Specialized Epic 9 claims title of lightest full-suspension XC bike

In the relentless human pursuit of speed, Specialized has introduced the Epic 9 — a full-suspension cross-country mountain bike the company claims is the lightest of its kind — by making a deliberate sacrifice: removing a feature riders have come to expect as standard. The bike is not meant for everyone, but for the elite racer where grams become seconds, it represents a focused act of engineering will. Its arrival asks a quiet but consequential question of the broader industry: how much must be given up in the name of winning?