EPIC COMP CARBON 2014 or Momsen VIPA?

[Iwan Kemp]

Help me out a bit here, what does it say?

 

Sure thing, Mark. It says the Vipa is a bike that's only been available for a little over a year in three very south African countries during which time there has been no need for any geometry or suspension tweaks or redesigns.

[marko35s]

 

Sure thing, Mark. It says the Vipa is a bike that's only been available for a little over a year in three very south African countries during which time there has been no need for any geometry or suspension tweaks or redesigns.

I was working on the assumptipn that Momsen didnt have the advertising and PR budget akin to that of an oil emirate. Unlike Specialized who can spend with the best of them.

[Johny Bravo]

Sure thing, Mark. It says the Vipa is a bike that's only been available for a little over a year in three very south African countries during which time there has been no need for any geometry or suspension tweaks or redesigns.

Since you have had your Vipa a while now, how is the 80mm rear travel. My Epic is at 100mm and with the brain setup right I can take on terrain which would normally require longer travel bikes. With better tyres obviously, the std Epic tyres are the worst thing on this planet.

 

With 80mm travel I feel it is just as racy as the Epic if not more.

[Iwan Kemp]

I was working on the assumptipn that Momsen didnt have the advertising and PR budget akin to that of an oil emirate. Unlike Specialized who can spend with the best of them.

 

True. And unless they can time travel back in time and buy ssome product placement in Seinfeld, it will take them a while to catch up.

 

I further trust that you'd understand for reasons mentioned above one cannot possibly compare the media it gets to a bike that has been around for close on a decade in just about every mountain biking country in the world.

[Iwan Kemp]

Since you have had your Vipa a while now, how is the 80mm rear travel. My Epic is at 100mm and with the brain setup right I can take on terrain which would normally require longer travel bikes. With better tyres obviously, the std Epic tyres are the worst thing on this planet.

 

With 80mm travel I feel it is just as racy as the Epic if not more.

 

In race mode I couldn't feel the 20mm difference. In fact with the Monarch out back the Vipa had better small bump absorption without sacrificing outright speed. But mine has been in trail mode for quite a while now. 120mm fork, dropper post, short stem, wider bars and wide lightning wheels...it eats up whatever I throw at it. Made sure I fit a 51mm off set fork to counter some of the 29er drawbacks.

 

It's obviously not a slack trail monster, but its happy to spend some time in the air.

[Iwan Kemp]

Since you have had your Vipa a while now, how is the 80mm rear travel. My Epic is at 100mm and with the brain setup right I can take on terrain which would normally require longer travel bikes. With better tyres obviously, the std Epic tyres are the worst thing on this planet.

 

With 80mm travel I feel it is just as racy as the Epic if not more.

 

If I may ask, what else do you ride? Where do you ride and what other bikes have you owned or ridden that you're comparing it with?

[Da Vinci]

You see for me it boils down to who can offer me the bike to test and unfortunately Momsen does not have any test bikes in CT. Every one says Try before you buy but it's not all that easy to find bikes to do this with

[rock]

I thought olympic had test bikes.....

 

edit: its Eudia in Hermanus and Mannic cycles

Edited June 3, 2014 by rock

[Johny Bravo]

If I may ask, what else do you ride? Where do you ride and what other bikes have you owned or ridden that you're comparing it with?

My other bike is a Stumpjumper Hard tail, carbon. Hard and fast and 90mm travel. Has its place, mainly serving as my wet race bike. Extremely light, less maintenance and scary fast. Owned a 110mm Camber for 18 months, also carbon, 110mm travel. I have ridden every bike in the Spez range, ridden a Vipa, loads of Giants, I hate the meastro suspension. I race every single race on the calendar. Also frequent Paarl mountain, Jonkers and Dirtopia.

 

My absolute favourite is the Epic, not anything below 2014 models, they were scary. I love love love the brain.

 

Edit. Not saying the Epic is better than the vipa, I just love the brain. Dont care about preceived perceptions about maintenance etc, I work to ride, my bikes are my kids, so any money spent on them is no issue.

Edited June 3, 2014 by Johny Bravo

[Bicycle Supply Chain]

Remember the prices of the shock service. R700 for a 50hour service and then R1500 every 150 hours. That is price for your shock/brain combo. It might be cheaper in the short term, but might cost you in the long run. Do the math and then decide.

 

Otherwise I have no regrets with the purchase of my Epic. Great bike.

 

you kidding. so that means I will need to spend about 12k per year just servicing the shocks!!!

[Iwan Kemp]

You see for me it boils down to who can offer me the bike to test and unfortunately Momsen does not have any test bikes in CT. Every one says Try before you buy but it's not all that easy to find bikes to do this with

They have a demo program with several shops - have a look on the Vipa or Momsen Bikes Facebook page.

[Johny Bravo]

you kidding. so that means I will need to spend about 12k per year just servicing the shocks!!!

That means you would have to ride more than 6 hours every day for 365 days a year. Well done dude, congrats .

[Iwan Kemp]

My other bike is a Stumpjumper Hard tail, carbon. Hard and fast and 90mm travel. Has its place, mainly serving as my wet race bike. Extremely light, less maintenance and scary fast. Owned a 110mm Camber for 18 months, also carbon, 110mm travel. I have ridden every bike in the Spez range, ridden a Vipa, loads of Giants, I hate the meastro suspension. I race every single race on the calendar. Also frequent Paarl mountain, Jonkers and Dirtopia.

 

My absolute favourite is the Epic, not anything below 2014 models, they were scary. I love love love the brain.

 

Edit. Not saying the Epic is better than the vipa, I just love the brain. Dont care about preceived perceptions about maintenance etc, I work to ride, my bikes are my kids, so any money spent on them is no issue.

Cool. Nice to have some reference.

[Da Vinci]

 

They have a demo program with several shops - have a look on the Vipa or Momsen Bikes Facebook page.

I did and they don't have one in Cape Town :'(

[Johny Bravo]

Cool. Nice to have some reference.

sweet man.

[GrantRH]

My other bike is a Stumpjumper Hard tail, carbon. Hard and fast and 90mm travel. Has its place, mainly serving as my wet race bike. Extremely light, less maintenance and scary fast. Owned a 110mm Camber for 18 months, also carbon, 110mm travel. I have ridden every bike in the Spez range, ridden a Vipa, loads of Giants, I hate the meastro suspension. I race every single race on the calendar. Also frequent Paarl mountain, Jonkers and Dirtopia.

 

My absolute favourite is the Epic, not anything below 2014 models, they were scary. I love love love the brain.

 

Edit. Not saying the Epic is better than the vipa, I just love the brain. Dont care about preceived perceptions about maintenance etc, I work to ride, my bikes are my kids, so any money spent on them is no issue.

 

What was the Camber like? My LBS tried to sell that to me over the Epic Elite, but I am a junky for gadgets, and the brain (front and back) made more sense for multi-stages.

 

I agree that the fast track standard tires are kuk though. Playing around with pressures to see whether I can find a sweet spot. But looks like I'll be moving on to the Rocket Ron and Wolverine/weirwolf combo. What tires you running/recommend?