Comments on: Ellsworth Epiphany Quick Bike Review – Interbike 2008

By: Mobyd

Mobyd — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 17:21:42 +0000

I just got a medium Epiphany. I’m 5ft 9 tall. The standover hits a bit hard in the crotch. Anyone know if this is common? I was riding a Stumpjumper with less travel and of course had more clearence.

By: Jason Mitchell

Jason Mitchell — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 20:50:25 +0000

Nice work on getting the Mach 5… I know that is a killer bike and I love the DW-Link. As far as Ellsworth’s ICT goes, yes, it has been around for a long time (10+ years), but it’s built from the Specialized-owned Horst Link, actually. The ICT is is essence a dual-license of both the Horst and ICT. With the ICT, you get the horizontal “walking beam” rocker across the top of the suspension design. What it gives you is a more stable platform for pedaling while still providing excellent cush when needed.

The DW and ICT are two very different beasts. The DW sits you in the middle range of the travel (more sag) and depends upon opposing forces to cancel out bob and maintain vertical compliance for both positive and negative travel (hence a bottomless, but efficient feel). The ICT can tend to feel more harsh initially, but is still a killer suspension design.

Neither one is “better” per se… both are great designs and both are used on great bikes, IMO.

By: dondi

dondi — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 07:46:22 +0000

I just bought myself a Pivot Mach 5 and had been using a Scott Spark 10 previously. The difference between the Pivot (5.5 inch travel) versus the Scott (4 inch travel) is noticeable in the technical trails and on the climbs. I need to lockout the Spark else I will encounter pedal bob while the Pivot doesn’t have any in spite of the propedal being off.

The Ellsworth suspension was invented several years ago and do you know if there has been any change to it all these years? How does the DW-Link compare to the ICT? Which one is better?

Thanks.

By: adalberto

adalberto — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 10:42:11 +0000

AS BIKES DA MARCA SÃO MUITO BOAS , PENA AQUI NO BRASIL NÃO HAVER UMA GAMA MAIOR DE MARCAS , DE QUALIDADE COMO ESTA

By: Jason Mitchell

Jason Mitchell — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 16:45:10 +0000

Hey Len… sorry for the delayed response. I haven’t seen the new Giant Trance carbon, but it sounds sweet. The last Giant I’ve ridden at length is the 2005 Reign 1.

I really like the Epiphany and if you are narrowing it down to that bike, you can’t go wrong. I would throw the Ibis Mojo into the mix or the Pivot Mach 5 (just to make things interesting).

By: Leonard Mushtuk

Leonard Mushtuk — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:26:47 +0000

I am torn between the Ellsworth Epiphany and the new 2010 Giant (carbon) Trance X Advanced SLO. My concerns are climbing efficiency and the downhill geometry of the bikes. Have you had the opportunity to compare the two bikes? Which would you choose if you could have only one Mountain Bike?

Len

By: 2010 Ibis Mojo Mountain Bike Review - FeedTheHabit.com

2010 Ibis Mojo Mountain Bike Review - FeedTheHabit.com — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 20:43:33 +0000

[...] Take the Intense 6.6, for example. When introduced, it was one of my favorite bikes. Then came the Ellsworth Epiphany, Yeti 575 and the Niner RIP 9. While those are all great bikes, the endless march continues for the [...]

By: Jason Mitchell

Jason Mitchell — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:35:43 +0000

@Glen

Tough call for sure! In the end, the Evolve and Epiphany are very different beasts. If you like more XC stuff, the Evolve will be money. For all-mountain, the Epiphany is one of the best all-around trailbikes on the market.

The Evolve is a rocket while the Epiphany provides a tad more comfort and versatility. Hope that helps!

By: glen

glen — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:29:49 +0000

am interested in your opinion, after riding the evolve, which you would choose if you could have only one? i’m torn between the evolve and the epiphany…..thanks so much for your time and commments.
best,
glen

By: Jason Mitchell

Jason Mitchell — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 03:14:24 +0000

Hey Clark

Thanks for reaching out to me. Yes, I did buy an LT2 at the end of last season and had a great time on it. I really like that bike a lot and feel it’s very versatile and loves to rally the downhill. However, the VPP design can sometimes feel numb to me on climbs.

I was super-impressed with the Epiphany, but only rode it for an hour as opposed to 2-3 months on the LT2. So, I can’t really speak about the Epiphany as fully as I can the LT2. Both bikes are going to perform well. The Epiphany is a more fun climber with a little more solid climbing platform. But, it will also surprise you with its ability to power straight through the rough stuff.

The LT2 will not be left behind on the downhill and ascends pretty darn well also… just not quite as efficiently as the Epiphany.