New Specialized Epic loses its Brain and becomes "fastest XC race bike in the world"

Four years on from the previous-generation launch, Specialized has rebuilt its Epic and Epic EVO bikes from the ground up, ready for top-end XC racing and lightweight trail applications respectively.

The new bikes are called the Epic 8 to reflect this generational shift.

Though the Epic name has been in the Specialized range since the early 1990s, it’s best known for its full-suspension form, dating back to the early 2000s with the brand's Brain shock technology.

In 2024, we’re waving goodbye to the Brain.

Instead, the Epic 8 gets custom-tuned shocks and, at the S-Works level, SRAM’s latest iteration of Flight Attendant to replace the mechanical auto-lockout feature of the Brain. It results in what Specialized claims is "the fastest XC race bike in the world".

Tom Marvin rode the bike at its launch in Chile and spent some more time putting it through its paces back in the UK. You can read his review here.

The Epic 8 EVO has morphed from a longer-travel XC bike (that was raced by Specialized riders extensively in the 2023 World Cup season) into a fully fledged short-travel trail rig – you almost certainly won’t be seeing any of these line up in the 2024 World Cup.

This being 2024, it won’t surprise you that suspension travel on the Epic 8 has grown to 120mm, reflecting the increasingly technical tracks seen at World Cup level (and complementing the 75mm-travel Epic World Cup, a bike focused on smoother, punchy tracks and shorter-course races).

The Epic 8 EVO has more suspension up front, burlier components and is targeted at downcountry and trail riders (or ‘mountain bikers’, as I like to call them).

Specialized Epic 8 and Epic 8 EVO frame details

The Epic 8 and the Epic 8 EVO share the same framesets, with 120mm of travel provided at the rear, and front suspension and build kits defining the various models.

The frames feature a flex-stay suspension arrangement and updates to how the frames are built, which shaves weight and improves strength.

While frames of this ilk are built to be as efficient as possible, Specialized says this doesn’t necessarily mean they’re as stiff as possible. Reducing fatigue is as key as boosting pedalling efficiency when it comes to going fast.

As such, Specialized claims that, as well as weight, it has worked on ensuring the rider’s body position stays in the most efficient position, pedal bob is reduced and the suspension remains active when it needs to be.

Material gains 

All Epic 8 and Epic 8 EVO bikes will be built from carbon, with the S-Works Epic 8 featuring top-spec 12M carbon fibre, hand-laid and finished with titanium hardware to ensure there are no compromises in performance.

As a result, the brand claims to have shaved 76g off the S-Works frame. That's not a huge amount, but the latest-generation frames feature a steerer stop to prevent the bar damaging the top tube, and there’s a SWAT 4.0 compartment in the down tube to store ride essentials. The carbon shock extension is 20 per cent lighter, too.

The non-S-Works bikes are built from 11M carbon – Specialized claims this gives the same ride characteristics as the 12M carbon at a much lower cost, but at the expense of a little weight.

All Epic 8s benefit from a new forward shock-mount construction.

Instead of a compression-moulded mount being bonded onto the frame, the new Epic 8 sees it built as an integral part of the top tube, via a new bladder-mould process. This saves grams, because the mount benefits from the continuous carbon strands flowing into it from the top tube, meaning it doesn’t need to be ‘over-built’ to be as strong.

All the angles

Alongside the extra travel, it’s no surprise the new Epic 8 has been given a re-working in terms of geometry.

The previous-generation Epic was, and still would be, considered forward-thinking in terms of shape.

So, while the geometry has been updated, most changes feel like tweaks rather than a wholesale reimagining of the Epic 8’s attitude – other than in the head tube area.

Specialized Epic 8 geometry

In its Low setting, the head angle sits at 65.9 degrees, the seat angle at 75.7 degrees (though XS and S-sized bikes are a touch steeper), the BB between 52 and 42mm below the axles (XS through XL) and reaches range from 390 to 500mm.

This makes it roughly 1.6 degrees slacker at the front end and 5mm longer in reach than the previous version, while the BB drop varies from a little more to a little less (48mm on the previous model across the sizes).

There’s also the addition of the XS size, which wasn’t offered previously.

The geometry is adjustable via the shock mount, giving 0.5-degree steeper angles and an additional 5mm on the BB height in the High setting.

Specialized Epic 8 EVO geometry

The Epic 8 EVO’s geometry chart is straight out of the short-travel ripper playbook, with a head angle of 65.4 degrees, a low-slung BB and reach of up to 495mm.

The differences in geometry, despite using the same frame, are thanks to the changes in overall shape due to the use of a longer-travel fork, which slackens angles, raises the BB and shortens the reach.

Feature-rich

All of the frames are specced with good features.

In the down tube is the latest SWAT 4.0 storage compartment, with a smooth-operating locking lever, under which CO2 canisters and tubeless plugs can be mounted – there to save time in a race, or when there’s not a mechanic zone on a marathon race.

The tube shaping, carbon strand routing and layup designs are intended to ensure the desired ride quality is maintained.

At the front, a steering lock gives plenty of range, without the risk of damaging the top tube in a crash.

All Fact 11M frames have maintenance-friendly cable routing that enters the frame at the front of the head tube. This is thanks to the number of cables required to go into the mainframe becoming cumbersome when routed through the headset.

With the S-Works model being race-focused and fizzing with wireless tech, Specialized opted to run the rear brake hose through the headset bearing.

Two bottle mounts, down tube and chainstay protection, and a neatly integrated headset cover complete the package.

Specialized Epic 8 and Epic 8 EVO suspension details

Travel of 120mm is becoming the benchmark for XC bikes these days and transfers well into the short-travel trail (or downcountry, if you will) space too.

Unlike some more aggressive versions of XC bikes masquerading as downcountry or trail bikes, Specialized hasn’t stuck a longer-stroke shock into the EVO (as it has previously) to simply boost travel and slacken angles.

Instead, the EVO model shares the same rear travel.

As per most XC bikes, the Epic 8 relies on a flex-stay single-pivot linkage-driven shock design.

Removing the rearward pivot (from the chainstay, as you would have seen on an FSR Horst-link Specialized of old) helps shed weight and reduce maintenance.

The rear shocks have custom tunes for Specialized. The Epic 8 comes with RockShox units, while the Epic 8 EVO has Fox suspension.

Race-ready

The Ride Dynamics Tuned dampers have been developed to suit what Specialized’s engineers believe to be the optimum tune for the Epic 8 bikes, and riders or racers.

The suspension is designed to sit moderately high in its travel, where the bike pedals at its most efficient, while also ensuring there’s ample travel to drop into when an impact is encountered.

As such, Specialized claims the new Epic 8 bobs (suspension bouncing due to pedal inputs) 20 per cent less than the 2021 Epic EVO (this isn’t compared to the 2021 Epic with its Brain shock, also designed to minimise pedal inputs mechanically, but it's noted that in 2023 most World Cup racers were riding the Epic EVO).

This is due to ‘optimised anti-squat geometry’.

The brand also claims the new Epic 8 is "the most effective 120mm-travel bike at bump-force management that we’ve ever tested".

This has been measured with accelerometers at the wheel axles and frame, with a claimed 12 per cent improvement in bump and vibration force transmission over the previous-generation bike.

This is clearly a statement that would be hard to verify, however the claim is this helps reduce fatigue on the race course.

Please fasten your seatbelts for landing

Specialized has partnered with SRAM on the release of its latest Flight Attendant electronic suspension system on the S-Works Epic 8.

This is the only model in the range that will see this top-flight parts package.

The Flight Attendant system was originally launched on products aimed at enduro race bikes, but this latest generation has been integrated into the SID fork and SIDLuxe shocks.

Through sensors on the fork and shock that measure accelerations, impacts and terrain gradients, as well as data from the included Quarq power meter and your gear selection, Flight Attendant decides which of three compression modes is best suited to your current situation.

Full details of the new Flight Attendant can be found in our launch story.

In brief, though, the system’s processors control servo motors at the top of the damper circuits, changing the damper from what Specialized calls 'Wide Open' to 'Magic Middle' and then 'Sprint-On-Lock', depending on the trail situation and its assumptions of which mode is best.

The processor learns your riding style as it goes, storing data from the previous seven rides, which helps it tune its mode selection.

The fork and shock can be set in different positions from each other – something not possible with a traditional on-bar lockout lever.

An AXS Pod is mounted on the left-hand side of the bar – one button controls the AXS Reverb, while the other offers an override function – offering you the ability to force the system into lock or open for a period of time (the AXS app gives you the ability to dictate the button’s operation).

Within the AXS app, there’s the ability to fine-tune the system to your preferences, too.

Tuned-up

Looking away from the S-Works Epic 8 to the Pro, Expert and Comp models without Flight Attendant, and you see a three-position fork and shock combo controlled by an on-bar TwistLoc.

As you’d expect, the ‘Wide Open’ mode has minimal compression damping, while the ‘Sprint-On-Lock’ mode is the firmest tune offered.

The ‘Magic Middle’ mode is the interesting one though.

When I asked why Specialized had dropped the Brain from the Epic, given it was arguably the bike’s USP, I was told Magic Middle has been designed to cover the majority of the utility of the Brain system.

Specialized believes 80 per cent of your time should be spent in this middle mode, reducing the effort and thought put into switching suspension-damper modes as you race – something Flight Attendant and the Brain of old did for you.

It’s damper curve is digressive. Early in its stroke, the tune is said to require more force than pedalling inputs generally give, to move through its travel.

This means it should be stable under pedalling modes.

However, when a bump breaks through this damping platform, the force required to move the shock decreases, enabling the shock to move through more of its travel for a given bump magnitude.

This, Specialized claims, gives the bike "class-leading comfort and control".

To achieve this, Specialized didn’t just have a custom tune from SRAM, but helped develop custom internals for the SIDLuxe shock.

Looking forther forward, the SID forks also share these three positions.

However, the Magic Middle mode on the fork has a slightly softer tune than the shock to improve comfort.

It still has a digressive tune, though, to keep the front end stable under pedalling.

Let’s get shreddy

As mentioned, the Epic 8 EVO models are built around Fox suspension.

A 130mm 34 fork sits up front, while a Float EVOL shock is in the middle.

These get two position lockouts – Wide Open and Sprint-Lock-On.

This is because Specialized believes the EVO rider either wants to milk the suspension for all its descending potential or get to the top as efficiently as possible (or just pedal full-gas).

Specialized Epic 8 and Epic 8 EVO ranges

Four Epic 8 models and two Epic 8 EVO models will be offered, along with S-Works Epic 8 and Epic 8 EVO Pro framesets, though the framesets won't be available in the UK.

• Specialized S-Works Epic 8 frameset: $6,000 / €6,500
• Specialized Epic 8 EVO Pro frameset price: $3,800 / €4,000

The two families of bikes have separate identities, though, summarised below.

Specialized Epic 8 build guide

• Fork: RockShox SID, 120mm
• Shock: RockShox SIDLuxe 3-position, custom tune
• Brakes: SRAM Level 4-piston
• Tyres: Specialized Fast Trak 2.35in front, Renegade 2.35in rear
• Cockpit: Roval Control SL integrated (S-Works), flat bar Pro/Expert/Comp

Specialized S-Works Epic 8

• RockShox SID Ultimate Flight Attendant 120mm fork
• RockShox SIDLuxe Ultimate Flight Attendant shock
• SRAM XX SL AXS Transmission
• Roval Control SL wheels
• SRAM Level Ultimate Stealth brakes
• Roval Control SL integrated cockpit
• £12,000 / $14,500 / €14,500

Specialized Epic 8 Pro

• RockShox SID Ultimate 3-position TwistLoc, 120mm fork
• RockShox SIDLuxe Ultimate shock
• SRAM XO Eagle AXS Transmission
• Roval Control carbon wheels
• SRAM Level Silver Stealth brakes
• Specialized S-Works Carbon XC bar, Specialized Pro SL stem
• £8,000 / $9,00 / €9,500

Specialized Epic 8 Expert

• RockShox SID Select+ 3-position TwistLoc, 120mm fork
• RockShox SIDLuxe Select+ shock
• SRAM GX Eagle AXS Transmission
• Roval Control carbon wheels
• SRAM Level Silver Stealth brakes
• Specialized Alloy XC bar, Specialized XC stem
• £6,000 / $7,000 / €7,500

Specialized Epic 8 Comp

• RockShox SID Select 3-position TwistLoc, 120mm fork
• RockShox SIDLuxe Select shock
• SRAM GX
• Specialized Alloy wheels
• SRAM Level Silver Stealth brakes
• Specialized Alloy XC bar, Specialized stem
• £4,250 / $5,000 / €5,200

Specialized Epic 8 EVO build guide

• Fork: Fox 34, 130mm
• Shock: Fox Float 2-positon, custom tune
• Brakes: SRAM Code
• Tyres: Specialized Purgatory 2.4in front, Ground Control 2.35in rear
• Cockpit: Riser bar and shorter stem for increased descending control

Specialized Epic 8 EVO Pro

• Fox 34 Factory, 130mm fork
• Fox Float Factory shock
• SRAM XO Eagle Transmission
• Roval Control carbon wheels
• SRAM Code Silver Stealth brakes
• Roval Control Rise carbon bar, Race Face Turbine R stem
• £8,000 / $8,500 / €9,00

Specialized Epic 8 EVO Comp

• Fox 34 Performance, 130mm fork
• Fox Float Performance shock
• SRAM GX Eagle
• Specialized Alloy wheels
• SRAM Code Bronze Stealth brakes
• Specialized Alloy bar, Specialized Alloy stem
• £4,250 / $5,000 / €5,200