The Epic World Cup is the fastest XC race bike in the world on smooth to moderately technical courses, combining unmatched efficiency, control, and lightweight construction. World Champion Christopher Blevins praised it as delivering everything wanted from a hardtail plus the control and capability of full suspension. This speed machine was created through a totally integrated development approach, a radical new shock design, and four decades of off-road winning experience. The frame delivers maximum speed through ruthlessly efficient power transfer and precision handling by setting new standards in torsional rigidity and BB stiffness. The engineering team merged a structurally superior double diamond layout with the shock cradled inside the top-tube, finished with the most sophisticated composite layup in Specialized history. The revolutionary SID Deluxe WCID shock, co-developed with RockShox, gives riders the efficiency and snappy response of a hardtail plus the control, capability, and momentum-carrying of full suspension with simple setup. It features unique independently adjustable positive and negative air springs to deliver hardtail "snap" combined with terrain-devouring forgiveness and easy personalization for specific courses or rider preference. The shock can be set firm to ride like a hardtail or opened up for chunk-squashing capability, with the flexibility to tune anywhere on a spectrum from firm to soft. The 75mm of rear travel delivers control and capability of a much longer travel bike because it's designed to be ridden at or close to topped-out, yielding the same positive travel as a 100mm travel bike set up with 25% sag. The spring-rate is tuned to be relatively flat through the mid-stroke to handle the majority of bump forces like a longer travel bike. The custom Mega Jounce Bumper, an industry first due to its large size, plays a crucial role in smoothly managing bottom-out on the biggest impacts. The RockShox SID SL fork with 3-Position Race Day 2 damper borrows the all-new Epic 8s "Magic Middle" tune, providing support under pedaling and 110mm of bump-muting, active suspension in rough terrain for ultimate efficiency. With a frame weight of just 1,915 grams painted with shock and all hardware, the Epic World Cup edges out the lightest competitors. This translates to faster acceleration, more efficient climbing, and more agile handling. The featherweight and monster stiffness were achieved by applying lessons learned from the Aethos, the lightest production road frame ever made, specifically the advanced composite layup and tube shapes. The all-new Epic World Cup frame features Ride Dynamics Developed suspension technology and 75mm of optimized rear wheel travel, delivering unmatched pedal efficiency and readiness for the roughest descents without requiring lockout switches. The SRAM GX transmission builds on what top riders need in shifting performance and robustness, perfectly matched for the brutal demands of modern Cross Country racing. Hand-built Roval Control carbon wheels feature a modern 29mm internal-width hookless rim that maximizes strength, ride quality, and durability while keeping weight to a minimum.
