Specialised payments its Epic 8 Professional mountain bike because the “quickest XC bike on the earth” 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.
A little bit competitors is wholesome for a household. If not precisely true, it’s what I informed 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 quick and sensible 6 weeks, I secured a loaner Epic 8 Professional to try to repeat final yr’s win of my household bracket.
Briefly: The Specialised Epic 8 Professional is a motorbike that desires to go quick, interval. Its light-weight carbon development, top-of-the-line elements, and 120mm of journey make for a PR-destroying, race-ready bike that obtained our author in a bit of over his head (which he turned out to like).
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Tremendous gentle and environment friendly chassis and suspension kinematics -
Very useful damping settings on shock -
Built-in energy meter included -
Race bike DNA, however with 120mm suspension
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Geometry is race day oriented, not for lengthy adventures or on a regular basis using -
Costly
Suspension and Body Dynamics
The Specialised Epic 8 Professional dealt with properly, due to a mixture of elements designed to get essentially the most pedaling effectivity potential out of a full-suspension bike. The RockShox SID ULTIMATE fork and rear suspension mix for 120mm of journey. This was satisfactory for something from rock backyard navigation to touchdown soar traces.
The three shock-damping settings — open, pedal, and lock — had been spectacular. These had been ridiculously efficient — extra so than on some other suspension I’ve tried. The total lock felt like pedaling a hardtail. And the “pedal” setting was a Goldilocks perform that tightened up below rider inputs and allowed extra give when the path obtained 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 normally between L and XL body sizes, however final yr’s Giant sizing on the Epic Evo was the right candy spot.
The Epic 8 Professional had a distinct really feel. The extra aggressive geometry and decrease stack made it really feel a bit small. It’s price contemplating a dimension up, however understand that the geometry is most probably extra aggressive than your each day driver. This can be 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 challenge that turns your bike right into a single-speed.
That mentioned, I didn’t have a single drawback with shifting all through the numerous check 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. If you happen to’re spending this a lot cash on a motorbike, you probably already personal an influence meter. However it was good to have one in-built.
Different Options of the Specialised Epic 8 Professional
Though suspension and drivetrain are the most important contributors to efficiency outdoors of the body, the Specialised Epic 8 Professional had different notable options.
SWAT downtube storage might be divisive on the web, however I cherished it. Purpose one: a secret compartment! Purpose 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 staff!)
Talking of protecting 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 shortly and remained so even after a number of spills.
Whereas the paint job shouldn’t be the deciding consider whether or not or not you purchase a motorbike, the Epic 8 Professional’s chrome-inspired color-shifting was stunning. It impressed me, my 4-year-old, and random riders on native singletrack.
Mixed with the racy body geometry and environment friendly suspension, the elements 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 velocity and accuracy, but it surely has the suspension journey to bust out on a path journey.
However to spice up your efficiency, you want the abilities and the legs to leverage this bike. The Epic 8 Professional is a multiplier — no matter your base degree of ability is, the bike will specific that to the fullest.
Room for Enchancment?
For $9K, you’re going to get a pleasant bike. In at this time’s market, that’s fairly common throughout manufacturers. Selections at this value come right down to desire quite than to design flaws. That mentioned, there are a number of key notes to bear in mind.
For a motorbike centered on velocity, it’s additionally remarkably competent in terms of dealing with and luxury. However it’s a motorbike for going quick, not going far. Full days within the saddle pushed the boundaries of the Epic 8 Professional’s skill to stay snug. It’s a small value to pay for probably hitting a PR, but it surely’s one thing to contemplate.
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 power overgripper who wants the plushest of all grips. And complaining in regards to the grips on a motorbike of this caliber is the equal of complaining in regards to the paint coloration 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 properly, you’ve obtained to discover a minor quibble or two.
Race Day: The place the Rubber Meets the Grime
As talked about, I rode the Epic Evo in final yr’s Iceman and was very excited by how the Specialised Epic 8 Professional would examine. 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 laborious!”
The Iceman combines twisty singletrack with intermittent forest roads and double tracks. You cross on the logging roads and hope to not get caught behind somebody sluggish on the singletrack.
When making a cross about midway by way of the race, a large race-ending log peeked out from below the leaves of the second observe. With no room to swerve again in, I hopped it, due to 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.
Dropping 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, dwelling as much as its advertising hype. I went into this race pondering 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 challenge now’s I don’t ever wish to race on a distinct bike.
Last Ideas: To Spend or To not Spend?
There’s no query; $9K is pricey for a motorbike. Is it much less spendy than it was? Positive, increasingly more bikes emerge on this value 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 degree 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 improbable bike that’ll carry out on race day with geometry that syncs higher with the realities of each day using.
However if you happen to’re centered on velocity 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.