Remember the last time you watched a circus performance? Full-grown adults feeding their inner child with playful athleticism. They creatively dance as if no one is watching, and we happily pay to watch. That’s precisely the Peter Pan vibe that I look for in a mountain bike ride, and in the bike itself. It’s not what I expected to find in a race-focused XC build like this Specialized Epic 8 EVO.
Test pilot profile height: 175cm (5’9″) weight: 75kg (165lb) testing zone: Bellingham, Washington
The Epic 8 is a prime example that our trail toys have reached a crescendo. Stated plainly, this is the lightweight and fun-focused bike I have been waiting for. Starting at the 65.4° head tube angle, with a 41mm BB drop (size M, tested), and 435mm chain stays across the size range, this little XC ride learned everything it knows from the gravity sleds it cuddles alongside in the shed.
The standard Epic 8 pogos around on 120mm front and rear. All EVO models have an extra 10mm of squish under the bars, larger lugged trail tires, and a set of SRAM Code stoppers that would only be mounted on gravity bikes in years past. For former XC nerds like myself who love to climb and descend with equal moxie, the Epic 8 fills a stable space like nothing before.
Specialized Epic 8 EVO key specs
- Weight: 28lb (size medium as tested)
- Suspension travel: 130/120mm front/rear
- Price: $4,599 to $13,999 ($4,999 as tested)
- Buy from Specialized
The up and down of it
The Specialized Epic 8 EVO climbs like an XC bike. It’s that simple. The bike wants to go up, and it will ascend as fast as your watts demand. The shock lockout is rigid, the bike is wicked light, and the rear tire tread is designed to eat as few of your watts as possible.
With the shock open, the rear tire can hang up on roots until you learn when and where to give it a little lift. I was frustrated with this “hardtail” feeling on the first couple of rides, and since I learned how the Epic wants to play on technical trails, I haven’t given it another thought. A slight press into the shock before roots give the bike all the upward-and-onward it needs.
Tightrope walking seems a decidedly skillful and focused endeavor. Descending black diamond trails on a 120mm bike is far less so, but it does beg you to remember some skills and finesse that a 160mm rig doesn’t require. Big bikes allow straight lines and a fast-n-loose style; the Epic 8 EVO requires the rider to be “locked in” and “present” for the same trails. With less travel, you’ll need to hop more roots and soak up some landings with your body when the travel terminates. I found these changes put a smile on my face. Not as fast, not as easy, though super rewarding.
All of the bike’s stiffness and responsiveness translate to precision and poise, not jitters or nervousness like some XC machines. I’ve had no issue finding traction on the Epic 8 EVO, provided I pay attention. I let several friends ride it who are all more talented and looser riders than myself, and so far each of them is trying to figure out how to buy one. Specialized has nailed the spry trail experience with this bike in a way that’s infectious.
The seemingly regressive shock tune does require a keen sense of landing on technical trails. When you hop from one large root to the next, you’ll want to make sure you can reach the back side of the landing. Since the first bit of travel requires some extra oomph to actuate, it can become hung up and slow things down. Coming from a longer travel rig, this was another element I had to relearn. It forced me to pay more attention to where I was and where I was going to be. Focused in the present moment. My therapist would love this bike!
Epic 8 EVO frame details
A pair of flexy carbon wishbones out back takes the place of a rearward pivot, saving a set of bearings that are often quick to need servicing. Those stays flex linearly as the shock moves, and the lateral stiffness out back is impressively stout. The rear of the bike snaps to attention under side loads and feels every bit as stiff as other carbon bikes I’ve ridden. I’m endlessly impressed that frame engineers can dial a carbon layup to be laterally stiff, flexes at a rate that plays well with the shock’s compression and rebound circuits, and stops flexing when the shock runs out of stroke. Well done, y’all!
Main pivot protection is important where I live, and Speciaized has clearly heard from the mud-ride constituency. The Epic 8 has a chink of rubber between the front and rear triangle at the main pivot that does well to keep larger debris out of the nutcracker. I have heard a few distinct crunches as small rocks and detritus pass through the gap, but I have yet to find any cracks or missing paint. This is a common failure point on carbon full suspension frames, and it seems this little purple bike is slop-ready.
Circus performers gotta eat, and the Epic 8 has a snack pocket. The downtube storage is easy to operate, and it holds enough grub for a 3-4 hr ride in cool weather. I’ve managed to cram a tube, a small jacket, and some gummies inside. Anything more runs the risk of getting stuck, but I can wear a pack if I need to haul more crap.
The snack pocket door houses a bottle cage and a handy multi-tool. Pretty rad. Behind all that, you’ll find space and mounts for a second bottle. Two bottles. This really is a good XC bike.
The headset has a plastic thingy that prevents the bars from spinning around and smashing brake levers into the top tube. This is definitely an XC problem, as most trail and gravity riders don’t need to mount their bars that low, but it’s cool that Specialized found a solution. That plastic piece does make some noise and seems to let more water into the headset than I would like, but a little marine grease mostly solves that situation.
Clear tape on the downtube and chainstays does a great job to protect vulnerable areas of the frame, and the rubberized black protection bits are well placed to keep the bike stealthy quiet on trail.
| XS | S | M | L | XL | |
| Crank Length | 165mm | 170mm | 170mm | 175mm | 175mm |
| Handlebar Width | 760mm | 760mm | 760mm | 760mm | 760mm |
| Stem Length | 50mm | 50mm | 50mm | 50mm | 50mm |
| Seatpost Length | 125mm | 125mm | 150mm | 170mm | 170mm |
| Stack | 606mm | 600mm | 601mm | 613mm | 632mm |
| Reach | 385mm | 415mm | 445mm | 470mm | 495mm |
| Head Tube Angle (low) | 65.4° | 65.4° | 65.4° | 65.4° | 65.4° |
| Head Tube Angle (high) | 65.9° | 65.9° | 65.9° | 65.9° | 65.9° |
| BB Height (low) | 322mm | 327mm | 329mm | 331mm | 331mm |
| BB Height (high) | 327mm | 333mm | 335mm | 337mm | 337mm |
| Front Center | 690mm | 720mm | 751mm | 782mm | 815mm |
| Chainstay Length | 435mm | 435mm | 435mm | 435mm | 435mm |
| Wheelbase | 1121mm | 1151mm | 1183mm | 1214mm | 1247mm |
| Bike Standover Height | 754mm | 761mm | 766mm | 775mm | 779mm |
| Seat Tube Angle | 76° | 75.5° | 75° | 75° | 75° |
Geometry
Little big bike? This is the sort of geo that leaves folks saying “I had no idea XC bikes were so capable” and “wow, my old trails just became more fun with way less travel.” The slack headtube does a LOT of work here, as does the elongated reach (compared to XC bikes a few years back) and the droopy bottom bracket. The Epic 8 EVO does far more mistake eating than I thought a 120mm bike was capable of.
Epic 8 EVO Comp build
On first glance, the Epic 8 EVO looks like a shrunken enduro sled with a slacker seat tube angle, and far less squish. For the most part, it is just that; however, the 150mm dropper (size M) seems woefully short, the 20mm riser bar too low, and the gaping saddle cutout had me convinced that there were immediate upgrades in store for this ride to ride well. I was wrong. I adapted as humans do, and after a few pedals, I don’t even notice those bits.
If I built this bike from the frame up, I would use very similar components. The burlier Code brakes and chunkier Purgatory/Ground Control tires are smart places to spend some weight, helping the short-travel platform punch above its feather weight. I’ve been riding in typical PNWet conditions, and this tire combo has proven impressive throughout. The rear will get away from you if you let it, but some focused weight distribution helps it grip, and the climbing speed it affords has proven worth a little slip.
Riders might eventually swap for a lighter wheelset, dropper post, and handlebars, but those changes are “nice to have” and not necessary. The Epic 8 build is stellar from tip-to-tail, right out of the box.
Speaking of wheels, this set is worth keeping around for a hot minute. The stock Specialized wheels have held true on trails well outside their scope. They do become flexy and a little noisy when loaded up in a rough run, but a little flex is far better than no wiggle at all. Building a wheelset that can handle years of trail abuse while not weighing more than the customer wants is no small accomplishment, and these hoops are a solid compromise.
On the squishy side, I haven’t always loved the standard Fox GRIP fork damper. It doesn’t offer much adjustment, and the compression circuit can feel a bit meek – at least on long-travel fork models. This current iteration from Fox flips that script. The compression switch offers some meaningful change, and the air spring is easy enough to hone through a few rides. With fewer damper knobs to tune, air pressure accuracy and the number of volume spacers become even more important, but the elusive sweet spot is achievable.
Share your Specialized Epic 8 EVO review
I do wish Specialized offered the Epic 8 EVO with a 130mm Pike, or Fox 36 SL with the Grip X2, but that’s just my personal damper and stiffness preferences. Overall, the suspension spec on this bike is appropriate and sweet for the price.
The Fox Float shock seems to have a regressive tune, providing a solid platform for jamming watts uphill and allowing the bike to readily use its mid and deeper travel. I added a larger volume spacer to sharpen the end of the stroke and loved the way the bike rode. Ya can’t “point it” like a 160mm bike, but 120mm is 75% of 160mm, so it does damn well to smooth the way ahead.
The tried and true SRAM GX build is as dialed as ever, offering not even a single complaint throughout testing. I also rode a friend’s Epic 8 EVO with the new S1000 wireless shifting, which was a fun experiment. While batteries won’t make my trail experience any better, I enjoyed trying something new, and that T-Type Transmission’s crisp shifting under load is pretty nice.
Pros
- Lightweight, responsive, stiff where it matters
- Fantastic descent prowess for its travel
- Appropriate build spec lets the bike excel
Cons
- Shock tune takes some getting used to
- 150mm dropper on medium may be too short for some
- 20mm riser bar may be too low for some
Bottom line
Of course, the Epic 8 EVO is for XC racers. And maybe the EVO is for folks who race BC Bike Race and raggedy rips of the like.
It’s also for people like me. Folks who love XC style riding, but want a bike that’s far more capable than their previous race steeds. A short-travel bike emboldened with some of the aggressive readiness that their 40lb enduro rig offers.
If you’re ready to ditch the safety net of endless travel and rediscover what made mountain biking feel like play in the first place, the Epic 8 EVO is ready to be your ringleader.
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