Specialised Epic 8 Professional Mountain Bike Overview

Specialised payments its Epic 8 Professional mountain bike because the “quickest XC bike on the planet” and “a wolf in wolf’s clothes.” And there’s no mistake that this factor is quick. Weighing 23 kilos, 15.4 ounces for a medium, it’s the lightest path bike I’ve pedaled. Transitioning from coaching rides on my trusty however burly metal body Surly Bridge Membership made me really feel like Superman.

Somewhat competitors is wholesome for a household. If not precisely true, it’s what I instructed my brothers-in-law when convincing them to join Iceman Cometh. Named after the famed Eugene O’Neill play, the Iceman takes place on 32 miles of forest street and single observe in Northern Michigan each November.

As destiny would have it, for a short and sensible 6 weeks, I secured a loaner Epic 8 Professional to try to repeat final yr’s win of my household bracket.

In brief: The Specialised Epic 8 Professional is a motorcycle that wishes to go quick, interval. Its light-weight carbon building, top-of-the-line parts, and 120mm of journey make for a PR-destroying, race-ready bike that acquired our author in a bit of over his head (which he turned out to like).

Suspension and Body Dynamics

The Specialised Epic 8 Professional dealt with effectively, because of a mixture of parts designed to get probably the most pedaling effectivity doable out of a full-suspension bike. The RockShox SID ULTIMATE fork and rear suspension mix for 120mm of journey. This was ample for something from rock backyard navigation to touchdown leap strains.

The three shock-damping settings — open, pedal, and lock — had been spectacular. These had been ridiculously efficient — extra so than on another suspension I’ve tried. The total lock felt like pedaling a hardtail. And the “pedal” setting was a Goldilocks operate that tightened up beneath rider inputs and allowed extra give when the path acquired tough. Understanding the physics of that’s past my pay grade, however let me let you know: it labored.

Final yr, my each day rider was the spec’ed-down Specialised Epic Evo 8, a powerful bike in its personal regard. It carried me to a PR (and ever-important victory over my brother-in-law) in final yr’s Iceman race. I’m often between L and XL body sizes, however final yr’s Massive sizing on the Epic Evo was the proper candy spot.

The Epic 8 Professional had a unique really feel. The extra aggressive geometry and decrease stack made it really feel a bit small. It’s price contemplating a measurement up, however understand that the geometry is most certainly extra aggressive than your each day driver. It is a race-optimized bike.

Drivetrain Traits

The Specialised Epic 8 Professional has SRAM Eagle AXS wi-fi shifting tech, one thing I’m all the time cautious of. Positive, it shifted quick, however I hate including a “cost the battery” to-do for my pre-ride prep. I’m additionally cautious of issues going flawed on the path and being locked into an IT situation that turns your bike right into a single-speed.

That mentioned, I didn’t have a single drawback with shifting all through the numerous take a look at miles. And are available race day, the instantaneous response mixed with the ultralightweight bike to dominate hill climbs. The cassette vary is spectacular, with a 34-tooth low gear. Mixed with the carbon wheels and light-weight construct, the Epic 8 Professional was a hill killer.

Talking of tech, the Epic 8 Professional comes with a Quarq energy meter. When you’re spending this a lot cash on a motorcycle, you probably already personal an influence meter. But it surely was good to have one in-built.

Different Options of the Specialised Epic 8 Professional

Though suspension and drivetrain are the key contributors to efficiency exterior of the body, the Specialised Epic 8 Professional had different notable options.

SWAT downtube storage may be divisive on the web, however I liked it. Motive one: a secret compartment! Motive two: On race day, I stashed my flat restore package and an additional gel or two, permitting me to ditch the hydration pack for a extra race-oriented package.

The Roval Management carbon wheels had been hill-eating monsters. Carbon wheels on MTBs have all the time made sense for racing however give me pause on day-to-day using. The stiffness of carbon hoops, lighter weight, and improved dealing with really feel like a tradeoff for sturdiness. However the Rovals satisfied me in any other case: silent and lethal, in addition they held as much as loads of abuse. (Learn, crashes. Sorry, Specialised group!)

Talking of maintaining on — the Divine dropper put up was wildly response, making for an fascinating shock the primary few makes use of. It telescoped easily and actuated rapidly and remained so even after just a few spills.

Whereas the paint job shouldn’t be the deciding think about whether or not or not you purchase a motorcycle, the Epic 8 Professional’s chrome-inspired color-shifting was lovely. It impressed me, my 4-year-old, and random riders on native singletrack.

Mixed with the racy body geometry and environment friendly suspension, the parts made this bike fly. Take into consideration the Specialised Epic 8 Professional as a high-end, do-it-all bike. Each a part of this bike is able to cross-country race pace and accuracy, however it has the suspension journey to bust out on a path trip.

However to spice up your efficiency, you want the talents and the legs to leverage this bike. The Epic 8 Professional is a multiplier — no matter your base stage of talent is, the bike will specific that to the fullest.

Room for Enchancment?

For $9K, you’re going to get a pleasant bike. In right now’s market, that’s fairly common throughout manufacturers. Choices at this worth come all the way down to desire quite than to design flaws. That mentioned, there are just a few key notes to bear in mind.

For a motorcycle targeted on pace, it’s additionally remarkably competent relating to dealing with and luxury. But it surely’s a motorcycle for going quick, not going far. Full days within the saddle pushed the boundaries of the Epic 8 Professional’s potential to stay snug. It’s a small worth to pay for doubtlessly hitting a PR, however it’s one thing to think about.

I additionally had a really minor quibble: I didn’t just like the inventory grips — SRAM Slip-on with Twist-Lock. However that is from a persistent overgripper who wants the plushest of all grips. And complaining concerning the grips on a motorcycle of this caliber is the equal of complaining concerning the paint shade within the closet of a brand new home. It’s a small factor and a simple repair. However when the remainder of the bike works so effectively, you’ve acquired to discover a minor quibble or two.

Race Day: The place the Rubber Meets the Dust

As talked about, I rode the Epic Evo in final yr’s Iceman and was very serious about how the Specialised Epic 8 Professional would evaluate. I used to be additionally deeply anxious I’d be the slowest man on the fastest-looking bike within the race.

However when the jitters of the primary few miles wore off, I didn’t take into consideration time. I simply rode. Above all, this bike was enjoyable to race. The Iceman is a Midwestern race, so it skips the lengthy mountain climbs for a number of, punchy, steep wooded ascents. The Epic 8 Professional ate up hills that blew me up final yr on the Evo.

Different riders congratulated me whereas I used to be passing them (additionally very Midwestern of them), and I needed to shout again, “This bike is 22 kilos; I’m not working very onerous!”

The Iceman combines twisty singletrack with intermittent forest roads and double tracks. You move on the logging roads and hope to not get caught behind somebody sluggish on the singletrack.

When making a move about midway by the race, an enormous race-ending log peeked out from beneath the leaves of the second observe. With no room to swerve again in, I hopped it, because of the springiness and maneuverability of the Epic 8 Professional.

A full over-the-bars wipeout in free sand humbled me within the subsequent mile, however that was pilot error. There have been no dealing with shortcomings on the bike.

Shedding my water bottles within the crash and subsequent cramping stored me 3 minutes off my purpose time. Nonetheless, the Epic 8 Professional nonetheless carried me to 12-minute PR regardless of an extended, extra technical course than final yr.

Extra importantly, this bike raced like a dream, residing as much as its advertising and marketing hype. I went into this race considering the Epic 8 Professional was a really good bike however a bit of impractical for day-to-day using. It seems that I simply wasn’t using the bike quick sufficient throughout coaching. Once I approached my VO2 max, this factor simply ripped.

My solely situation now could be I don’t ever need to race on a unique bike.

Remaining Ideas: To Spend or To not Spend?

There’s no query; $9K is dear for a motorcycle. Is it much less spendy than it was? Positive, increasingly bikes emerge on this worth vary yearly. Nonetheless, the Specialised Epic 8 Professional and its specs are geared towards greater than a hobbyist. The “Professional” within the title isn’t some throwaway however quite a sign of your stage of dedication to the game.

A rider like me, who spends time on weekly singletrack rides and throws in a single to 2 races a yr, is healthier off investing within the lower-tier Evo. It’s a unbelievable bike that’ll carry out on race day with geometry that syncs higher with the realities of each day using.

However for those who’re targeted on pace and PRs and might afford to have a number of bikes within the quiver, otherwise you prize efficiency above all else, the Specialised Epic 8 Professional is for you.