2018 Specialized S-Works Epic HT Carbon 29 (FRAMESET ONLY)

Description

This product is for a new frameset only. Specialized Warranty Included. Fork not included. No grommets or small parts included with this frame.

Call it a healthy disrespect for the status quo, but we were getting bored with hardtail designs. So instead of playing along with a glued-on smile, we opted to turn the cross country world on its head with a bike that's not only the lightest mountain frame we've ever made. It's our lightest frame—period. Introducing the S-Works Epic Hardtail.

Over the last decade, cross country racing has evolved into a completely different animal—the courses are rowdier, more technical, and overall, they're inherently different. Because of this, we realised that the best bike for the job needs to not only be lightweight and stiff, but also be able to descend and climb with equal prowess. Determining the best geometry was the easier of the two, as we took our current XC race geo and added some trail DNA to the mix. This equates to a longer top tube, a shortened head tube, and a slacked out front end, the result of which is a tremendous increase in downhill stability, plus a wider fit range. And just as importantly, this doesn't require any sacrifice of climbing proficiency. The weight aspect was more complicated, though. We were posed with the question, "How do you take weight out of something that's already so light?" But the answer was relatively obvious: you get the best mountain bike engineers together in one room and let the magic come out.

• To provide the optimal blend of stiffness, crazy light weight, and strength, we constructed the frame from our S-Works FACT 12m carbon fibre. And when combined with our XC 29 Geometry, this Epic is guaranteed to deliver uncompromising, blistering speed and agile handling come race day—no matter the course.