Transitioning to something new to spur on new epic adventures

Two bikes that seem to be ideal for most of SCV and OC are the Specialized Epic Evo and the Transition spur. I had a great opportunity to pick up an Epic Evo comp about a year ago and grabbed it thinking they would become difficult to come by...and they have become scarce.

Last week a guy I met before pinged me to tell me he would be selling his Transition Spur Frame and SID fork and that he'd throw in the bottom bracket and headset. The Transition was just too big for him, but happened to be my size. Given the scarcity of Spur frames for the last year, the price he offered was fantastic plus the bike had been fully ride wrapped and the logos (all of them) stickerd over with orange as opposed to the factory black. I'm still trying to decide what I think about the orange and Deep Sea Green, but I embraced the orange as you can see! I wasted no time building it from parts sitting in the garage from other Ikes and a build I just pulled apart.

I've put hundreds of miles on the Epic Evo and it's quickly become one of my favorite bikes. It's insanely light (24.9lbs as shown) and it still has SLX braked, derailleur and aluminum cranks plus 2.4 tires front and rear. It would be easy to get this bike to 23.5 and still be trail-worthy. It helps starting with a frame and shock that weigh under 4lbs. By the way, I previously upgraded the shock from a SID+ on the EVO to a RT3 with a 2.5mm longer stroke, increasing travel to 117mm and making it plusher. The EVO also has a 130mm fork on it. I love this bike...but after seeing so many rave reviews on the Spur, I really wanted to try one.

As mentioned, I got the Spur as a frame, fork, BB and headset and quickly built it up with some nice parts which make it a little more robust than the EVO build. Mainly the wheels are a little stouter and it has a DHF/Aggressor vs. Rekons. All total, the Spur came in a little heavier than expected at 27.05 lbs (both bikes were weighed with pedals and bottle cages on).

I'm 5'10.5" and about 175lbs. The EVO is a large because the medium felt really small and tight in the cockpit. The Spur is a medium because that's what was available and the previous owner who was 5'7" said it was way too big for him. @scottay also said he has a medium and likes it, but wants to try a large. I am almost always a 'tweener' on bike sizes and almost always go toward the large size, except more recently, I've found that some of the large bikes are getting really large with reach measurements exceeding 480mm with 635+ top tubes and, more importantly, wheelbases well in excess of 1225mm. If you spend some time on Geometry Geeks site comparing bikes, you'll find the bikes we ride today are way longer and bigger than those 5 - 10 years ago. As a result, I've been trying to manage bike size and wheelbase by trying medium size bikes and S3 in the most modern Specialized bikes...and it's been GOOD. This medium Spur has a 455 reach and a 1190mm wheelbase with a 120 fork. That's longer/bigger than a M or L SB100, SB115, a first gen Hightower large or any large generation Ripley except the G4. I'd encourage you all to consider demoing a size down bike with a 50mm stem next time you have a chance if the top tube can be made to work for you.

I've not had enough seat time with the Spur to give a fair review. I can tell you they are more different than I expected. The EVO feels fast. It just feels fast and wants to run. It's playful, but not as much as the Spur. The EVO climbs a little more efficiently which may be due to the tires and the 3lb weight difference. Both feel like the have more suspension than they do (117/130 on the EVO and 120/120 on the Spur). I can say the Spur seems a little less business like and a little more fun. It just wants to play. Riding a medium makes it feel lively, quick handling and zippy. If I had to do a fast endurance ride, I'd grab the EVO. If I wanted to go to Tapia or to Santiago Oaks and play, I'd pick the Spur. Both bikes feel nearly as capable as my size large G4 Ripley and the Spur feels like a little brother to a new S3 Stumpjumper with a firmer suspension. I can also say the SID fork, while excellent, stiff and firm just isn't as good for trails as the Fox 34 Grip 2. That fork is just dynamite. The SID would be a better race fork as it's a little lighter and has a LOT of mid support, but it's not aa plush up top. I rode the Spur this weekend about 20 miles at Tapia and set one PR and tied one PR without pushing to the max. As many times as I've ridden Tapia, that's saying something for a first ride.

More to come and eventually I'll sell one of these two so keep your eyes out if interested. Off to work!


Image from the previous owner after being stripped by Pro Bike Supply


The comparison test Epic EVO vs Spur
What do you think of the color combo?

 

Interesting comparisons and thoughts. TFPU.


Bright/odd color pairings aren't my preference, but I wouldn't let that stop me from owning or riding any bike. Beauty is more than skin deep.

 

This is GREAT content... totally worth the subscription fees!!!

 

I like the color combo - because I like color on a bike. Don't judge.

Personally, I find having two bikes with similar intentions very anxiety producing. And expensive. Have fun figuring it out - or keeping both!

Is there something even more "bougie" than 1st world problems? If so - this defines it!

 

Great write up and a hard decision indeed.
If I rode by you on the Epic Evo, I would nod my head in acknowledgment that your on the trail.
If I rode by you on the Spur, I would complement you on the bike.
I'd be jealous both ways.
Let us know which one you decide!

 

Let's do judge...the color combination. If I proposed that pairing of colors I would instantly lose credibility with my work associates. (Clearly I don't work at Santa Cruz.) They'd be like Dude, did you skip color theory?

I prod. Colors are personal and don't follow theoretical values. Proven by the guy who spent time and money adorning his hospital-teal bike with orange!!!

 

I love reading your descriptions... I'm not in the market today, but Father Time may dictate that my next bike will be something a lot lighter and easier on the body. Blur, Tallboy, Izzo, Spur, Evo something or other... The efficiency is hard to ignore in those short travel steeds.

And color is irrelevant, as long as I can get it in all black.

 

I've never ridden a Transition, but always thought they were great looking bikes. I dig the colors on this one. Looks fast

 

Did you re-sticker the SID with orange decals? I seem to remember it with silver chrome-like decals when you first got the Specialized EVO and assume you swapped it over to the Spur(?).
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Ok. Reading comprehension isn't my forte....I see the SID came with the bike. Looks great.

 

I don’t understand what you said; I like the color combination of the subject Spur.

 

Great responses guys - and funny. Thanks.

Yes the guy before me ‘setup’ the color combo and sort of locked it in by ride wrapping all of it under a well applied film.

underneath all the orange is black or dark gray.

 

Congrats! @AKAKTM , did you buy the Spur from a guy named Danny by chance?

 

The colors are not ones I would choose but they aren't Santa Cruz level hideousness. I like the other standard Spur color a lot. It's definitely a bike I want to demo at some point as I hear nothing but great stuff about the way it descends.

 

Take a look at this. This is what I was mentioning about size creep. For better and/or worse bikes are growing like cars and many of us. The Spur is ostensibly a “down country” bike which by my read is sort of like a rowdy XC bike or a cross between XC and light trail bike. Look at this comparison between a MEDIUM Spur and several other LARGE bikes through the years. The medium Spur is larger than any of them in reach and wheelbase. I’d suggest that long, low and slack has a place, but it’s not necessarily better for everyone or for each use case.

 

I vote for black. My bike is black and my new E bike will be.....1500 tax credit discount so kinda green

 

Downcountry is supposed to be some in between, but seems to be just short travel Trail bikes or just plain Trail bikes from a few years ago. Hell, some Trail bikes are still sub 120mm in the back, unless I'm mistaken. Meanwhile, Trail has apparently become what we used to call All-Mountain. At the end of the day, I'm not mad about the name. If they give me the travel I want with a linkage I like, they can call it Allcountry, Crosshill, or whatever.

Add me to list of fans of that Safety Orange/Dirty Turq color scheme.

 

Allcounty Crosshill would totally be a Rivendell name for a MTB!