About to pull trigger on Specialized Epic Comp frame, talk me out of it.

[coreshot-tourettes]

Buying this for a build.

Most people seem to like the Brain shock, but am wondering if there is anything major wrong with the design/durability?

[marshalolson]

not to be a hater, but if you want a hardtail, get one. if you want a full suspension bike, the epic is NOT one.

if you want a xc/trail bike, try a stumpjumper, much more active suspension, much better performing small bump compliance, far better braking performance, and equivalent pedaling capability as long as you dont ride like a gorilla.

frankly i think the epic bikes are about as terrible of a trail bike as is on the market.

hope that helps!

[Schemeboat]

ride like a gorilla - enduro. spec.

[flatlander#2]

not to be a hater, but if you want a hardtail, get one. if you want a full suspension bike, the epic is NOT one.

if you want a xc/trail bike, try a stumpjumper, much more active suspension, much better performing small bump compliance, far better braking performance, and equivalent pedaling capability as long as you dont ride like a gorilla.

frankly i think the epic bikes are about as terrible of a trail bike as is on the market.

hope that helps!

truth. Buddy has the Stump all stealth black and it rides wicked nice.

[deepsquat]

you didn't say what you wanted it for

[El Chupacabra]

I don't like proprietary shocks. Can the Spec. Brain shock (built by Fox IIRC) be rebuilt by Fox, or by PUSH, if/when it needs service?

[powdork]

Talk me out of it

if what marshal said wasn't enough,
that bike makes your ass look fat!

[rideit]

Just buy my carbon NRS frame.
18", Fox float rear, 4" of rear travel.
MUCH better design than the Epic, strong, light as fuck.
$325?
OBO?

[khyber.pass]

I don't like proprietary shocks. Can the Spec. Brain shock (built by Fox IIRC) be rebuilt by Fox, or by PUSH, if/when it needs service?

Yes. Maintenance also done through Spec/Fox through the mail. Not that much different than sending in your Talus, which also can't be done in most local shops.

I've got a Stumpy Expert with Brain. Agonized over the purchase. After two months riding -- in Whistler and elsewhere -- I love this bike. Light, mobile but sucks it up on the down. The Brain is indeed a very nice piece of engineering. Excellent bump compliance, and stiff on the up. Reacts and responds with consistency and ease. A fine piece of work, the Stumpy.

[XtrPickels]

not to be a hater, but if you want a hardtail, get one. if you want a full suspension bike, the epic is NOT one.

if you want a xc/trail bike, try a stumpjumper, much more active suspension, much better performing small bump compliance, far better braking performance, and equivalent pedaling capability as long as you dont ride like a gorilla.

frankly i think the epic bikes are about as terrible of a trail bike as is on the market.

hope that helps!

I am in way discounting your thoughts.
However, I was blown away by the capability of an epic marathon 29er ridden by a colleague. I'm talking wall rides, gnarly descents, everything.

I didn't think it was possible, but it is. I'm not saying its the best tool for the job, but it was eye opening to see.

[marshalolson]

the dude shreds. wihout question. but the bike is holding him back from shredding way harder.

just my opinion.

[meatspicy]

the dude shreds. wihout question. but the bike is holding him back from shredding way harder.

just my opinion.

epics arent for "shredding" brah, its a race bike. thats like saying road bikes suck because you cant send gap jumps on them

if you want to be able to pedal the bike in circles around your friends, get an epic, cause they haul ass on climbs

if you want to huck/shred/wall ride/brahfest then get an all mountain bike

[meatspicy]

and the newest generation of the brain is pretty damn sweet. they made it way smarter than previous ones, so theres no hesitation/delayed opening anymore

[flatlander#2]

epic marathon 29er carbon

very different than a 26" alu

[marshalolson]

epics arent for "shredding" brah, its a race bike. thats like saying road bikes suck because you cant send gap jumps on them

if you want to be able to pedal the bike in circles around your friends, get an epic, cause they haul ass on climbs

if you want to huck/shred/wall ride/brahfest then get an all mountain bike

if you want to ride an xc bike fast, you need to be able to go uphill fast and go downhill fast.

the epic does not offer any performance gain over a hardtail climbing (in my experiance, former expert xc racer), the suspension is not active enough to offer any traction gains or barking performance gains. my experience is that i can climb faster and descend just as fast, and get just as rattled around on a hardtail.

so you get an xc bike that rides like a hardtail, minus the light weight, but constantly hangs up its rear wheel and slows you down while descending.

you can shred uphill, you can shred downhill. and you can do it on a fully rigid hartail, a 6" bike, or on a dh bike. but in very different ways, on very different trails. but you certainly can go out there and kill it, and those that do truly kill it can be awesome on any bike.



edit to add: i normally would never bash something in public, that i have a strong opinion about. however, the OP specifically asked for a contrarian point of view, which i supplied.

[marshalolson]

perhaps a better way to put my comments above is so please for the love of god, test ride a good bit before you buy it.

maybe you will love it and then you can pat yourself on the back.

[XtrPickels]

very different than a 26" alu

I see what you did there.
It's aluminum, FWIW.
(http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/...d=45735&eid=99)
Brain turned all the way down.

I wasn't trying to say its "appropriate" for aggressive trail riding. Just pointing out that we start to define the types of terrain that bikes can navigate. As humans we like to categorize things into boxes, but the world isn't black and white like that. It is 100% for a 29er xc race bike to be ridden like an aggressive trail bike.

[coreshot-tourettes]

Went with a conventional 4.5" dw-link frame instead. Thanks for the info, all.

[marshalolson]

you will be very stoked on that!

[bagtagley]

Went with a conventional 4.5" dw-link frame instead. Thanks for the info, all.

That's about as good as "I went with a 2 wheel bike made of metal". C'mon. Iron Horse, Pivot, Turner?

[DictatorShooter]

Marshal - just curious - what do you think is the best full suspension xc race bike out there right now? I just raced the Chequamegon Fat Tire 40 over the weekend on a Trek Fuel Ex carbon and am looking to upgrade to something a bit lighter.

[marshalolson]

well that is a bit loaded of a question, but i will try to answer as truthfully as possible

for true xc race IMO:
29- gary fisher superfly 100
26- giant anthem x advanced

the yeti asr carbon and asr-5 carbon get honarable mentions.

but really, if i was racing xc competitively it would with out question be on a 29er hardtail. and it would be carbon. for sure. and a carbon rigid fork.

but that is just me.

[BushwackerinPA]

Marshal - just curious - what do you think is the best full suspension xc race bike out there right now? I just raced the Chequamegon Fat Tire 40 over the weekend on a Trek Fuel Ex carbon and am looking to upgrade to something a bit lighter.

lighter ISNT always faster.

better suspension is faster.

it weighs more but the Anthem X 29er should be on a very short list. Unless your trails are VERY tight than get its little brother.

[coreshot-tourettes]

That's about as good as "I went with a 2 wheel bike made of metal". C'mon. Iron Horse, Pivot, Turner?

Iron Horse Hollowpoint RL Expert. Yes, I know the company is out of business, but I have lots of spare parts and I got it for a good price.

[DictatorShooter]

A hardtail is just too sketchy for me going 32 MPH down rocky, rutted out, rooty sections....or loose gravel sections. I think I would get gripped and lose more time on the downs than I would gain from the weight savings and rigidity on the ups.