The Specialized Epic WC wants to kill the hardtail

[Super Sywurm]

12 hours ago, Bub Marley said:

I must be missing something here or just not getting it but can someone please explain how this dual suspension bike is going to kill the hard tail? 

For the price, it wouldn't. 

[Eugene]

First Trek, now Specialized. 

Is the soft tail making a comeback (albeit in a different format)? 

[gemmerbal]

Edited April 21, 2023 by gemmerbal

[Shebeen]

33 minutes ago, gemmerbal said:

[Wyatt Earp]

3 hours ago, Headshot said:

They dropped the HL on the Epic a few years back didnt they? Its more about how much longer can they flog the brain dead horse..

I think that there will still be courses where the even lighter HT will be favoured by weight weenies. Their marketing spiel is typical OTT BS like the SRAM Transmission hype and many others.  

Yes

But they hung on to it for dear life.

Marketing was always their main priority and they will easily patent a proprietary name for the sake of it.

Brilliant brand from a man who put his heart, sole and bones on the line to build his company.

But sometimes they are asleep at the wheel, whilst other brands take a corner quicker and smoother.

I was very fortunate to sit with Dr. Andy Pruitt at the Morgan Hill offices for just over a week.

He was working us through body geometry and all the science behind it. 

Much of that was pure genius with the interest of the rider (end user) as first priority.

I remember sitting at breakfast and Mike Sinyard was sitting at our table in Salt Lake.

They had the TDF on the big screen, it was an absolute pleasure watching the man leap from his seat with overwhelming excitement, as one of the teams were all kitted with Specialized Helmets.

I personally feel that some of that Sinyard passion and magic is no longer part of the brand.

But enough of that, a lot of hot air to say absolutely nothing other than, hard tails will be here to stay for a very, very long time.

[Me rida my bicycle]

10 hours ago, dasilvarsa said:

I Dream About 2 Things.

"Lady Gaga" and "Specialized" !!!!! I might get one of them !!!!!

That’s OK dreaming big is not for everyone 🙂

[DieselnDust]

9 minutes ago, Me rida my bicycle said:

That’s OK dreaming big is not for everyone 🙂

Shots fired

[eala]

Santa Cruz improved the hardtail to where the highball is currently . If they splashed money on XCO races they would probably win a few of them .Like everything else we will see if there is a market for a DS /HT/ gravel $$$$ in time .Spez created a monster and now it needs feeding .That,s how i see it

[daveno7]

12 hours ago, Matt said:

In South Africa it might have a suitable corner-of-the-market appeal among non-pros.... people who currently buy S-Works Epics for predominantly gravel endurance races (Trans Baviaans, 36One, etc.).
 

thats a difficult pitch...lighter...faster yes....but who really for? the units on sale in different markets will differ...but its an attractive bike....but the cost will determine...the trickle down towards other products will be good to see 

[SCD]

A comment from a different part of the world. Ottawa, Canada. There is no MTB Marathon scene here. At all. XCO is highly competitive, Enduro is quite big, but scary as shit (those trails have real consequences if you make mistakes, and they guys and gals race hard). But they call themselves the Gravel capital of the country. Many ZA Marathon MTB races would run as Gravel races here. Definitely the ones with no or little single track. Following this different \'branding\' poeple ride Gravel bikes and no MTB obviously. You see very few MTB of the type that dominates the ZA market. I am yet to see a single Spez Epic in the wild, let alone a S-Works. But Gravel bikes are everywhere, they even fly past on rocky single tracks....

[dasilvarsa]

There is Lot of New Races in the Middle East Which require these kinds of bikes or equivalent.

Mind You TREK SA entered 2 SuperCaliburs in the Cape Epic 2023.

Didn't do very Well for a Major Brand and were beaten by both teams on Cyphers.

Edited April 22, 2023 by dasilvarsa
Correct Mistake

[Shebeen]

11 hours ago, daveno7 said:

thats a difficult pitch...lighter...faster yes....but who really for? the units on sale in different markets will differ...but its an attractive bike....but the cost will determine...the trickle down towards other products will be good to see 

Lance says R230k, no one paying that much buys a hard tail in the first place. What would they do with all the spare change?

 

https://www.news24.com/life/cycling/specializeds-epic-loses-its-brain-for-r230-000-with-a-radical-redesign-20230421

[Shebeen]

10 hours ago, SCD said:

A comment from a different part of the world. Ottawa, Canada. There is no MTB Marathon scene here. At all. XCO is highly competitive, Enduro is quite big, but scary as **** (those trails have real consequences if you make mistakes, and they guys and gals race hard). But they call themselves the Gravel capital of the country. Many ZA Marathon MTB races would run as Gravel races here. Definitely the ones with no or little single track. Following this different \'branding\' poeple ride Gravel bikes and no MTB obviously. You see very few MTB of the type that dominates the ZA market. I am yet to see a single Spez Epic in the wild, let alone a S-Works. But Gravel bikes are everywhere, they even fly past on rocky single tracks....

I'm impressed. How did you get that past the swear filter?

So you're saying it's either 140mm travel or nothing? Seems a little odd

 

[BaGearA]

4 hours ago, dasilvarsa said:

There is Lot of New Races in the Middle East Which require these kinds of bikes or equivalent.

Mind You TREK SA entered 2 Xcaliburs in the Cape Epic 2023.

Didn't do very Well for a Major Brand and were beaten by both teams on Cyphers.

xcaliber is a 100mm alloy hardtail

 

cypher is a 120mm alloy dual sus at worst 

 

???

 

better comparison would be top fuel 5/7 depending on the cypher you want to compare to 

[babse]

Judging bike because of the ability of the okes riding the bikes? Lol 

Majority of back markers are probably on same bike as Matt Beers 😏

[Wyatt Earp]

1 hour ago, babse said:

Judging bike because of the ability of the okes riding the bikes? Lol 

Majority of back markers are probably on same bike as Matt Beers 😏

I was keen to comment along the same lines.

But in fear of a LeHub lambasting, it’s all about the bike (to keep the peace)