[EPIC accessories] Toys to the toy

1982

Came home with an Epic Evo -13 yesterday and sure it seems to be a nice bike but I know I'm gonna search for improvements during the winter so.. why wait? =0) Clarifying - I like to do some research and thats why I post this thread.

Dropper seatpost - Which one is the best and why do you think so? Is carbon any good yet compared with aluminum? Some thoughts about good/bad remotes and hose drawing is also interesting, do not have possibility to draw it internal.

Bottle cage/tool box - SWAT XC kit seems nice but does not fit my frame, some good alternatives or maybe a SWAT adapter plate?

Mudguards - Been using a SKS fitted under the down tube, should work on this bike to. Something to think about choosing one fitted on the fork/between the shocks? Rear fender, any news here.. saddle hugger?

Bike stand - My old using the rear QR don't fit this one, what should I use when parking the bike on the floor?

Shock pump - Firm and relaibly, have an old one to my fatty but maybe a good idea to upgrade.

Protection for me - Knee and elbow protection, something more that is recommended except the obvious like helmet and glows? Good brand that works well for XC.

Protection for the bike - Skid plate, bash guard (34T single sprocket), fork/shock protection more than stickers, frame sliders and so on.. what is "plausible"? =0) Lower front shock adjustment feels a bit risky in that position, anything to do or hopefully not a problem?

Briggo

1982 wrote:

Dropper seatpost - Which one is the best and why do you think so? Is carbon any good yet compared with aluminum? Some thoughts about good/bad remotes and hose drawing is also interesting, do not have possibility to draw it internal.

Reverb for me, what carbon dropper post is there? Not come across one but might just be my lack of knowing.

1982 wrote:

Bottle cage/tool box - SWAT XC kit seems nice but does not fit my frame, some good alternatives or maybe a SWAT adapter plate?

Er one that holds your bottle? It's a bottle holder for christ sake, tool kit can go in your little pocket in your shorts/bag/jersey.

1982 wrote:

Mudguards - Been using a SKS fitted under the down tube, should work on this bike to. Something to think about choosing one fitted on the fork/between the shocks? Rear fender, any news here.. saddle hugger?

Get dirty

1982 wrote:

Bike stand - My old using the rear QR don't fit this one, what should I use when parking the bike on the floor?

Er, use the floor to park your bike on the floor?

1982 wrote:

Shock pump - Firm and relaibly, have an old one to my fatty but maybe a good idea to upgrade.

All shock pumps are the same and all do the same job so 'upgrading' isn't really a possibility, the beto style one just rebranded about 10 trillion times and are around 10-15 quid.

1982 wrote:

Protection for me - Knee and elbow protection, something more that is recommended except the obvious like helmet and glows? Good brand that works well for XC.

Prevention is better than cure, don't fall off. (Although make sure you got a helmet as it makes you look cool ok)

1982 wrote:

Protection for the bike - Skid plate, bash guard (34T single sprocket), fork/shock protection more than stickers, frame sliders and so on.. what is "plausible"? =0) Lower front shock adjustment feels a bit risky in that position, anything to do or hopefully not a problem?

Helitape for the frame, bashguard if you really want. Skid plate? Er no.

Oh and do not put on any of those fork guards that wrap around the stanchions they keep in grit and don't really keep it out.

felix.london

1982 wrote:

Dropper seatpost

Reverb

1982 wrote:

Bottle cage/tool box

qué?

1982 wrote:

Mudguards

use your ar$e, back, face etc

1982 wrote:

Bike stand

the ground

1982 wrote:

Shock pump

any

1982 wrote:

Protection for me

661 Rage or Fox Launch Pro for knees. 661 Subgear if you want some lightweight elbow/shoulder protection

1982 wrote:

Protection for the bike - Skid plate, bash guard (34T single sprocket), fork/shock protection more than stickers, frame sliders and so on.. what is "plausible"? =0) Lower front shock adjustment feels a bit risky in that position...

Depends where and what you ride. Sounds like you've got a single ring set-up so get a chain device with integrated bashguard. MRP? Probably overkill. Hope Lightweight Bashguard? "Lower front shock adjustment" - do you mean the rebound adjuster on the fork? Should just pull out

prawny

If you really want a bottle cage recommendation the Elite Custom Race is the best cage ever.

Muckynuts and Crud catcher combo keep shoot out of your face.

rockmonkeysc

prawny wrote:

If you really want a bottle cage recommendation the Elite Custom Race is the best cage ever.

Muckynuts and Crud catcher combo keep shoot out of your face.

What exactly makes that bottle cage better than any other bottle cage?

cooldad

It says elite, and custom, and race. Do keep up.

prawny

RockmonkeySC wrote:

prawny wrote:

If you really want a bottle cage recommendation the Elite Custom Race is the best cage ever.

Muckynuts and Crud catcher combo keep shoot out of your face.

What exactly makes that bottle cage better than any other bottle cage?

Bottle cages vary massively, some are properly crap. I've used a few, and this is the best for keeping bottles in.

1, it's cheap
2, bottles don't rattle out on drops/rocky bits
3, they're stong enough to take a whack without getting bent out of shap/snapping.

Edit, feck knows why it's called custom though. I bought mine from decathlon and there were loads the same :?

JBA

And they come in red, thereby making any bike to which one is fitted faster and adding to rider awesomeness.

rockmonkeysc

I have two elite custom cages on my r**d bike and they are no better or worse than any other cage I have used.
To be honest I prefer a camel back on my mountain bikes.

prawny

I've got 2 on my roadie one on my Rockrider and one on my saracen.

Before I had the Elite ones I had some tacx ones which were fine with tacx bottles but others rattled around which is annoying, especially as tacx bottles aren't that great. Wouldn't have trusted them off road.
Metal ones can be ok, but bend easily, I lost a bottle down a bank over the chase when one I had got a little kink in it.

I use bottles on my mtb if I'm only going out for a quick ride. I can't be botherd to clean out my camelbak if I'm only going to drink 500ml or so. So I only use it if I'm going out for 2 hours or more, or if its filthy muddy and I don't want to eat deer shit.

1982

Thanks! MRP and Muckynuts is very interesting, about the bottle cage I already have BBB carbon but to my FS I want one with acces from the side. About carbon dropper post I noticed it still is in "testing phase":

http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/news/artic ... how-36783/

Does anyone know for sure if XX-grip shift is compatible with X0 rear derailleur? Have 1x10 today with X9 trigger to my X0.

"Recommended Group: XX" That's all I found yet...

The Rookie

XX will work with X0 10 speed yes, not 9 speed (obviosly!).

Mojo_666

Dropper Seatpost
RS Reverb

Bottle Cage, Tool Box, Lunch Box, Food Stash, Spares Compartment, Coat Hanger
Camelback Mule

Mudguards
Powa Dfender for the front as it is the only one that keeps crap put of my eyes, I'm not worried about the back.

Bike Stand
Feedback Sports Folding

Shock Pump
The one that came with my Fox

Protection for Me
661 Evo's

Protection for the bike
Carbon rock gaurd, heli tape and chain stay neoprene wraps

1982

What do you think about this one? 2012.. sent a question to the them anyway and asked if it will fit 2013 with OEM protection sticker/1mm thickness.

http://www.rockguardz.com/specialized/e ... arbon.html

Mojo_666

1982 wrote:

What do you think about this one? 2012.. sent a question to the them anyway and asked if it will fit 2013 with OEM protection sticker/1mm thickness.

http://www.rockguardz.com/specialized/e ... arbon.html

That's the make I use, it has saved my fram half a dozen times already.

1982

Cool, ordered one after confirming that 2012/2013 have exactly the same geometry =0)

Bash guard with OEM chain guide (1x10), is it possible and which one?



This one (without the chain guard included)?

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/se/e ... -prod61234

The Rookie

Won't work no, you'll need a static one

1982

Should be able to modify OEM chain guide but then I want spares if things go south...

Anyone know some magic site with Specialized part numbers/exploded view? My lbs couldn't tell me the part number, not during the weekend anyway, would also be nice when it comes to other parts.

According specification:

"Custom Specialized EVO XC DMD chain guide for 1x10"

1982

So far:

• XX Grip Shift
• MT8 carbon clamps for my MT6 brakes instead of X9/MT6 aluminum clamp
• MJ 880 front light
• BI Light lazer/led back light
• Rock Guardz
• Mucky Nutz fender of all kind
• MRP Bash guard with modified OEM chain guide
• BBB carbon bottle cage

The MT8 carbon clamps was not listed yet = no part number so they where hard to find but i got excellent service through Magura Community by Mike at Racemechanic.co.uk who got me the clamps in the end. Sure not cheap for two small pieces of carbon fibre but it was worth it!

X9/MT6 aluminum clamp


MT6 aluminum clamp


MT8 carbon clamp


Mmm clean handlebar =0)

paul.skibum

a bit lighter but with a grip shift - wtf?

1982

paul.skibum wrote:

a bit lighter but with a grip shift - wtf?

Love it, wicked fast shifting which come in handy in XC terrain =0) Sure if you like slow mo technical a trigger shift might do the trick more precise but in XC when you can go from 1-5 - 5-1 or 1-10 -10-1 just as fast you got to love it, maybe it's the combination with the bad ass clutch in type 2.

Example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwBPrBGFttY

paul.skibum

Mmmm interesting when does terrain change so fast that you have to crash through the entire rear cassette? also great video definitely proves you can find a video to demonstrate anything if you look hard enough.

1982

Try public XC-race and you will find out It's not always the terrain but when building up speed with 1X10 I use the gears and then I come to a hill with others in front in a more or less stand still = crash through gears and work my way around. As practice I tried motocross track and fast gearing come in handy.

I don't like thumb trigger only, thumb/index finger like SLX is better ergonomic but disadvantage with brakeing so I was curious about Grip Shift and I like it.