{"id":406,"date":"2008-09-23T18:09:09","date_gmt":"2008-09-23T16:09:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conradstoltz.com\/the-sweetest-bike-of-all-2009-specialized-epic-s-works\/"},"modified":"2008-09-23T18:09:09","modified_gmt":"2008-09-23T16:09:09","slug":"the-sweetest-bike-of-all-2009-specialized-epic-s-works","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conradstoltz.com\/index.php\/the-sweetest-bike-of-all-2009-specialized-epic-s-works\/","title":{"rendered":"The sweetest bike of all. 2009 Specialized Epic S-works"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"2009<\/p>\n

The 2009 Specialized Epic S-works.<\/a><\/p>\n

The press has hyped the bike up and Susi<\/a> won the XC World Champs on it, but DANG, I was especially surprised by: a) the suspension and b) the weight. And, yes, it is a really pretty bike<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

As you can see in the background, I tested the bike on a not-so-old lava flow at Edison snow park outside Bend, to see how the new Specialized Armadillo Elite (Fast Trak 2.00) tires would hold up through the sharp lava. I ran into big lumps of sharp lava as hard as I could (to test the tires for tire cut resistance) but every time the suspension just ate up the much anticipated jolt<\/strong>. When the suspension is not active, bike is 100% rigid- unlike anything I’ve felt since… well, since my Tarmac road bike. The New Epic’s suspension is definitely a few cuts above the “old” Epic. And I’m sure many cuts above anything else out there.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

As for the weight, I haven’t weighed it yet! I’m blogging from my hotel bed in Las Vegas, (Dirt Demo and Interbike) and haven’t had a chance to weigh the bike in its full race get-up yet. The fork and frame alone saves 700g on the old bike and when I load the bike on the back of the car it feels like I can wave it around like a stick. Susi’s<\/a> bike weighs 19.1 lbs, but mine definitely<\/em> doesn’t weigh 19lbs, just like I definitely<\/em> don’t weigh 138lbs.<\/p>\n

– Edge XC wheels.<\/strong><\/a> What great wheels. What great company. What great people. Even the logo kicks ass. I’ll blog about these puppies (and their sickeningly light Edge tubular<\/em> MTB wheelset) shortly.<\/p>\n

– SRAM and Avid.<\/strong><\/a> I have been riding SRAM parts and Avid brakes exclusively since 2002. I like parts that work. I like parts that can stand the rough and tumble life of traveling, racing and having the Caveman as your mechanic\/rider.<\/p>\n

– Titec<\/strong><\/a> handle bar, stem and bar ends. Gotta love their website.<\/p>\n

– LOOK Quartz Carbon Ti pedals.<\/strong><\/a> Nice and light (109g) but more importantly, Caveman proof. I lost a World title once due to another “nice and light” pedal not loving the Maui lava rocks.<\/p>\n

– Osymetric chain rings.<\/strong><\/a> I hate them, they feel horrible, don’t buy them, they dont work, the website is in French. Stay away from the egg shaped rings!<\/p>\n

– Squirt chain lube.<\/strong><\/a> The only<\/strong> lube. The chain stays clean, quiet and your drive train lasts noticeably longer.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The 2009 Specialized Epic S-works. The press has hyped the bike up and Susi won the XC World Champs on it, but DANG, I was especially surprised by: a) the suspension and b) the weight. And, yes, it is a really pretty bike. As you can see in the background, I tested the bike on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[24,43,69,73,78,102,108],"tags":[232,1749,1754,1760,696,716,824,1027,1092,1094,1112,1164,1836],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n