Bicycles > Mountain > Complete
Description
Specialized's cross-country race platform enters its ninth generation with a clear mandate: take the Epic 8 benchmark and remove what held it back. The S-Works Epic 9 sheds 206 grams from the previous generation while cutting suspension friction by 11% through revised kinematics and bushing refinements, which translates directly to efficiency on the climbs and traction through the chunder. The frame is built from S-Works FACT 12m carbon with Progressive XC Race Geometry, a threaded BB shell, internal cable routing, and a 12x148mm UDH rear dropout. Travel sits at 120mm front and rear, the figure that has defined modern World Cup XC after years of bikes hovering between 100mm and 110mm.
Geometry follows the longer-and-slacker arc that has reshaped cross-country racing. The head tube angle adjusts between 65.9° and 66.3° via the flip chip, with reach numbers running from 420mm in size Small to 505mm in size XL in the low setting. The 76° seat tube angle keeps the rider centered over the bottom bracket on sustained climbs, while chainstays grow from 435mm in the smaller frames to 442mm in XL to keep the wheelbase balanced as the front end stretches. Stack heights stay race-appropriate without forcing an extreme position, leaving room to dial in fit through the cockpit.
Suspension is where the S-Works build separates from the rest of the Epic 9 line. RockShox Flight Attendant manages the SID Ultimate fork and SIDLuxe Ultimate rear shock as a connected system, reading terrain inputs and rider behavior dozens of times per second to shift between open, pedal, and locked states automatically. The system removes the cognitive load of lever-flicking through punchy XC courses where the surface changes every few seconds, and it learns rider patterns over time. The SID Ultimate delivers 120mm of travel with a DebonAir spring and 44mm offset, while the SIDLuxe rear shock runs a 190x45mm stroke with the Ride Dynamics tune developed specifically for the Epic 9 chassis.... Read More
Features
- S-Works FACT 12m carbon frame with Progressive XC Race Geometry, 120mm travel
- Flip chip head tube angle adjustment, 65.9° low / 66.3° high
- Threaded bottom bracket shell, 12x148mm UDH rear dropout, internal cable routing
- RockShox SID Ultimate Flight Attendant fork, 120mm travel, 44mm offset, 15x110mm
- RockShox SIDLuxe Ultimate Flight Attendant rear shock, 190x45mm, Ride Dynamics tune
- SRAM XX SL Eagle Transmission with AXS POD Ultimate Controller
- SRAM/Quarq XX SL Eagle Power Meter Crankset, 34T, with CeramicSpeed Alpha DUB bottom bracket
- SRAM CS-1299 12-speed cassette, 10-52T
- SRAM Motive Ultimate 4-piston brakes, 180mm front / 160mm rear rotors
- Roval Control World Cup carbon wheelset, 28.5mm inner width, DT Swiss 180 rear internals, ceramic front bearings
- Specialized Fast Trak front and Air Trak rear tires, 29x2.35, Flex Lite casing, T5/T7 compound
- Roval Control SL integrated cockpit, 760mm width, stem length scaled by size
- RockShox Reverb AXS dropper post, travel scaled by size (125/150/175mm)
- Specialized S-Works Power EVO Mirror saddle with carbon rails
- SWAT Box 2.0 in-frame storage
- 21.6 lbs (size L, as built)
Geometry
| Size | Stack | Reach (Low) | Head Tube Angle (Low) | Seat Tube Angle | Chainstay | Wheelbase | Seat Tube Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | 594mm | 420mm | 65.9° | 76° | 435mm | 1148mm | 390mm |
| M | 604mm | 450mm | 65.9° | 76° | 435mm | 1184mm | 410mm |
| L | 618mm | 480mm | 65.9° | 76° | 438mm | 1223mm | 455mm |
| XL | 645mm | 505mm | 65.9° | 76° | 442mm | 1264mm | 505mm |