Specialized Pumps Up The Epic With The New 2019 Epic EVO

Specialized overhauled the Epic lineup around this time last year, dropping the horst link FSR pivot and a whole load of weight in the process. A new, refined Brain shock and damper joined the party, as did refreshed geometry and a shorter 44mm fork offset that helped to calm down the Epic’s previously jittery handling. As I found in my review of the 2018 Epic Expert, it’s a totally different beast.

In typical UK bike journo fashion though, I found myself lamenting the lack of a dropper post and aggressive tyres. And given how good the Epic’s handling is, I wondered what it might feel like with a bit more travel up front. It certainly felt ready to go faster.

Looks like Specialized has been listening to similar feedback, because for 2019, it’s releasing a new EVO version of the Epic.

XC riders wanna have fun too right?

Specialized’s general idea with an EVO model is to take an existing bike, then pump up the spec in a few key areas to create a more rowdy-ready bike. In the case of the Epic, there are four main points of difference over the regular Epic;

Longer fork: 120mm travel, up from 100mm
Wider bars: 750mm up from 720mm
Dropper posts: 100-125mm travel depending on size
Bigger tyres: 2.3in wide Ground Control & Fast Trak combo

The frame itself is the same, as is the Micro Brain rear shock and 100mm of rear suspension travel. The longer 120mm fork (up from 100mm), kicks the angles back a bit, while bigger 2.3in wide tyres should offer more traction and comfort on chunky trails. Add in a party-post and wider handlebars, and you’ve just ticked off four items from our guide on how to add more confidence to your XC bike.

The 2019 Epic EVO comes with a beefier 120mm travel fork bolted to the same lightweight 100mm travel frame.

Given that many riders will make these sorts of changes to their XC bike over time, the fact that the Epic EVO comes with this kind of setup out of the box could make it a whole lot more appealing than the regular model.

There will be two Epic EVO models available in 2019 – the Comp and the Expert. The Expert uses the same FACT 11m carbon fibre frame as the current Epic models, but the Comp gets a brand new M5 alloy frame, making it the only alloy Epic model – EVO or otherwise. Read on for the key features for the new EVO, along with specs and UK pricing.