The 2013 Specialized Epic Comp 29er Gets You Lots of Bang For Your Buck
The S-Works version was ridden to victory in the men's cross country race in the 2012 Olympics, but at $10,000, it puts it a bit out of most rider's reach.
What you may want to check out is The Comp version, which features their M5 aluminum and uses the same FSR suspension design, offering 100mm of rear-wheel travel.
It's geometry is 29er specific — meaning it has short chainstays, a low bottom bracket, and a large downtube for all day comfort.
Here are some of the finer points of this bike:
•Specialized and Fox blend their brains to develop the FlowControl Mini Brain shock with Brain Fade inertia valve, air spring, and adjustable rebound for World Cup - and local trail - domination.
•RockShox Reba RLT 29er fork with 100mm travel, rebound/compression adjust, and Floodgate control allows this 29er to soak up rocks like no other
•Specialized Hi Lo disc hub with 142+ spacing and sealed cartridge bearings has a higher flange on the disc side, which stiffens the wheel in this high-stress area.
•S-Works The Captain 29 x 2.0" front and S-Works Renegade 29 x 2.0" rear 2Bliss Ready dual compound tires work together to deliver exceptional speed and traction while minimizing rotating weight.
•SRAM's venerable X9 long cage rear derailleur is super tough and light, yet delivers pinpoint shifts in the worst conditions.
The Epic Carbon Comp 29er is Specialized least expensive model in the family to come equipped with a composite frame but lesser fiber blends are used relative to the top-end versions. This helps keep costs down. Also, the Comp model has a welded aluminum rear triangle instead of a full-carbon setup yet it still has cartridge bearing pivots throughout.
XC trail proven four-bar rear suspension design gives 100mm of travel, and Specialized Brain auto-lockout controls when the shock moves for you. The front triangle is carbon, which saves some weight, and fast-rolling 29" wheels devour obstacles and maintain momentum.
On rougher terrain the Epic is more than proficient at maintaining tire contact and makes good use of its 100mm of travel; yet still delivers that familiar smooth, plush ride that can help reduce fatigue over the course of a long day.
The rear is where we see Specialized stand out from the crowd, as their auto-lockout FlowControl Mini brain rear shock controls the rear suspension as well, so supple performance is also paired with superb pedaling efficiency. Now that Fox Racing Shox handles the manufacturing, these latest units are holding up much better.
Specialized doesn't equip the Epic Comp Carbon 29 with a thru-axle fork but front-end rigidity is still better than one might expect even when there are a lot of lateral loads on the front wheel, making those excellent handling figures quite predictable as well. The bulbous carbon main triangle includes a tapered head tube and matching aluminum steerer while the conventional quick-release open dropouts couple with giant hub end caps that offer better bracing against unwanted movement than conventional dimensions plus a thru-bolt skewer with a resposite lever design.
Come to The Spoke Shop today to check out this and many more incredible bikes. We'd love to take one off the wall and let you test ride it. You can find us at 1910 Broadwater Ave. in Billings MT. Online at www.spokeshop.com, or by phone at (406) 656-8342
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