Advice on F/S XC bike

sinkas

Likes Bikes
Epic is a stellar ride for XC.

The big issue with them is the brain shock which is both expensive to service and unreliable with age. If you are a bigger rider, the damping is also not great (under damped) if you choose to run the brain open for technical terrain.

Also Spesh legacy parts support for their proprietary shock is poor. No parts available for pre 2014 brains (as of 2016!).

With a new design out for 2018, one wonders how much longer 2014- 2017 units will be supported.

The good news is with a bit of work, aftermarket shocks can be made to fit. https://www.dirtlabs.com/specialized-brain-epic-replacement-rear-shock/

I 've now got a Rockshox Monarch RCT3 fitted to my 2012 and it is better than the OEM fox based brain shock in every way.
that good to know,
I actually looked at a 2010 epic last week, ,
and the rear shock held pressure but seemed weak
it was also a brand new bike, with dubious provenance so Im glad I didn't take it any further

a specialized FSR got me out of riding 2o odd years ago,
was so slow on uphill I gave up after spending up big on the bike
 

Oddjob

Merry fucking Xmas to you assholes
a specialized FSR got me out of riding 2o odd years ago,
was so slow on uphill I gave up after spending up big on the bike
Do youself a favour. Try a dw-link bike if you can, pivot, turner, ibis et al.

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sinkas

Likes Bikes
So given the relative ease of finding a trek Top fuel or Scott spark 2nd hand,
do you guys think they will handle my weight? or would I need to uprate the rear shock?
 

Ultra Lord

Hurts. Requires Money. And is nerdy.
Hopefully it comes with a rear shock that you can put volume reducers in, there pretty cheap and make for a noticeable difference. Depends on the model of shock though.
 

Oddjob

Merry fucking Xmas to you assholes
So given the relative ease of finding a trek Top fuel or Scott spark 2nd hand,
do you guys think they will handle my weight? or would I need to uprate the rear shock?
They would handle 100kg easy. You actually want less spacers the heavier you get as you will be running more psi which ramps up towards the end of stroke faster.

You only want to change the shock for more relaibility, better damping or more adjustability.

Try to avoid proprietry shocks if you can. I.e. Specilized brain.

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Ultra Lord

Hurts. Requires Money. And is nerdy.
They would handle 100kg easy. You actually want less spacers the heavier you get as you will be running more psi which ramps up towards the end of stroke faster.
Just curious as to what you run and how heavy you are mate?

I found the opposite to be true. I'm nearly 100kg kitted up, and have had a fair amount of trouble setting bikes up so I wasn't blowing through travel until I started playing around with spacers. My reign was terrible until I put 6 spacers in the shock, no mid stroke support and bottomed out way to easily, and that was pumped up to 300psi (max 350) at 25% sag (recommended to run between 25-35%). I run three in my Scout after trialing various amounts from none to 5. Volume reducers have allowed bigger people to run aircans whereas before most would swap out for a coil with heavy spring.

Not just me either, my old man, who is 125kg was always bottoming out with 20% sag at full psi, and the bike had a very wallowy feel and pedaled like crap. Changed shock over to a monarch debonair RCT3 and banged 3 spacers in, much better. Now running 25% sag, 250ish psi, and only bottoms out when he makes a mistake and goes of something he really shouldn't.
 

Oddjob

Merry fucking Xmas to you assholes
Just curious as to what you run and how heavy you are mate?

I found the opposite to be true. I'm nearly 100kg kitted up, and have had a fair amount of trouble setting bikes up so I wasn't blowing through travel until I started playing around with spacers. My reign was terrible until I put 6 spacers in the shock, no mid stroke support and bottomed out way to easily, and that was pumped up to 300psi (max 350) at 25% sag (recommended to run between 25-35%). I run three in my Scout after trialing various amounts from none to 5. Volume reducers have allowed bigger people to run aircans whereas before most would swap out for a coil with heavy spring.

Not just me either, my old man, who is 125kg was always bottoming out with 20% sag at full psi, and the bike had a very wallowy feel and pedaled like crap. Changed shock over to a monarch debonair RCT3 and banged 3 spacers in, much better. Now running 25% sag, 250ish psi, and only bottoms out when he makes a mistake and goes of something he really shouldn't.
A gentleman never asks and a lady never tells...

Lets just say I'm currently a lot heavier than you guys and most of my experience comes from when I was your dads weight.

I found that if the air can was too small or there was too much negative air spring I wouldn't be able to get full travel. The conclusion I came to was to minimise negative air, go for bigger air cans and run a fair amount of low speed compression and a suitable amount of shims for high speed compression given leverage ratio etc.

The thing to keep in mind is that the relationship between pressure and volume is nonlinear so if you restrict volume too much you will restrict your travel.


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link1896

Mr Greenfield
that good to know,
I actually looked at a 2010 epic last week, ,
and the rear shock held pressure but seemed weak
it was also a brand new bike, with dubious provenance so Im glad I didn't take it any further

a specialized FSR got me out of riding 2o odd years ago,
was so slow on uphill I gave up after spending up big on the bike


chiming in here late. Avoid an Epic. Awesome bikes, but you need to own two if you want to ride one. and Specialized's warranty support has gone down the drain.
 

sinkas

Likes Bikes
chiming in here late. Avoid an Epic. Awesome bikes, but you need to own two if you want to ride one. and Specialized's warranty support has gone down the drain.
Hi yes, the Brain certainly seem to be a worry,
particularly on the 2nd hand market
 

mtb101

Likes Bikes and Dirt
why muck about with second hand stuff, go new, for 2-3k you'll get something nice with warranty etc, (you can even pay off via certigy) mountain bikes live in a harsh environment if you're 100kg/6 bombing down single track, .... well just go new.

forget fancy brands, Giant, Scott, Merida more bang for buck, you'll have no issues and can go exotic when you get some ks on your legs again in the future.
 

caad9

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Just to add another opinion to the fire, the newer Scott Spark would likely be a very decent option.
It's got all the characteristics of a modern XC bike.

I am a Kona fan through and through, the Hei Hei is also a very capable bike and extremely under appreciated because it isn't a featherweight.
 

sinkas

Likes Bikes
why muck about with second hand stuff, go new, for 2-3k you'll get something nice with warranty etc, (you can even pay off via certigy) mountain bikes live in a harsh environment if you're 100kg/6 bombing down single track, .... well just go new.

forget fancy brands, Giant, Scott, Merida more bang for buck, you'll have no issues and can go exotic when you get some ks on your legs again in the future.
yeh, you are prolly right,
I think the Scott spark 940 might be my best option,
 

sinkas

Likes Bikes
Just to add another opinion to the fire, the newer Scott Spark would likely be a very decent option.
It's got all the characteristics of a modern XC bike.

I am a Kona fan through and through, the Hei Hei is also a very capable bike and extremely under appreciated because it isn't a featherweight.
yeh the spark 940 on run out looksdamn good fro $3Kish,
ill kep an eye out for one,
as all l and xl sold out(2017s)
 

caad9

Likes Bikes and Dirt
There is a couple 2017's on Bike Exchange in Large, 2 in Vic and one in QLD.
Postage isn't all that much these days
 
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