Yep, I think that’s the only one I found, but I ride a medium. Thanks.
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Any creative/janky ways to mount a top guide on an NS Synonym (similar to Vitus Rapide FS or Carbonda 936)?
Can you squeeze a BB mount guide behind any of the ‘thread together’ BB options like wheels?
I’m about to replace the stock RS entry level shock on my '23 epic evo and wondering if a fox 120 will fit in there without anything hitting anything or being too close to comfort. Anyone go that route?
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Hey all, I wonder if anyone has thoughts on how to optimize my current setup.
Background: I’ve been racing XC/Endurance races since 2014, at times targeting long 100+ mile Backcountry races, and other times shorter 1-3 hour races. Most of the time in Italy, France and Spain. Bike setup evolved from 2014 ibis ripley V1 - 2016 Yeti asrc- 2019 BMC fourstroke- 2021 Specialized Epic. I’ve held a few seasons around 5 w/kg and I’m a very good descender, But I’ve always been a bit off the climbing pace in races, so you can see my trend towards lighter/more efficient bikes. I am noticably faster without using a lockout, and I don’t want to go back to lockout levers.
My current '21 epic is still stupid fast and I love it for racing and training where I used to live. However I just moved from Barcelona to Santa Cruz, California. The Epic is obviously very out of its element on the trails here.I can commute to work on the local trails. While I’m in the States for the next couple years I’d like to do more XC races like Lutsen 99er/Leadville and more technical ones like Breck epic, downieville etc.
My question is how to solve for daily riding in Santa Cruz, more technical races like Breck epic and more XC races like Leadville, Lutsen 99er etc. The options as I see it:
- Keep '21 epic and buy a trail bike for daily riding.
- Convert my '21 epic to Evo with flight attendant ( $3,500ish)
- Buy new generation FA bike that can handle Santa Cruz trails and racing. Allied BC40 seems like the best option on paper, $6,200 for framet & suspension. S-works epic is stupid expensive and framet comes with remote lockouts.
I demoed a '24 epic pro this weekend and honestly it was pretty disappointing compared to my '21 epic. Very fun bike on descents, and great for the recreational rider/racer, but pretty sluggish in XC scenarios. Flight attendant sounds like it would solve that, but no demos available.
My gut tells me to build up a BC40+ flight attendant, potentially with 110 Sid SL for racing and pike 130mm for daily riding. Having more than one MTB is kind of a PITA(I also have a gravel and bikepackng bike), and it’s nice to train on the bike you race. But the evo’d epic may be enough.
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I’m pretty similar to you in racing focus, and when I was living in Santa Cruz last year I was really glad to have an XC bike and a trail bike. There are enough very technical trails there that I think you’ll like having something with more travel, more grip, more braking power, etc. You can definitely ride a lot of those trails on an XC race bike, but eventually you’ll find enough technical stuff that you’ll want a bigger bike.
That said, I agree that having 2 mountain bikes can be a pain. If I had to just do a single bike, it would be a 120mm XC bike with two sets of wheels, one set up for racing and another for trail riding.
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It’s amazing what a second wheelset does - because of the tires. You can put much burlier tires on a second wheelset and do so much more.
I don’t have experience with those trails, but I have two wheelsets for my XCM bike (‘22 Blur TR), and it’s awesome being able to switch between them.
I picked up a cheaper set of DT Swiss wheels as my second set. They’re not super light, but for the winter and more techy trails I have the grippier tires on them.
Can you elaborate why the epic out of its league? I have one and ride it on pretty much everything there. (Granted I’m not going for big jumps or anything). If that’s you, I would keep the Evo for XC and get a downhill specialty bike!
And while your here bring it down and race the CCCX race series at Fort Ord. Lots of fun!
What about a 4th option of converting your 2021 to Evo with a shock and fork that aren’t flight attendant?
Curious how you see FA making the bike less sluggish? I’ve never ridden a FA equipped bike, but have watched/read a few reviews. It’s gotten good reviews (and I’d love to have it on my Epic), but most of the positive stuff is that it offloads the manual mode switching. I guess the ability to only lock the rear would make the bike feel a bit snappier.
I work down near Costco, so it’s convent to do a workout climbing up to UCSC then a drop or two from the tanks, for example. I don’t know all the UC trails and you can ride some on the epic for sure, but it’s clearly out of its element. I can’t, and I doubt many people can ride the poop shoot, chupacabra or a handful of other fun trails on the epic. I can ride them on a Ripley V4.
I was thinking the newer 120mm XC bikes might make riding more enjoyable here while still being competitive in races.
CCCX looks great! what other series is around? I see the crusher cup?
Any XC group rides in the area?
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I hate lockouts, and the Epic Evo doesn’t peddle well enough without it.
I haven’t ridden FA either, though many seem to imply it transforms a mediocre climbing bike into a great climbing bike (yeti asrc- review on escape collective, for example). Not having to mess with a lockout, simply stand and smash for 3 seconds between obstacles, or sprint out of a corner is the snappiness I’m talking about.
I think the epic 8 pro while seated felt fine. But the specialized employee I talked to confirmed what I was feeling, that in the middle setting it sits deeper into the stroke than previous epics and as a result just isn’t as snappy. He said FA does a pretty good job of bringing that snappiness of the '21 epic to the '24… though he could have just been trying to get me to drop 14k on a bicycle 
Yeah, it can be rough if you are riding those!
Unfortunately not much MTB racing in Santa Cruz or the South Bay. Delavega Park has a couple races a year put on by the crusher cup guys but that’s it outside of CCCX. It’s too bad really because both Santa Cruz and Ibis are right there. Not to mention some great XCO trails out at Wilder.
I’m looking to understand more about the latest RS SID forks/shocks, particularly those used on the new Epic 8. There’s so much marketing speak out there, and I want to understand what it actually means.
- Specialized are using the 3 position fork/shock, but the middle mode is their own “tune”. Does Rock Shox typically let anyone send their fork/shock to RS and they’ll fit any tune, like this one? Or could this be that you have to go through specialized?
- Beyond adjusting (with the external knobs and air pressure) the fork/shock, can home users access the components that generate the “tune” and replace them (if you can even get parts?). Historically I’ve swapped air can sizes and added volume adjusters (i.e. plastic blocks that remove compressible air volume).
If anyone has seen any good technical (i.e. not just marketing speak) reviews, manuals or exploded diagrams, I’d really appreciate a link.
Thanks,
(Background: The Epic 8 and Evo 8 share a frame, but have different travel shock/fork. I am curious if you buy an Evo 8, and then get a SID fork and SID luxe shock from a regular retailer, can you get the specialized tune added (either by RS or at home) to then be able to convert the Evo 8 to an Epic 8. And in the same light, I’d really like to understand more about how much “tune” you can do to a shock/fork these days at home. I was under the impression 10+ years ago, that the internals they swap are not accessible and you can’t get parts. But many things have changed in the last 10 years, so that may not be the case).
I can‘t speak for the shock tune part of your question, but I got the Evo frame and purchased the Sid shock with the Epic 8 tune and „converted“ the Evo into the „normal“ Epic 8 as I didn’t want the headset routing nor the $$$-works build. I got the Flight Attendant shock&fork and the shock is frame specific but not the fork. I have no idea what exactly they do to make the shock different though. Would also be interested in knowing this.
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I’ve read that people have added a 190x42.5mm shock without issue. Ends up being 117mm travel.
I haven’t seen anyone using a 190x45mm shock. I would REALLY like to try this out, because the stock 110mm of travel on the low end Rockshox shock is a lot left to be desired.
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We might be reading the same info - via MTBR and a bit on reddit. I was contemplating getting the shock tuned/rebuilt as it’s been through the ringer this summer and I’m constantly checking the pressure once a week. Might go 42.5 and see what Fox has available.
If you are asking if Fox suspension will work on this then the answer is yes. I have a Fox 34 Stepcast and a Fox Float Factory (DPS, 190x40) that I put on the bike without any issues. It dropped a fair amount of weight also.
I was debating FA for the bike, but decided to go the Fox route.
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I live just over the hill (south san jose) and frequent the santa cruz trails and just moved from colorado 3 months ago. I have one mtb, a 2022 epic evo, and I race it for ultra marathons. I will absolutely buy a proper trail/enduro bike for the santa cruz county trails. $3,500 for Flight Attendant wouldn’t make your bike more capable, but $3,500 spent on a proper trail/enduro bike is absolutely the way to go.
Great deals on some new old stock of santa cruz bikes right now… I’m trying to hold off as long as i can.
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I know Fox suspension will work. I have a 34 SC now. I was curious if a Fox 190x42.5 or 190x45 would work in the rear. I lean towards Fox due to an industry deal I have with Fox/Easton/RaceFace.
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