Specialized Epic 2003

When I purchased my Epic, I made the mistake of buying a large model since it was on special offer. What I didn't realise at the time was that, although the stand over height was perfectly fine, the reach was in fact too long.

This problem (which is only a problem to me) was highlighted when climbing the Black Route at Glentress, where I couldn't get round some of the tight switch backs in the way that I would have liked.

That said, I thought the bike was an excellent all round performer, it climbed really well, and descended with the best. I can certainly see why so many people like to race them - the rear brain technology certainly keeps the back end as stiff as possible, which makes a huge difference on the climbs. I have heard people complaining about the brain, and that it can break down, but to be honest, I have never seen that happen or read an instance of an actual event.

My Epic was a standard specification, which I found to be perfect for a first mountain bike - i.e. XT rear mech etc.

All in all, I would certainly recommend one of these bikes to anyone who wanted a more rice like bike - JUST MAKE SURE YOU BUY THE RIGHT SIZE!