Bike Check: Matt Beer’s Cape Epic Winning S-Works Epic

21 hours ago, babse said:

Edge 810? maybe thats why he pushing to finish his rides so quickly before his garmin dies

Ooops, seems there was a typo in the info supplied - it was an 840 😉

57 minutes ago, Mtbiker404 said:

This sized bike will do nicely with 32" wheels. I find it surprising that no brands have yet created a bigger wheel for the larger frames. Beers would be even faster.

Oh boy here comes 2008 all over again

what is a valve core spanner? I thought that is what an index finger and thumb is for... HTFU

1 hour ago, Kylie said:

Ooops, seems there was a typo in the info supplied - it was an 840 😉

👍🏼

can you also demystify the dropper post please. The XL ships with 170mm drop post but Matts looks like a 125mm drop.

we already know there’s a typo relating to the front brake rotor being a 180mm and the 160mm stated 

3 hours ago, Jewbacca said:

Who uses valve caps? I'm more likely to make fun of someone WITH valve caps these days 

 

Colour coded valve caps !! 

Maybe a dumb question, but this is the SWorks super bike launched about 10 days before the epic, right?

Did Matt get an advance model for training, or just jump on it after global launch and dial it in.

if the second, then was the global launch get tied to cape epic date?

Another dumb question, bike is not going to auction or whatever, this is his racebike now for the season (granted he's on a gravel program too)?

• Chain Ring 36T Queen Stage – 38T for the rest of the race.

This is just insane. Mad respect to Matt

10 minutes ago, gerriemtb said:

• Chain Ring 36T Queen Stage – 38T for the rest of the race.

This is just insane. Mad respect to Matt

Mortal rode 32 or 30 for the queens stage and 32 or 34 for the rest. The 34 my crowd would be the sharper end of amateur

28 minutes ago, Shebeen said:

Maybe a dumb question, but this is the SWorks super bike launched about 10 days before the epic, right?

Did Matt get an advance model for training, or just jump on it after global launch and dial it in.

if the second, then was the global launch get tied to cape epic date?

 

Another dumb question, bike is not going to auction or whatever, this is his racebike now for the season (granted he's on a gravel program too)?

He did have some time on a demo/pre prod proto afaik, had a discussion at one of the launches and one of the S staffers mentioned it. Apparently, his testing feedback was that the new model is like a better more polished version of the previous Epic Evo. Would speculate that should also be taken in the context of a competitive race bike. Reckon Matt's pro moto background makes his feedback especially invaluable. 

Several brands launch their new models around this time, for eg; Liv, Cannondale, Bulls, Titan. Especially with Olympics around the corner. IMHO this makes for good timing alongside Cape Epic and a smart brand can use this to their advantage. 

30 minutes ago, Shebeen said:

Maybe a dumb question, but this is the SWorks super bike launched about 10 days before the epic, right?

Did Matt get an advance model for training, or just jump on it after global launch and dial it in.

if the second, then was the global launch get tied to cape epic date?

 

Another dumb question, bike is not going to auction or whatever, this is his racebike now for the season (granted he's on a gravel program too)?

Not sure who directed to but I’m sure  I saw him on that bike in Feb already. He naturally did his best to avoid attention by simply riding harder till I was wheeezing and dropped away like a solid turd in a bout of diarrhoea.

most pro riders for a brand will receive their new bike for the season well ahead of the stock build at the local distributors. They would be the beta testers giving feedback on any spec changes or major issues that need to be avoided before launch so correction can be applied. E.g the cannondale team was riding their scalpels 110s and scalpel 120s back to back in Stellenbosch whilst ensuring only the old bikes were video’d. Mona and Candice raced their 120s in Tankwa Trek so hiding them in plain sight.

Matt has an Epic WC also. I guess his race bike will the one he chooses to race for the course. 

6 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

Mortal rode 32 or 30 for the queens stage and 32 or 34 for the rest. The 34 my crowd would be the sharper end if amateur

At least I can say that I ride a 36T most of the time. The fact that it is "so plat soos 'n pannekoek" where I live has no bearing on it. That is my story and I am sticking to it.

4 hours ago, Jewbacca said:

Who uses valve caps? I'm more likely to make fun of someone WITH valve caps these days 

 

To quote Dr Jarrad van Zuydam "valve caps are a scam"

Yes, big air just want our money! 

4 minutes ago, Danger Dassie said:

To quote Dr Jarrad van Zuydam "valve caps are a scam"

Yes, big air just want our money! 

I’ll bet he doesn’t have these

23 hours ago, babse said:

Edge 810? maybe thats why he pushing to finish his rides so quickly before his garmin dies

This is why I keep coming back to this bloody website 🤣

3 hours ago, DieselnDust said:

Not sure who directed to but I’m sure  I saw him on that bike in Feb already. He naturally did his best to avoid attention by simply riding harder till I was wheeezing and dropped away like a solid turd in a bout of diarrhoea.

most pro riders for a brand will receive their new bike for the season well ahead of the stock build at the local distributors. They would be the beta testers giving feedback on any spec changes or major issues that need to be avoided before launch so correction can be applied. E.g the cannondale team was riding their scalpels 110s and scalpel 120s back to back in Stellenbosch whilst ensuring only the old bikes were video’d. Mona and Candice raced their 120s in Tankwa Trek so hiding them in plain sight.

 

Matt has an Epic WC also. I guess his race bike will the one he chooses to race for the course. 

I remember now when Candice raced oversea earlier this year and won her race, I noticed her bike looking different.

She was on FSA wheels and riding full Shimano,  which she was not riding before.(Sram brakes and drivetrain, not sure about her previous wheel setup)

That could explain a bike change to the larger travel frame from then

On 4/3/2024 at 10:40 AM, J Wakefield said:

It wastes time should you have a flat to remove a valve cap. 
small things 

That's what I always said until a rock smacked my valve and I could not undo it without pliers. Thats once in maybe 25 years though.  I still ride without caps 🙂 

4 hours ago, Hilton. said:

The rear tyre in the pics clearly says GRID casing, which makes sense for the rockiness of the Epic. I think I remember Matt saying he used the Grid casing in past years? The bike specifications details above says that he uses the Control casing. It's a little detail, but it matters, for preventing punctures. My epic evo came with Control casings, and I found the sidewalls too thin in our WC terrain for surviving the long distance marathon races at speed.

Well spotted. I guess they would have changed both tyres if expecting rougher terrain for stages 3 and 7, so it's just an omission in the article

• Front Tyre Specialized Fast Trak, Control Casing, T7 Compound, 29×2.35 (GRID casing for two stages, Stages 3 & 7)
• Rear Tyre Specialized Renegade, Control Casing, T5 Compound, 29×2.35 

Tyres were changed depending on the stages, as well as regular sealant top-ups. During a bike check in Wellington his bike had fresh tyres on. 
The tech guys were pretty switched on and helpful, even used one of their Abbey Tools titanium hammers as a bike stand .... 😶

14 hours ago, PeterF said:

"even used one of their Abbey Tools titanium hammers as a bike stand .... 😶" That is my son with the Abbey Tools Titanium Hammer 🤣

😅 … spent a good 20/30 minutes just chatting about the hammer! Switched on guy, was a pleasure to deal with!