Specialized Epic Hardtail Pro Carbon World Cup Bike - 2017

If you ask us, it had been too long since hardtails got their world shaken up. Well, our all-new Epic Hardtail Pro Carbon World Cup does just that. New geometry, crazy low frame weight, and a build from the racing gods—this bike is ready to shatter the mold. To do so, we built the entire frame from our superlative carbon fiber, FACT 10m, and then we took some cues from our road bikes. We borrowed the Rider-First Engineered™ concept that originated with the Tarmac. Now, the frame design applies specificity to every tube size and carbon layup for every frame size. This creates the optimal balance of rigidity, weight, and responsiveness, so every frame, regardless of size, performs just as we intended. We've also tweaked the geometry for more speed and stability by slacking-out the head tube angle, lengthening the top tube, and correcting the seat tube angle. This way, it feels more planted then ever, and frankly, it's stupid fast. We also widened the rear spacing to 12x148mm and included internal split-housing cable routing. For the build, this Epic hits right on the money, opting for a custom-tuned RockShox SID w/ Brain fork, SRAM X01 Eagle 12-speed shifting, and hand-built Roval Control wheels.By pairing a FACT 10m carbon fiber frame with our XC 29 Geometry, this Epic places a focus on tight tube angles and light overall weight for explosive speed and nimble handling on the race circuit.The Custom RockShox SID 29 w/ Brain fork provides 90/100mm of efficient travel. It features Brain technology that distinguishes between terrain and rider input in order to maximize your power, while a Brain Fade adjusts the oil flow when not hitting bumps.SRAM's 12-speed X01 Eagle groupset features a wide gear range that delivers climbing and descending efficiency in spades. On top of this, the one-by setup is notorious for being next to impossible to drop a chain with, plus it provides a significant weight savings in comparison to a standard 2x setup.