Specilaized's New Epic EVO 8 Is The Raddest XC MTB I've ever tested 

Awesome, happy riding!

I should finally be getting the new UDH hanger Spur any week now. Like you say it's been WAAAAAAY too long on my must try list

@@GuyKesTV well I look forward to that, I’m sure it will be a good experience as I’ve not seen a bad review yet 👍

Yes, sold my Stumpy now and will be getting an Epic/Epic Evo. Still can’t decide 🤔which at the moment as i come from an XC Race background but don’t Race any more, however i still love a fast and light bike.😊

Tallboy is a lot more of a bruiser. Stiffer, really solid feeling frame that's about a kilo heavier (I've weighed them both so don't believe SC's numbers) The suspension is a proper push and pump set up rather than one that rolls along smoothly too. That makes it great for aggressive park style riding and more flowy XC stuff, but I found it a real handful on rocky, janky slow terrain. The shock on the Evo is on the tight side too, but the back end definitely has a bit more flux and flow to it. It's a lighter chassis too which helps with the pep, but if you're sending a lot of big jumps etc it's going to feel a bit more on the edge than the Tallboy

Thanks for the response appreciate it

If I can get a Stumpy I will for sure. I’d be really interested too as I wasn’t a fan of the way the Stumpy pedalled. It’s also heavier spec for spec, although not by much

"Climbs just as well" based on what

Buy a FastTrak tyre for the back, stick the Ground Control on the front and you've got a really rapid but fun 'hobby racer' at under 12kg. Had great fun dropping e-bikers on tech climbs at the weekend with that exact set up so it definitely isn't slow 🤣

Yep, you’re totally right, basically the same bike in vibe. If the Whyte top brass had invested in carbon rear ends to lose weight rather than just using the alloy back end off the T-130 they might have sold enough to make it viable. Back then though that category customer was still conscious of every gram.

Almost. But a lot lighter

Sorry Guy, but the weight difference between a Stumpy and the new Epic 8 Evo is just shy of 200 grams. That is not a lot. I have the control wheels and Purgatory + Ground Control tyres on my Stumpy, and it weighs just under 12 kg. I really think Specialized had the 8 Evo in mind as the replacement for the regular Stumpjumper. The new ‘25 Stumpy is probably going to get a 36 fork and piggy back shock, so it will all make sense then. Love your review, makes me hungry for an Evo 8 frame purchase 😊

I have the Elitewheels pro36 on my Stumpy and right now it sits at 12.1Kg with repairkit and pedals 🙂. I still think that the seat tube angel is better overal on the Stumpy 😁

@@IIISentorIII sounds like a great combination

@@tomc0240 the next hill you’re riding has a slightly techy but mostly singletrack climb, then a mixed tech and flow descent with a few rock gardens and some mid sized sends. Would you ride the climb as possible to have fun railing the turns and skipping up the tech and then hang on the descent, maybe backing off a bit on the rocks. Or just cruise up and save the energy for the descent where you just rule everything? And would you be more tempted to do an XC / marathon race or an Enduro?

@@GuyKesTV I really do want to have a bike that can rule everything on the downhill, but I also have my 1st XC race coming up next month and want to learn to jump properly with a lightweight bike. Also a newer rider, less than a year and living in very flat USA, Kansas. I’m considering the Chisel fs as well. Eventually I will buy a proper enduro with 160+ travel to round things out and for trips to the mountains

@@GuyKesTV I ordered a gloss purple Epic 8 Evo Comp a moment ago

@@tomc0240 Sorry man, forgot to get back to you but you made the choice I would have suggested anyway. Good luck in that race, it'll be a ripper.

Cervelo is much like the Epic 8. I’d say it’s more lively and agile than the Spesh as the frame is more flexible and the angles aren’t as slack. For flat out charging though stuff and fast technical descents the Epic probably has the edge. I’ve got a ZFS and I love it which is why I went for the Evo as a long term choice as that’s more of a fast trail bike

@@GuyKesTV thanks! yest I have been watching youtobe all last night and see that evo is a different beast now and standard 8 is the old evo. So ZFS it will probably be :). However would you consider flight attendant on the ZFS on the 120mm or rather remain with standard grip shift?

@@MarcinLipowski​​⁠Flight Attendant is really good for racing but for fun riding normal shock set up is fine. ZFS pedals great in open mode anyway 👍🏻

And yet there are those who are - seemingly - quite comfortable dropping £4,250 on a brand new bike and then immediately upgrading suspension and swapping out wheels. Am I missing something? As long as there's that kind of money sloshing around Specialized will keep hiking prices until it sees an adverse effect on units sold.

@@GTS5691I don't disagree with your point for people like you and I have been riding for years but the cheapest full suspension bike available on their website you can purchase direct is the new $5000 Epic Evo. Everything lower has been discounted and is out of stock or at a dealer who is forced to sell it at a loss. If I'm a newer rider who decides they really like mountain biking and wants to upgrade to full suspension, I'd be looking at Canyon or another supplier who has an affordable bike. Definitely not specialized with their price point. Maybe they're more interested in pushing e-bikes. 🤔

That went back a while ago, but the Cervelo hasn't done many miles since I got a long termer Evo delivered!

Near Mantanzas in Chile

@@GuyKesTV any info on where you stayed, guides etc would be awesome.

yes very similar

And ?. You can’t ride , jump , shralp and get fit on a super bike motorbike in the woods though can you?. My money would go on the bicycle 🤟

Dumb comparison. If you're in the market for top of the line xc bikes you're not cross shopping it with a super sports lmao

Because that's where the launch was sorry, but I totally get what you mean. I've got one back home now though so look out for some long term updates from 'proper' mountain bike trails.

Somebody else said that about Camber Evo 🤘🏻I’ve got an Evo Pro here as a long termer and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.

Yeah my 2014 Camber evo, replaced the 120mm Reba with a 130mm Pike and it was "epic" 😅. The price of the epic 8 evo frame and shock is £3.5k and the complete bike in comp form is £4250. Send the Fox34 and the Float to TF tuned for a revalve and grip2 cart , upgrade the wheels and then change the other parts piecemeal when they wear out and funds allow....

@@Andy-co6pnsound like a good idea, i may just do that myself. 😊