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Following on from my other thread about "where the heck is my bike..), it finally arrived (long story short - Bought from Bikeinn at a decent price - then no idea where in Europe/UK it was for a few weeks!).
I popped up a few pictures, but wanted to 'finish it' before taking it out for a ride -
Specialized Epic Evo - stock weight 12.45kg
Added/swapped - SRAM GX AXS, Hunt/Proven race XC carbon wheels, Nukeproof carbon bars, and swapped the SRAM G2 for G2 ultimate..
Oh, also set up tyres tubeless.
Now coming in at 11.5kg.
Thinking (tentatively) about the Fox transfer SL..hmm...
Not yet ridden in anger - taken it fora spin up and down the road.. BUt having the kids for 2 weeks now is going to scupper plans to go for a decent ride any time soon!
The T-type AXS really does seem to shife even better than the gen1 AXS! The hangerless system is too cool!
I've a few things planned for this baby - SDW later in the year, would love to have a go at the King Alfred Way and other long all dayers, and ...tentatively would LOVE to do an off-road Everest attempt too!
I appreciate the DYEDBRO frame protection won't appeal to all, but I think it's ruddy cool!
DrP
Electric sockets are at different heights 😱
Oh, nice bike too 😁
I'm also liking the unicorns, really nice looking bike.
That floor is too shiny though...
Valve v tyre logos, both wheels different and both wrong 😱
tentatively would LOVE to do an off-road Everest attempt too!
Having done one, I would spend some time to really investigate just how bloody hard it is (19+ hours of ride time...)
Giz a go on yer bike mate
Ruddy delightful!
interested to hear further feedback on the Transmission, as I am on the verge of buying either GX or X0 to replace my current AXS (which will move to my chisel).
I notice with the bash guards that it looks like it limits running a chain device… I am assuming sram are saying you don’t need a top guide as chain retention is so good…. Maybe 🤔
In the bike stand it does feel like it shifts through the cassette a bit slower than the old axs... And this is reported on YouTube too... But it seems in 'real life's it's a better shift.
Will feedback when I get to ride it!
I'm actually taking my lad to BPW next Wednesday... Probably take this bike to
A - ride it!
B - limit how hard I go.. he'll be on his HT and has never ridden there!
DrP
Having done one, I would spend some time to really investigate just how bloody hard it is (19+ hours of ride time…)
Tell us more. Where did you do it?
Was it just " off road" or proper MTB?
I REALLY want to do one at BPW.... It's 30 climbs on "beast of burden"..
I did 12 climbs (within opening hours) on a stumpjumper with beefy tyres and 160/150 travel.. so with pacing and enough time I think committing to 30 would be doable.. probably!
Tissue is getting the park to stay open!
DrP
Apart from the chainring offering some relative dimensions, the whole thing looks like a 20 yr old 26" girls bike to me. Cassette is about right with it's 36T largest sprocket against the 26" wheels.
Geometry even looks nice for the 100mm of travel.
Saddle might be a bit high, but some girls are 5 foot 10, so it should be ok.
😀
Tell us more. Where did you do it?
Was it just ” off road” or proper MTB?
https://www.strava.com/activities/7628483617
It was on a bridleway - 106 repeats of Beacon Hill. I wouldn't necessarily call it "proper MTB" but I don't think I'd have managed it on a gravel bike.
I was very glad of my XC full sus by the end.
Sarcin 🤪
That’s lovely Dr P, will we be seeing it at the Gorrick Halloween? (Assuming I have the right Dr…)
I'm sorry but the dyedbro kit is gopping! Each to their own and all, but...
Levers angled too low
BIG +1 on this... Unless the bike is 4 sizes too small for you and you ride it like a BMX, then they're pointing waaaaaaay too low.
Otherwise, pretty sweet... Nice to see people coming back round to short travel XC bikes again for riding rather than just racing...
The DYEDBRO has me confused, maybe add your pronouns etc to your profile. 😀
Very nice. Another vote in favour of the unicorns. I thought you'd got some limited edition Spesh paint job....hadnt seen those Dyedbro protection sets before!
Nice to see people coming back round to short travel XC bikes again now they are starting to realise they are better than gravel bikes
😉
The unicorns are fabulous!!
LOVE new bike day.
Bike looks ace 👌
The AXS stuff looks really cool. What wheels and groupset did it have before?
Also be interested in your thoughts on that Sid select, I can't get on with the one on my Spur.
Looks good to me too... Honest I have really looked at it... The levers anyway, angled down like jack Carthy's trials bike, you gonna get some rear wheel hopping action on it yeah?
That is looking very tasty! I'm a less is more person, so the frame protection feels a bit loud🙉
Worth putting a Fastrack on the back for the SDW. Depending on your plans could ride some of the Ditchling ridge with you.
Enjoy BPW.
Great looking bike that, but I couldn't live with that tyre/wheel logo alignment.
For the love of dog, centre the bold white rim lettering to the bold white tyre lettering.
Quarter-alignment can also be acceptable sometimes if otherwise it makes one area too busy.
Liking the Dyedbro kit. 👍
that is a lovely looking bike.
I appreciate the DYEDBRO frame protection won’t appeal to all, but I think it’s ruddy cool!
i like it. i like the blast of colour.
Cheers all!
RE the brake levers - I just popped into the garage and I guess through a process of ‘what works’, ALL my bikes have the levers pointing fairly low..prob about 60 degrees from horizontal..
It just works for me..I appreciate if you go for a bike fit they’ll want me to raise them, but
a - I do alright, TBH.. 😉
b - i get a tendinitis/rubbing tendons if the levers are even a few degrees higher. Really!
c - I’m not of the old school ‘hang off the back’ kinda rider - there’s benefit from keeping weight forward. See A and B RE this!
And I can’t condone the tyre/logo situation! I wanted them both to be lined with the T on CONTROL.. to centralise ALL the text..
Sorry!
DrP
And Kryton…yep, right Dr - normally race the Brass Monkeys on the singlespeed..may have a bash at it on this for a bit!
That's very nice. I like a nice XC full suspension, they look very purposeful. I also like the dyedbro kit (never heard of them until today) as, like Hannah's husband - my favourite colour is ALL of them!
The AXS stuff looks really cool. What wheels and groupset did it have before
Had standard specialized alu wheels and GX groupset... Sold that to a mate for a few hundred quid...still got the wheels I need to shift on!
DrP
The stickers are awesome.
Bold choice on a bike that simple and handsome anyway, but I'm fully behind you.
I like it. How long before you go full weight weenie....?
Really dislike the massive "Proven" logo on the Hunts, their simple and fairly subtle branding was always a plus point of theirs.
Nice bike, though.
I like it. How long before you go full weight weenie….?
Good question... My one thought is to see if the Charger damper is ok... Or if the 35mm race day damper is better. It's lighter for sure...
Any opinions on either?
DrP
That's a really good looking bike.
The Dyedbro kit suits it. It's interesting to hear your thoughts on the T-Type as I'm thinking about upgrading my current AXS kit to the T-Type and shifting the old stuff on to my other half's bike.
I also like the look of the Hunt Proven wheels but I missed the boat on the 20% discount they had a while back so I might just wait until they're on offer again and grab a set.
I think that looks amazing. It might be just the influence of my 4 year old daughter but I am a huge fan of the unicorns.
If Mabel from Gravity Falls rode MTB
😂😂😂
It might be just the influence of my 4 year old daughter but I am a huge fan of the unicorns.
I've an 8 year old... Similar vibes... My OH asked if I'm building it for her !
DrP
Love the Unicorns. Fantastic looking bike. Basically a full on win. 👍🏻
Nice bike. I came close to getting one but fancied something burlier and went for a Spur.
Wheels are something I’ll be upgrading in due course, so I’m interested to hear how the Hunt Provens fare.
Not a fan of the protection kit personally, and the logos on the hunt wheels are gopping, but other than that - it's a lovely looking bike! Like others have said, it's kind of nice/funny to see things coming full circle and people ending up back on decent short travel bikes to do 'mountain biking' after this last decade or so of niches and sub niches... I think most of us still ride the same stuff we always have, and the type of bikes we had were OK, but now with modern geometry, materials, dropper posts etc that same type of bike can do just about anything well.
I think the geometry is the main difference between this and older XC 29ers...
120/110mm travel is nothing special...but with modern geo and fork offset, and wider bars...and BOOM!
He says. Still not ridden yet!
DrP
You’re right! This genre/niche of bikes are so much fun and so capable.
Other than the Epic Evo and the Transition Spur, are there really any other 'downcountry' bikes out there? I searched yesterday and most of the bikes other firms are comparing to these have 130-140mm travel both ends - suddenly that's short travel?
I have an Orbea Oiz which is 120/120 - use it for local XC and also Peak District, Y. Dales, Afan, Glentress
Other than the Epic Evo and the Transition Spur, are there really any other ‘downcountry’ bikes out there?
Rocky Mountain do a 120mm bike and Trek Top Fuel is very DC now.
A lot of people are jumping on the bandwagon though. I mean I like Cotic as a brand but claiming their FlareMax is downcountry is a bit of a stretch for my interpretation of the genre.
PS. my interpretation is a full-sus bike that you wouldn't mind doing an XC race on, but could also do some enduro trails on
Very nice indeed and no weeds to pick holes in either 😉
I agree @chakaping, I'm thinking 26lb or lighter, you could race XC on it, but the geo and travel are such that you can do ordinary mountain biking or 'trail riding' on it without feeling like you're perched on top of a very twitchy race bike.
My research (googling) has basically turned up a load of out and out XC race bikes, the Spur, Epic Evo, FlareMAX and then lots of 130-140mm travel bikes...
NS synonym, vitus something or other, yt izzo...
Quite a few out there I think...
DrP
Look lovely, but then I am a bit biased as I have one in the garage for the last few years, no unicorns though but I am all good with any help you can get, unicorns included.
Mine survived in standard spec for about 6 months only, now gone all the way to just short of S-Works spec, oops
Lovely bike to just ride, preferably a long way (did KAW and it was peachy) and ideally with some pace (in my case to the next coffee stop) and repeat.
Enjoy.
James
Soo... have done about 80km on the beast now; mix of gravel, some trails, and some of the SDW..
It's fabulous!!
So light, climbs so well, and the SID 35mm (select) seem to be really good..
Banging the Shockwiz on there, and it litereally only told me to slow the rebound a bit.. felt stiff and responsive, yet great on the rough stuff!
And the GX AXS T-type.... all I can say is 'beleive the hype' - it's the best shifting i've experienced. Hands down. And the 'better shifting under power' is witchcraft! Both up and down the cassette it's flawless!
All in all I'm really happy.
I've a size L stumpjumper, so despite not ever having test ridden an Epic, I just ordered a L - fits perfectly!
Will stick the Shockwiz on the rear shock tonight and give the bike another run for its money at BPW with the lad tomorrow!!!
DrP
How much pressure are you running in the fork relative to Rockshox recommendations? When I set mine to what's recommended for my weight they seemed too stuff, but that's only playing around outside with kerbs etc... still not ridden mine properly!
Awesome.
Short-travel 29ers with good geometry are the most-fun bikes most of the time, eh?
Cool, thanks.
like the shoes, I'm:
(5' 10")
DrP
This is one of the few sorts of bikes I've not owned but would really love to, I just know it's something I'd have to keep lightweight which would be difficult to do on a budget. Tell me how rubbish it is to stop me eyeing up bikes I can't justify.
Afraid I can't do that 😂😂
It's currently ripping up the trails (albeit blues and jumps at the mo) at BPW like an absolute dream!
DrP
Im doing similar research and have found the following additons to your lis so far in no particular order
trek top fuel
ibis ripley
SC tallboy
rocky Mountain element
whyte s120
yeti sb115
As you say there are quite a few with a 130 rear such as the stumpy and Izzy
Electric sockets are at different heights
This annoys me.
tentatively would LOVE to do an off-road Everest attempt too!
Accomplished this several times within 8 hours of riding in the alps, albeit lift assisted. #awesome
Nice bike other than the vertical levers. How are your wrists formed?
SRAM GX really fills the gap left by British Leyland.
.
With the brake swap, did you get away with keeping the old hoses when and just using the Ultimate lever and caliper or did you need to run new hoses in as well?
These look really tempting at £2999 from Certini at the moment. I’ve actually for some 120mm SID Ultimates to fit to one so could probably get away with the cheaper model and save another £500!
Looks fantastic!
I do own a Cotic Flaremax with Sids.
At the burlier end of Downcountry but rides well!
Interested in the wheels.
I know the burlier d/h Proven have a had a few failures.
Interesting to see how these hold up!
I wouldn't give them too much stick!
Im doing similar research and have found the following additons to your lis so far in no particular order
scor 20/30 is another to add
I saw that.. It's a hundred quid cheaper than I paid, and I thought I got a bargain! Oh well...
And I had to replace the hoses too as the fixing at the caliper end is different... It wasn't super easy as it seems the internal guide isn't ALL the way (unlike my stumpjumper, which really is 'push in one end,out the other'..) it was fine... Just had to remove the fork..
And RE the wheels.,.
4 rides in! Oh bugger! Will get Hunt to replace it ASAP!
DrP
Thanks for that @DrP, looks too cheap to pass on!
Your wheel experience has answered another question I had, I think I’ll be giving the Proven wheels a wide berth.
Will get Hunt to replace it ASAP!
Get your money back and get some Silt wheels.
Loving this write up and look forward to seeing the bike IRL soon, it’s on my list of three to replace my Spark at the end of next year.
Re wheels, I’m running Bontrager kovee elite Carbon. On an ebike and I’m not a lightweight. So far so good. Not sure if deals still around but I was under £700 for wheelset. Claimed weight of 1585g was bang on (ex rim strip and valves). Just bin the supplied rim strip as 60g each!
Oh no. Did the wheel crack at BPW?
Nah..out on the local trails last night!
I tell you what's weird about Hunt wheels... I've a sweet of alu xc lightweight ones on my SS that I've blasted and abused and they are awesome....
I've ruined the 'trailwide' in one run.. And just gave up on them...
These wheels are fast,light, and direct... Annoying the rear cracked... Will give them one more chance then see what happens...
I've Reserve wheels on my stumpy... They are great, but I've had the rear replaced a few months ago due to damage to the TOP of the rim (rock strike?)...
As long as the warranty holds up I'll be fine... I know half the staff at Hunt, so if there's any issues they simply won't be invited to my birthday 😋
DrP
Get your money back and get some Silt wheels.
XM421 or XR391 on DT Swiss 240's, can go fancy with spokes to save more weight. WIll end up with a far more durable and comfier wheelset at the same weight.
Very jealous (of the bike, not the wheel, commiserations!). A sprightly full suss feels like the one bike still missing from my garage, could swap it for the 29er hardtail easily enough, never the gravel bike though, long fast 'rolling' gravel days on MTB handlebars are not nice in my experience.
Might need to wait another decade though, perhaps as a 50th birthday present to myself 😂
If you give up on the hunt wheels then I can recommend roval control carbon. Mine have taken a decent hammering over a couple of years. But I didn't dare use them at BPW.
For those who missed the other thread, there's 42-44% off epic Evos at certini:
https://www.certini.co.uk/collection/end-of-summer-sale-2023