At some point, it doesn't get any better, does it? That's probably what the Americans at Specialized thought when they decided to further develop the bike of a three-time world champion and Olympic champion. A lot of brainpower was put into the Epic - one of the most popular marathon bikes ever - and more attention was paid to details instead of throwing the successful overall concept overboard. Marathon riders will probably be most pleased about the second, really usable bottle cage mount. After all, two water bottles increase the chances of survival and victory in tough marathons and stage races. The US boys remain true to the geometry of the sporty, agile racer: perfect climbing characteristics (74 degree seat angle) continue to take precedence over any hint of comfort. Only the in-house Brain platform has been tweaked: Instead of six clicks, there are now only four available. This makes adjustment easier, but produces the same result as the 2013 Brain system. The developers were also not yet 100 per cent satisfied with the response behaviour. A new rocker (slightly different gear ratio) and a needle bearing main bearing should ensure that the Epic rear triangle irons over the smallest bumps even more gently.
Conclusion after several test rides in direct comparison: only an extremely minimal noticeable difference, as the current Epic suspension already responds very finely.
The gain in stiffness offered by the new aluminium frame for tall riders is likely to be much greater for powerful racers. The BB30 bottom bracket (previously BSA) with its thicker diameter also contributes to this. Enough of counting grams and millimetres: the SWAT carefree package rounds off the new Epic as a (race) decisive and truly innovative new feature. Although the emergency box, chain pusher and mini-tool integrated into the frame are not part of the standard equipment, they can easily be retrofitted in the headset cap, on the bottle cage or under the top tube. The integration of these puncture repair tools not only frees up space in the gel-packed jersey pockets, but also saves many a position in stage races in the event of a puncture.
Conclusion: Never before has the entry into Specialized's Epic 29 family been as time-saving, puncture-friendly and efficient as in the coming season. Olympic medals will not be awarded again until 2016 in Rio de Janeiro. But the Epic certainly has what it takes.
