Specialized Epic 8 Evo Review: “Short” Travel Evolved – Spencer Harding | The Radavist | A group of individuals who share a love of cycling and the outdoors.

With the latest iteration of the Specialized Epic 8 Evo, Specialized pushes their XC bike as far as they are willing to go. The Epic 8 Evo Comp ($5000) features 10 mm more suspension travel than the non-Evo model, a full suite of Fox parts, and a carbon frame with SWAT storage. How does this bike stack up against the rest of the downcountry field? Read on…

Specialized Epic 8 Evo Quick Hits

120 mm rear wheel travel
130 mm fork travel
FACT 11m Carbon frame
SWAT downtube storage
Comp Spec (as reviewed) $5000
Colors: Satin Dark Moss (reviewed), Gloss Sea Foam
29 lbs 10 oz (size XL, no pedals)

What In The Epic?

Specialized has four versions of bikes that fall under its Epic umbrella: the Epic Hardtail, the standard Epic 8, the Epic 8 Evo (reviewed), and the Epic World Cup. The Epic Hardtail is, of course, a hardtail, and the Epic World Cup is a world-class XC bike for the world stage. Both the standard Epic and Epic Evo share the same linkage-driven single-pivot suspension design, which is more traditional than the Epic World Cup, with its shock tucked under the top tube. While sharing the same 120 mm rear suspension as the Epic, the Epic Evo sports a 130mm fork. That over-forking gives the Evo a .5-degree slacker head tube angle and just a bit more confidence for the rough stuff.

Epic 8 Evo Frame Details

The Epic 8 Evo has a bunch of nifty features tucked into its carbon chassis. One that has become standard these days, which nonetheless I still appreciate, is the downtube storage. The SWAT 4.0 cover is simple and secure. The bike comes with a small bag to carry some ride essentials which never proved noisy while riding.

Beyond the downtube storage, you will notice that the main triangle fits two full-size bottles. The seat tube has an exaggerated angle to allow for a second bottle to mount under the shock while also allowing for dropper post insertion. You won’t be able to run the longest droppers on the market, but having two full bottles for summertime in Tucson was a greatly appreciated feat of engineering. I haven’t ridden another full-suspension bike that accommodates two bottles since my time on the Scott Spark 910. The Spark maximized a traditional triangle framebag space, while the Epic Evo would require a more custom bag due to the shock position.

While eschewing headset cable routing, the Epic 8 Evo sports fully-sleeved internal cable and housing routing in the carbon layup.

The frame protection is well executed on the Epic 8 Evo. The downtube sports a long clear film on the bottom and a smaller section for a water bottle rubbing on the top of the bottom bracket junction. The bottom bracket has rubber protection against impacts. The chainstay also sports a strip of chain slap silencing pad.

The frame detailing is well thought out and elegant, what one would expect from a premium product from one of the big three bike brands.

Epic 8 Evo Geometry

Despite the “Evo” in the name, the Epic 8 Evo is not pushing any boundaries in the geometry department. With a constant 65.4º/65.9º head tube angle across the size range, we are solidly within the range of modern slack head tube angles. The seat tube angle is size-specific, starting at 76º for an XS and slackening to 75º by size M through XL. These numbers create a solid climbing position that is balanced, with a slack enough head tube angle to be a capable descending bike.

If history repeats itself, the current Evo model will inform the next generation of standard Epic geometry, as a similar pattern can be seen in the previous generation of Stumpjumper Evo and the current Stumpy. While the geometry numbers might not shock anyone, that should not distract from what a well-balanced bike the Epic 8 Evo is. It may not be an evolution in geometry, but rather an evolution of a mid-travel XC into an all-around trail bike.

Comp Build Spec

Frame: FACT 11m Carbon, downtube storage, threaded BB, internal routing
Fork: Fox 34 Performance 130 mm, Grip Damper
Shock: Fox Float Performance, Evol LV, Ride Dynamics Tuned, 2-position compression adjust
Wheels: Specialized Alloy 29, 27mm internal width, tubeless
Brakes: SRAM Code Bronze Stealth, 4-piston caliper
Drivetrain: SRAM S-1000 Eagle Transmission
Dropper: X-Fusion Manic, 30.9, 170mm travel
$5000

The Comp-level build is the lowest tier for the Epic 8 Evo, but it still entails many excellent component choices. First off, Fox’s suspension front and rear are darn well good enough. I’m still enamored with the Fox Perfomance level of products. The rear shock sports a custom valving for the Epic 8 and a simple two-position damper. The Fox 34 Float is all I could want in a fork, with a simple Grip damper and a solid lockout if it’s ever needed.

Now, the main reason I took on this review was to peek under the hood at SRAM’s new S-1000 level Eagle Transmission drivetrain. With the drivetrain only being offered OEM, I had to get it on a bike to take a look. The S-1000 drivetrain brings all the advantages of SRAM’s new Transmission system to any hub with a Shimano HG freehub and, of course, a UDH dropout.

This new line of Eagle Transmission should bring the wireless transmission to a new lower price point below the current GX system. This also proves that a 10-tooth smallest cog can be made to work with an HG freehub. I am curious about what tinkering avenues the new S-1000 cassette being offered in an HG-friendly format will allow, it seems there will be some spacing issues to make this fit in a standard non-UDH frame though.

Regardless, the S-1000 transmission makes good on every promise of the SRAM system. I’m actually worried about swapping back to my older bikes that don’t shift nearly as well under load. This new pricepoint does not affect the quality of the Transmission drivetrain writ large.

The Epic 8 Evo is covered in an array of forgettable Specialized components that all serve their purpose. Standouts are the tires, with the Purgatory T9 up front maintaining traction and the Ground Control T7 keeping the rear wheel speedy. I swapped the stock Power Sport saddle for one with Specialized’s 3-D printed Mirror technology. My sit bones were enamored with this same saddle during my Diverge STR review, and I wanted to try it properly on the trail. I love the Mirror saddles, hands down. They’re expensive, no doubt, but my ass loves them.

SRAM Code Bronze 4-piston brakes kept the bike easily in control the entire time. The rest of the Epic lineup uses lighter-weight SRAM Level 4-piston brakes, while the Evo uses the more powerful/slightly heavier Code 4-piston brakes.

The X-Fusion Manic dropper post felt dated and short in today’s sea of long-as-hell droppers. Specialized has incorporated a larger pivot bearing into their post lever, which makes the experience much smoother.

The wheels are house-branded alloy hubs and rims which are nothing to write home about as they functioned as good as one could hope. I’ve had great luck with Specialized tires and hold them in high regard despite their very poor choice of names like Purgatory, Butcher, Eliminator, and Cannibal. The Ground Control with T5 rubber kept the rear wheels spritely and true to its XC roots while the Purgatory with T7 rubber supplied enough more grip and knobs to keep the front end from washing out. I’ve had great luck with the GRID casings down in the pokey desert and these tires likewise worked flawlessly.

The Comp level spec hits all the marks for my sensibilities. If I had my druthers, the spec would have been Shimano hydraulic brakes and I would probably upgrade the dropper post as the Manic wore out. Besides those gripes, the Epic 8 Evo Comp had a solid and effective selection of components.

Suspension Design

The Epic Evo utilizes a linkage-driven single pivot that is simple and effective. A flip chip on the yoke end of the shock allows for a high and low setting. Swapping between the settings will change the head tube angle by .5 degrees as well as changing the bottom bracket height by 5 mm.

The Fox Float Performance Evol LV shock comes with custom valving designed by the Ride Dynamics team specifically for the Epic. This gives the bike a claimed “12% more bump absorption and 20% less pedal bob”. That is a level of specificity that I cannot speak to, but that’s the claimed specs.

Epic Riding

The Epic 8 Evo climbs and descends impressively, considering its modest travel and relatively simple suspension design. After my time on a Spot Ryve, I wanted to see if my complaints about that bike were simply about carbon full suspension bikes or something in the Ryve. Well, it seems my gripes about the Ryve are not present in the Epic Evo, mainly a very top-heavy and tippy feeling while braking. The Epic Evo is damn near a dead ringer for the geo of my beloved Ripley AF, except about a few pounds lighter. That loss of weight has a perceptible effect on how rugged the bike feels, especially when the chunder gets deep. Nonetheless, the Epic Evo held its ground.

A bike with the DNA of a World Cup-level XC bike should climb like a bat outta hell, and the Epic Evo does just that. There must be some magic in that Ride Tuned custom damper. The suspension provides minimal pedal bob and a supportive hammering platform when it’s needed.

Pointing this bike downhill it doesn’t pull any punches. It is not the most supple suspension I’ve ridden, but as I always say, there isn’t much room to feel the small bump and midstroke within 120 mm of travel. The combination of the slightly longer fork and slacker head tube angle make the Epic Evo a plenty capable descender. The 11m carbon frame kept the whole package light and snappy on its toes as I finessed my way through techier trail sections.

In short, if your rides involve a fair balance of uphill pedaling and descending, the Epic 8 Evo does both exceptionally well. This is not a park run plower or a KOM killer – it’s just a great trail bike.

Final Thoughts

This bike climbs effectively and has decent lockouts on both shocks if you are going to be on hardpack or pavement for an extended period of time. Descending on the Epic 8 Evo has the limitations you would expect on a 120mm travel bike, but that is only a limit on one’s skill to pilot it.

I wanted to review the “lowest-end” build for the Epic 8 Evo, which is still $5000. It would be so easy to affirm that, yes, the $10k S-Works edition is awesome. The Comp spec, at the low end of builds offered, still features wireless shifting, a full suite of Fox suspension, and a carbon frame. The Epic Evo is a great bike; balanced, light, and simply fun as hell to ride.

I had originally written that I wished the same Comp level spec was available for the aluminum version of the Epic, the Chisel. Just a few days ago specialized released their Chisel Comp Evo, which looks sweet for $1400 dollars less. The parts spec is a bit different but still well chosen. I haven’t ridden the Chisel, but I can only assume many of my positive thoughts about the Epic would carry over.