Cracking and long climbs, but equally long and crisp descents are a challenge for man and material at the Swiss Epic. Philipp Zenklusen and Balz Weber from the Ride Swiss Epic team have put together the perfect bike for this race according to their own ideas. The first requirement is clear. With 15,000 meters of altitude, the bike must not be too heavy and should roll well. However, Valais is one of the best trail regions in the world. This means that the descents will range from flowing and easy to technically difficult. Anyone who has been toiling uphill for so long also wants to have fun and comfort on the way down. So Philipp and Balz opted for a twentyniner fully.

The basis is a Devinci Atlas with 110 millimetres of suspension travel, short chainstays and a semi-flat steering angle. For the suspension fork, the choice fell on the brand new RS1 from Rock Shox with 120 millimetres of travel. With its eye-catching look, the upside-down fork is a perfect match for the Canadian bike brand's twentyniner frame.

With the RS1, there is still a limited choice of wheels - at least for the time being. The 1500-XM Spline wheels from DT Swiss, which now also come with a "predictive steering hub" for the RS1, seem to fit perfectly into the concept. The wheels are covered with Swiss rubber from Onza for the big adventure. The smooth-running "Canis" model in the 29x2.25 inch size is used here.

The XX1 drivetrain from Sram is also suitable, as its low weight doesn't put too much strain on the scales. As things can get steep in between, the two Ride Swiss Epic riders ride a 32 t chainring. The gears are shifted with a trigger shifter.
One of the declared aims of the Swiss Epic is to have as much fun as possible on the downhill. To keep the fun under control, you also need good brakes. As neither Philipp nor Balz have ever ridden Hope brakes, this is a good opportunity for the two of them to test the fine stoppers from England.

The cockpit is more downhill-oriented and is in the middle range. A 75 millimeter Truvativ stem and a 720 millimeter Truvativ Noir T40 handlebar are mounted as the control center. This means that the bike still climbs comfortably, but is easier to control downhill than with a conventional marathon cockpit. The Ride Swiss Epic team also uses Ergon grips. The GE1 model has only one clamp on the inside and a good fit. As a result, the hands should not tire too much on long descents.

For steeper descents, a Vario seatpost also makes sense. from bei. The Kind Shock LEV is a model that is not too heavy, but still robust enough. It allows the saddle to be lowered by 125 millimetres, which provides comfort and additional reserves on the long descents in Valais. An SME3-S-Pro saddle from Ergon sits enthroned on the seat post. This is selected according to the width of the buttocks and is designed to protect the rider's buttocks on the long stages.

All in all, the racing bike from the Ride Swiss Epic team is a good mix between a marathon and trail bike. Despite robust wheels, wider handlebars and a dropper seat post that is at least twice as heavy as a normal seat post, the scales remain at 11.3 kilograms - a good weight for such an undertaking. However, Philipp and Balz still have to pedal themselves, which is currently not going as quickly as they would like.