Specialized S-Works Epic (2004) kids build

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My eldest is just getting to the age where he fits a 26" wheel bike. He's been riding an upgraded Specialized Hotrock FSR 24, which is a really neat little 24" kids bike: https://www.bikepedia.com/QuickBike/Bik ... item=11851

However, being budget (£400 in 2005) it is quite heavy despite the tweaks he's done to it. So, I've been after the smallest version of the bike it is trying to emulate, the 2004 Specialized S-Works Epic, which was.... 10 x more expensive :shock: Anyway, a member on here had a frameset so my Dad picked it up and it has been sat storage for 18 months....

The conversation went like this:

SP: I'm racing at again at Mayhem this year.

mini SP: Mmmmm.

SP: You could race.

mini SP: Meh.

then, after a bit of a pause....

mini SP: Last time I went racing, I did quite well, third, wasn't it?

SP: Indeed. On your old Islabike without suspension. Your Spesh is a good bike, but a bit heavy for racing.

mini SP: Yeah, I really like it, but it is quite heavy.

SP: You know your bike is based on an adults race bike, that was really really good? Even though it'll be bigger, it'll be a lot lighter. Would you like one of those?

mini SP: Yeah!

So, there we go, the build begins. He needs to grow and it needs parts before Mayhem!

 

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The build will be XT mostly, with the lightest (and most reasonably priced) parts we can find.

I've already got NOS S-Works carbon risers and an Thompson seat post and a sub-200g saddle

He's been raiding my parts stash with a set of scales, getting the lightest bits. He now knows XTR front derailleurs are 40g lighter than XT!

SP

 

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aaaaand we're off:

Ridiculously-light Week Eight titanium bottom bracket. Beautifully made with replaceable bearings and o-rings fitted.

FSA Orbit MX headset. Comparable weight to Chris King, but without the bling (or cost).

FD-M970, 34.9mm dual-pull.

Race Face bash ring. This is because he wants one, as per his other bike. Anyway three chainrings is sooooo out of fashion.

Silver frame and forks, with lots and lots of black stealthy bits I'm not getting precious about condition, nothing dog-eared but nothing too fancy. This is for riding, not polishing.

 

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Well, he stripped a pair of dead Fox Forks yesterday, now knows the difference between RL, RLT and RLC dampers I think we’re gonna for:

Float uppers
TALAS lowers
F-Series RLT damper
100mm air piston assembly

Plan B is to put 100mm internals in the 80mm fork it came with.

I’ll get some pics up when we start, I only got one yesterday

SP

 

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Depressurizing the fork and recovering the air piston assembly. You can see the stanchions were FUBAR

I really need to clean the garage floor too!

 

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This is why Fox forks need regular lower-leg services. :shock:

 

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My collection for Fox fork parts. I've been buying up 'dead' ones for quite a while as all my suspension forks on my bikes are Fox. The recovered parts were cleaned last night and left in the airing cupboard to dry.

We'll have a go at a set for the Epic this week.

SP

 

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After cleaning all the small parts, we decided to try the F80s first :facepalm:

 

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...because the grey F100 RLC hybrids weren't a good colour match :roll:

 

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Plenty of stack height on a 180mm steerer.

Fox F80 RL
FSA Orbit MX
Thompson Stem cap
Race Face Stem

SP