Gone are the days when a date with a hardtail race bike meant paying for it for days to come. Now, the Epic Hardtail Comp’s reality-altering combination of comfort and capability in a lighter-than-life package means counting down the hours until you meet again.
Working towards the lightest bike possible has long been the race within the race, but at what cost? The battle of the grams certainly hasn’t been without its casualties, with hardtail XC race bikes coming to stand for a harsh, twitchy ride at the expense of capability and versatility.
But who said fatigue from fighting against your bike makes you any faster? Instead, recognizing that the fastest bike is more than simply the lightest bike, Specialized said out with the jarred-to-death tail, the measure-your-posterior’s-sorrows-by-the-yard tail, and in with the avant-garde tail. The ridiculously capable, mystifyingly comfortable, head-shakingly light, and all-around fast Epic Hardtail.
Sure, they optimized every inch of the Epic Hardtail frame to achieve the lightest production hardtail frame in the world anyway—but Specialized also prioritized their commitment to creating an Epic Hardtail that’s as capable as it is comfortable with aggressive singletrack-inspired geometry, increased tire clearance and a frame obsessively engineered for increased vertical compliance, all while creating a bike that lives and breathes the fundamentals of fast.
On the Epic Hardtail Comp, RockShox's long-beloved SID SL fork is tasked with handling suspension duties, while a full SRAM Transmission groupset leaves no doubts about why it sets the benchmark for accessible performance.
Key Features & Benefits:
- SRAM Drivetrain:Always the benchmark for affordable high performance, and the latest offering simply raises it even further.
- Carbon Frame:Ridiculously capable, incredibly light, and refreshingly comfortable.
- RockShox Fork:The SID SL doles out travel with a steady hand courtesy of RockShox's Rush RL damper, while Debon Air adjustability makes dialing in suspension performance a breeze.
Full Specification:
- Frame:Specialized FACT 11m, Progressive XC Geometry, Rider-First Engineered™, threaded BB, 12x148mm rear spacing, internal cable routing
- Fork:Rockshox SID SL, Rush RL Damper, Debon Air, 15x110mm, 44mm offset, 100mm Travel
- Number of Gears:12
- Gear Shifters:SRAM AXS POD Controller
- Chainset:SRAM S1000 Eagle, DUB, 165/170/175mm, 34T
- Chainrings:34T
- Rear Cassette:SRAM XS 1270 Transmission, 10-52t
- Chain:SRAM GX Transmission
- Rear Derailleur:SRAM S-1000 Eagle Transmission
- Bottom Bracket:SRAM DUB Threaded Wide
- Pedals:Not supplied:Shop pedals here
- Rims:Specialized 29, 27mm inner width, 28h, tubeless ready
- Front Hub:Specialized alloy, sealed cartridge bearings, 6-bolt, 15x110mm thru-axle, 28h
- Rear Hub:Specialized alloy, sealed cartridge bearings, 6-bolt, 12x148mm thru-axle, 28h
- Front Tyre:Specialized Fast Trak, Control Casing, T7 Compound, 29x2.35
- Rear Tyre:Specialized Renegade, Control Casing, T5 Compound, 29x2.35
- Brakes:SRAM Level Bronze 2-piston, Stealth, Front: 180/160mm rotor, Rear: 160mm rotor
- Handlebars:Specialized Alloy Minirise, 10mm rise, 750mm, 31.8mm clamp
- Handlebar Grips:Specialized Trail Grips
- Stem:Specialized, 3D-forged alloy, 4-bolt, 7-degree rise
- Saddle:Body Geometry Power Sport, steel rails
- Seatpost:Specialized Alloy, Single Bolt, 30.9mm
- Accessories:N/A
- Weight:MD - 10.37kg (22 lb, 13.8 oz)