Time to replace my Spesh Epic?

kevin_stephens

Hi All, I've recently dusted the cobwebs off my 2007 Specialized Epic and started enjoying some trail riding recently, having concentrated and very much enjoying road cycling over the last few years. I'm now interested in getting into more technical MTB riding particularly over the winter months when the roads are less attractive, probably with help of some coaching/training. The Epic is a cross country oriented full sus with 100m front travel. Would the newer bigger travel bikes with 27.5 inch wheels (hard tail or full sus) offer much more in ease of technical downhill and trail riding? I still need the bike to be light enough to ride rather than push uphill and I'm not planning on doing anything that may need full boy armour or full face helmets?

The Rookie

Depends where you are riding..... The spesh with a 120mm fork would make a good trail bike as it will slacken the head angle a little and give you a little more travel, it depends on how much you have to spend really as to whether a new bike or some upgrading of the Epic makes more sense.

That said there are now plenty of longer travel frames out there that are eminently pedalable, a friend has a 140mm knolly endorphin and that rides light enough to climb alongside many hardtails.

rockmonkeysc

Personally I think road biking makes more sense in the winter when your full sus mountain bike gets plastered in mud but mountain bikes are always more fun.
There are various shorter travel bikes which climb well but can take some hard riding as well.
My Nukeproof Mega is a good example. I have done 100km epic rides with several thousand feet of climbing but I have also had reasonable results in enduro races on it, sent it over road gaps and battered my way down black trails and it's been good for all of that.