Popular Science, the world’s largest science and technology
magazine, has named Specialized Bicycle’s Epic one of this year’s
top tech innovations.
Each year, the magazine showcases 100 tech innovations in 12
different categories. But, only one product in each category is
awarded top honors, the Grand Award. The Specialized Epic triumphed
in the 2003 recreational category.
Popular Science, the world’s largest science and technology magazine, has named Specialized Bicycle’s Epic one of this year’s top tech innovations.
Each year, the magazine showcases 100 tech innovations in 12 different categories. But, only one product in each category is awarded top honors, the Grand Award. The Specialized Epic triumphed in the 2003 recreational category.
Scott Mowbray, editor in chief of Popular Science, called this year’s Grand Award winners “some of the boldest, most mind-blowing innovations we’ve ever surveyed.” Popular Sciences’ 7 million readers received the Best of What’s New (BOWN) issue last week.
“This is an incredible honor for Specialized. I’m so proud of the work our team has done with the Epic and that Popular Science has recognized it,” said Mike Sinyard, founder and president of Specialized Bicycle Components located in Morgan Hill.
Full-suspension mountain bikes are a relief for downhill trail riding, but their cushioning effect saps efficiency from our uphill slogging.
Until this year, the best solution was high-end shocks that can be manually deactivated when performance needs to trump comfort.
Enter the Fox Brain Shock, available exclusively on the Specialized Epic. Created jointly by the shock specialists at Fox Racing Shox and bicycle manufacturer Specialized, the Brain is equipped with a ball-bearing inertia valve that responds only to forces that come from below.
No matter how hard riders stomp on the bike or its pedals, the suspension won’t budge, giving them maximum pedaling efficiency. However, when one of the wheels slams into a rock, the inertia valve opens and the suspension kicks in.
The result? Epic scoots uphill and across smooth terrain with the speedy efficiency of a hardtail bike, but still soaks up the rough stuff like a champ.
The Popular Science BOWN award is the latest in a string of accolades for the Epic.
In April, Outside Magazine awarded the bike the Gear of the Year status and in September the S-Works Epic helped deliver Filip Meirhaeghe to victory at the UCI World Championships in Lugano, Switzerland.
Epic’s range in price from $1,950 to $3,800.
To view the BOWN awards online: http://www.popsci.com/popsci/bown/2003/article/0,18881,537102,00.html.
