Specialized Epic S-Works (2008)

FACT M9 carbon fiber front triangle, Az1 construction, M5 alloy rear stay, bearings sealed at the fulcrum points, 100mm rear travel, FACT carbon fiber link rod. The S-Works Epic is the most efficient and agile model in the Specialized family. The unique Flow Control Brain rear shock provides immediate and continuous adaptation to terrain conditions, providing smooth terrain efficiency and maximum stress control on rough terrain.

- Specialized AFR rear shock absorber with Flow Control Brain device.

- Rock Shox Reba dual air 90–120 mm Air U-Turn fork with handlebar pop look.

- Complete Shimano XTR M-985 groupset (brakes, rear derailleur, front derailleur and crankset)

- Mavic Crossmax ST wheels on front disc dat 180mm and rear from 160mm

The conditions

As you will notice from the photos, it was in "lived-in" condition, the frame had some abrasions (here) most likely due to a fall it is true, one buys a MTB to use it God forbid, but calculating that when new (in 2008) it was around 4,000 euros, perhaps you owed a moment of extra attention. That said, the process of disassembling all the components begins.

The restoration

Disassembly carried out, now every single component (levers, bushings, cables, sheaths, etc ...) is checked, first of all the frame that will be entrusted to professionals for the restoration in a workmanlike manner, all the joining parts are checked and the bearings, where they have problems of sliding or slack are replaced, another important thing are the shock absorbers, they are also subject to wear (especially the front) therefore a revision is recommended, not so much in terms of "how much they have worked" but as the years go by it gets worse on the seals. Now it's up to the mechanical parts (rear derailleur, front derailleur, crankset, wheels, etc.) the rear derailleur had abrasions and the bent cage, the crankset (Race Face) and the sprocket set with respective chain replaced, as well as the hydraulic braking system. of the brake discs. In this specific case of complete restoration, a new group was mounted Shimano XTR complete (crankset, rear derailleur, front derailleur, braking system and brake discs. The wheels have been overhauled, the body has been removed and greased, the bearings have been replaced for both, we move on to the next phase.

The reassembly

Reassembly is the most pleasant but also the most delicate part, let's not forget that most of the components are new and / or reconditioned, if I can afford a couple of tips, before finally tightening the various components, check them for correct functioning. (games, distances, etc.) this is to avoid finding unexpected surprises when reassembly is complete, which would involve further intervention, which is not always quick, because some parts have well-defined assembly and / or disassembly sequences. Another detail, in this case many bolts are in Ergal (light but delicate material) I recommend applying a film of grease (lithium) before tightening them with the torque wrench, this to prevent the screws from seizing the thread over time and breaking .

The final result

And here we are at the final part, this is the definition of "total restoration" we can define it "as new" and for certain details (in ergal) even better. In terms of time and costs they certainly have an impact, but it always depends on what you want to achieve.