After more than 10 years riding hardtails I've made the switch to a full-susser. The last time I had squish at both ends of my bike was when 26in wheels and double chainrings were still in style!
When 29ers first appeared on the scene their bigger, better rolling wheels made full suspension redundant for the XC racing I was doing. The bike was lighter and the large diameter rubber rolled over roots and rocks without needing 100mm of extra travel in the frame. I also love the purity and lightweight nimbleness of a hard tail, giving a telepathic feel and connection with the terrain beneath you.
The geometry of 29er's progressed and the technology too making a full-suss 29er the most common bike out on the trails and at races. Still I stayed loyal through three generations of S-Works hardtails. So why the change now?
The marketing says that bikes need to be more "capable" for todays riding, but that isn't true for me. I'm still riding the same trails I always have and the race courses aren't so challenging that I've ever felt uncomfortable on a hardtail, even without a dropper post.
The truth is age has caught up with me. Gone is the confidence of youth when I used to plough over roots as fast as I dared. A bit of my brain now wants a slightly larger margin of error, which I hope the suspension will provide. Riding with friends I can see I'm loosing ground when the trail gets choppy, and in races I'm unable to hold the wheel ahead when there are lots of roots to navigate.
Also my worn out body needs the comfort. The long training rides preparing for and then riding the South Downs Double ruined my back. I've never had problems in this area before, but this year has seen months when I've been unable to sit down comfortably in a chair.
So here she is my new Epic Evo.
By fitting a 100mm fork, the head angle drops back a degree to the same 67.5 degrees as the race day Epic. It also drops the bottom bracket height to a few millimeters above the regular bike despite having 10mm more travel.
So how does it ride? After two rides I love it! Riding along is so smooth it is like cheating. I admit it felt so different to start with that I actually stopped after 100 meters to check everything was tightened up! But after tuning the pressure there is almost no bob from the suspension when pedalling, but it smooths out the trail beautifully. Coming from years on a hardtail I do feel a bit disconnected from the ground. So I haven't really pushed my boundaries with the bike yet. The most noticeable benefit so far is taking a step up on a climb over a root or rock. There is much more traction as the rear wheel hugs the ground, plus there is the chance to stay seated.
The slacker head angle is what has actually taken the most getting used to. At the first slow speed tight turn through a gate onto the local disused airfield, it felt like I was steering one of those bendy buses you get at the airport. Slow and ponderous. Then when I reached some faster single track I was constantly turning in too late for all the corners.
So some practice and more time in the saddle is needed, but the bike fit itself is perfect. It's taken me a while to get comfortable on new bikes previously, but I just slipped onto this bike like a silk glove. At 5ft 10" I'm exactly on the cusp between a Medium and Large according to the Specialized website. I've got a pretty average 32" inside leg measurement for somebody my height and there is absolutely no way I needed a large. I've fitted a 70mm stem to match how the XC Epic range is supplied from Spesh and feel like I'm sitting perfectly 'in' the bike, not perched on top, or too stretched out.
The weight? 9.8kg or 21.6lbs.
Let me get some more miles under my belt and I'll report back again.
