I said this a year after the TREK Super Caliber came out. All the ppl that I knew that bought that bike said it really had no suspension but griped well on Rooty, rocky climbs. I wanted to do this but my budget was not taking the risk. But I am so stoked to see you on your ride review! Yes and I agree in 3-5 years we will be sold on this concept.
Lael Wilcox has been riding the tour divide for years on a drop-bar Specialized Epic hardtail. She inspired me to build a Felt Doctrine hard tail MTB frame I had laying around into a drop bar gravel crusher. It’s been my favorite “fast dirt” bike I own. More and more all I use rigid gravel bikes for is just the smoothest gravel roads. The new World Cup is the perfect platform for this, love it!
I changed from gravel to mtb. It was hard getting used to 760mm wide bars coming from 440mm drop bars. My wrists would hurt a bit. Solution break out the hacksaw and cut the bars down to 550mm wide. That worked great especially just riding paths, road and minimal gravel.
This has inspired me to convert my trek roscoe to drop bars. I'm not racing or anything, just a guy looking to have fun. Thank you so much for the inspiration!
I just bought an Epic Evo Comp (Got a 35% discount.) and installed 700x47 Pathfinder Pro Gravel tires. I'm not a dropbar person but I did cut the flatbar very narrow. Wide bars just didn't feel right on a gravel bike. This is my dedicated pavement, gravel, and easy singletrack bike. I'm loving it! So smooth and comfortable. I wanted an Epic World Cup but it was out of my price range.
Planning on doing the same thing with my Cannondale F-Si Hi Mod - thing is crazy light already at 9.4kg in an XL. Will definitely be a head turner with a drop bar lefty MTB 😆
I did this with a 2011 Trek Hifi Pro (full suspension) back in 2018. I did a few gravel races with it. It turned an otherwise great riding cross country mtb into a completely different animal and was much more comfortable to ride over long distances. It was too heavy to be competitive under anyone. I have an Epic WC myself now and have been considering doing the same.
I have also done mtb to gravel conversion and i needed fast forward seattube because otherwise it would really hurt to ride. So you might also want one of those.
6'5" 300# on an XL Salsa Fargo, I went with Richey Venturemax XL 52cm bars and a thudbuster seatpost rides like a ☁️ bars are wide enough for me but might be technically too big for sanctioned races, I think the limit is 46 but that might be road/CX
So what is the best way to go with the brake calipers if you go with AXS brifters?. i have level ultimates on my epic now. Do you have to switch to road calipers?
This is totally the way to go, been thinking about exactly this build myself. But... Geo is quite awkward (really low/small frame to get correct drop bar reach and bar drop); then even the Epic BB is quite high with low sag; finally, chainring size is limited. A shame, 'cos it's a better solution than the dodgy Diverge. But yes, this will be sold to us in 5 years as the way to go, but its just too expensive for an imperfect home-build.
Definitely a comfortable option. For a non pro I’d say amazing option. For someone trying to push the fastest time it’s a little more bike the. Is needed.
I put pathfinder’s on my World Cup Epic and my Roubiax Sl8 is a lot better in my opinion both bikes kick ass though. By the way, I have the World Cup in that color way as well and a matching SL7.
The natural evolution of every form of cycling slowly morphing in to mountain biking is almost complete…couple more years and you guys will discover narrow flat bars, then wider riser bars, lol
@@bicyclestation Haha, I knew you'd say that. There isn't an easy name for "wider bars with up and back sweep and minimal/no rise". I haven't really noticed stacks rising in XC/Race oriented bikes, trail and enduro sure, but unless you're going from 27.5 to 29, or increasing fork travel they're pretty stable. -10deg stem and +5mm riser has been my go to for a while now.
You must be a world class gravel racer running Tour de France 'road' saddle to bar drop on a mountain bike. Will look for you at Leadville on that thing. PS. saddle to bar drop on the flat bar bike shown is more traditional
Both Trey and I have had multiple professional bike fits done to find out the measurements that work for us. I think what you’re seeing isn’t that we’re extraordinary flexible or extra fast. Honestly the stacks on modern XC bikes are just insanely tall.
Like the bike,but 38cm off road? Prob better with a 42-44 on the drops….40 on the hoods. But let’s face it,nothing new in cycling! When racing MTB’s in 1980’s I remember John Tomac on his Drop bar downhill bike and a certain Charlie Cunningham drop bar build of Jacquie Phelan ,met with much interest on the U.K. race circuit ( one race in Southern England a friend of mine got a ride on her bike- then was accused of messing with her gears😬)
Idk how you can say we did a bike fit wrong. On mine I left the stem the same as it was with a flat bar and the won a 200 mile race. It definitely fit right
Um... seems obvious that a 12k FS race bike geometrically designed to win world cup xc races is not an ideal everyday or as you put it, utilitarian mtb. I don't see it as a negative just a bike that fits a niche.
![The Drop Never Stops by Dreamersilly [Epic EDM Visualizer]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/vRt6YbYYV94/mqdefault.jpg)
I said this a year after the TREK Super Caliber came out. All the ppl that I knew that bought that bike said it really had no suspension but griped well on Rooty, rocky climbs. I wanted to do this but my budget was not taking the risk. But I am so stoked to see you on your ride review! Yes and I agree in 3-5 years we will be sold on this concept.
This bikes even a step further then the supercaliber hahaha.
Lael Wilcox has been riding the tour divide for years on a drop-bar Specialized Epic hardtail. She inspired me to build a Felt Doctrine hard tail MTB frame I had laying around into a drop bar gravel crusher. It’s been my favorite “fast dirt” bike I own. More and more all I use rigid gravel bikes for is just the smoothest gravel roads. The new World Cup is the perfect platform for this, love it!
I changed from gravel to mtb. It was hard getting used to 760mm wide bars coming from 440mm drop bars. My wrists would hurt a bit. Solution break out the hacksaw and cut the bars down to 550mm wide. That worked great especially just riding paths, road and minimal gravel.
This has inspired me to convert my trek roscoe to drop bars. I'm not racing or anything, just a guy looking to have fun. Thank you so much for the inspiration!
I just bought an Epic Evo Comp (Got a 35% discount.) and installed 700x47 Pathfinder Pro Gravel tires. I'm not a dropbar person but I did cut the flatbar very narrow. Wide bars just didn't feel right on a gravel bike. This is my dedicated pavement, gravel, and easy singletrack bike. I'm loving it! So smooth and comfortable. I wanted an Epic World Cup but it was out of my price range.
Planning on doing the same thing with my Cannondale F-Si Hi Mod - thing is crazy light already at 9.4kg in an XL. Will definitely be a head turner with a drop bar lefty MTB 😆
The lefty is so cool haha
Your videos keep getting better & better. Unique. Awesome build!!!
I’ve done exactly this to my supercaliber. With GRX. Absolutely best thing I’ve ever done. With dual lock out too.
This bike is Absolutely amazing man !!!!
Awesome rigg! Did you guys try to fit a 40t chainring? 🤠
I did this with a 2011 Trek Hifi Pro (full suspension) back in 2018. I did a few gravel races with it. It turned an otherwise great riding cross country mtb into a completely different animal and was much more comfortable to ride over long distances. It was too heavy to be competitive under anyone. I have an Epic WC myself now and have been considering doing the same.
What size bike did you get ? And how tall are you ?
I have also done mtb to gravel conversion and i needed fast forward seattube because otherwise it would really hurt to ride. So you might also want one of those.
I can't wait for my own drop-bar WC.
Do you guys think one could just size down to avoid the stem issue?
I would definitely recommend getting a smaller frame than your normal MTB
And how big of a chainring could you fit?
6'5" 300# on an XL Salsa Fargo, I went with Richey Venturemax XL 52cm bars and a thudbuster seatpost rides like a ☁️ bars are wide enough for me but might be technically too big for sanctioned races, I think the limit is 46 but that might be road/CX
No one understands how funny the tri-flow lube bit was
It’s honestly a shame. Our humor is just to advanced
Cool bike. Dropper seat?
Luv it. Looking forward to riding reports.
I think it’s cool that your dad lets you borrow his shop to put road bicycle handlebars on the mountain bicycles
My dad’s the best!
So what is the best way to go with the brake calipers if you go with AXS brifters?. i have level ultimates on my epic now. Do you have to switch to road calipers?
I also experimented with 460mm and 520mm drop bars for gravel and with a wide flare, with 520mm it looks much nicer and more aggressive
Go Tomac !
Solid guys. Maybe get a trek supercaliper and do the same dropbar thing and then do a comparison
The two bikes look alike but that’s where it ends.
The trek wouldn’t work because the rear shock has to use a lockout but there isn’t a good way to put a lockout on drop bars
I have a 2000 Rocky Mountain Element T.O, do they make like 700mm drops?
I would totally buy one
What size is the frame and how tall is Trey?
I’m 5’11” with a taller than normal saddle height. The large is too big for a drop bar MTB we found out. It works but it’s long
This is totally the way to go, been thinking about exactly this build myself. But... Geo is quite awkward (really low/small frame to get correct drop bar reach and bar drop); then even the Epic BB is quite high with low sag; finally, chainring size is limited. A shame, 'cos it's a better solution than the dodgy Diverge. But yes, this will be sold to us in 5 years as the way to go, but its just too expensive for an imperfect home-build.
I love it
Awesome!
Do you think this is a good option for Unbound?
Definitely a comfortable option. For a non pro I’d say amazing option. For someone trying to push the fastest time it’s a little more bike the. Is needed.
@@bicyclestation With the Epic WC Expert, can you install Force or Rival Levers without replacing the brakes?
I think this is what Lauren’s Ten Dam is using this for Tour Divide this year
I put pathfinder’s on my World Cup Epic and my Roubiax Sl8 is a lot better in my opinion both bikes kick ass though. By the way, I have the World Cup in that color way as well and a matching SL7.
That build is something else. Would benefit from a dropper post and wider handlebar.
100% agree. Trey is a lame roadie and wouldn’t listen lol
Poor Trey, lol. That explains the saddle height to stem height.
Swap the tyres for contis race king protection. At least theoretically they have lower rolling resistance than any gravel tyre.
The Burts are just as fast
What brakes did you use?
Uhh... Downhill Gravel... time that another Comet hits Earth.
The natural evolution of every form of cycling slowly morphing in to mountain biking is almost complete…couple more years and you guys will discover narrow flat bars, then wider riser bars, lol
The biggest problem with riser bars is that the stack heights on bikes keep growing. It will be interesting to see what happens
@@bicyclestation Haha, I knew you'd say that. There isn't an easy name for "wider bars with up and back sweep and minimal/no rise". I haven't really noticed stacks rising in XC/Race oriented bikes, trail and enduro sure, but unless you're going from 27.5 to 29, or increasing fork travel they're pretty stable. -10deg stem and +5mm riser has been my go to for a while now.
I have a 2016 epic World Cup I’m ab to do this to. I’m using the stock bar from my tarmac. No one down here has one so I’m gonna do it.
You’ll love it
11:34 while the boomer met gen z.
You must be a world class gravel racer running Tour de France 'road' saddle to bar drop on a mountain bike. Will look for you at Leadville on that thing.
PS. saddle to bar drop on the flat bar bike shown is more traditional
Both Trey and I have had multiple professional bike fits done to find out the measurements that work for us. I think what you’re seeing isn’t that we’re extraordinary flexible or extra fast. Honestly the stacks on modern XC bikes are just insanely tall.
You will need much wider bars. Like at least 46.
Running the front brake line through the steerer tube is a really great idea. Um, don't do that.
or hey, there’s the Diverge STR.
I think we’re going to do a comparison between the two. But yea I hope specialized just makes this as a bike you can buy
Like the bike,but 38cm off road? Prob better with a 42-44 on the drops….40 on the hoods. But let’s face it,nothing new in cycling! When racing MTB’s in 1980’s I remember John Tomac on his Drop bar downhill bike and a certain Charlie Cunningham drop bar build of Jacquie Phelan ,met with much interest on the U.K. race circuit ( one race in Southern England a friend of mine got a ride on her bike- then was accused of messing with her gears😬)
Bars are too narrow, otherwise super cool!
Done all wrong. Need higher stack and wider bars with short stem
Idk how you can say we did a bike fit wrong. On mine I left the stem the same as it was with a flat bar and the won a 200 mile race. It definitely fit right
Um... seems obvious that a 12k FS race bike geometrically designed to win world cup xc races is not an ideal everyday or as you put it, utilitarian mtb. I don't see it as a negative just a bike that fits a niche.
When comparing it to other bikes being raced in World Cup races it definitely is
Be a man and put the flat bar back on😂
$12,000 bike and adds triflow to lube the chain. whack.
That was a bit lol. Trey don’t ride a bike with out waxing the chain
you not inventing anything did this 20 years ago ninier has one
That’s the joke.