway), does that mean it’s an Evo and therefore 120mm in the rear?
Thanks. I need to brush up on how to tell the forks apart. PFP’s look’s short in the image, and the Epic one look’s long. Camera angles and maybe not fully extended.
I’ve got a 2021 32mm SID, which has been great (although struggling to find the 200hr service kit for it at the moment), but can’t help but think that maybe a 35mm one (which I believe I can set to 100 or 120mm?) would be better.
In general when I look at photo galleries like this, it reminds me how few brands are regularly stocked at my local dealers. Either there’s no importer/agent locally, or perhaps the local shop with the agency for brand x doesn’t actually carry any stock ever, as it’s not there main brand.
I agree that PFP’s forks look short. I noted to myself that she must have it set crazy firm as she looks to only be using 70mm or something like that.
The small bikes always look tricky to me though.
ETA: I only read the article above, Matt Beers bike looks like a standard Epic to me, but I do agree that his form travel looks long. Does the S-Works Epic come with the SiD Ultimate anyway? Might have the option to adjust to 120mm if so. Or (wild speculation) Spesh are running prototype 120mm Epics under the top riders to copy/match the Scott bikes. Haley’s also looks like it has more than 100mm but it’s hard just from pictures on a screen.
It is very interesting. Wish that some of the industry techie people had gone to the race to spot things like this, a CyclingTips type deal that they do with the TdF bikes.
I know my 32mm SID Select SL (I think that’s the name. I really wish other bike component manufacturers would adopt simple naming conventions like Shimano or even specialized) cannot go to 120mm. I thought that meant only the 35mm ones could go to 120 (and I guess down to 100?).
Great bikes at the race, this Santa Cruz and Epic look great.
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