Epic Build

[Kalgrm]

Well, it seems showing the stages of a build is the "in thing" at the moment, and since I'm about to start the process, here's my new (to me) Specialized Epic frame as I bought it. (Note the obligatory garage door back-drop ....)





I'll be transfering most of parts from the my Giant XtC across (shown below), but I won't be needing the Thudbuster suspended seatpost any longer .....



Cheers,
Graeme

[Aushiker]

G'day


Why don't you sell the XTC to me and use the money to buy the parts you need

Andrew

[toolonglegs]

whats that above the headset on the xtc?

[Deanj]

Thats well nice! (jealous sulk ) How long before she rideable? Going to stick with the flat bars and bar ends or some downhill style?

[alchemist]

I won't be needing the Thudbuster suspended seatpost any longer .....

Ridden an Epic before?

whats that above the headset on the xtc?

Looks like a Hopey - http://www.hopey.org/

[Kalgrm]

Why don't you sell the XTC to me and use the money to buy the parts you need

I'll swap you the XtC for the details of your credit card and I'll build it from there. Promise I'll only buy the bits I need .... I've spent a good amount on parts to upgrade the XtC (XTR RD, XT FD, etc.) so I'll keep them. I'd love a new set of forks too, but that's just going to have to wait.

TooLong, see this threadfor the gadgets I love ....

Needsapush, I'm too old to take up DH riding! This is a XC frame, as is the XtC, and that's the type of riding I like. I love climbing more than decending, actually.

I'm expecting to be on it a few days after Tim Hopey sends me the replacement bracket for the damper. I'll see how desperate I get - I might end up taking the bracket from the XtC across with me, but I'm hoping I won't need to. In any case, I can't ride at the moment - buggered a muscle in my shoulder during the week and I'm laid up.

Alchemist, no I haven't ridden an Epic before, although I ride with a bloke who owns one. He loves it and punishes it quite severely. I know it's going to be less plush than (say) a Trance, but I'm used to a HT, and it can't be more harsh than ridding my beer-can bike.

Cheers,
Graeme

Cheers,
Graeme

[europa]

I'll swap you the XtC for the details of your credit card

DONE!

Wild looking bike there mate.

Richard

btw, it's a debit card and at the moment, it's suffering from Jamisitis

[Mulger bill]

Gotta thing for black Graeme?

Gonna be a killer unit when she's done.

Shaun

[Aushiker]

Why don't you sell the XTC to me and use the money to buy the parts you need

I'll swap you the XtC for the details of your credit card and I'll build it from there.

Knowing the state of my cc at the moment, you got a deal

Andrew

[Birdman]

My boss went out and bought an XtC1 the other day. I told him he needs a road bike (cause thats all he ever does), but he was adament on wasting his money ona beautiful piece of equipment (and some of the best gadgets to go with; sigma's and topeaks etc.) which he knows how not to ride, or where.

But if your componentry on your XtC is anything like his, your new frame build is going to finish in extraordinary style.

Mitch.

[craigjdurkee]

very nice indeed

[Kalgrm]

Well, my bike is essentially finished. All the parts are now transferred across and all that remains to do is to tune the rear suspension (no idea where to start on this) and to swap the good MTB wheels off the recumbent to the Epic. That won't happen until I've built up the 700c wheelset for the 'bent, so in the meantime the Epic has the standard XtC wheels.

Photos will follow tomorrow.

Cheers,
Graeme

[europa]

Well, my bike is essentially finished. All the parts are now transferred across and all that remains to do is to tune the rear suspension (no idea where to start on this) and to swap the good MTB wheels off the recumbent to the Epic. That won't happen until I've built up the 700c wheelset for the 'bent, so in the meantime the Epic has the standard XtC wheels.

Photos will follow tomorrow.

Cheers,
Graeme

It is obvious to a good friend that this task will create needless stress and confusion upon your good self. Therefore, in the interests of good friendship, I urge you to strip all the parts from the frame and send them through to me. Yes, I realise that attempting to fit them to my Trek520 frame will cause me intense grief and stress, but I'm used to it and it will allow my good friends on this forum to once again tell me I'm freaking nuts

Richard

[Mulger bill]

Where would you fit that rear shock on the Trek frame Richard?

Shaun

[Bnej]

Where would you fit that rear shock on the Trek frame Richard?

Shaun

Take a hacksaw to the seat stays and make a soft tail?

[europa]

Where would you fit that rear shock on the Trek frame Richard?

Shaun

I'd swap it down the local pub for a pint

Richard

[Kalgrm]

As promised, here are the photos of the build.

First job - have the headset pressed into the frame and the crown race fitted to the fork. This is the job they did.



Not bad, but when I picked it up I had to ask him to redo the bracket - he'd fitted it upside down. This, after being assured that the mechanic is one of the best in the state, and after getting it from his own mouth that he has fitted Hopey steering dampers before. $20 for the pressing and fitting the crown race on the fork.


Next, mount the frame on the workstand and start attaching all the goodies which came off the XtC. Note the high quality of the workstand and the excellent ventilation in the work area.




Here's the drive train. The crankset is new ($100 from Chain Reaction) as are the gear cables and housing ($32, CRC). The grey housings are to accent the gun-metal grey hubs on my hand-built wheelset (not fitted yet) and the nice "bling" XTR RD. I've stayed on a monochromatic theme throughout - black/grey/white/silver on all parts. Yum!




The view from the front. Enticing and enchanting enough to ensure a stunned look from the roos on the single track right up until they boing off the bars ....




My only misgiving during the build has been this stress bend in the brake line. The Hayes HFX-9 brake callipers have the hydraulic line coming straight out and into the Brain canister. It's not good, and I need to find some sort of corner adaptor to provide a bend in the hose.




And here - finally - is the money shot: makes me hot and sweaty just looking at it!




All that remains for me to do is swap the current standard XtC3 wheelset out for the nice set I'm currently running on the recumbent. That's going to happen when I build up the Deep Vs for the 'bent.

Setting the sag on the bike was a saga, as noted in this thread. After doing a search, I found out the rear shock takes about 20 seconds to sag to normal ride height after climbing onto the bike. I put a cable tie on the stanchion, climbed onto the bike and sat quietly. At the recommended pressure (for my weight) of 105 psi, I achieved about 20% travel, so that's where I'm starting with this bike.

So, of course, I just had to take it for a quick fly down the road to the nearest bit of dirt. Inadequate as that was, I can see this bike being a dream to ride after all my previous HT MTB riding. This thing really does act like a HT until the rough stuff gives it a kick up the arse, after which it becomes a buttery smooth ride. Cool! Hammer as hard as you like without any bob, then soak up the bumps, all without flicking a switch!

Come Tuesday night, I'll be taking it out for a ride on the 12 hour course at Jarrahdale with some mates. Can't wait!

Cheers,
Graeme

[europa]

Ahh, it even wears a Brooks

Looking good mate. $100 for the crankset, that's good value

These new suspension systems sound pretty good. They might change a few attitudes towards bouncy bits on bikes.

Richard
I too have used that model workshop stand

[Kalgrm]

I hate to break the news to you Richard, but this isn't a "new" suspension system any more. These came out in 2003, if I recall correctly. Some of the current stuff is simply amazing, but I can't afford that end of town. Current systems have some very clever linkage assemblies combined with platform shocks ("Pro-Pedal") and/or remote lockout in front and rear to provide curved travel paths, zero brake jack, reduced pedal input, virtual pivot points, etc., etc.

However, I'm quite happy with this one - it was way ahead of its time when it was released, and as you can see from needsapush's new bike, they have only tweaked the concept since then (better shock now than on mine). These Epics are designed to act like a HT until bumps are encountered. That's a style of ride that some racers really like - the ability to stack the power on without compressing the suspension is much sought after.

Cheers,
Graeme

[Aushiker]

Not bad, but when I picked it up I had to ask him to redo the bracket - he'd fitted it upside down. This, after being assured that the mechanic is one of the best in the state, and after getting it from his own mouth that he has fitted Hopey steering dampers before.

Was this Fleet?

Andrew

[Kalgrm]

How did you guess? You must be psychic ....

[toolonglegs]

Looks good ...be interested to hear what the rear suspension is like climbing,seated and standing.I must admit I hate even the slightest bit of bob.For one reason other than loosing power is that it does my lower back in.

[Kalgrm]

I reckon Needsapush will be a better person to answer this particular question since he has the current model.

Having said that, the newer versions have modifications to the shock which will make it easier to induce bob, since they have the controls which set the threshold at which the shock "lets go" (Specialized call it Brain Fade).

In my very limited testing to date, I can't make it bob when the track has no bumps in it. I reckon you, on the other hand, could make it bob to the point of breaking! Nah, the way they've designed this thing means it will not bob under any amount of power until the suspension becomes active (ie. when a bump forces the rear wheel up).

They've also installed the Brain on a backwards slope so that the steeper the climb, the bigger the bump must be before it overcomes the inertia of the brass piston within. It means on climbs, the shock is almost always locked out, while on descents it's almost always active. They are clever bastards at Specialized .....

(The Brain fade was introduced because riders wanted the ability to set the size of the bump which made the shock active when climbing a hill. Sometimes it's better to sit and spin, allowing the bike to absorb the bumps as you climb. Unfortunately, that means bob more often than not when the suspension is active.)

Cheers,
Graeme

[europa]

she's certainly a wild looking bike.

When are you buying the CruzBike conversion kit?

Richard

[Deanj]

It looks great Graeme! Be interested to see how you find giving it a proper ride tomorrow. I've taken a photo of my rear caliper for you as its no better than yours so may make you feel a bit better??



The cable then bends underneath the chain stay and continues under the frame all the way up to the headset.

Rode it to work for the first time today and I turned the brain up to the firmest setting. Only took it steady as legs were tired from yesterday but it was just like riding the usual hardtail to work, very stiff. On way home I went through the park and hit a few things to jump off and on landing suspension worked beautifully. If the Mrs gets back at a reasonable time tomorrow I'm heading up to the x country track so will give it a hard lap or two and see how it is on the climbs. The brain fade is a great idea but like TLL I don't want any bob so I'll probably be leaving it on the firmest setting, maybe a few clicks for the rougher tracks or if I fancy some time off work and decide to have a go on the downhill course