SPECIALIZED EPIC HARDTAIL

HANDLING THROUGH CORNERS IS STABLE YET SHARP, THANKS TO THE SHORT-OFFSET FORK AND SLACK HEAD ANGLE, ALONG WITH THE SHORTEST STEM IN THIS TEST GIVING IT THAT NIPPY EDGE

have often been slow to benefit from advances in geometry, but Specialized are ahead of the game with the Epic Hardtail. For an XC bike, this is almost as rad as it gets. While it doesn’t get full endurostyle figures, the reach is the longest here, the head angle is the slackest and it’s also got the only fork with a