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Submitted by
Dave Eifert
a Cross Country Rider
from Bay Village, OH, USA
Date Reviewed: May 13, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Kenahwa - WV | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$2025.00 | | Purchased At: | Two Wheel Tango - Ann Arbor, MI | | Strengths: | Light weight, responsiveness, plush when needs to be, locked out automatically when needs to be. | | Weaknesses: | None yet. | | Similar Products Used: | None | | Bike Setup: | Comp as standard (2006)
XTR rear der.
LX front der.
XT Hollowtech II cranks
XTR disc brakes | | Bottom Line: | This is my first Full Suspension bike after riding a no-suspension bike for 15 years. So my basis of comparison is limited to say the least. But the bike handles so fantastically that I can't imagine a better ride out there. The wheels stay glued to the ground when hitting roots while climbing. The Brain rear suspension gobbles up the bumps when flying through the woods. Fantastic! If cross-country terrain, and speed are what you are about...this is a great bike. You'll want more travel, and wouldn't necessarily need the Brain if you are more interested in serious shucking. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bill Bass
a Cross Country Rider
from Medicine Hat, AB, Canada
Date Reviewed: April 13, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1800.00 | | Strengths: | This bike is great. Hands down the best bike that I have ever rode. It is light and the frame is strong it does not creek or crack when being worked hard. The brain works great. I bought the 2005 version so it is one year old and has held up well. I still works like new if you maintain it properly. Some posters have a negitive review of the SID but so far I think it is sweet. I don't find it flexy and it is super light and plush. The lock out on the SID also works great. I put 4 flaming chillies for value because it is a little pricy and 5 over all because that is what I think it deservs. | | Weaknesses: | A little on the pricy side. But I think that it is well worth the money. Comparing it to other products at the same price range the EPIC blows them out of the water. This bike is probably not a bike that will be able to take big drops or hardcore downhill it just wasn't make for that. | | Similar Products Used: | Treck XC bikes, Giant Reign | | Bike Setup: | XT components, XTR rear, SID Front, 2005 Brain. | | Bottom Line: | Anyone that is serious about cross country should buy this bike. This bike is sweet like candy. I am in love with this bike. I told my wife the other day that she will have to make some room for it in bed. She thought I was joking but really I wasn't. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave
a Racer
from Broomfield
Date Reviewed: December 28, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Tipperary Creek Point to Point | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$2400.00 | | Purchased At: | SuperGo | | Strengths: | Very light for a full suspension, Rock Shox Sid Team, you really can't find a better fork out there. Suspension works as advertised, if you didn't get a bad Brain. | | Weaknesses: | I had the Brain part of the shock die on me and had to have it sent back to Fox to get fixed. The rear end would not lock out. From what I have read, this is a problem that has been seen on other versions of the epic. Once replaced, it rides like a dream again. One note to everyone, Fox Racing takes about 3-4 weeks to do warranty work on their products, thus I didn't have my bike for several races which was aggravating.
Another weakness is the stock riser bar. Anyone who is going to buy this bike is going to us it for cross country racing. If you are racing cross country, the stock handle bars are just too wide and it keeps you too upright, but it is easy to fix.
Also Easy to crack the lock out knob if you over turn it. It is designed that way on purpose to protect the internals, so this was my own fault it cracked. Easy to replace and not a major issue, it still works fine when cracked. May have been cracked when I bought it from other people testing it.
| | Similar Products Used: | KHS Pro AL2000 with Rock Shox SID 2001 | | Bike Setup: | Stock except carbon fiber flat bar and San Marco Aspide saddle. | | Bottom Line: | This is a great bike aside for the problems I had with the rear shock. The bike works exactly as described. It climbs great and takes the rough edge off of the rocky descents. This is not a downhill bike and thus should never be used for that purpose. This is a cross country race bike and as long as you use it for that purpose it delivers great performance. The bike is very easy to set up and starting with the recommendations from the shox companies. Another note is that you have to be careful with the lock out knob on the Sid. It is designed to break if you try to force the lock out too far. This is to keep the internals from getting damaged. Thus once it stops then it is locked out and you shouldn't try to push it any farther. I also don't understand why everyone is so down on rock shox forks. They are easy to maintain, fully serviceable by you, easy to adjust and are the lightest forks out there, and I never had a Sid that had problems. Which I can't say about Manitou or Fox. Yes they flex if you watch them, but I can't figure out how anyone can actually feel that flex bombing down a rocky single track. Bottom line, other then some minor problems, this bike is great and probably one of the best full suspension cross country race bikes out there for the price. It loses one chili for the problems I had with the bad Brain. But other then that I am happy with it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
paulo francisco
a Racer
from funchal,portugal,portugal
Date Reviewed: October 3, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Panela | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$4000.00 | | Purchased At: | MZbike | | Strengths: | Nao ha palavras para descrever tanta boa prestaçao e do melhor, a sua facilidade de ultrapassar pedras ou as maiores raizes da-nos a sensaçao de estarmos em cima de uma bike de downhill, e mesmo fantastica. | | Weaknesses: | nenhuma em encontrada em dois lindos anos com ela. | | Bike Setup: | grupo completo XTR, rodas mavic crossxl, pedais da crank,selim selle italia, e claro avanço da tomson se assim k se escreve, esta um mimo das rodas ao volante. | | Bottom Line: | a melhor companhia para todas as minhas provas, e treinos comprem logo k possam | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Lance Stephenson
a Cross Country Rider
from Cape Town ,South Africa
Date Reviewed: August 30, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Grabouw | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$500.00 | | Purchased At: | Cyclelab | | Strengths: | This bike climbs everything better than hardatails, even on jeep-track it has the same nippy acceleration as hardtails. the bikes response to you getting out of the saddle to accelerate away is more "disconnected" than a hardtail but it carries the same speed> i've done the literal test runs up the same hill on both a hardtail and this bike. the coolest thing is if you're into enduro's where you often find lots of corrugations to ride, this bike rocks. hardtails get stunted by them but this bike glides over them. then hitting singeltrack, obviously this bike is better. it rides like a dh bike. | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | gary fisher sugar, fsr | | Bottom Line: | buy it buy it buy it buy it | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mitch
a Cross Country Rider
from Longwood
Date Reviewed: June 8, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Anything in the mts. | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$500.00 | | Strengths: | This bike is the gas!!!! Have ridden hard tails for years and this bike simply works. Somewhat heavier than the old hard tail but what a difference in the ride. Just a pleasure to ride. | | Weaknesses: | Havent found one yet. | | Similar Products Used: | Trek Fuel 100 | | Bike Setup: | 04' XT and Avid with Mavic Crossride wheels. Carbon bar and seatpost. SRAM 9spd. | | Bottom Line: | This bike really works. An all around great ride. The fork and shock are fully ajustable to your riding ability and weight. I love the hard tail feel until you need the suspension. Cant wait to 24 hour this bike in Atlanta. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Peter Vandeven
a Cross Country Rider
from Belgium, Europe
Date Reviewed: April 27, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Hageland..what's in a name?! | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | 3800.00 | | Strengths: | The brain works as it is described!!!! | | Weaknesses: | RockShox SID TEAM fork...no good for this boy | | Bike Setup: | stock setup | | Bottom Line: | Best bike so far for me. The brain does his thing only when you need it...magnificent!!! Frame is excellent. Over here we ride 100% XC, no freerides. The EPIC is the perfect answer for XC-riders who also like to ride&race with comfort. I really like the XT2004 with the duals. The RS TEAM I changed after 2 weeks..way too soft for me. I use a manitou black at this moment (because of the stiffness) but the FOX 80 Terralogic will be the next upgrade.. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David
a Cross Country Rider
from Leavenworth, Kansas
Date Reviewed: March 10, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Fort Leavenworth Trail | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$3000.00 | | Purchased At: | Santa Fe Trails Bike Shop | | Strengths: | Looks. Pretty good spec. Works as advertised. | | Weaknesses: | You pay a premium for the Brain technology versus the older SJ FSR suspension technology. | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized SJ FSR-XC, Trek Fuel | | Bike Setup: | Stock + S-Works wheels, Flite saddle, Speedplay pedals. Future additions: carbon bar, and Thomson seatpost. | | Bottom Line: | I have owned and ridden mountain bikes since about 1985 and I can tell you this bike is a keeper. When you get past the hype and the price, this bike does work as advertised. Bike feels light and fast on the trail and climbs better than my trusty Stumpjumper. Short, steep climbs that I was unable to do on my old bike are no problem now. Don't expect this bike to feel like a fully active suspension bike. It balances the strengths of a full suspension bike with the power transfer of a hardtail. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
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