Friday, April 17, 2009

Specialized Epic 29"

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Primary Benefits
Low Weight - Every extra gram has beenshaved from the Epic 29er’s overall weightthanks to an insane attention to detail. TheEpic 29er’s 90-mm travel M5 aluminumframe has been designed from the groundupfor performance without additionalweight. Critical suspension componentswere integrated to the greatest extent possibleand wheels and Specialized Fast TrakLK 29er tires were specifically developed toshave weight while enhancing control.

Maximum Efficiency - Thanks to the integrationand refinement of the Epic 29er’sBrain damper and custom tuned forks,the Epic is the most efficient performancemountain bike available. The Brain dampercan instantaneously transition from firm tofully active to match changes in the terrain.

M5 ALLOY CHASIS
More refined than ever, the Epic 29er’sall-new M5 alloy frame combines highstrength alloy with skillful engineering andstate-of-the-art manufacturing to create category-leading weight and rigidity. The newEpic 29er features a geometry and tubesetdeveloped especially around the performancedemands of a 29-inch wheel.

FSR SUSPENSION
Simply put, FSR® is the most effective suspensionsystem for enhancing comfort,control and efficiency in any riding situationor wheel size. Tuned just for our Epic 29er,FSR’s fully active design keeps the rear tire incontact with the terrain, resulting in dramaticallyincreased traction and control. FSR isalso fully independent, meaning suspension isunaffected by brake forces or chain torque. Atthe same time, perceivable pedal “kick back”and “drop away” are eliminated.

FLOWCONTR OL MINI BRAIN
A revolutionary development in suspensiontechnology made even better, this Epic 29er’ssmaller and lighter FlowControl Mini Brainallows the Epic’s rear shock to instantaneouslytransition between firm and fully activesettings, enhancing both efficiency andcontrol. The Mini Brain has a lighter springthat enhances small bump compliance, whileits firm setting delivers maximum efficiencyin smooth terrain— making it perfect for highperformanceriding and racing.

Why It’s Great
The all-new Epic 29er is the most efficient29-inch wheeled competitive XC bike available.By designing it from the ground-up,we were able to tune every performanceelement on the Epic 29er. An integratedapproach to design, including a tuned rearshock with Brain technology, and heavilyrefined M5 aluminum chassis make the Epic29er more efficient, more comfortable andbetter handling than any other performanceXC 29er on the market. The legendary Epichas always been the fastest bike from PointA to Point B, and now, it comes with all thebenefits offered by a 29-inch platform.

Increased Control – With a completely customgeometry and tuned FSR suspension andtapered headtube the Epic 29er is the besthandling performance cross-country 29eravailable. Thanks to the integrated developmentof the M5 chassis, suspension forkand rear shock with Brain Fade technology,the Epic 29er rails trails and race courseslike nobody’s business.

Thanks to our Total Suspension Integration approach to design and development, the springcurve and damping rate of the Epic 29er’s AFR rear shock are tuned to match FSR linkagerate, maximizing bump force management by matching travel to bump magnitude so small impactsare supply absorbed, and big hits are handled with aplomb. Proper tuning of the linkagerate and rear shock were an essential part of delivering a 29-inch wheeled bike that climbs andaccelerates as well as it descends and carries speed.

You can’t have a high-performance 29erwithout a purpose-built, high-performancesuspension fork. We’ve teamed with Rock-Shox to develop the custom Reba S29 forkthat offers unsurpassed steering precision,ultra low weight (it's 100 grams lighter thaneven the lightest stock Reba) and our Rebafeatures a custom Specialized carbon crown/steer combined that boosts stiffness andsteering precision. When combined with theoversized end caps found on our Roval 29erwheels, it provides the lightest and stiffestperformance 29er fork. Because it featuresup to 100mm of travel, the Specialized Rebafork gives the Epic enhanced descendingcapabilities, without sacrificing any handlingor performance benefits

Tuned FSR: As with every FSR suspension bike we make, the Epic 29er’s FSR suspensionhas been tuned for maximum performance in the kinds of riding that 29er pilots seek. With15-plus years of tuning and tinkering we’re able to help 29er riders achieve the best possibleriding experience by enhancing comfort, control and efficiency on any terrain. FSR’s amazingversatility gives Specialized engineers the freedom to perfect it for different rides, delivering awider variety of purpose-specific performance than any other suspension system on the market.Because the Epic 29er’s FSR suspension is active and independent (the same as any otherFSR-based bike), it is free to compress and rebound in an uninhibited manner--whether pedaling,coasting, or braking--and functions with no perceptible pedal "kick-back" or "drop-away."This keeps the tires on the ground a greater percentage of the time, yielding more traction forincreased control over speed and direction; more comfort by remaining compliant; and moreefficiency because chain torque goes to moving you forward, not up and down."

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