THINK FASTEST: The Epic World Cup is the fastest XC race bike in the world on smooth
to moderately technical courses thanks to its unmatched combination of efficiency,
control, and light-weight. World Champ Christopher Blevins said it best, “This thing gives
me everything I could want from a hardtail, plus the control and capability of full
suspension.” All it took to create this speed machine was a totally integrated development
approach, inventing a radical new shock, and four decades of off-road winning
experience.
FRAME OF REFERENCE: To deliver maximum speed through ruthlessly efficient
power transfer and precision handling, our engineering team set and achieved new
standards in torsional rigidity and BB stiffness. This feat required an integrated
development approach that merged a structurally superior double diamond layout
with its shock cradled inside the top-tube, and finished off with the most sophisticated
composite layup in Specialized history.
• SHOCKINGLY FAST: The Specialized Ride Dynamics team conceived of and
invented a revolutionary shock technology for the Epic World Cup that gives the rider
the efficiency and snappy response of a hardtail PLUS the control, capability, and
momentum-carrying of full suspension—all with a simple setup. Co-developed with
RockShox, the SID Deluxe WCID shock utilizes a unique independently adjustable
positive and negative air springs to deliver the sought-after hardtail “snap”, combined
with terrain-devouring forgiveness, and the ability to easily personalize set-up for a
specific course or tune for rider preference and feel. Set it firm and it rides like a
hardtail or open it up and you have a chunk-squashing ripper. But you aren't just
limited “open and closed,” the simple nature of its setup allows the rider to set on a
spectrum of firm to soft.
• PUNCHING ABOVE ITS CATEGORY: The Epic World Cup’s 75mm of rear travel
delivers control and capability of a much longer travel bike. Because it’s designed to
be ridden at or close to topped-out, it yields the same positive travel as a 100mm
travel bike set up with 25% sag. To further optimize suspension performance, the
Specialized Ride Dynamics team tuned the spring-rate to be relatively flat through the
mid-stroke to handle the majority of bump forces like a longer travel bike. Due to its
large size, the custom Mega Jounce Bumper is an “industry first” and plays a crucial
role in smoothly managing bottom-out on the biggest impacts.
• HAVE WE LOST OUR MINDS? SORT OF: While the new, and groundbreaking SID
Deluxe WCID shock provides the unique blend of support and compliance in the rear,
the BRAIN is still alive and well in the fork. Its Position-Sensitive technology allows
riders to sag into the fork 15mm for a balanced ride, providing supple small bump
compliance and a firm pedaling platform without the need for a remote lockout or
levers to flip.
• THE WEIGHT IS OVER: With a frame weight of just 1,765 grams (painted with shock
and all hardware), the Epic World Cup edges out the lightest of competitors. This
translates to faster acceleration, more efficiently climbing, and more agile handling.
And all of that adds up to speed. We achieved the featherweight and monster
stiffness of the Epic WC by applying what we learned in the development of our
Aethos, the lightest production road frame ever made, specifically the advanced
composite layup and tube shapes.
• THE BIGGEST FLEX IS NO FLEX: The Epic World Cup sports the full suite of Roval
Control SL components: 1,240-gram wheelset, 180-gram seat post, and 250-gram
integrated cockpit (70mm x 780mm). Each boasting peerless light-weight, stiffness,
and control on the World Cup today.