The Specialized Epic WC wants to kill the hardtail

[Carbon Ninja]

Love the blurb trying to explain the lack of the brain. Lo It"s still there guys, but just the most fundamental part, the inertia valve, is gone! I guess the brain idea is still there with the high threshold to activation curve but the on/off nature will be softened and that has to be a good thing? 

Edited April 21, 2023 by Carbon Ninja
Rethink!

[dasilvarsa]

I Dream About 2 Things.

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

[BuffsVintageBikes]

The most expensive hardtail in history is going to kill all hardtails.... or is it a dual hardtail? Wait what, I'm confused 🙃

[Matt]

10 minutes ago, BuffsVintageBikes said:

The most expensive hardtail in history is going to kill all hardtails.... or is it a dual hardtail? Wait what, I'm confused 🙃

Just the racing hardtails on the top few steps of XCO podiums 😉

[Jewbacca]

1 minute ago, Matt said:

Just the racing hardtails on the top few steps of XCO podiums 😉

Your reasoning and logic has no place here witch.... be gone before somebody drops a house on you!

 

[Lynskey]

I will keep my Lynskey hardtail thanks. I don't do marketing blab and sales pitches to sell your obscenely priced bikes. I don't even like the look of it. The fact they have copied trek is an absolute blast. 

[DieselnDust]

2 hours ago, dasilvarsa said:

I Dream About 2 Things.

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

Dream big , have both 

[Shebeen]

25 minutes ago, Matt said:

Just the racing hardtails on the top few steps of XCO podiums 😉

I think according to this FAQ the fancy sworks HT versions will be gone?

Q: What will happen to the Epic HT Model in the future?
A: The Epic HT Comp will continue to be an important performance offering at an incredible value. But above that level, we believe that the unmatched combination of efficiency, control and lightweight will deliver on the demands of the world’s most elite racers.

 

For me the sweetspot of a hardtail is the tradeoff of simplicity and price. This is clearly for elite level racers, either those who already race a hardtail (not sure of figures, but reckon probably below 20% of a UCI XCO startline) and want some of the squishy benefits or those who race the DS and want to drop some weight.

 

Really wonder if it works for mass market rider in anyway? Probably not, but they will sell loads.

[Wyatt Earp]

8 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? 

Yup

Not gonna happen.

I think some of these bike companies are losing the plot, thinking a WC podium bike is the bike the everyday man wants, but they forget what the everyday man is willing to spend.

Specialized are always late to the party, I mean how long were they trying to ride the Horst-Link wave 🤷🏻

[BuffsVintageBikes]

5 minutes ago, Shebeen said:

Really wonder if it works for mass market rider in anyway? Probably not, but they will sell loads.

Yup, to fun riders with $$$ who act like they are Elite WC XCO racers... but like D&D says... Dream Big 😄

[Matt]

6 minutes ago, Shebeen said:

I think according to this FAQ the fancy sworks HT versions will be gone?

Q: What will happen to the Epic HT Model in the future?
A: The Epic HT Comp will continue to be an important performance offering at an incredible value. But above that level, we believe that the unmatched combination of efficiency, control and lightweight will deliver on the demands of the world’s most elite racers.

 

For me the sweetspot of a hardtail is the tradeoff of simplicity and price. This is clearly for elite level racers, either those who already race a hardtail (not sure of figures, but reckon probably below 20% of a UCI XCO startline) and want some of the squishy benefits or those who race the DS and want to drop some weight.

 

Really wonder if it works for mass market rider in anyway? Probably not, but they will sell loads.

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.).
 

[Johan A Marais]

LOL - and on the hub adverts... getting ready....

 

[dave303e]

14 minutes ago, Johan A Marais said:

LOL - and on the hub adverts... getting ready....

 

if you look at that frame in the pic and the "new" one. They removed a brace and made the top tube wrap around the shock to make it look sleek whilst reinforcing for the lack of a brace. Rebranded it as new and revolutionary and removed the really overpriced unnecessarily complicated shock that costs a fortune and then costs even more when you need it serviced. I am nervous to see what this 'new' design will cost.

[Headshot]

1 hour ago, Wyatt Earp said:

Yup

Not gonna happen.

I think some of these bike companies are losing the plot, thinking a WC podium bike is the bike the everyday man wants, but they forget what the everyday man is willing to spend.

Specialized are always late to the party, I mean how long were they trying to ride the Horst-Link wave 🤷🏻

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.  

[NotSoBigBen]

[SwissVan]

16 hours ago, DieselnDust said:

Full circle; we’re officially back In the late 90s.

wait till you see the coral colour way option then you’ll understand 

I’ll gladly trade in my Kalahari brown EVO for that red coloured one, wtf made Spez paint bikes that colour is one of their biggest secrets