Specialized 2026 Epic HT Comp
Gone are the days when a date with a hardtail race bike meant paying for it for days to come. Now, the Epic Hardtail Comp’s reality-altering combination of comfort and capability in a lighter-than-life package means counting down the hours until you meet again.
Working towards the lightest bike possible has long been the race within the race, but at what cost? The battle of the grams certainly hasn’t been without its casualties, with hardtail XC race bikes coming to stand for a harsh, twitchy ride at the expense of capability and versatility.
But who said fatigue from fighting against your bike makes you any faster? Instead, recognizing that the fastest bike is more than simply the lightest bike, we said out with the jarred-to-death tail, the measure-your-posterior’s-sorrows-by-the-yard tail, and in with the avant-garde tail. The ridiculously capable, mystifyingly comfortable, head-shakingly light, and all-around fast Epic Hardtail.
Sure, we optimized every inch of the Epic Hardtail frame to achieve the lightest production hardtail frame in the world anyway—but we also prioritized our commitment to creating an Epic Hardtail that’s as capable as it is comfortable with aggressive singletrack-inspired geometry, increased tire clearance and a frame obsessively engineered for increased vertical compliance, all while creating a bike that lives and breathes the fundamentals of fast.
On the Epic Hardtail Comp, RockShox's long-beloved SID SL fork is tasked with handling suspension duties, while a full SRAM Transmission groupset leaves no doubts about why it sets the benchmark for accessible performance.
- Ridiculously capable, incredibly light, and refreshingly comfortable, the Epic Hardtail’s dropper-post friendly FACT 11m carbon frame rewrites the hardtail playbook with game-changing success.
- The SID SL doles out travel with a steady hand courtesy of RockShox's Rush RL damper, while Debon Air adjustability makes dialing in suspension performance a breeze. Specifications
Frame
Size: XS, S, M, L, XL
Colour: Satin Carbon/Metallic White Silver
Frame: Specialized FACT 11m, Progressive XC Geometry, Rider-First Engineered™, threaded BB, UDH, 12x148mm rear spacing, internal cable routing
Fork: RockShox REBA, Motion Control damper, 15x110mm, 44mm offset, 110mm Travel
Shock: NA
Drivetrain
Crankset: SRAM Eagle 70, DUB, 165/170/175mm, 32T
Pedals:
Chain: SRAM 70 Transmission Chain
Bottom Bracket: SRAM DUB Threaded Wide
Rear Derailleur: SRAM Eagle 70 T-Type
Front Derailleur:
Derailleur Shifter: SRAM Eagle 70
Freewheel/Cassette: SRAM 1270 Transmission Cassette, 12 Spd,10-52t
Braking System
Brakes: F SRAM DB6, 4-piston caliper, hydraulic disc, 180mm rotor R SRAM DB6, 4-piston caliper, hydraulic disc, 160mm rotor
Brake Levers:
Wheels
Tyres: F Specialized Fast Trak, Flex Lite Casing, T5/T7 Compound, 29x2.35 R Specialized Air Trak, Flex Lite Casing, T5/T7 Compound, 29x2.35
Wheels/Rims: F and R Specialized Alloy 29, 27mm internal width, tubeless
Hubs: F Specialized alloy front hub disc, sealed cardridge bearings, 6-bolt, 15x110mm thru-axle, 32h R Alloy, sealed cartridge bearings, 12x148mm thru-axle, 32h
Other
Handlebar: Specialized Alloy XC minirise, double-butted alloy, 8-degree backsweep, 6-degree upsweep, 10mm rise, 31.8mm
Stem: Specialized, 3D-forged alloy, 4-bolt, 7-degree rise
Seat Post: Specialized Alloy, Single Bolt, 30.9mm
Saddle: Body Geometry Power Comp, steel rails
Extras
SWAT: SWAT EMT Cage-Mount Tool
Geometry