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That’s so interesting. YMMV, I really agreed with it.
Circling back here, bike nerd is correct that you gotta lean the Dissector for proper cornering… But if you do, it rewards you very very well. I would not write that off as a front tire.
Hey all,
In my experience a few things are true
- Every bike change is in some ways a concession.
- What matters most is your trails and your riding style in determining the best type of bike for you.
- You still need a bike that fits your body.
@taxonomy you describe the geometry changes fairly well. However describing those changes doesn’t necessarily make them bad changes. In general, the slacker and longer approach creates a more balanced platform for climbing and descending. However you are correct that if you go too big or too slack, especially for your trails or body type, you’ll have a less maneuverable bike. It will take more effort at times to weight the front wheel or to handle a tight technical turn. I recommend Lee McCormack’s stuff on bike sizing as he focuses on bike handling.That being said, not everyone needs the newest geo for their riding style or trails. Stuff like the Neuron can provide a comfortable and familiar platform for many.
@knurrli I learned a lot from this discussion too. I think the most helpful thing is to determine the range of bike trails you’ll ride before picking the bike. The Spectral 29 looks like a great bike with great geo, but it’s more of an all mountain bike. If you are more concerned with comfortable climbing and having a lot of bike on the way down for larger features, it’d be nice. But it’s really different than a short travel bike. If you are looking to do longer rides, or fast XC style laps, the extra travel and weight will affect you in the long run. For me, I ruled that out. I didn’t want extra bike on my 4th 8-10% climb of the day 🙂 But if I was getting a bigger bike, the Spectral would be on the list.
The epic Evo has handled all the downs and tech effectively (Moab, bike parks, etc.) and been a fast and efficient bike for bigger or faster rides (XC race, etc.). That’s the range that worked for me.
The EE is less progressive than the Spur, Ripley, but it’s a matter of a few small degrees. The bigger difference to me outside of front center is the lower front end. Many EE owners add riser bars or a shorter stem to effectively increase the stack, and shift away from the XC race feel that it can shift towards.
I have ridden mine hard for ~1500 miles on XC, trail, and some downhill park stuff. I’m not crazy aggressive but rock gardens, jumps, and the occasional drop are regular occurrences. I’m not concerned about it’s durability at all.
I do think the Ripley/Spur types will feel slightly more grounded on descents. But you can possibly find an Epic Evo in stock or used for 1-2K less than the others. The others will have less inventory and higher prices.
I would consider the trails that make up the bulk of your riding and go from there. If I lived in Moab, I would have steered towards more trail-y downcountry bikes. I don’t, and the Epic Evo is fast, efficient, capable, and awesome.
That’s heavy!
A big reason why I went epic Evo. I’m running Dissector/Rekon at ~27 lbs right now in large frame without many other weight savings upgrades. (could easily shave off grams with carbon wheels, new cassette, cranks, etc.)
The new SID forks are quite good IMO as well. I don’t think anyone would call them supple but they are more than adequate for most of the “downcountry” style trails.
Sorry, just saw this!
@B2DBB – I have no regrets with the Epic Evo at all. I love that machine. In fact, I did an XC race series locally (first one ever) as it was such an enjoyable and fast bike. I have the aforementioned Dissector/Rekon tire combo on there now, and the speed/traction combo is addicting. (I go with lighter tires for XC events). The bike is pretty easy to dress up or dress down for XC vs. trail riding.I find the suspension to be plenty adequate for my rowdier days, but YMMV. It still is an “XC tune” suspension so it leans on the firm side to give an efficient pedaling platform. It has handled the roughest stuff I’ve gone on; if anything, I simply need to pick lines more carefully.
I would have no problem recommending the Ripley or Spur or new Trail 429 either, though I have no experience on them (Blur TR looks great as well). I would imagine they would be more the light bike for trail riders, whereas the Epic Evo feels more like the aggressive bike for XC riders. I was very wary of going too heavy, so the EE fit the perfect spot for me. Others might fear going too light and opt for Spur/Ripley/Trail 429. All will likely be awesome.
I personally have questions about the no-ventilation Spark rear shock. That makes me nervous. It looks amazing, though.
Sorry for the delay, and I hope this helps!
Interesting thoughts. I couldn’t find a spur anywhere but that jives with the reviews. Agreed that the seat post is too high on the Evo. I tend to think tires will help it feel more grounded descending as well.
It’s great to have all these options. It’s hard for me to see much value in a heavier trail bike given this evolving bike class.
Interesting! What were the main differences? I think the other site DC reviews had the Spur as the more stable descender which makes sense.
Thanks that helps. Tires have always confused me. I settled on Ardent races on my old 26″and threw on an old Nevegal on front for rougher trips. That seemed to work ok for my riding.
The epic Evo stock tires are comparable but the rear one is lacking in anything not hardpack. I’ve actually found little fault with the front ground control thus far.
My plan had been to keep this setup until a trip, where I’d change the front tire and move the ground control to the rear. Looking into Rekon/Dissector or perhaps one of the Specialized ones as they’re relatively solid value.
Thanks for the help. The rim size did scare me off a bit since I wasn’t sure it’d maintain tire shape.
bike nerd, correct me if I’m wrong but the Maxxiss Dissector 2.4 is a wide trail and would not work with the stock Epic Evo wheels?
Not sure if this is applicable still, but the 2021 model Epic Evo might be your answer.
Probably can’t go too wrong with any of them, but here’s a value comparison if you’d like: https://99spokes.com/compare?bikes=scott-genius-930-2021;*z.MD%20High|w.29,canyon-spectral-29-cf-9-2021;*z.MD|w.29,specialized-stumpjumper-evo-expert-2021;*z.S3|w.29
I think the Spectral will give you more bang for your buck (make sure it’s the 2021 version), but the new Stumpjumpers have gotten great reviews as well.
I’d also make sure you know what terrain you’re riding, that you’re comfortable with your price point, and that you know what’s in inventory these days. Just starting out, you can certainly get a very adequate bike for much less.
bike nerd, you asked.
Keep in mind my reference point – a 2012 26″ 100mm travel XC bike.
The one word to describe the Epic EVO is speed. Strava times aren’t the be all end all – we ride for the fun of it – but I have shaved off 60 seconds off sections of single track that I have ridden hundreds of times overnight – all while being more comfortable and, frankly, having a lot more fun!
1. It is an exceedingly efficient pedaler, and carries it’s momentum exceedingly well. Rolling sections of trail where I used to slow on the mild ascents beg for acceleration. The bike responds very, very well to any power from the rider.
2. The bike is a very comfortable and efficient climber – unless I’m on pavement, leaving suspension open is perfect, as it neutralizes any bumps on seated climbs. Also, very responsive on punchy sections where you want to get out of the saddle. If I want to go full gas, this bike will respond up any climb.
3. The bike has been a superb descender (unless super windy, more on that below). I have only ridden small & medium chatter, but the suspension has gobbled it up. Straight line runs – even relatively steep ones – have been very, very fun. The geometry certainly inspires confidence, and I have never felt like I “only” had 120mm/110mm of travel. It has left me – a pretty conservative rider – looking for more aggressive lines.
4. While I do lust after the roval wheelset of the higher builds, I have been very pleased with the SLX groupset. I think it punches well above its price point and. leaves little to be desired. I have been especially pleased with the 4 piston brakes, and the drivetrain has responded, even under pressure.
The main things I need to get used to:
1. Handling. I’m going from a 26″ to a 29″ where I am slightly up sized. Given the speed that this bike carries, I have to do a little more prep work going into tight corners or windy sections of trail. It takes more effort to turn than I am used to and, frankly, my prior ride probably let me correct errors in this area much more easily. This is probably due to geometry (my prior HTA was 70.5* so more weight over front tire) and overall length of the bike.
2. Saddle/Dropper Post. Since I upsized (5’10” and got a large), the saddle height is just a smidge too high at its highest point with the seat post jammed as far in as possible.
I started out my research thinking I needed a 130mm trail bike, thinking the XC category was not aggressive enough for me. While I haven’t ridden many of those bikes, the Epic Evo has raised the ceiling in every area – climbing, descending, and fun. It’s likely a perfect bike for many riders who don’t want to be downhillers, whose local tracks are full of lengthy climbs and flowy descents. I couldn’t imagine needing more bike than this.
Yes it does. I replace it each time I fall and the foam cracks, and I’m not on my first helmet…
Brake rub. Feels like when I get it perfect in the stand, first mile is rubbing again.
I guess I need a better workout?
Definitely will do on the tires. My local trails are pretty XC in nature, so I will give these a chance. Plus, SO MUCH is new to me – 29er, dropper post, slacker, up-sized – that I need to just get used to before making too many tweaks. But I planned on a new tire setup, at least for the bike park days or trips elsewhere!
Quick update here… I bought a very lightly used 2021 Specialized Epic Evo Comp today. I’m 5’10” and went with a large (my height is the cutoff between large and medium). In case it helps, here’s what went into my decision:
1. I couldn’t really make a wrong decision. Coming from where I came from, every bike I looked at was going to feel otherworldly.
2. Inventory is low. I was in no rush. Constantly monitoring deals, just to see what might come up on the short list. If I found a deal, I could go for it; if not, be patient and it’ll happen eventually.
3. Can’t pass up a good deal. I bought the bike for $3400. It was purchased new in October 2020, and ridden 60 miles. The awesome seller was choosing to keep pursuing more all mountain bikes.4. Weight matters. Coming from a 24-25lb XC bike, seeing the 29-31lb weights of others (Ripley, Neuron CF 7/8) just didn’t feel right to me.
5. I had a heart to heart with my riding style. As long as I’ve been looking and researching (6+ months) I have never bottomed out my 100mm suspension. I have never been over biked on my old 26er. Every trail I’ve ridden would be easily mashed by the Epic, let alone the Epic Evo. Did I really need that 130-140mm bike? I decided no. The Epic Evo will be much better going both up and down than my current setup. No lingering questions.
6. The Epic Evo was progressive enough. Especially sizing up (a little), the Evo’s 66.5* HTA and 74.5* STA etc etc etc were enough for me. Others were more progressive (Izzo, Ripley, Stumpy) and I felt concerned with Neuron’s conservative numbers (same with Jet 9, Trail 429), but the Epic Evo felt like it hit the sweet spot.
7. Reviews. The new specialized lineup has gotten rave reviews. Obviously that only tells one so much. But if I’m being honest, I didn’t want a Specialized/Trek/Giant when starting my search. Something a little less ubiquitous was my hope. I got over myself and tried to think logically.I wrote too much here, but I wanted to thank you all for contributing. Without this thread my (almost new) Epic Evo wouldn’t have been on my radar. And now, she’s hitting the singletrack tomorrow morning!
Still researching the new Specialized models – it’s more widely distributed in my area so may be easier to find! I can’t find a Transition Spur anywhere and they won’t even backorder.
dlawson – excellent thoughts to my original questions. I have been leaning Ripley (if I can find it), as it seems you can bike it up, bike it down, and the sizing for me leaves no questions of sizing up or not.
Local trails being XC focused does hang me up a bit…I do like PRing climbs, and it would be tough to spend thousands to get slower…but I imagine that’s mostly a function of, well, me (and tires), and I’m confident that I’ll be more comfortable and have more fun.
Bike nerd – I will definitely keep you posted. As dlawson says, this is a tough time to buy with lack of inventory & demo, so I will keep holding out for the item I know want. Fortunately, many DTC brands & other retailers offer some sort of free return.
At this point, I would rank Ripley as 1A for what it’s worth. The geo & reviews seem spot on. 1B. is likely upsized Neuron as I can’t get over the price for spec…yet.
I need to look into the Epic EVO – coming from an XC bike I am a little gun-shy about staying too far on this end of the spectrum, though I am intrigued about maintaining uphill efficiency & speed. The new Stumpjumper is now on the list as well as it looks very, very nice.
Early on, I ruled out Santa Cruz & Yeti based on initial price research. That’s a tough sell for me.
