Following in the trail broken by the much-loved (and fantastically-named) Yelly Screamy, Canfield Brothers’ long-awaited EPO hardtail is the brand’s first carbon offering. Staying true to the Brothers’ aggressive roots, the EPO is built for all-mountain use (and abuse).
Two years in development, the EPO is designed around a 140mm fork at the front, which yields a stable 66.8° head angle. The back end comes ready to play, with short-for-29er 16.3in (~415mm) chainstays. “As a high-end brand focused on technology and performance, carbon fiber is a natural evolution for us,” says designer (and brand co-owner) Lance Canfield, but “strength and durability will always come out ahead of weight savings.”
“The geometry was designed to be fun and playful—especially when pointed down—just like all of our bikes. The EPO is all about ‘injecting’ carbon hardtails with some fun.”
The EPO frame is said to weigh 3lb (1,450g) and to be among the first carbon frames to pass new ISO all-mountain strength standards. While Canfield are no strangers to boosting the jumps, the frames ship with 142mm axle spacing. ISCG chain guide and direct derailleur mounts are also featured. Going against the industry trend toward incessant creaking, the bottom bracket shell is 73mm wide and threaded.
The Canfield Brothers EPO is offered now in medium and large sizes with with white, blue, or red graphics. Pricing from UK distributors Cranknuts is a fiver shy of £1,500