Specialized S-Works Epic 9 Review: The Ultimate XC Bike?

Out of the box, the S-Works Epic 9 is noticeably very light, almost unbelievably so. I’m on an XL, and at just 26 lbs with pedals, this is clearly a bike made for going fast. The weight isn’t the only factor that stood out, though. It’s a modern XC bike, but it’s still designed and tested to compete at the sport’s sharpest level. That means fast up and down. The new 120mm/120mm World Cup-level XC race bike is now getting dangerously close to being a super-capable short-travel trail bike. Or is it just what XC bikes are going to be from now on?

Well, one thing is for sure: the Epic 9 is very much an XC bike. It’s a statement that XC is still its own category of mountain bike, despite the similarities they can often share with short-travel trail bikes.

I was nervous at first. The S-Works Epic 9 is a $15,249.99 example of bicycle engineering, and draped in some bling components that are a little beyond my current fitness levels, but damn, was I feeling fast. I originally planned a 10-15-mile loop as the first ride on the Epic 9, but as I kept climbing and felt faster and faster, that 15 miles quickly turned into 25+ miles of chomping at the bit. The bike just made me want to be better. 

While riding such a light bike can be a little scary at first, I definitely got more comfortable with it over time. To be fair, the geo isn’t what I’m used to, nor are the sub-1,000g wheels and super-minimal tires. It’s a world away from what I typically like to ride, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a ton of fun.

After getting accustomed to the geometry and automated suspension system that is RockShox Flight Attendant, the bike began to feel a little more relatable, albeit a little nervous on sections of trail that normally feel mundane. I’ll attribute this feeling in large part to the 25+ mph gusts of wind and loose conditions, but also a little bit to how careful I was being about the wheels and tires I was rolling on. The Fast Trak front and Air Trak rear tires don’t offer much in the way of knobs, and, being so skeptical about dropping too much air pressure, I was riding them a little higher than I would with a more robust tire – that’s an easy issue to correct with beefier tires or inserts, though.

In terms of how the bike feels on the trail, I can sum it up in one word: Nimble. The Epic 9 is obviously designed to handle the most demanding XC courses, which are getting more technical each year, but I was immediately impressed with just how responsive the bike felt in every situation. There’s nothing muted about how it rides, both up and down the hill. Every input from the rider is met with an instant reaction from the bike. From pedaling to cornering, the Epic 9 wants to abide by rider commands like a well-trained working dog. But like a collie or heeler, it’s also confident in its ability to handle whatever, and for a 120mm space ship with wheels, it feels much more capable than I gave it credit for initially, especially when you start to trust it.

The geometry is tight, which is both a pro and a con. It’s a con at first, but once my mind and body realize what bike I’m on, it becomes a pro. It’s made to go fast and be efficient, and to do that, it needs to strike a balance; thankfully, Specialized has found a workaround.

The Epic 9 has one flip chip at the lower shock eyelet that allows you to adjust the head tube angle, BB drop, and reach slightly. At the stock setting (high), the head tube angle is a pretty tight 66.3 degrees, and the BB drop is 33mm; flip it to low, and you’ll get a 65.7 degree head tube angle and 40mm of BB drop. This will also reduce the reach by 5mm across the size ranges. I have only ridden the Epic 9 in the stock configuration so far, and I predict that the low setting will be much more to my liking.

For the Epic 9, Specialized has essentially taken the best parts of the Epic 8 and the Epic World Cup and blended them into a single, ultra-efficient, ultra-light chassis. The kinematics have been adjusted to optimize pedaling feedback, with a reduced leverage rate at sag that increases support, improving pedaling efficiency and traction, but maintains the same proven curve through the bump zone and end-stroke as the outgoing Epic 8. Somehow, Specialized has made its World Cup-level race bike much more compatible with the everyday rider or weekend warrior.

For such a svelte frame, the Epic 9 doesn’t necessarily feel fragile, and considering the extensive amount of testing and R&D that went into this bike coming to market, I’ll say that, like other Specialized bikes, the Epic 9 will be able to take quite a lot of punishment.

For the full details on the Specialized Epic 9, check out the first look article below.