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The lactate is burning in my thighs. I push the metallic red Specialized Epic over a final root carpet in a seated position and race up the final ramp of our test lap with clenched teeth. My colleague on the newly launched Cannondale Scalpel is panting on my rear wheel. For a brief moment, I can imagine how Sam Gaze must have felt when he sprinted to his first World Cup victory in the elite class at the 2018 Epic in Stellenbosch.
Duel or no duel: Judging by their sporting successes alone, the two race bikes from Specialized and Cannondale are among the fastest on the planet. To keep it that way, both manufacturers are giving their race classics an update for 2021. Specialized offers its Epic in three versions between 4299 and 11599 euros. The new carbon frame is not only lighter (2028 grams incl. shock), but also 15 per cent stiffer according to the manufacturer. Instead of a normal lockout, Specialized has retained its Brain technology. An inertia valve opens the suspension automatically in the event of bumps on the trail. It remains closed during pedalling impulses. All models offer 100 millimetres of travel at the front and rear and roll on 29-inch wheels. The top model S-Works Epic from Specialised weighs just 9.65 kilos according to the laboratory scales.
The strong opponent Cannondale Scalpel we already presented in the last issue. The following duel should clarify which of the two bikes has the edge even without professional calves and away from the race track.
You can download the entire Specialized Epic S-Works vs Cannondale Scalpel HM1 test duel from BIKE 8/20 as a PDF below the article.
Downloads:
Max Fuchs
Editor
