EPIC LEGENDS AND
TRIPLE CROWN HEROES
The Epic Series links the Cape Epic, Swiss Epic
and The Pioneer. All three are world-class events,
running from 5-8 days mixing singletrack, dirt
roads and mountain passes as a pairs race. Some
say it’s gruelling, others say it’s summer camp
for adults. But if you knock off all three, you are
deemed an Epic Legend – and you get a medal for
your pool room.
Closer to home, Cape to Cape, Port to Port and
Reef to Reef make up the Australian Triple Crown- and there is now a belt buckle for those who
have completed all
three. Whether it’s
something you wear
with pride on casual
Fridays in the office,
or something to
hang on your tool
board in the garage
is up to you. But it’sa
nice memento andmarkof
achievement for thoseriderswhohavecompleted
3 of the most popular4-daymountainbikeevents
in Australia.epic-series.comSpecialized’s 775g MTB frame
What is the lightest mountain bike frame in the
world? Questions like that always bring some
heated argument on the internet, however when
Specialized released their all-new Epic hardtail
with a 775g frame in a medium, that’s seriously
light, and Specialized claim it is the lightest
production mountain bike frame in the world.
We’re pretty sure it’s the lightest mountain bike
frame that any one of us can order from a bike
shop, but there might be boutique frames out
there with paint scraped off that could weigh the
same or a little less.
The S-Works Epic hardtail frame sells for
$3700, or you can buy the Specialized Epic
Hardtail Comp for $3900 – and you get a whole
bike. The change in carbon compared to the
S-Works frame means a weight gain of about
140g, which is probably easier to swallow for the
weight savings.
The Epic hardtail is not just about light weight
as Specialized really refined what a hardtail
should do. The wanted to make a fast bike, but
they know that speed is compromised when
comfort and capability are not recognised. So
the carbon layup has been optimised so there is
reduced overlap in areas that don’t need it, and
to keep as much vertical compliance as possible
while maintaining the rigidity needed for power
transfer. With a move to a threaded bottom
bracket shell for reduced maintenance compared
to a press fit option, Specialized also upped the
seat tube diameter to 30.9mm, opening up the
range of dropper posts and increasing how much
drop they can have.With clearanceforupto2.4”tyres,a 68.
degree head angleandextendedreach,theEpic
hardtail is fully #newschoolfortheXCcrowd.If
you’re after a rocketship,youroptionhasjust
landed at Specializeddealers.FAST TRACKhttp://www.ambmag.com.au - 19