We’ve just spotted some early release photos of the updated Specialized Epic FSR – and while we don’t have official details, it looks like one of the most successful cross-country full-suspension platforms has had a bit of a makeover. We heard a new one was coming but it looks like a RedBull athlete (note the bottle) has let some images sneak out onto social media.
By the looks of the frame, some of the tubes have been slimmed down, most notably the chainstay swingarm. It’s easiest to see the size difference behind the chainring, where it used to stand at least twice as tall.
This Golden Epic of Sauser from 2014 shows how tall the chainstays were.
No Horst Link for the new Specialized Epic
But there is also no Horst Link pivot near the drop out – which has long been a patent for Specialized. Presumably they are relying on carbon flex to achieve the same result, and dropping a pivot will save weight, maintenance – and even improve lateral rigidity.
No more Horst Link.
It’s also obvious that the Brain is entirely new. It sits further back, lower, and must be barely half the size. There is every chance that the position closer to the axle – and therefore axle path – allows for a more rapid response.
It’s also branded RockShox, which is a new development. Time will tell what the changes are, compared to the previous version.
You can see the hose still going up to the shock, so the system must be the same – just modified.
Apart from that it looks like the seat tube is a little wider, allowing what might be a 30.9mm seat post as opposed to the 27.2mm post. If so, this allows Epic riders a few more options for dropper posts.
Apart from that, it doesn’t look like the frames are 2x compatible, and they also look like they could be a little slacker too. The frame and fork would undoubtedly be Boost spacing. The two bottle mounts within the mainframe remain, and we presume the SWAT tool fitting at the shock mount is there too. It’s almost certain the bike will be lighter, and quite possibly have some proprietary parts or technology that we can’t pick up from these images alone.
It’s all conjecture until the official release, but it looks like the Specialized Epic has had some serious updates for the future.
Note: images sourced unofficially from Facebook, details based on presumption.