With all of the growth in full-suspension XC bikes, hardtails were starting to become a little same old, same old.
So we thought to ourselves, what better time then now to shake things up with a modern, revolutionary design? Say hello to the Epic Hardtail Expert Carbon World Cup. It's one of the lightest frames we've ever made, tipping the scales around 1175g. And to do so, we built the entyre frame from our superlative carbon fibre, FACT 10m, and then we took some cues from our road bikes. We borrowed the Rider-First Engineered™ concept that originated with the Tarmac. Now, the frame design applies specificity to every tube size and carbon layup for every frame size. This creates the optimal balance of rigidity, weight, and responsiveness, so every frame, regardless of size, performs just as we intended. We've also tweaked the geometry for more speed and stability by slacking-out the head tube angle, lengthening the top tube, and correcting the seat tube angle. This way, it feels more planted then ever, and frankly, it's stupid fast. We also widened the rear spacing to 12x148mm and included internal split-housing cable routing. For the build, this Epic hits right on the money, opting for a custom-tuned RockShox SID w/ Brain fork, SRAM X1 shifting, and fast rolling Roval Control wheels.
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By pairing a FACT 10m carbon fiber frame with our XC 29 Geometry, this Epic places a focus on tight tube angles and extremely light overall weight for explosive speed and nimble handling on the race circuit. For good measure, we also gave it 148mm rear spacing and all-new triangulated post-mount brake mounts.
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The Custom RockShox SID 29 w/ Brain fork gives 90/100mm of efficient travel. It features Brain technology that distinguishes between terrain and rider input in order to maximize your power, while a Brain Fade adjusts the oil flow when not hitting bumps.
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A SRAM X1 rear derailleur controls a wide range of gears with reliable precision.
The Specialized Epic Hardtail Expert Carbon World Cup 29er 2017 Features are:
Frame: FACT 10m, full carbon, XC Geometry, internal split-housing cable routing, PF30 BB, 12x148mm rear end, triangulated post-mount 160mm brake
Fork: Custom RockShox SID w/Brain, Position Sensitive damper, bottom-mount Brain Fade adjust, rebound adjust, Solo Air spring, tapered alloy crown/steerer, 110x15mm Maxle Stealth thru-axle, 90/100mm travel, 51mm offset
Bars: Specialized Mini-rise, 7050 alloy, 8-backsweep, 6-upsweep, 10mm rise, 720mm width, 31.8mm clamp
Stem: Specialized, 3D-forged alloy, 4-bolt, 6-degree rise
Shifters: SRAM X1, 11-speed, trigger
Rear Mech: SRAM X1 Type 2.1, 11-speed
Speed: 11
Chainset: RaceFace Aeffect, 6000-series alloy, 24mm spindle, 52mm chainline,32T
Bottom Bracket: PF30
Cassette: SRAM XG-1150, 11-speed, 10-42t
Chain: SRAM PC-1130, 11-speed w/PowerLink
Front Brake: Shimano Deore SLX M7000, hydraulic disc, metallic pad, 180/160mm rotor
Rear Brake: Shimano Deore SLX M7000, hydraulic disc, metallic pad, 160mm rotor
Rims: Roval Control, hookless alloy, 21mm inner width, 32h, tubeless ready
Front Hub: Roval Control, sealed cartridge bearings, 15mm thru-axle, 110mm spacing, 32h
Rear Hub: Roval Control, DT Swiss internals, 36T engagement, XD driver body, 12x148mm, 32h
Tyres: Fast Trak, Control casing, 29x2.2", 60TPI, Aramid folding bead, 2Bliss Ready Front - Fast Trak, Control casing, 29x2.2", 60TPI, Aramid folding bead, 2Bliss Ready Rear
Seatpost: Specialized, alloy, 2-bolt, 27.2mm
Occasionally without notice, manufacturers sometimes change product specifications