I am on my 3rd season of local XCO racing. I raced 1 season Cat 3, and this year and last year Cat 2. Yesterday I had my best ever race result (Thanks TR AI!) and won my category and age. I should definitely now be moving up to Cat 1 so I am starting to ponder a few equipment upgrades.
My current setup is a 2025 Specialized Epic 8 EVO with a Fox 34 Factory Grip2 130mm Fork and a Fox Float DPS and mix of SRAM GX X0 Transmission. Previous to this setup, my last bike was using a SID Ultimate and Sid Luxe with a remote lockout but when I switched to the Epic I intentionally didn’t go with the SID setup again as I found manual remote lockout to be annoying and unreliable and didn’t much care for the feel of the SID (last generation SID, not current). I also have enjoyed having the FOX 34 130mm as I take this bike to do light bike parking too.
I am thinking that if I didn’t have to manually manage lockout then maybe I would enjoy having the climbing settings that Flight Attendant offers. I know it would also make my bike quite a bit lighter to go back to a SID setup. Curious to hear other’s opinions on how much of a game changer Flight Attendant is in the context of someone just doing amateur local racing.
I upgraded my Epic Evo 7 to flight attendant and really like it. Is it “game changing” though? Not really.
Is it nice? Absolutely!
Before the upgrade I had SID Ultimate / SID Luxe 3p and for racing would put it in pedal mode and forget about it. But now having it move to open (or occasional lock out) is really nice. It won’t make you a next level rider (honestly I don’t think I am any faster because of it… but our local races are mostly all single track) but it does make the ride better.
For me it is one of the better upgrades to get. Not really a fan of heavy electric shifting group sets and droppers on an XC bike but this is a plus.
Have you considered moving to a Fox 34 SL if you want something lighter?
edit, funny enough, I also have a 2025 Evo Pro. I was/am also Flight Attendant curious, but I really like the Fox 34 suspension, and it seems kind of silly to switch it out for FA.
Thanks for the feedback, I think your comment about not actually being faster with it hits on my biggest concern with spending that much money on it. If it doesn’t actually make me any faster then maybe not a worthwhile investment.
I picked up the “upgrade kit” and specific shock on sale during black Friday… which helped but still isn’t cheap. I think at the amateur level it is a “nice-to-have” rather than a necessity. If the courses you race have fire roads, pavement or you stand up a lot to pedal I think it will be more of a difference.
Don’t get me wrong, I love it and would get it again but in these races by the last lap things are pretty spread out so if it made me 30 seconds faster over an 80 minute race it doesn’t really matter.
I had an Ibis Ripley that I used a bit around the Houston trails (not very technical, pretty short). I sold it to spend more time on my gravel bike.
Before moving to Washington state, I purchased an Epic 8 S-works with Flight Attendant. I bought this with the intent of doing bigger XCM rides & races. I’ve only been really biking for about 2-2.5 years (nearly all gravel), but definitely pick up on the skills portion faster than average, although still a long ways to go compared to most skilled riders.
I love the flight attendant because it’s one less thing to think about. When I’m in a hard 3-4 hr ride, I can concentrate on my handling and know that my suspension is basically always set how it should be. I am signed up for the High Cascade 100 (100 mile single track in Bend, OR) this summer. While I’ve done a fair share of 100 mile gravel rides, this race will be very taxing. Late in a race/ride, my mental fatigue runs high. I see little chance of adjusting my suspension when I’m that fatigued.
Another 2025 Epic 8 Evo owner - FA curious. I run a Pike at 130 which has been great. After nearly a year I am still impressed how easily this fork goes over tricky stuff, be it loose stones, large roots, ruts, etc. I used to open and close the fork on the previous setup, but now it is wide open all the time, hence my curiosity on how FA would impact the ride experience.
Is it going to get you to the top step of the podium if you can’t get there now? You know the answer
It is pretty cool though if you like tech. I tried a teammate’s Supercaliber with FA and it really put a smile on my face going over a gap jump. I could hear it adjust on takeoff, again in midair and again on landing. The Supercaliber is already so good with manual lockout that I wouldn’t upgrade just for FA for XC racing.
another minor advantage: Having extra SRAM batteries on the bike is a good thing in case your derailleur one dies.
I’m thinking now what might be an even better upgrade for racing would be to find a 3 pos SID Ultimate that is a take off from an epic 8 so that it has the specialized tuned magic middle setting and then just keep my Fox 34 130 for when I want to go to bike park.
It locks me out a lot more than I prefer for XC (most of our local courses are singletrack with no pavement or gravel roads). Last race I set it to not lock out and only cycle between pedal and open and it felt better and wasn’t any slower. I don’t have a manual lock out remote (the rest of the bike is mechanical), but it would be nice to use that when needed.
As I mentioned above it is nice… but not going to propel you to the front of the race.
I really like my Supercaliber for XCO, it is a weapon for 90 min of oxygen debt. Excellent pedaling efficiency without FA. You probably would prefer the EVO as the ride duration gets longer and the trails more techy.
Another fan of flight attendant here. After riding a Scott RC with a 3 way dual lockout since 2017, I was pretty sold on having control over the suspension.
When the epic 8 ditched the brain and went to 3 way lockouts, it replaced the spark RC. Flight attendant just offloads the constant manipulation of the lockout and does a better job of making real time adjustments. And the ability to do mixed mode with the front softer than the rear is great. I have mine set to only lock the fork with the override, really only used on pavement sections or climbing out of the saddle. Getting rid of 2 cables from the front of the bike is nice also.
Not sure I’d claim it’s faster, but makes riding/racing less stressful and more fun. Just drive the bike and let the suspension do its thing.
