Submitted by
mark rodman
a Racer
from Westford, MA Date Reviewed: May 10, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Duckpond
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$3000.00
Purchased At:
Cycleloft
Strengths:
This is an update to my last posting (see below, "Bottom Line") regarding the 2007 Epic Marathon the Brain Shock. I am now on my fifth replacement, but Specialized continues to be very supportive with timely replacements, and the 4th shock, a 2008, lasted much longer than the 2007...and the ride is SO SWEET when it does work, I feel compelled to share some good new as well. Jury is still out but I remain cautiously optimistic.
Bottom Line:
My previous review: Submitted by Mark Rodman a Cross Country Rider from Westford, MA USA Date Reviewed: 9/14/2007 12:08:09 PM FavoriteTrail: Anaconda Duration Product Used: 6 months Price Paid: $3500 Purchased At: Cycleloft Strengths: light, responsive, adaptable Weaknesses: 2007 Specialized proprietary rear shock with Brain has blown its seals twice within six months, despite my only weighing 165 lb.'s and riding with no big drops or air, only aggressive/frequent/northeast rocky cross country riding! Similar Products Tried: Rocky Mountain element Bike Setup: carbon bars, fox front shock, Hutchinson tires, Mavic crossmax St wheels tubeless wheels, XT drive train, Hayes brakes Bottom Line: when the rear shock is working it's great. But the several days of the warrantee process is painful. I regret buying the bike because it's their first year with the proprietary Specialized technology and I am concerned that it's not fully baked. Value Rating: Overall Rating:
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chuck Norris
a Cross Country Rider
from CO Date Reviewed: April 2, 2008
Favorite Trail:
the one that leads to your moms house
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
2006 epic marathon came with strong components. xo all around and xt hollowtooth crank. climbs like a champ. brain is swell, it really does work. fast acceleration and handling on slow techy climbs. fox shocks are so easy to work on.
Weaknesses:
stock tires, cant remember what they were, blew out first ride. very thin sidewall, didnt corner very well. also came with a flat carbon handlebar and 31.8 stem. changed to 24.5 and a low rise bar. much better set up. also need to change beerings in rear hub but have put it off because i think you need a bunch of fancy tools
Bike Setup:
put a 6 inch rotor on the front. changed to a kind headset. monkey lite sl low rise and race face stem. run a 2.1 barracuda on the back and a 2.3 barracuda, --> hutchi on the front. pretty sure thats all the changes i have made
Bottom Line:
blown out the seals a couple of times but i attribute this to being a xc rider trapped in a freeriders body. seriously i ride this bike like a 6 incher. i have taken it off 6 foot drops. ok maybe 5 foot drops but it holds up. porcupine rim abused it a bit. several flats and couldnt keep up with the sixers through the rock garden. oh and i think they changed to juicy 7's. all i know is that i think those things are a pain in the butt to set up. xt brakes work fine with the exception of every time i take off the front wheel i have to re-center the calipers over the rotor. whats the deal with that?
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kelly
a Cross Country Rider
from Boise Date Reviewed: November 18, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Fisher Creek
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$2800.00
Purchased At:
Minneapolis Dealer
Strengths:
New Brain ('06) works much better than my '03 Epic. Much more responsive and tuneable. The extra 20mm of travel makes a huge difference. Good component group. Fox 100RLT just as good with another 20mm compared to my old F80RLT. Noticeably lighter and a faster climber than my '03 Epic with fairly similar components.
Weaknesses:
I am still so-so on the Specialized S Works FasTrak tubeless tires. They seem to roll well, but don't have the cornering I would like.
Similar Products Used:
'03 Epic, Fuel 100, Santa Cruz Blur
Bike Setup:
Stock except for swapping out the SWorks Carbon flat bar for a riser and upgrading to my Chris King head set. Shimano 959 Pedals.
Bottom Line:
Still the best full suspension available for racing and cross country riding. The Brain gets better each year and the frame gets a bit lighter each year. Climbs better than my hard tail and I still have taken 2-3 foot drops without worrying. After over 5000 miles on the two Epics, I am a fan for life.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
BC
a Racer
from Tulsa Date Reviewed: September 21, 2007
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Bottom Line:
Posted a review a month ago about how sweet this bike is. Took it on my first loooonnnggg ride last weekend over very rocky terrain, rode it into the ground and lo and behold - seal blew and has to be sent in to get serviced! Boo!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark Rodman
a Cross Country Rider
from Westford, MA USA Date Reviewed: September 14, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Anaconda
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$3500.00
Purchased At:
Cycleloft
Strengths:
light, responsive, adaptable
Weaknesses:
2007 Specialized proprietary rear shock with Brain has blown its seals twice within six months, despite my only weighing 165 lb.'s and riding with no big drops or air, only aggressive/frequent/northeast rocky cross country riding!
Similar Products Used:
Rocky Mountain element
Bike Setup:
carbon bars, fox front shock, Hutchinson tires, Mavic crossmax St wheels tubeless wheels, XT drive train, Hayes brakes
Bottom Line:
when the rear shock is working it's great. But the several days of the warrantee process is painful. I regret buying the bike because it's their first year with the proprietary Specialized technology and I am concerned that it's not fully baked.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Austin
a Racer
from Orcutt, CA Date Reviewed: September 1, 2007
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$1200.00
Purchased At:
Bike Barn
Strengths:
Light, stiff frame. Brain is amazing...working flawlessly. Cross Country rocket...climbs like dream.
Weaknesses:
Mine's not carbon...
Similar Products Used:
Ventana Pantera
Bike Setup:
FSA XC 300 wheels (Stan's converted) Rock Shox Reba Team U-Turn (usuall set at 85mm) w/PopLoc Chris King headset Truvativ Stylo Team cranks FSA carbon riser bar FSA XC-115 stem Specialized Fast Track Pro tires SRAM X.O twist shift/RD Shimano XT front der SRAM hollow-pin chain SRAM PG990 cassette Salsa skewers Specialized Phenom SL saddle Thomson Elite setback post (ti barrell kit) Avid Juicy Carbon brakes Alligator Serrated rotors (tie bolts) Extralite seatpost binder Crank Bros Eggbeater SL pedals
Bottom Line:
This review is for the 2007 Marathon Frame only.
Amazing bike! Perfect for racing...climbs like a dream. If you are a racer, this is full suspension bike is for you. Not an a great trailbike...not enough travel. The rider is the only limiting factor...gotta work on that.
Brain shock has performed flawlessly. I look forward to many great races with this bad boy.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
BC
a Racer
from Tulsa, OK Date Reviewed: August 19, 2007
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$3300.00
Purchased At:
eBay
Strengths:
Suspension is top notch, Carbon is fairly light, Climbs as advertised, rockets out of the corners, and motors on the flats and over roots/rocks. This has proved to be the perfect bike for my transition from hardtail to full-suspension.
Weaknesses:
I have the Marathon Carbon and it scratches at the slightest of touch. You can't tell unless you look closely and I don't plan on selling so it really doesn't matter. Set-up takes a bit of time for the perfectionist
Similar Products Used:
Ventana El Salt, Turner Flux, Trek 9800 Hardtail
Bike Setup:
Stock except for XTR cranks, cassette, and pedals and also switched out the laid back post for a straight Thompson post
Bottom Line:
Long story short - Switching from a hardtail to a full-suspension was a bit conflicting for me as I couldn't ascertain whether I wanted a fun XC ride or a serious marathon racer. Demo'ed the Ventana El Salt and loved it as a trail bike but it didn't climb like I wanted which was a big concern for me (awesome bike though). Read many reviews on the Epic series and determined that the Brain feature would allow me to have the best of both worlds - efficient racer and fun all-around bike. Found a good deal on ebay and bought without ever riding one.
First ride - hated it. I thought it was slow and sluggish and just didn't compare to the Ventana except for the climbs which I was able to clear. Second Ride - little bit better but I was still questioning my purchase. Third ride - loved it and love it more each time I ride it. I attribute this to a) I just didn't have the legs the first couple rides and b) it simply wasn't dialed in. The suspension takes a good deal of time to get dialed in (front and back) and now it just rockets. The bike feels so good that I am afraid to change any of the settings cause I dont want to alter the ride. Uphill, flats, technical flats, corners it just accels. Downhills are not as plush as I experienced with the Ventana but these are two different rides (and it could probably be resolved with changing the set-up). The bike is fast, light, and puts on a bulls-eye on your back as the one to catch. I am extremly happy with this bike and it has brought the fun back into riding/racing
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Todd
a Cross Country Rider
from Fuquay, NC USA Date Reviewed: August 9, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Any
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$3300.00
Strengths:
Stock Set Up for 07. Believe the hype behind the propietary shock it really does work.
Weaknesses:
It is a bit heavy if you are switching from a hardtail. My frame is being battered by the second water bottle cage. The bottle sits on the frame and has worn the paint off already.
Similar Products Used:
Klein Adept Pro and Seven Sola
Bike Setup:
XO, Magura Marta, 819 wheels, XT Cranks, Thomson Post, and everything else stock.
Bottom Line:
I really like this bike. I got rid of my last full suspension bike three years ago and had no intention of going back. After three years of battering my back I decided to see about full suspension bikes again. The concept of the Epic intrested me and I got to demo it. It was amazing the bike delivered as promised. After loggin 20 plus hours on the bike I can say that it is a very fun bike to ride. I will caution any hardtial XC guy buying this bike by saying don't expect it to be a hardtail. The bike does accelerate well out of corners and does climb well. However if you are like me and had a super rigid XC bike it does take a while to get use to the extra weight and a bit slower acceleration. However the benefit of the suspension on roots and technical ascents and descents makes you remember why you bought the dual suspension to begin with. The shock does allow an amazing amount of adjustability for 07 that does allow for it to ride like a heavy hardtail. Overall the bike delivers and I am happy with the results, good balance, good tracking into corners and alot of fun.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
nelson
a Cross Country Rider
from Oceanside, CA. 92056 Date Reviewed: July 8, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Laguna Canyon, El Moro, Old Camp, Luge, Santa Ana trail
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Surf City Cyclery
Strengths:
The 2007 Brain is easier to dial in than the previous rear shocks. Silver and black color scheme looks nice.
Rode the anthem 1 for almost 8 months and I thought the maestro was the bomb on the climbs and on the single tracks. I kept test riding my teammates 06 epic sworks and 06 epic marathon aluminum but I was only a little bit impressed, but not impressed enough to get rid of my anthem and jump on the epic. After the 12 hour race at Temecula, I took the Anthem to my LBS and saw the 2007 Epic with the nex specialized rear shock on display. I thought I'll take it for a spin in the parking lot while waiting for my bike. Fortunately, TJ from Surf City Cyclery gave me a chance to demo it and explained to me the suspension difference of the 2006 Fox brain and the 2007 Specialized in house brain. After a 30 mins. of riding and comparison, I was sold with the 2007 Epic. Right there and then I chose the color of the 2007 Epic and purchased it ( I was sold and impressed by it ). My frame came after 3 days and they custom built it to my likings. I rode it for 4 days in 1 week and rack 80 miles on it. All I can say is " I have no regret, the bike's design delivers what it promised ". Easy suspension set up. Less fatigue on the climbs and the traction is very efficient. Outstanding bike for cross country and moderate trail riding. Highly recommendable for advance and intermediate riders. This bike's suspension is not a gimmick it really works.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
eddie
a Cross Country Rider
from summertown, tennessee Date Reviewed: July 7, 2007
Favorite Trail:
chickasaw trace
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1900.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
light, nimble, quick shifting, the brain is awesome.
Weaknesses:
none so far.
Similar Products Used:
none so far
Bike Setup:
stock 2006 epic marathon.
Bottom Line:
this bike is awesome, the brain works as advertised. its by far the fastest bike ive ever been on. the bike just kept wanting to go faster. today was my first time on it and i shaved almost a minute off my fastest time on my favororite trail on this rocket i was not even used to. this is the real deal.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeff
a Cross Country Rider
from Denver, CO Date Reviewed: June 22, 2007
Favorite Trail:
401 in Crested Butte
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$3500.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Stable platform very efficient for climbing, adjustable bump threshold on Brain. Quick and maneuverable.
Weaknesses:
A bit heavy for a XC race bike. Harsh ride on rocky, all-mountain-type trails. Fox seals.
'04 Marathon with Fox F100X, Mavic CrossMax XT wheels, Avid Juicy 7 brakes, and SRAM shifters (couldn't get ride of the integrated shifter/levers fast enough!)
Bottom Line:
Looking for a XC trail bike? Check this one out. Just be ready to do some annual (or sooner) maintenance on the fork and rear shock. Keep on reading.
For XC, this bike is hot. It feels like a hardtail on climbs and when you stand and hammer on the pedals yet it takes the bumps pretty well when you are in the saddle. I say "pretty well" because while the bump is absorbed by the suspension, I would not say that it is a plush ride. You will feel it. But that is what this bike is designed for.
On a negative side, I am not impressed with the quality of my Fox fork or the For rear shock. I blew out the seal in the Brain on my first ride. Fortunately the guys at my LBS swapped it out for me right then and there. Since then, the rear shock starts to leak oil after 600-800 miles and is in need of a seal overhaul annually which can take 3-4 weeks at Fox. The F100X felt great at first but started leaking too and started losing some of the inertial lockout. So I replace the oil and dust wipers every 9 months or so (Fox says to replace the wipers every 40 hours!). Interesting that Specialized went with the F100RL in '05.
I hated the XT hydraulic brakes and integrated shifter/levers so I went with Avid Juicy 7s and SRAM shifters. Much better.
Overall, I would say it is a great XC trail bike and I have raced 50 milers on this bike, but those 30-50 mile rides leave you feeling hammered.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bill
a Weekend Warrior
from Austin Date Reviewed: December 20, 2006
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$2100.00
Purchased At:
eBay
Strengths:
Quality build and components. 2006 model with the updated Brain, works like a charm.
Weaknesses:
Bike keeps falling down with me on it!! (Most likely due to operator error. Seriously, the bike has a quirky steering quality that takes a little getting used to.
Bottom Line:
A great bike that's been a rush to ride. I'll change out the bars (see above) and see how that does.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Julian
a Cross Country Rider
from Colchester Date Reviewed: December 8, 2006
Favorite Trail:
South Downs
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$3800.00
Purchased At:
Cycle Revolution, Colchester
Strengths:
Taut, rugged XC/trail bike. Good value. Great standard kit, including F100X forks & Thomson seatpost (2004 model).
Weaknesses:
Not the lightest frame around these days. Weping fork seals. 'Step' in suspension as platform activates - cannot be deactivated completely.
Kit changed extensively from original, (although standard parts sold easily 2nd hand). Great non-competitive XC bike. Suspension easy to set up & works like a compliant hardtail. Great for both off road and commuting (swapping to Crossrides with Conti slicks, clip-on mudguards & Solidlights LED for winter- works well on poor roads & doesn't puncture). Only problem was weeping fork seals from new. Replaced with brilliant Enduro Fork seals - used for 1yr now with absolutely no weeping. I'm tempted by a carbon frame (?Specialized Epic, Giant, Titus, Storck etc.) but hard to justify replacing this excellent all-rounder!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Greg
a Weekend Warrior
from Dallas Date Reviewed: December 8, 2006
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$3400.00
Purchased At:
Bicycles Plus
Strengths:
Suspension is absolutely as advirtised - full suspension when you needs it, hard tail firm when you need it. Very fast and quick bike.
Weaknesses:
Nothing so far.
Similar Products Used:
Hardtail only so far.
Bike Setup:
Stock, save tires and Chris King Ti headset.
Bottom Line:
This is the real deal. While you pay for the quality, this bike allows you to ride far more aggresively than any hardtail I've ridden. As I'm now in my mid-30's, I also like the fact I don't feel liked I got mugged after riding, while still not sacrificing the hardtail benefits when you need it. I highly recommend this bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Stephen
a Cross Country Rider
from Cumberland Plateau, TN, USA Date Reviewed: December 7, 2006
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$2500.00
Purchased At:
EBAY
Strengths:
Great hardtail/full suspension action from one rig.
Weaknesses:
None so far.
Similar Products Used:
This is my first full suspension rig
Bike Setup:
The goods
Bottom Line:
The Epic Marathon is a super plush bike for cross country use. After riding hardtails for the last 10 years, and single speeds recently, it was time to give my back a break. I chose the EPIC over other full suspension bikes due to the fact that it rides like a hardtail on climbs, yet is extremely responsive and active on the flats or downhills. It took awhile to get the bike dialed in, but now that I have, I wouldn't choose another rig (well, maybe the Racer X). Bottom line....although pricey (what isn't?) the bike has performed like it should.
I've only ridden the bike for a month (about 10 rides). I'll write an update after the winter.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rodrigo barbosa
a Cross Country Rider
from Sao Paulo-Brazil Date Reviewed: December 1, 2006
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$5320.00
Purchased At:
Brazil
Strengths:
Suspension is great. best full suspension ever!!the fox 100 is excelent an the brain technology works perfect. very ligth for a aluminum bike too.
The bike is simply a dream come true. the best money I ever spent!!!I will never ride a hard tail again
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Robert
a Cross Country Rider
from Arnhem The Netherlands Date Reviewed: November 20, 2006
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$3200.00
Purchased At:
Stappenbelt
Strengths:
Light, fast and smart. This bike let's the rider stay on the ground and follow the ups and downs. It descends like a God in technical terrain and climbs even better. The suspension is fabulous.
Weaknesses:
None, so far
Similar Products Used:
Wheeler Hardtail, Hercules Yuma full suspension, Cannondale F800SL, Cannondale F2000SL
I´m in love with my bike. It is the best XC bike I ever ride. A little on the pricy side. But I think that it is well worth the money.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Robert Bruce
a Weekend Warrior
from Eagle, Idaho, USA Date Reviewed: November 12, 2006
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1500.00
Purchased At:
Cafferty's Cyclery
Strengths:
Too new to know but I have heard that the Epic is a great climber and all round good XC bike.
Weaknesses:
This is why I am writing this review now instead of waiting until I have more time on the bike. The rear shock blew on my first ride. After checking into it, I found out that Specialized is replacing the rear shock on these bikes. I am pretty bummed that my frameset was shipped with the defective shock on it. Fortunately, I don't have big riding plans in the next week or two. I have heard that the replacement shock clears up the problem and is reliable. Time will tell.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized S-Works Enduro
Bike Setup:
Epic Marathon Frame, XTR components, Mavic wheels and hubs, Michelin rear tire and Schwalbe front tire, Fox Talas RLC Fork
Bottom Line:
The jury is out. I will know more when the rear shock gets replaced and I can put some miles on the bike. I only rode it 3 miles before the rear shock that it came with blew out!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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