Old Epic
Greddyl30pjg
Posts: 63
Hi Guys, new member here!
Had to sell the moto x bike due to house purchase so i thought id try and get back into mountain biking! Picked up this specialized Epic last week and would love to hear your opinions about the bike? Seems like it has hardly been ridden, absolutely perfect nick especially for an 03/04! Is the 'brain' rated or a gimmick? I dont know a massive amount but heres what i can see:
XTR front & rear mech, Hope Hubs, mavic rims, Hope discs, fox front and reat shocks with sp brain.
Again would like to hear your thoughts as my knowledge is lacking!!
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t285 ... to0015.jpg
Cheers,
Pete
Had to sell the moto x bike due to house purchase so i thought id try and get back into mountain biking! Picked up this specialized Epic last week and would love to hear your opinions about the bike? Seems like it has hardly been ridden, absolutely perfect nick especially for an 03/04! Is the 'brain' rated or a gimmick? I dont know a massive amount but heres what i can see:
XTR front & rear mech, Hope Hubs, mavic rims, Hope discs, fox front and reat shocks with sp brain.
Again would like to hear your thoughts as my knowledge is lacking!!
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t285 ... to0015.jpg
Cheers,
Pete
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Comments
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more pics more pics!!
for me, the most beautiful frame construction out there ..0 -
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Cheers guys, will add a few more pics in 2 minutes.
Is there anything that you would improve or as im practically a beginer would you leave as is?
The idea was to spend a bit so everything would be adequate...
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t285 ... Q-dqPK.jpg
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t285 ... to0010.jpg
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t285 ... to0013.jpg
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t285 ... to0006.jpg
Would be intrigued to know what you guys consider it to be worth to...??0 -
Adequate....its definitely adequate. Would probably be looking at quite a bit of spondool if you wanted to make it better, especially if the forks are still plush.0
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agreed, it's defenitly adequate. i would probably mess around with different tyres, saddle, grips, handlebar size and stem length to get the perfect one0
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The grips are being changed and so are the tyres.
Tyres have quite small nobbles, by the looks of them they are a compromise between road/off road tyres. Hardly any grip on muddy off road track!
Leaving the eason bars but i think i am going to try a few stems to see whats more comfy. Was going to buy a carbon seat post off the bay but i wasnt sure whether it was worth the money considering they just get scratched up when adjusted up & down??
Are there any other trick little bits i could change that i will not of thought of?!?
What would you guys consider this bike to be worth?
Curious to see if i got it for a good price as theres hardy any other old Epics to compare prices!0 -
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ADEQUATE!?!?! are you all mental, 5 years ago, most of us would have given our right leg for that! it really is a great bike for XC and racing, older perhaps, and not for anything overly hardcore, but very good nontheless, i would be prety darn stoked with that for a first bike... XTR, hope, fox and mavic on a first bike is like a rookie with a F! car, seriously jamy! nice one!I like bikes and stuff0
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Cheers mate, was worried i did wrong buying an older bike but thought as its in perfect nick, im practically a beginner and i didnt have 2K to spare it would do!
Again, any valuations?0 -
pedals. if you feel they haven't got enough grip then change them or get some clipless pedals and shoes0
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valuations are against forum rules....
if you are gonna chang anything, grips, tyres, saddles and pedals are all very personal things, so you can experiment, but essencialy its fine... tyres mite want changing as they are old...I like bikes and stuff0 -
Cheers for you opinions guys.
Apologies, didnt realise valuations were not allowed?? Odd rule?
Think ill stick with the v8 pedals as i like to have my feet free when i topple over..!
Other than that ill try and sort some tyres and grips for the time being i think!0 -
I had one of these a 2004 model, great bike, just get your local store to check the swingarm bearings, my rear suspention still went up and down quite nicely with no side play but when disassembled the bearings were stuffed and it took 6 weeks to get a replacement kit in, and they weren't cheap.
If you get some cash together grab a 100mm fork, you'll end up with a much more trail friendly than race oriented machine..........all
...at........work
fun..................&
..no.............no
.....is......play0 -
Cheers mate,
The swingarm bearings prone to going? Easy enough to take to bits and check yourself?
Im not sure how much travel the current forks have but i take it you mean increase to 100mm to have a more comfy trail ride..? Are those forks aimed more at uncompramising 'race' as you mentioned rather than steady trails? I dont think im gonna spend out on new forks, not yet anyways, to be quite frank at my level id probabily not notice the difference! Maybe after a bit more experience!0 -
Great bikes
Used to have one myself, found the brain to be brilliant (when it worked - mine was tempremental) - the '03 was the first production year that Brains were on Epics (I think it was '03), so they have been refined over the years, but a brilliant bit of tech nonetheless mate
Value wise, I know its against forum rules, but, mine isn't a valuation... I think I was very very very nice when I sold mine for £300 (admittedly, to a good mate, who still uses it most days!) IMO, it was worth more than that.
The only thing that was left 2003 on that bike though, was the frame.. lol, everything else was changed over time! (including a carbon link for sus, 2005 chainstay etc - swingarms etc are easy to take apart yourself, just keep a check on which washers etc go where!)
The bike too an absolute beating too.. I used it for more than just XC, and it was so responsive.. I still miss that bike sometimes!)
Must admit, most people would kill for that to be their 'first adequate' bike.... lol
If you wanted to know anything else, let me know, I'll see what I can remember!0 -
Nice ride i always liked the epic alot, the idea of the brain seemed very clever to me but i neva did own though.0
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Cheers Stav,
the brain does seem to work great, if anything it could be a little more sensitive but ive not really put it to task on v.harsh terrain. I believe the later models came with an adjustable brain which would be ideal but...beggars cant be choosers! Ill probabiliy take you up on your offer of advice as and when things start to break! (hopefully not in the near future!)0 -
Greddyl30pjg wrote:Cheers Stav,
the brain does seem to work great, if anything it could be a little more sensitive but ive not really put it to task on v.harsh terrain. I believe the later models came with an adjustable brain which would be ideal but...beggars cant be choosers! Ill probabiliy take you up on your offer of advice as and when things start to break! (hopefully not in the near future!)
Anytime Greddy (but yea, fingers crossed it's no time soon!)
The brain on the 03/04 models were less responsive than todays models, but thats just progress.. don't get me wrong, great shock, and when it works, it works! It did soak up the harsh bumps and worked when it needed to, and thats the brilliance of it, it can accelerate like a hardtail, but with that little helping of soaking up the bumps on the downs.. You'll love it, I've no doubt mate 0
