More travel, more fun?
Specialized Epic Evo 2024

The Specialized Epic EVO, born out of necessity, has now become one of the most popular trail rigs in the scene. The Americans are now launching a revamp of their trail speedster. Upgrading to 130mm of travel in the fork makes the bike more capable. But does it retain its classic virtues with the 2024 iteration?

The Specialized Epic Racebike is the prestige bike of the Americans. Its success in the MTB World Cup and victories at Cape Epic add serious cred to the brand’s image in the mountain biking scene. Yet, despite its fame and glory, the Epic Evo can’t quite compete. Nevertheless, it is the more popular bike on the scene. A wider range of applications, smart features, and a carefree attitude have turned the bike into a trail full-suspension that has caused excitement on trails around the globe.

With the redesign of the Epic Racebike, the Epic Evo is also getting a boost of fresh energy. For the first time, both bikes, the racebike and the Evo version, come with the same rear travel. The Evo now comes with 130 millimeters of travel in the fork. The 10 mm difference compared to its predecessor might not sound substantial, but it means that an entirely different class of fork is slotted into the head tube. Fox 34 forks aren’t just more plush, but they are especially stiffer than the previous 34-SC versions from Fox. With this, Specialized makes it clear that the focus with the Epic Evo is more than ever on one thing: Riding fun!

Specialized delivers the Epic Evo in 5 sizes from XS to XL, nailing the geometry spot on. With a 65.4-degree head angle, it doesn’t blindly follow the longer-slacker trend in the market but stays on the moderate side. Both handling and seated positioning don’t run to extremes. Using the arrow icon , you can pull each model from our extensive market overview into the comparison with any other bike. This allows you to compare geometry data head-to-head.

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In the Specialized lineup, there are now three Epic full-suspension models. Alongside the Epic Evo, which has been dialed in for trail fun more than ever, the Epic remains for all the endurance racers. And the Epic World Cup with its unique suspension concept and only 75mm of rear travel continues to be available. Of course, we have extensive features on all bikes online.

Specialized is typically known for its bikes in the absolute premium sector. However, with the 2024 Epic Evo Comp, the Americans prove that they can also build competitive bikes at price points around €5000. Weighing in at 12.6 kg, the bike is not just lightweight. Our detailed look at the specs reveals that Specialized can absolutely keep up with the market offerings in terms of equipment.

The Epic Evo is available at launch in 2 spec options ranging from 5200 to 9000 euros. We’ve taken a look at all the options. One notable absence is an S-Works version of the Epic Evo. Surely it’s only a matter of time before the folks at Specialized beef up their lineup. With the arrow icon , you can pull up side-by-side comparisons of each model with any other bike from our comprehensive market overview.

Discover what’s essential in trail bikes with our Trailbike Buying Guide. Find out if a trail bike will make you happy in our Trailbike Type Query. You can find the best trail bike models on the market right here.