Specialized just killed three bikes with one… Epic 9. So say goodbye (for now) to the Epic EVO, the Epic World Cup, and Epic 8 (classic). They all now sit under one new bike to rule them all, the all-new Epic 9.
Didn’t we just do this? Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. The Specialized Epic 8 just came out like two years ago, and the bike world seems to love it – why mess with it? It’s one of the more popular bikes at XC and Marathon races, and I wouldn’t change much…. But here we are, and after seeing and riding the new Epic 9, I’m totally fine with a new XC race machine hitting the trails before I processed the previous version.
What is the Specialized Epic 9?
Specialized is calling the Epic 9 the lightest, fastest, and most capable XC race bike in the world. Thats a totally specialized thing to say, and every launch they’ve had in the past five years carries the same style claim. However, the Epic (a model that’s dear to my heart, as I raced one on/off for the last 10 years) has undergone some unique changes. Plus – when paired with some of Roval’s lightest wheels in years… the new Epic 9 could be on the podium for the “Fastest Bike in the World”.
Frame Updates
The frame gets massive construction-optimization overhauls. The design team trimmed 25% off the weight of the suspension linkage and 13% off the hardware. They also remimagined the bottom bracket construction and the junction near the top of the seatpost.
Also new is a nicely fashioned chain watcher, in partnership with MRP. This new (to the Epic) chainwatcher is adjustable from 28T to 40T Max.
They’ve also done away with the internal storage. From a racer only stand point, all of the Specialized Factory Team riders were riding a carbon plate over the storage box. Yes, it was very useful for some, but not super easy to implement when you’re in a race situation. Specialized is reintroducing the SWAT Box, this time with a leaner package and a racer-focused package.
But the frame details would be nothing without a discussion of the new shock setup. Specialized gave the Epic 9 a much more active ride by updating the shock to a swing link. Similar to the Specialized WC, but now with 120mm of travel and RockShox Flight Attendant suspension. We’ll talk more about the suspension later in the piece. However, all you really need to know is that the new leverage curve offers 11% less friction in the entire suspension system.
Hit Me With The Numbers
One of the big changes is the weight; the new Epic 9 frameset (shock included) weighs a claimed 1,589g. Specialized says it makes it the lightest full-suspension XC race frame ever.
What about a full bike, you say? The complete S-Works Epic 9 Ultralight LTD lands at a claimed 8.5kg (but more on that later). The frame is paired with 120mm front and rear travel on the Epic 9 platform (excluding the LTD), revised kinematics, 11% lower suspension friction than Epic 8, and geometry that stays close to Epic 8’s modern-XC feel. Plus, small refinements based on Body Geometry fit data and feedback from Specialized’s XC race program.
More Than A Weight Play
Specialized is leaning hard into the weight story, and fair enough.
The Epic 9 frame is 129g lighter than the nearest competitor, and the total system sheds 206g compared with the Epic 8. The through full-frame FEA optimization and a lot of very intentional trimming.
Where did the weight savings come from? Lots of small places that add up to big changes: 110g from the front triangle, 15g from the main pivot, 17g from the seat tube, and 37g from the rear triangle. It’s a lot of small, obsessive decisions stacked on top of each other.
The good news is that Specialized doesn’t seem to have treated lightweight as the whole answer. Making the bike lighter was only a part of the overall makeover. The bigger picture also includes improving efficiency, ride quality, and capability. A race bike that wins the scale fight but gets weird when the course gets rough is not really winning much.
Same Travel, But Feels Better
Specialized kept the now-familiar 120mm of front and rear travel on the Epic 9 platform, but updated the frame, link, and pivot layout to reduce suspension friction by 11%.
The Specialized design team lowered the leverage at sag for better pedaling support, while matching Epic 8’s curve through the bump zone and end stroke to preserve control and bottom-out resistance. That all feeds into what Specialized is calling the Dynamic Trio.
Dynamic Trio: Wide Open, Magic Middle, Sprint-On-Lock
The Epic 9 carries over Specialized’s three-position rear shock damping setup: Wide Open, Magic Middle, and Sprint-On-Lock.
Wide Open is the full-send mode for descents and rough sections. This full open lets the SID Ultimate eat.
Magic Middle is the all-day, most-of-the-race setting that keeps a firm pedaling feel until trail forces push the suspension past the initial knee, then lets the bike open up and track the ground. The Magic Middle is where most rides will spend 80% of their time. It’s efficient and flows well.
Sprint-On-Lock is the near-lock position for starts, paved transitions, smoother surfaces, and those moments when every watt needs to go directly into forward motion.
More on Magic Mike Middle
Magic Middle is still the real signature move. It’s the setting that makes the Epic feel like more than just a lightweight XC bike with a remote lockout. It delivers a firm pedaling platform while staying active under bump forces. It’s what you want on most terrain, which is a big part of why the current Epic platform has felt so calm and quick on actual race terrain, rather than just test loops and launch copy. (more of this in my ride review)
Same-ish Geometry + A few tweaks
I think most who rode and raced the Epic 8 can agree on one thing: the geometry was pretty damn dialed. I was racey without being twitchy, and it let the skinsuit crowd (like me) feel more capable on the downhills than previously stated.
That’s why I (and I’m guessing most others) were glad to see there was little to no change in the geometry of the Epic 9. The Specialized Epic 9 design team worked with the Body Geometry/Human Performance Lab to make small revisions informed by fit data and racer feedback.
There’s a flip chip to help you choose your own adventure, and this small piece helps guide the platform. Low flip chip allows the rider to have a more race-focused feel and a higher bottom bracket; the low setting is the opposite.
What Does That Mean?
On the standard Epic 9 platform, that means a 65.9° head angle in low, 66.3° in high, a 76° seat tube angle, 44mm fork offset, and size-specific chainstays that grow from 435mm on S/M to 438mm on L and 442mm on XL. Reach ranges from 420mm in size S to 505mm in XL in the low position, while stack ranges from 594mm to 645mm. Wheelbase stretches from 1,148mm to 1,264mm across the size range.
One important bit for those foaming at the mouth on the S-Works Epic 9 LTD UL version. The S-Works Epic 9 LTD UL runs a different front-end package with a 110mm SID SL fork, and its geometry reflects that. The LTD UL gets a steeper 66.5° head angle in low, 66.9° in high, a slightly lower BB, a shorter fork length, and a touch sharper overall posture. So while the standard Epic 9 family leans into 120 mm of travel, the LTD UL clearly chases a slightly more traditional, ultra-race-day feel.
Specialized Epic 9 Lineup
Specialized is rolling out the Epic 9 in five versions: S-Works Epic 9, S-Works Epic 9 Ultralight LTD, S-Works Epic 9 Frameset, Epic 9 Pro, and Epic 9 Expert. Let’s start at the top and work our way to the expert version.
S-Works Epic 9 Ultralight LTD
This is the halo build for riders who want the lightest, most stripped-down version of the new platform. It uses the S-Works FACT 12m carbon frame, a RockShox SID SL Ultimate 110mm fork, and a RockShox SID Luxe Ultimate rear shock. The fork is a limited edition with lowers crafted from magnesium (you read that right), and the finish is a clear coat, so you can see all the sweet mag action. The caveat is it only 110mm travel, but it makes up for it in style points.
The build is full-on no-nonsense, with an SRAM XX SL Eagle Transmission, a Quarq XX SL power meter crankset, Trickstuff Piccola 2-piston brakes, and Roval Control World Cup wheels with carbon spokes and premium DT internals.
Tire spec is Specialized Air Trak 29×2.35 front and rear, cockpit duties go to the Roval Control SL integrated cockpit, and the build finishes with an S-Works Power with Mirror saddle and Bike Yoke Divine SL dropper. Claimed weight is 8.66kg / 19 lb 1.5 oz in size medium.
S-Works Epic 9
The regular S-Works build is still very much top-shelf, but it leans more into a fully featured modern race setup. It uses the same S-Works FACT 12m frame, but with RockShox SID Ultimate Flight Attendant up front and a matching SIDLuxe Ultimate Flight Attendant shock out back.
The drivetrain is SRAM XX SL Eagle Transmission with a Quarq XX SL power meter crank, braking comes from SRAM Motive Ultimate 4-piston brakes, and the bike rolls on Roval Control World Cup wheels.
Tire spec swaps to a Fast Trak front and Air Trak rear, both in 29×2.35. The cockpit is the Roval Control SL integrated setup, the saddle is a Specialized S-Works Power EVO Mirror, and the dropper is a RockShox Reverb AXS. Claimed weight is 9.66kg / 21 lb 4.7 oz in size medium. This is what you’ll see, Blevins, and the Specialized Factory Team racing this season.
S-Works Epic 9 Frameset
If you already know exactly how you want to build it, the frameset provides a premium starting point. It includes the S-Works FACT 12m carbon frame, RockShox SID Ultimate Flight Attendant fork, RockShox SID Luxe Ultimate Flight Attendant shock, and the usual hardware, including the SWAT Box 2.0. Claimed weight is 3.49kg / 7 lb 11.1 oz with the fork included, in size medium. Specialized is offering it in multiple premium finishes, including Gloss Agave Grey / Violet Pearl / Desert Metallic; Gloss Amethyst Frost Multi-Color Dry Impasto / Black; Gloss Bordeaux Metallic / Blue Pearl Edge Fade / Metallic White Silver; and Satin Carbon / Metallic White Silver.
Epic 9 Pro
The Pro seems to be the sweet spot for many serious racers. It uses the FACT 11m carbon frame, but still gets RockShox SID Ultimate Flight Attendant suspension front and rear.
Drivetrain drops slightly to SRAM X0 Eagle Transmission, though Specialized keeps the premium touch with a Quarq X0 power meter crankset. Brakes are SRAM Motive Silver 4-piston, wheels are Roval Control SL VI hookless carbon rims on DT Swiss 350 hubs.
Tire spec is Fast Trak front / Air Trak rear in 29×2.35. The cockpit uses a Roval Alloy XC stem and Roval Control SL flat bar, while comfort and control come from a Specialized Power Expert saddle and Bike Yoke Divine SL dropper. Claimed weight is 10.39kg / 22 lb 14.5 oz in size medium. This one reads like the smart racer’s buy.
Epic 9 Expert
The Expert is the entry point into the Epic 9 family, but it still looks very much like a real race bike, not a “maybe someday” version. It uses the FACT 11m carbon frame, a RockShox SID Select+ fork, and a RockShox SID Luxe Select+ shock, all with Ride Dynamics tuning.
The drivetrain is an SRAM GX Eagle Transmission, braking comes from SRAM Motive Bronze 4-piston calipers, and the wheels are Roval Control SL V hookless carbon rims on DT Swiss 370 hubs. Like the Pro, it runs a Fast Trak front and Air Trak rear, both 29×2.35.
Cockpit parts include a Roval Alloy XC stem and Specialized Alloy Minirise bar, while the bike finishes with a Body Geometry Power Sport saddle and X-Fusion Manic dropper. Claimed weight is 10.95kg / 24 lb 2.2 oz in size medium. For the price, it looks like a pretty serious package.
Specialized Epic 9 – Pricing
- S-Works Epic 9: $15,250
- S-Works Epic 9 Ultralight LTD: $14,500
- S-Works Epic 9 Frameset: $7,000
- Epic 9 Pro: $12,000
- Epic 9 Expert: $7,500
How does it ride? Look for our ride review!
Check out the full details at Specialized.com.
