THINK FASTER: The Epic World Cup is the fastest XC race bike on smooth tracks, thanks to an unmatched combination of efficiency, control, and lightness. Champion Christopher says, "This bike gives me everything I could want from a hardtail, with the added control and capability of a full-suspension bike." To create this race machine, we took a fully integrated development approach, inventing a brand new shock, drawing on four decades of off-road racing victories.

FRAME OF REFERENCE: To achieve maximum speed through perfect power transfer efficiency and ultra-precise handling, our engineering team set a new standard for torsional and bottom bracket stiffness. The dual-diamond layout is the most sophisticated in Specialized's history, supporting the goal of rigidity while integrating the shock as a structural element.

FAST SUSPENSION: Specialized's Ride Dynamics Team developed revolutionary technology for the Epic World Cup to give it the efficiency and responsiveness of a hardtail, along with the control and capability of a full-suspension bike. The RockShox SID Deluxe WCID (World Cup Integrated Design) shock, with independently adjustable positive and negative air springs, gives the Epic WC the sought-after "snap" of a hardtail, combined with a lightness that devours terrain and allows for tuning based on specific tracks or rider preferences.

BEYOND ITS CATEGORY: The Epic World Cup's 75mm of travel feels like much more. In firm mode, it delivers the same effective travel as a 100mm bike with 25% sag. Optimized air volume and damping characteristics allow the Epic WC to handle impacts like a bike with more generous travel. The dedicated MegaJounce bumper provides strong end-of-stroke support to handle the hardest hits.

BRAIN: While the revolutionary SID Deluxe WCID shock provides the perfect mix of absorption and stiffness at the rear, the fork still features the BRAIN, with Position-Sensitive technology and 15mm of sag, eliminating the need for a lockout or levers to engage.

LIGHTWEIGHT: Weighing just 1,765 grams (painted, including shock and hardware), the Epic World Cup is the lightest on the market. This lightness translates into explosive acceleration, maximum efficiency on climbs, and surprising agility. The sum of these features is speed. We were able to design such a lightweight yet stiff frame thanks to lessons learned from the Aethos, particularly in carbon layup design.

SEATPOST: The Epic World Cup comes with the new ultra-light and stiff Roval Control SL seatpost.