Great hoodie and great band. Thanks for the information on the bikes, I have been contemplating one of those machines for 2025 and the dual bottle mount on the epic sort of makes the deal for me.
You guys definitely should build up the Top Fuel with 120/120 FA, and full race weight parts. I think that bike would rule for technical xc events (Downieville, BCBR and ST6 come to mind) but am hesitant to pull the trigger without seeing some reviews of the configuration. Or better yet I’d just love a 120/120 flex stay bike from them, but with them reducing all their SKUs I doubt we’ll see it anytime soon.
I mountain biked since 1995. First with Klein and Trek then Titus switchblade and several Intense. My 2005 was an Intense EVP 5.5 that was “upgraded” to today’s specs except the carbon wheel set(derby) was still 26”. In 2022 I started biking more regularly and tried both bikes with 27.5 and 29”. For ME it was not even close. My Ibis Exie is incredible. One of the guys I ride with let me use his Allied BC40 and I had to agree I liked it as much as my Exie. I prefer XTR derailleur on my bike than the SRAM Transmission XX on the BC40. Very close feel for both bikes. I went with a light XC bike instead of an E-bike.
Super interesting video as always. Having an Epic 8 myself, I dont care too much about frame storage - But I have a bag with tools, spare tubolito tube, c02 cartridge etc in there - And the frame pouch also fits in my Santa Cruz enduro bike, so I just put the bag in whatever bike I am riding, which is convenient! Not something I am looking for when I buy a bike, but a nice plus.
great review. I’m glad you bought up the water bottle issue. I have a Trek Fuel 9.8 small and I can not find a water bottle that fits. I just put the water bottle in my jersey back pocket. I even asked a Trek rep at my local bike store about it. He did not have an answer.
I have the 22 Top Fuel and while I like some of the new features on the new one I’m still having so much fun on it I have no plans to switch to the 24. I also have it down to 28.00lbs in size XL with DT Swiss wheels and some XTR parts. I also have the 24 Supercaliber which although totally different is equally fun. 100% though it needs knockblock. I think there is a difference in the ‘quality’ of suspension travel between the more traditional layout vs the new flex stay designs but it’s not a deal breaker. For me, 120 Top Fuel for fun and the Supercaliber when you are going to go to work.
13:02 BTW. the answert is easy. They want to spare money. Like Flatmount brakemounts. Noone on Earth ever need them, but making two holes in the frame is cheaper than a postmount mold.
@bicyclestation - Does the small specialized epic evo fit 2 large water bottles with flight attendant? My small 2023 bmc fourstroke 01 FRS fits two 21oz. water bottles but not with FA :( ...at least I haven't found a winning combo yet as it's so close to fitting. Hoping to find a brand that will fit soon though.
Great comparison video but, I run one cage on a Santa Cruz Blur (the other mount is dedicated to a OneUp EDC pump) and will always reach for the Camelback every day of the week. Always much easier to drink out of the hose than try and reach for a bottle and crash. To each their own I guess Also shout out to Blurs - no nonsense, no storage, no proprietary crap
Trek Factory Racing did build a Top Fuel up for the last race of the season. Amos and Richard’s raced them. No mention of how low they got the weight. It had 120/120 with Flight Attendant
The Supercaliber is the Trek XC race bike. The Top Fuel is just too heavy. Way more time is spent climbing so why have a bike that does not optimized that?
@@bicyclestation It makes sense. You literally make a living out of 29ers. :D Most brands are abandoned this size... Can't wait to test my 27,5" Stanton.
@bicyclestation , The frame is 2 kg, but as a whole bike configuration, it is like 1 kg lighter. The mid tier model from scott is like 12kg, like the scott spark 910 and half the money these bikes are. I got a great deal on tuned 900 from the 2022 year model with weight 11.3 kg, when I swap the wheels it goes under 11 kg for a 130/120 mm travel bike.
A 910 is only 1000$ less then the epic evo expert. Doesn’t have electronic shifting or carbon wheels. And is claimed to be a full pound heavier. Not saying it’s a bad option but it’s definitely not much lighter. The frame is almost a full pound heavier than the epic 8 frame.
Shop - www.thebicyclestation.com/
Nice Ghost hoodie!
Great hoodie and great band. Thanks for the information on the bikes, I have been contemplating one of those machines for 2025 and the dual bottle mount on the epic sort of makes the deal for me.
You guys definitely should build up the Top Fuel with 120/120 FA, and full race weight parts. I think that bike would rule for technical xc events (Downieville, BCBR and ST6 come to mind) but am hesitant to pull the trigger without seeing some reviews of the configuration. Or better yet I’d just love a 120/120 flex stay bike from them, but with them reducing all their SKUs I doubt we’ll see it anytime soon.
I mountain biked since 1995. First with Klein and Trek then Titus switchblade and several Intense. My 2005 was an Intense EVP 5.5 that was “upgraded” to today’s specs except the carbon wheel set(derby) was still 26”. In 2022 I started biking more regularly and tried both bikes with 27.5 and 29”. For ME it was not even close. My Ibis Exie is incredible. One of the guys I ride with let me use his Allied BC40 and I had to agree I liked it as much as my Exie. I prefer XTR derailleur on my bike than the SRAM Transmission XX on the BC40. Very close feel for both bikes. I went with a light XC bike instead of an E-bike.
Very honest and thorough review! 👌🏻
Love the Ghost hoodie!!!
Super interesting video as always. Having an Epic 8 myself, I dont care too much about frame storage - But I have a bag with tools, spare tubolito tube, c02 cartridge etc in there - And the frame pouch also fits in my Santa Cruz enduro bike, so I just put the bag in whatever bike I am riding, which is convenient! Not something I am looking for when I buy a bike, but a nice plus.
great review. I’m glad you bought up the water bottle issue. I have a Trek Fuel 9.8 small and I can not find a water bottle that fits. I just put the water bottle in my jersey back pocket. I even asked a Trek rep at my local bike store about it. He did not have an answer.
I have the 22 Top Fuel and while I like some of the new features on the new one I’m still having so much fun on it I have no plans to switch to the 24. I also have it down to 28.00lbs in size XL with DT Swiss wheels and some XTR parts.
I also have the 24 Supercaliber which although totally different is equally fun. 100% though it needs knockblock.
I think there is a difference in the ‘quality’ of suspension travel between the more traditional layout vs the new flex stay designs but it’s not a deal breaker.
For me, 120 Top Fuel for fun and the Supercaliber when you are going to go to work.
13:02 BTW. the answert is easy. They want to spare money. Like Flatmount brakemounts. Noone on Earth ever need them, but making two holes in the frame is cheaper than a postmount mold.
When is the epic 8 build video coming
ua-cam.com/video/-UKqnsndBgY/v-deo.htmlsi=4FOmDlgmLyY4Vj30
In the next couple weeks! Hoping to have it out before Christmas
@bicyclestation - Does the small specialized epic evo fit 2 large water bottles with flight attendant?
My small 2023 bmc fourstroke 01 FRS fits two 21oz. water bottles but not with FA :( ...at least I haven't found a winning combo yet as it's so close to fitting. Hoping to find a brand that will fit soon though.
Great comparison video but, I run one cage on a Santa Cruz Blur (the other mount is dedicated to a OneUp EDC pump) and will always reach for the Camelback every day of the week. Always much easier to drink out of the hose than try and reach for a bottle and crash. To each their own I guess
Also shout out to Blurs - no nonsense, no storage, no proprietary crap
Re water bottles: Same problem with my wife’s Trek Fuel EXe size small. She had a hard time finding a small water bottle to fit… and it’s still tight.
Trek Factory Racing did build a Top Fuel up for the last race of the season. Amos and Richard’s raced them. No mention of how low they got the weight. It had 120/120 with Flight Attendant
I’m betting it was like 25lbs. The lightest I ever got the gen 3 top fuel was mid 25 lbs. the new frame is like a 100 grams less.
@ Probably so, and FLOW just went the opposite direction with one. Bumped up the travel. I like the concept, makes it a Swiss Army knife of a bike.
Can you run 29" wheels on the small frame?
On the Gen 4 Top Fuel you can only run 27.5 - they did not make a small this generation to fit 29. The size small Epic fits 29
Something about the top fuel felt like a slow turning, not very responsive monster truck to me. I didn't get a lot of time on it, though.
What about doing a mullet on her bike. Probably the fork needs to be swapped. That would fix the problem
The Supercaliber is the Trek XC race bike. The Top Fuel is just too heavy. Way more time is spent climbing so why have a bike that does not optimized that?
All treks are heavy
Another big difference is the bottom bracket height
The size small bikes should be a mullet. I think that would solve her issues.
I agree, 26” up front and a 27.5 rear wheel would help with the geo a ton.
I think that’s actually a cool idea.
@@bicyclestation Would love to see you put a 120mm 29er fork with a 29er wheel and go mullet on the Top Fuel. Might make for a great video.
27,5" is the right size for us small folks under 170 cm riders. 29er feels just lame.
As someone that's 5'3" I've become so accustomed to 29" that anything else doesn't feel right
@@bicyclestation It makes sense. You literally make a living out of 29ers. :D Most brands are abandoned this size... Can't wait to test my 27,5" Stanton.
Thanks, I'll take the scott spark 900 models. It's much lighter and good-looking compared to these bikes:)
Not sure that frame is lighter than an epic 8 frame. What is the claimed?
@bicyclestation , The frame is 2 kg, but as a whole bike configuration, it is like 1 kg lighter. The mid tier model from scott is like 12kg, like the scott spark 910 and half the money these bikes are. I got a great deal on tuned 900 from the 2022 year model with weight 11.3 kg, when I swap the wheels it goes under 11 kg for a 130/120 mm travel bike.
A 910 is only 1000$ less then the epic evo expert. Doesn’t have electronic shifting or carbon wheels. And is claimed to be a full pound heavier.
Not saying it’s a bad option but it’s definitely not much lighter. The frame is almost a full pound heavier than the epic 8 frame.
I'm 5'7" and won a lot of xc races on a 27.5.. Nothing wrong with it.
good for You! But if you are 2x stronger than the competition you can win on 26" .It does not mean 26" better than 29" :)