Specialized Epic World Cup hides 75mm

New XC race bike sees Specialized wave goodbye to top-tier hardtails

This competition is now closed

By Nick Clark

Published: April 20, 2023 at 5:00 pm

The new Specialized Epic World Cup is a full-suspension cross-country mountain bike designed for top-flight racing, with 75mm of rear travel.

The bike moves away from the brand’s long-standing Brain suspension system, instead using a new shock designed with RockShox that enables you to control the pressure of the negative air chamber.

The new bike does not replace the current full-suspension Epic, with Specialized labelling the Epic World Cup as its ‘Olympic Cross Country bike’.

The bike is only available in Specialized’s highest build tiers, S-Works and Pro. It also signals the death of the Epic Hardtail above the Comp level because the brand feels the Epic World Cup provides for all the needs of its elite riders.

The S-Works Epic World Cup is priced at £12,000/$12,000/€12,500, while the Pro build level is £8,500/$8,900/€9,000.

Bikes are available to order now, with some retailers already receiving limited quantities.

How does the new Specialized Epic World Cup? Read our first ride review.

The frame features a hardtail-like silhouette, similar to that of the Trek Supercaliber, with the rear shock integrated into the top tube.

Specialized has partnered with RockShock to develop the SIDLuxe WCID (World Cup Integrated Design) rear shock.

The new shock enables the bike to be set up in three distinct settings: No Gulp, Half Gulp and Full Gulp.

These settings refer to how much air is in the negative air chamber, which is controlled via a button valve on the shock’s body that leaks air from the positive chamber.

The firm ‘No Gulp’ setting requires maximum force to initiate the suspension system because there is no air in the negative spring.

The shock does not sag in this setting. Specialized says this means the system gives approximately the same amount of travel as a typical 100mm-travel rear suspension system set up with 25 per cent sag (a fairly standard setting for a cross-country mountain bike).

The brand says this is best for smooth courses.

The medium ‘Half Gulp’ setting has an increase in negative air pressure, which makes it easier to initiate travel, increasing small bump sensitivity for rougher trails.

Finally, the active ‘Full Gulp’ setting has maximum negative air pressure and features a more linear progression with a flatter spring rate.

Specialized has departed from the Brain suspension system, which uses an inertia valve to lock the rear shock while pedalling and opens it under impact.

The Brain has controlled the Epic’s rear shock since 2002 and Specialized sees the new shock as an evolution of the same principles.

The RockShox SID SL Ultimate still features a Brain damper, incorporating Position-Sensitive technology that enables you to sag 15mm into the fork.

Specialized says this provides small bump compliance and a firm pedalling platform without needing a remote lockout or lever flip.

The Epic World Cup uses a small linkage shaped like a dog bone hidden under the top tube.

Specialized says this size reduction increases stiffness because tolerances have been minimised compared to the larger linkage on the current Epic.

The new bike features a slacker geometry than the regular Epic, with the head angle one degree slacker at 66.5 degrees.

The bike also features a more aggressive 74.5-degree seat angle, compared to 75.8 degrees.

This is a common trend on cross-country bikes. As courses become more technical there are more seconds to make up on the downhill, making a more capable bike more competitive.

The S-Works frameset is manufactured using Specialized’s premium FACT 12m high-modulus carbon fibre. This saves a claimed 110g versus the Pro frameset.

Specialized says it has used what it learnt when developing the Aethos, the brand’s lightest road bike, when designing the Epic World Cup.

The new bike can accommodate up to a 36-tooth chainring, with both build options equipped with a 34-tooth chainring.

A full-length rubberised protector covers the driveside chainstay, which should keep the bike quiet while protecting the carbon beneath.

Home mechanics will rejoice to see the threaded bottom bracket, which has been a popular move by a lot of manufacturers.

Unlike many new cross-country bikes, which have shifted to flat-mount brakes, the Epic World Cup sticks with post-mount brakes, ensuring a wide range of compatibility.

Specialized has routed brake cables through the headset, giving a cleaner look to the cockpit. The brand claims this makes it less likely for hoses to be caught up in a crash.

Digital Writer

Nick Clark is a digital writer for BikeRadar, focusing on all things mountain bikes. Having raced XC for most of his youth, he has a deep understanding of the sport and loves bounding around the UK to spectate at events. A mountain biker at heart, Nick helped create a community of trail builders in his local forest in North Wales. Nick also loves road cycling, where he has completed the holy trinity of spectating at all three grand tours in their host countries. Described as having a good engine in his racing days, it’s now common to see Nick wheel-sucking on club rides and sprinting for town signs. He also enjoys bike touring and has completed numerous travels on the west coast of Europe, most recently riding from Lisbon to Roscoff. Nick has built many of his bikes from the frame up and has a keen eye for technical detail. He is currently riding a YT Capra on the trails and a Focus Izalco Max for the road.

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