trail tested the mtb team rates cool kit and hot gear to keep you rolling in style .
TAIL WHIPPER TRIPPER
Specialized Epic Expert , R125 000 | specialized . com It took a while for us to throw a leg over the bike that launched in 2020 , but it was well worth the wait . Having come from riding sani2c on a 150mm travel enduro bike , it was a stark reminder of the different riding experiences you get from different weapons . The Epic Expert is light and nimble , period , but it ’ s longer and slacker than its fast , pretty looks suggest , so is a lot more rideable than its teeth-rattling early iterations .
We were headed to the Seychelles to recce routes and explore the exotic destination . Given the technical terrain I would normally steer clear of a bike with less travel and no dropper , but to be honest the stiff rear triangle and racy hardtail-like setup brought out a playfulness I loved . I never missed a dropper as I was able to navigate my way around or over obstacles with ease . I was tail whipping every bump like a kid . Yes the Brain rear suspension gives a clunking sensation when activating , but it felt less noticeable over time . There are five Brain-fade settings adjustable on the fly but I didn ’ t bother to move it off medium going up or down , so I guess it did its job . Climbing was where this machine really came into its own – it literally feels like a hardtail going uphill with a great weight to stiffness ratio .
Despite a week of travel rebuilds and hard riding we never needed a mechanic to tinker with the 10-50 SRAM Eagle drivetrain and hydraulic stoppers . The DT Swiss hubs , 25mm Roval carbon rims and 2.3 Fast Track tyres made for a fast rolling , stiff climbing , compliant descending combination .
If you like the sound of this bike but would rather have something a little more forgiving , the Epic Evo with 10mm more travel in front and 20mm at the back , plus a dropper post , would be a safer bet .
CORE FREE FLOW FlowWorxValve , R800 per set of 2 | flowworxvalve . online We met Udo Juterbock during the recent Colin Mayer Tour in Mauritius , riding hard at the pointy end with teammate and friend , Saffa pro Theresa Ralph . He ’ s a technical wizard and has been the mechanic for Team Bulls for more than 10 years , travelling with the team to local and international races . He is also a strong MTB and enduro rider – the pair won JoBerg2c and were 2nd at Colin Mayer this year . Udo showed us this unique new core-less valve system – and it made a lot of sense . We haven ’ t tested it yet , but he claims that air flow through the valves is 10 times more than through valves with a core , and there are no gummy sealant blockages , which means tyre pressure gauge readings are naturally more accurate . They ’ re designed to fit any pump , mini pump or gas bomb inflator .
20 | MTB | gotta have it