120mm Fork on Specialized Epic Feasible?

[Odinson]

Reviving an old thread here, but can anyone give some more feedback on the long term reviews of riding an epic with a 120mm fork?

 

I have a 2015 Epic Sworks with a 100mm travel RS1 and considering converting it to 120mm. Anyone done a similar conversion? How much difference does it make?

It'll be perfectly fine. That extra 20mm will only marginally raise the BB and cockpit. You can even drop a spacer or two if you want to keep the same stack height.

 

The bike will definitely be more forgiving on the downhills.

[Headshot]

Sorry to tell you the Epic is not built as a general purpose bike that is what the Camber is.

Nonsense. OP, ignore this post. Must be  Spaz dealer. :-) 

[MarcL]

Ah nice, good feedback - thanks guys.  It's probably a gamble, and agreed that the purists will knash teeth but a change to any factory spec doesn't necessarily result in a worse off product (if done properly).

 

Should probably drop this in it's own topic thread, but next step is to see whether the 100mm fork can be increased to 120mm.  The previous owner fitted it when he first bought the bike -   It's a 2014 Rockshox SID XX/29" model.  Some quick Googling suggests that this fork can potentially be run as 100, 110, or 120mm configuration - and from the sag markings on the stanchion it looks like some of the scale is hidden below the wiper seal.  Guess this is a question for the suspension specialists, but hoping someone here might be able to offer some guidance before I start phoning around.  First thoughts which come to mind are that if it can be done, that a new airspring unit will be needed, but more importantly whether the SID design is strong enough to handle the leverage of stanchions extended 20mm further out of the lowers.

Hi

I got a Scott Scale 900 with 100mm Rock Shox SID WC - I changed the damper for about R1000 and it's now 120mm and awesome.

I also have a Scott Spark 900 and also changed the damper on the Fox fork for around R3000 and it too is now 120mm and equally awesome.

 

I'm sure the purest will not agree, but for me both bikes handle super nice and feel very balanced on all trails.

It 20% for travel for considerably less than a new fork, so I would highly recommend it!

Hope that helps....

[Knersboy]

I too have been wondering about this. Always heard that the frame warranty will not be honoured if they can show you used a 120mm fork, although I don’t know how true this is. BUT seeing as they have just released a 120mm epic with exactly the same frame as the 100mm, surely there is an argument to be made if they get funny about the warranty.

 

In short yes it can be fine, specialized themselves just did it, but the warranty thing makes me uncomfortable.

[Paul Ruinaard]

Reviving an old thread here, but can anyone give some more feedback on the long term reviews of riding an epic with a 120mm fork?

 

I have a 2015 Epic Sworks with a 100mm travel RS1 and considering converting it to 120mm. Anyone done a similar conversion? How much difference does it make?

I did it - worked fine - use a Rockshox revelation 130mm fork. It rakes the front out a bit and made it all a bit more stable. 

 

Its your bike do with it what you want. 

[Me rida my bicycle]

Regarding stiffness between the Reba and SID having owned both there is no difference SID has decals sprayed on and Reba has stickers. I have owned a couple of each and if properly set up I could not feel any difference I have serviced them they use the same seals, lowers, upper unless the carbon crown but have fitted carbon crown on reba lowers no problem only the damper is different.

[Me rida my bicycle]

O ja 1 thing before buying a new spring take that shock apart (or have lbs do it) I had a Stumpjumper HT 2015 and wanted to up the travel to 120MM but the stantions where shorter than standard to save weight I was told and could only go from 90-105mm just 1 more reason I moved away from spez. Spez like throwing surprises like that at you.

[PhilipV]

Regarding stiffness between the Reba and SID having owned both there is no difference SID has decals sprayed on and Reba has stickers. I have owned a couple of each and if properly set up I could not feel any difference I have serviced them they use the same seals, lowers, upper unless the carbon crown but have fitted carbon crown on reba lowers no problem only the damper is different.

Maybe on the 29er forks, but on the 26rebas and (both)SIDs I had there was a difference in stiffness. I also stripped the and the lowers were different.

The one sid flexed so much that my tyre rubbed on the side of the fork arch.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Maybe on the 29er forks, but on the 26rebas and (both)SIDs I had there was a difference in stiffness. I also stripped the and the lowers were different.

The one sid flexed so much that my tyre rubbed on the side of the fork arch.

^^This.