[kwantani]

All this talk about the new Specialized Epic is really making me wonder: is this the same frame as the Merida LRS?
check out Merida site: http://www.merida-bikes.com
The only thing new is Merida does not sell to North America. The LRS has been existed outside U.S. for years. So what's all this fuss about the Epic? I don't understand.

Kwantani
PS: I just ordered a Merida 909 magnesium road frame from a shop at down under. So if you don't mind ordering from oversea, Yes, you can get Merida from oversea mail order.

 

[Zark]

The fuss is about the shock technology, not the frame really. The shock is inertially sensitive, it can tell upward movements from the ground from downward movements from the rider. It allows the rider to wail on the pedals with no bob and have plush suspension when the bumps come. The frame design followed from the necessity of the shock bieng by the rear axle for the inertial chamber. I think most likely Spec. didn't know/think of copying the Merida bike. Merida put the shock there to be different and gimmicky, while the Spec. did it to follow function.

 

[kwantani]

How do you know that for a fact Specialized Epic did not copy the design from Merida LRS? especially given the fact that Merida owned 49% of Specialized!

 

[vitox]

this has been discussed before and it came up that a german builder also had a design out with the same shock placement and pivots nearly identical to the epic

but the epic isnt about pivots or tubes its about an inertia valve.

the whole design of the bike is justified solely by the need of having that valve as close as possible to the rear axle or preferably right on it.

 

[sub6]

it never ceases to amaze me how many people simply fail to see the purpose of the Epic. If Specialized could have done it so that the shock was in the same place as on an FSR-XC, they would have (it would be much cheaper). But to make the INERTIA VALVE work, they had to have one end of the shock as close to the rear axle as possible. Hence, they used a similar design as the Merida.

The Merida design's claim to fame is that it uses a 1:1 (or close enough, anyway) ratio shock - so that you don't have to make minutely small adjustments to the damping. A shock with a 1:1 ratio is less responsive to tiny inputs, and thus can be more easily tuned to the exact feel desired.

Other than looking the same (putting the shock in the same place), the two designs have nothing to do with each other.

Nobody ever said to me "your Brodie Devo looks just like a Cannondale Super V" - check the pic in my sig - the rear end is the exact same, but just because they look the same doesn't mean that they're the same bike.

The Epic is special ONLY in that it has an intertia valve. Nobody at Specialized EVER said anything about the design of the rear triangle being revolutionary or unprecedented.

 

[notb4dinner]

Although I think the inertial valve idea is brilliant, one thing that has always bothered me about the Epic design is that there appears to be a lot of concessions made to get the shock body down at the axle. I was wondering if it would be possible to have the inertia valve located at the axle with the rest of the shock in a more traditional position, connected together somehow?

BTW : I know very little about the actual mechanics of complex shock absorbers so this idea may be totally whacked.

Oh yeah, I think this is my first post here, so hi all.

 

[JohnMc]

How about ultrafast electical valving in the shocks front and rear responding to G-sensors in the hubs? Sort of like the 'active' suspensions developed by Lotus and used on the Citroen Xsara? Heck - combine it with even more electronics and a forward sensing range finder so the suspension can anticipate ups and downs of the trail before the tire actually hits it.

Note: The active car suspension technology goes beyond mere instantaneous shock valving changes - and also varies the hydraulic/gas suspension spring rates. That way they program in anti sway, andit dive, anti squat as wells as the ability to have the car push a wheel down into the dip and pull ito ut on the other side.

 

[Rustmouse]

yeah, but when you add electronics to a bike, you're asking for trouble...

the military has long ago discovered that you cant make electronics lightweight, waterproof and shock resistant... you only get 2 outta 3.....

 

[oldfart]

Noleen couldn't get electric control to work on the K2 bikes with enough consistency. I think it used a piezzo electric affect to incease damping at higher shock speeds. Some one will probably try it again though. But the Epic is quite different. Expensive puppy though. You can order a frame now on the Specialized US web site for over $2000. I hear they are sold out. That's gonna be in the range of $3000 Canadian, plus parts, if you use the new XTR once available, and a nice Fox Forx float RLC, I bet you'll be up around 6-7K Canadian. Ouch.