Epic Hardtail Cross-Country MTB Heralded As “World’s Lightest Production Hardtail”

There’s really no need to introduce a cycling team that’s been around since 1974, a time in which, Specialized has risen to the top of the cycling game. Today, their machines can be seen on nearly any street in the world, and most certainly on TV, especially during the Tour de France. Even though most of today’s cycling attention is focused on road bikes, this team’s capabilities extend into every corner of the cycling world, including XC MTBs.

The freshest lineup is known as the Epic Hardtail, which includes five bikes, ranging in prices, building techniques and materials used, and components. What makes them so special is that they are currently being heralded as “the lightest production hardtail on Earth,” according to Specialized, a feat achieved by being “obsessing” over the feat. How light? Under 800 grams (1.8 lbs) for a medium-sized frame.

If you fear that you’ll be reading about $10,000 bikes that seem out of the average human’s price range, don’t be as the least expensive of the family, the basic Epic Hardtail, comes in with an MSRP of $2,400 (€2.055 at current exchange rates), that’s not to say that there isn’t a $10,000 bike available too, there is. However, for this article, I'll just be pointing out what the team did in order to make these bikes “lighter and more capable than ever.”

First thing’s first, the frame. By modifying aspects like head tube angles, BB drop height, reducing fork offset, and increasing reach, Specialized realized that components needed to complete the bike could ultimately help reduce weight even more in comparison to previous models.

To get an idea of just how serious some team members were in making the Hardtail lighter, Specialized put out a quirky video that shows just how far some people will go in optimizing... anything really. I got a chuckle out of it, but more importantly it helped me understand this cycling team’s drive when seeking to perfect a product.

One important factor to consider in this vehicle’s construction is the frame material. The manufacturer’s website shows that Fact 11m composite is used to create the frames you see, all but the S-Works edition which uses Fact 12m composite; the $10,000 (€8,564 at current exchange rates) bike.

The two least expensive models in the family feature drivetrains from Shimano, while the remaining three bikes, including the S-Works, all include SRAM as the driving factor. The product page for the basic Hardtail doesn’t show what components are included, but the Comp includes a full-blown SLX setup, the Expert and Pro utilize a blend of top-shelf SRAM components, while the S-Works features a full XX1 Eagle AXS everything. No matter the drivetrain provider that the bikes may be using, all of them are tuned to run a 12-speed configuration; one chainring in front, and a twelve pack on the rear.

Since the rear of a hardtail bike includes no suspension, Specialized focused some attention on allowing this frame to be equipped with wider tires, leading to a more controlled and softer ride. Speaking of soft rides, the frames are even dropper-post ready, helping offer easier and safer descents.

Now, a cross-country bike is the sort of machine that likes to be taken out and ridden the living day lights out of. So if you do get your hands on one of these composite babies, you’d better get to traveling as far as your legs will carry you, after all, it is Travel Month here at autoevolution.

There’s just one question I have in all this light-weighting business, where’s the limit? When are bicycles going to reach the peak of the frame innovation curve? Well, only the majors seem to know, and Specialized seems to be one of the teams bent on creating a bike that’s lighter than air, at some point.