First Look: Specialized Chisel Dual-suspension

[BrentCGP]

2 hours ago, Lynnwood Cyclery said:

 

Next Service of a Pro, Expert or Comp That leaves us with a Frameset with Shock only we'll Put it on a scale. 😉

Im emailing around the planet looking for the chisel frame only in a medium. No luck. Organise one for us 🥹

 

Edited June 19 by BrentCGP
Typo

[DieselnDust]

A severe drop in sales is all it took to produce a reasonably light alloy frame. I’d love to see what this builds. Up to with a XO1 transmission and select + suspension 

[DuncanDoughnuts]

17 hours ago, Irvin85 said:

• Specialized S-Works Epic 8 (FACT 12m) – 1,795g
• Specialized Epic 8 (FACT 11m) – 1,965g
• Specialized Chisel – 2,720g
• Scott Spark Alloy – 3,290g
• Trek Top Fuel Alloy – 3,740g

https://flowmountainbike.com/post-all/2025-specialized-chisel-alloy-xc-bike/#:~:text=a single structure.-,Specialized Chisel weight,that we're aware of.

 

From Specialized website the Epic S-Works 8 is at 2.21kg

That frame is only 100G heavier than my Ibis Mojo C in large.   should be easy to get a 12kg bike

[ajnkzn]

https://m.pinkbike.com/news/first-ride-specialized-chisel-fs-aluminum-done-light.html
 

Mike Kazimer built one up to 11.8kg. 
 

Stupid light wheels but some other spec choices aren’t XC weight so 12kg definitely doable on a frame up build. 

Edited June 20 by ajnkzn

[Danger Dassie]

Epic move 😋 … the Chisel hardtail is a firm favourite for for many, so seeing an FS version is encouraging. There’s also the alloy Crux. 

Although not without precedent, back in 2015 there was the Epic Comp alloy which ticked all the boxes and was apparently approx 800-900grams heavier than the S Works frameset. Comparative pricing was +- 38k versus 92k

https://www.treadmtb.co.za/bikes-specialized-epic-comp/

[DieselnDust]

1 hour ago, ajnkzn said:

https://m.pinkbike.com/news/first-ride-specialized-chisel-fs-aluminum-done-light.html
 

Mike Kazimer built one up to 11.8kg. 
 

Stupid light wheels but some other spec choices aren’t XC weight so 12kg definitely doable on a frame up build. 

Looks like a relatively light build can be achieved without too much of budget busting. You’ll still spend about R75k though if starting from a frame and build up

[nick_the_wheelbuilder]

One could easily save some weight on a Chisel by swapping the wheels out, and make a good bike great.

Based on the website I'm guesstimating the stock wheels will weigh +/- 2000g for the set.

Keep the stock wheels as spares (or sell them) and throw on a 1300g set of carbon wheels for R25k or a 1650g set of alloy ones for R15-16k.

If it were me I'd build a set of wheels with DT Swiss 350 or H-Works straight pull hubs, Stan's Arch Mk4 rims and light 2.0 - 1.5 - 2.0mm spokes.

 

[Jewbacca]

Spending big money to make it lighter seems like reinventing the wheel for the sake of it to me.

A bike in that price/weight bracket already exists ready made.

I think Kylie summed it up perfectly. Not every bike needs to be full factory spec and super light to be fun and fast.

Buying 'cheap' and spending more money than buying the model above it to achieve something so similar but likely less good smells like folly

 

[KyleDurh]

Proper newbie question. Would this be an upgrade path for a 2019 Specialized Carbon Epic Comp? 

[tinmug]

5 minutes ago, KyleDurh said:

Proper newbie question. Would this be an upgrade path for a 2019 Specialized Carbon Epic Comp? 

Of course! I'll give you a hundred bucks for your Comp.

[nick_the_wheelbuilder]

2 hours ago, Jewbacca said:

Spending big money to make it lighter seems like reinventing the wheel for the sake of it to me.

A bike in that price/weight bracket already exists ready made.

I think Kylie summed it up perfectly. Not every bike needs to be full factory spec and super light to be fun and fast.

Buying 'cheap' and spending more money than buying the model above it to achieve something so similar but likely less good smells like folly

 

Yes and no. People love options.

It's a fact that most OEM's compromise heavily when it comes to the wheels they spec on their bikes, so they can hit a price point.

The new Chisel is a great example of this.

Specifying cheap Shimano hubs, laced with plain-gauge spokes to average rims leaves a lot of performance potential on the table.

Also true is that upgrading a new bike isn't something many people will do - but some will.

Is it worth spending 1/3 of the cost of a new bike on new, better wheels? Some will argue that this is a great investment, especially if you can keep the wheels and transfer to whatever bike you buy next.

Kind of like buying an already quick car and spending money on a performance chip for the ECU - guys do it all the time, not because it makes sense, but because people are enthusiasts.

We don't spend the same on mountain bikes as we do on 2nd hand cars because we NEED to, it's because we want to, right?

Pro's who win races don't buy bikes, it's us wannabe racers who spend our hard-earned cash on luxuries like dual-sus Specialized bikes.

If a lighter set of wheels makes you happier when you ride, that's cool. 
If you're happy to ride a stock bike, that's awesome too

[DieselnDust]

3 hours ago, Jewbacca said:

Spending big money to make it lighter seems like reinventing the wheel for the sake of it to me.

A bike in that price/weight bracket already exists ready made.

I think Kylie summed it up perfectly. Not every bike needs to be full factory spec and super light to be fun and fast.

Buying 'cheap' and spending more money than buying the model above it to achieve something so similar but likely less good smells like folly

 

I hear you I hear you .....but.........bling is bling ,

so kaching kaching ching,

the cash register must ring

pimp that ride the sultan of bling  sing.....sing sing

 

 

 

 

But I must ask @Kylie............

.........how did you keep those bling white socks and shoes so sparklingly white.....?

 

 

Edited June 20 by DieselnDust

[Jewbacca]

6 minutes ago, nick_the_wheelbuilder said:

Yes and no. People love options.

It's a fact that most OEM's compromise heavily when it comes to the wheels they spec on their bikes, so they can hit a price point.

The new Chisel is a great example of this.

Specifying cheap Shimano hubs, laced with plain-gauge spokes to average rims leaves a lot of performance potential on the table.

Also true is that upgrading a new bike isn't something many people will do - but some will.

Is it worth spending 1/3 of the cost of a new bike on new, better wheels? Some will argue that this is a great investment, especially if you can keep the wheels and transfer to whatever bike you buy next.

Kind of like buying an already quick car and spending money on a performance chip for the ECU - guys do it all the time, not because it makes sense, but because people are enthusiasts.

We don't spend the same on mountain bikes as we do on 2nd hand cars because we NEED to, it's because we want to, right?

Pro's who win races don't buy bikes, it's us wannabe racers who spend our hard-earned cash on luxuries like dual-sus Specialized bikes.

If a lighter set of wheels makes you happier when you ride, that's cool. 
If you're happy to ride a stock bike, that's awesome too

No, I get it. I've been building bikes from scratch, wheels and all (even built my own frames), for a very, very long time. I have built a lot of bicycles. 

I'm saying that buying a lower tier bike then spending loads of money to make it lighter etc is a bit of a non starter as you can buy an Epic Evo with likely equivalent parts to your upgrades but a better frame for the same price.

Specialized offer an amazing range of bicycles with very small price/quality/value gaps with some very high end wheels etc specced the higher up you go. 

I wouldn't buy a lower end Spez and 'kit it out' because the money spent would be better used buying higher up the Spez ladder.

It's a bit like dressing up an old 2007 Corsa for the same money as just buying a 2020 VW Cross UP

 

[DieselnDust]

Well you may not have the money to improve it immediately but rather spread the budget out on upgrades over time.

those upgrades would not be out of place on a frame of this weight and hopefully quality 

[nick_the_wheelbuilder]

10 hours ago, Jewbacca said:

No, I get it. I've been building bikes from scratch, wheels and all (even built my own frames), for a very, very long time. I have built a lot of bicycles. 

I'm saying that buying a lower tier bike then spending loads of money to make it lighter etc is a bit of a non starter as you can buy an Epic Evo with likely equivalent parts to your upgrades but a better frame for the same price.

Specialized offer an amazing range of bicycles with very small price/quality/value gaps with some very high end wheels etc specced the higher up you go. 

I wouldn't buy a lower end Spez and 'kit it out' because the money spent would be better used buying higher up the Spez ladder.

It's a bit like dressing up an old 2007 Corsa for the same money as just buying a 2020 VW Cross UP

 

I'm obviously nit-picking, but on the Spez site, the Epic Evo has wider rims, but the same low-end hubs and spokes. The wheels are probably heavier than the wheels on the Chisel because they're wider.

Carbon frame, heavier wheels.

The Epic Evo Comp has better spokes and rims, but costs substantially more now.

Only when you look at the Epic Pro or S-Works do you get carbon wheels, but then you're paying R165k+ for the bike.

[Headshot]

On 6/19/2024 at 3:41 PM, Irvin85 said:

I was thinking the same thing. It makes one wonder if you really want to fork out the additional 30k for a carbon bike when you save 800grams only, that you can "save" by drinking one bear less the night before. 

Or pay R30k or more for carbon so you can enjoy one or more extra beers per night 🙂