Team Specialized is still keeping the bike a big secret, guarding it from photographers and journalists as if it were a forbidden secret weapon. However, the published images confirm the changes expected by experts: Like Scott, Merida and other manufacturers of lightweight cross-country bikes, Specialized will now ride the shock parallel to the top tube. This is the ideal position for building extremely light fullys. According to unconfirmed information, Sauser's bike should weigh just 8.6 kilograms.

Furthermore, Specialized uses the Brain system; as with the Stumpjumper models, the cylinder is connected to the valve mechanism via an oil line and mounted on the seat stay near the rear wheel axle. The suspension system is still based on Specialized's patented four-bar linkage system with Horst link.

As you would expect, the bike also features Specialized's own suspension fork. The US manufacturer has been producing its own suspension forks (again) for a few years now, but so far only in the enduro and all-mountain sector. The fact that a lightweight cross-country fork is in the pipeline has long been whistled from the rooftops. The fork in the Epic shown in the pictures has a tapered steerer tube. In the upper headset, the previous diameter of 1 1/8 inches is used, while the lower steerer tube is 1.5 inches wide.