The hottest new kit – Specialized’s Epic Expert EVO, Öhlins’ RXF EVO Air fork, Pace’s RC46 stem, Northwave’s Clan shoes and Shimano’s XT M8020 four-pot brakes

£5,150 Cross-country got cool!

Specialized have put their Epic XC race bike on the equivalent of a high-protein diet, pumping up the fork travel (it gets a 120mm Fox 34 SC) and rear tyre volume (to 2.3in) and adding a dropper post to create this new EVO model. This is a bike made for fast-paced marathon riding and epic missions into the wilds. The custom RockShox Micro Brain rear shock has been updated to keep the rear end firmer under pedalling and smoother when you need it. With 12-speed SRAM GX Eagle shifting and Roval carbon wheels, our medium test bike weighs 12.16kg (26.8lb). XC is evolving, and this beast proves it.