Epic 9 | Creating the Fastest XC Bike Ever

Lael Wilcox | Around the World, Faster Than Anyone

Lael Wilcox is one of the greatest ultra-endurance cyclists ever. She holds the women’s record for the fastest ride around the world, has set records on the Tour Divide, Trans Am, Baja Divide, and so much more.  She's also helped reshape what is possible in bikepacking, especially for women. This episode was recorded days before Lael's attempt to go around the world a second time, faster than anyone. In this episode, host Ben Capron sits down with Lael to talk about the spirit behind her attempt. Not just the miles, logistics, equipment, or record, but the mindset that lets someone take on a challenge this big and still keep it joyful. Lael shares how ultra-endurance cycling has changed as more women enter the sport and raise the level of competition. She talks about riding to the Tour Divide from Alaska, getting stuck in peanut butter mud, working through dark moments, and learning that not all suffering is useful. Her approach is simple and powerful: if you are doing your best, let it go. If you want to quit, you can always quit later. They also get into her 2024 around-the-world ride, why she turned it into a rolling invitation for people to join. This time the route is faster, the pace is higher, the support crew is bigger, and the goal is clear: ride around the world faster than anyone ever has. Along the way, Lael and Ben talk about comfort as performance, why sleep and fueling make you faster, the role of the Specialized Roubaix in her around-the-world setup, and why women can compete at the highest level in ultra-distance cycling. They also discuss GRIT, the girls’ cycling mentorship program Lael started to help young riders build confidence, adventure, and independence through bikes. This episode covers: Why Lael is going back around the world to chase the overall record How her 2024 ride became a rolling party with everyone invited Why ultra-endurance is changing as more women enter the sport What it means to compete without losing joy Why suffering is not the point How Lael works through dark moments on the bike The meaning behind “you can always quit later” Why comfort is performance in ultra-distance riding How sleep, fueling, and recovery can make riders faster Why Roubaix was the right bike for riding around the world How Lael thinks about equipment, efficiency, and durability Why women can compete at the highest level in ultra-distance cycling How GRIT helps young girls build confidence through bikes Why bikes can expand what people believe is possible Guest: Lael Wilcox Follow Lael: Instagram - @laelwilcox Subscribe to Specialized Bicycles on YouTube for more conversations with the engineers, athletes, and creators shaping the future of cycling. Get More from Specialized TikTok: @specializedbicycles [https://www.tiktok.com/@specializedbicycles] Instagram: @iamspecialized [https://www.instagram.com/iamspecialized/] Specialized MTB Instagram @iamspecialized_mtb [https://www.instagram.com/iamspecialized/] Specialized Factory Racing Instagram: @specialized_factoryxc Facebook: specializedbicycles [https://www.fb.com/specializedbicycles] Outride: @outride [https://www.instagram.com/outride]

Crux 5 | The Equation of Gravel Speed

Gravel racing has changed. What used to feel like an endurance event has become a full-speed race, with stronger athletes, higher speeds, sharper tactics, and bigger consequences for every equipment choice. Crux has always been loved for its light weight, lively ride, and pure race feel. But as gravel racing got faster, Specialized had to answer a harder question: how do you make Crux faster without losing what riders already love about it? In this episode, guest host Ben Edwards sits down with Leo Cadena, Doug Russell, and Alex Jerome just north of Barcelona to go inside the creation of Crux 5. They discuss the evolution of gravel racing, the shift from cyclocross roots to a dedicated gravel race platform, and the engineering work behind making a bike that is not simply light or aero, but faster against the only metric that matters: time to finish. They get into Specialized’s equation of speed, Formula 1 style simulation, moving-leg mannequin wind tunnel testing, race-course telemetry, tire rolling resistance, 55 mm tire clearance, the new Terra cockpit, Terra wheels, and the challenge of preserving the Crux ride feel while building a faster bike for modern gravel racing. This episode covers: * How gravel evolved from an event into a race * Why Crux 5 was built as a dedicated gravel race bike * The equation of speed and why time to finish matters most * How Specialized balances aero, weight, rolling resistance, and ride quality * Why bike-only aero testing does not tell the full story * How moving-leg mannequins make wind tunnel testing more realistic * How race telemetry from Unbound and other courses shapes product decisions * Why tire choice and tire clearance can decide a race * The role of 50 mm and 55 mm tires in modern gravel performance * How Crux 5 became 15.2 watts faster than Crux 4 * Why the new Terra cockpit matters for comfort, control, and aero efficiency * How Crux 5 keeps the light, lively ride that made Crux so loved * What simulated Unbound time savings reveal about real race performance * Why the future of gravel race bikes is about systems, not isolated numbers Guests: Leo Cadena, Doug Russell, Alex Jerome Get More from Specialized TikTok: @specializedbicycles [https://www.tiktok.com/@specializedbicycles] Instagram: @iamspecialized [https://www.instagram.com/iamspecialized/] Specialized MTB Instagram @iamspecialized_mtb [https://www.instagram.com/iamspecialized/] Specialized Factory Racing Instagram: @specialized_factoryxc Facebook: specializedbicycles [https://www.fb.com/specializedbicycles] Outride: @outride [https://www.instagram.com/outride]

Outride | Science Says Ride to Think Better and Feel Better

What if science proved what riders already know? That riding clears your head. Sharpens your focus. Improves your mood. Connects you to yourself, to others, and to the world around you. In this episode of the Specialized Podcast, host Ben Capron sits down with Esther Walker, Executive Director of the Outride Foundation, to explore the growing body of research showing how riding bikes positively impacts brain health, mental well-being, cognitive performance, and human connection. Outride began with a simple question inspired by Specialized founder Mike Sinyard after reading an article titled Cycling Is My Ritalin: could riding a bike measurably improve focus and cognitive function, particularly for people with ADHD? That question launched years of scientific research in partnership with institutions like Stanford University and helped spark programs that have now reached more than 400 schools and impacted more than 500,000 students across North America. Rather than hype or speculation, this episode offers a human and science-backed look at why riding helps us think, feel, and flourish,covering: * How riding improves focus, executive function, mood, and stress regulation * Why consistency matters more than intensity when it comes to brain health * How Stanford researchers measured real-time brain activity while riding * The connection between cycling, neuroplasticity, memory, and reduced dementia risk * How Riding for Focus brings bikes, helmets, curriculum, and teacher training into schools * The power of confidence, skill building, and joy in helping students flourish * Stories from communities like the Navajo Nation, where bikes are opening new pathways for health, connection, and opportunity * How programs like Silver Stallion Bicycle & Coffee Works help sustain cycling culture through service, skills, and community * Why athletes like Demi Vollering, Christopher Blevins, and Haley Batten help amplify the Outride mission * How riders, schools, communities, brands, and volunteers can all help more people experience the benefits of cycling * Whether you ride every day, support young riders, work in education, or simply believe bikes can change lives, this conversation is a reminder that riding is more than fitness or speed. It is a powerful tool for focus, connection, confidence, and well-being. Follow Outride: @outride [https://www.instagram.com/outride]  [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqblBPdzJOS0NkUUdLWlcyRFFOTzhPRGk3WXJrZ3xBQ3Jtc0tuVWdNa0NGZWdJNV9uRkNOT0l2WUZyeFdKWHRrVWRkd1pxQzR5OVhycGhUbHQ0amgyNHRuVENMdmVzaE96cFhpVlFtdXFDTnc1VS1hRWNWT1Z2dUlUYVR4UXZVUUVQeVJWOFNhTFl3Tm4xWWNtdFk1MA&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Foutride%2F&v=Rq_R--XdlcY] Subscribe to Specialized Bicycles on YouTube for more conversations with the engineers, athletes, and creators shaping the future of cycling. Get More from Specialized TikTok: @specializedbicycles [https://www.tiktok.com/@specializedbicycles] Instagram: @iamspecialized [https://www.instagram.com/iamspecialized/] Specialized MTB Instagram @iamspecialized_mtb [https://www.instagram.com/iamspecialized/] Specialized Factory Racing Instagram: @specialized_factoryxc Facebook: specializedbicycles [https://www.fb.com/specializedbicycles] Outride: @outride [https://www.instagram.com/outride]

Body Geometry | Remco’s Secret to More Power and Less Pain.

How do top pros like Remco Evenepoel and Demi Vollering stay powerful, efficient, and pain-free for hours at race intensity? They do not leave fit to chance. They rely on ergonomically designed, scientifically proven Body Geometry bike fit and products built to increase performance and comfort. In this conversation about power, pain, fit, science, and the ergonomic advantage behind the fastest riders in the world, guests Jason Williams and Ashley Sult explain how Body Geometry became one of Specialized’s biggest performance advantages. They get into the origin of Body Geometry, why Specialized started studying the rider as much as the bike, and how fit data drives the product development of saddles, shoes, gloves, handlebars, and frame geometry. Ashley explains what happens when contact points are wrong, how small problems compound over time, and why the right support and adjusting the bike to fit the body improves comfort, reduces injury risk, and help riders produce power more efficiently by being more comfortable. Together, they call bullshit on old adages like “no pain, no gain”, and they make complex science understandable to identify and solve common problems like pain in the posterior, feet, neck and hands, and losing power through poor fit. They also cover the process Specialized uses to design products around the human body. This episode covers: * Why virtually every rider loses power through poor fit * Why better comfort translated to better performance * How rider data informs product development * What professional athletes reveal about fit at the highest level, and what that means to you * Why the best equipment helps the bike disappear beneath the rider * How Body Geometry helps riders reduce pain and improve performance * Why Remco, Demi, and many top pros rely on precise fit and ergonomic products * Why rider pain is not something to suffer through   * How Body Geometry started and why it became core to Specialized * Why fit, product, and performance have to work together * What the varus wedge does and why foot alignment matters * How longitudinal arch support and the metatarsal button improve foot stability * Why saddle width, shape, and pressure mapping matter for real riders GUESTS: Jason Williams and Ashley Sult Subscribe to Specialized Bicycles on YouTube for more conversations with the engineers, athletes, and creators shaping the future of cycling. Get More from Specialized TikTok: @specializedbicycles [https://www.tiktok.com/@specializedbicycles] Instagram: @iamspecialized [https://www.instagram.com/iamspecialized/] Specialized MTB Instagram @iamspecialized_mtb [https://www.instagram.com/iamspecialized/] Specialized Factory Racing Instagram: @specialized_factoryxc Facebook: specializedbicycles [https://www.fb.com/specializedbicycles] Outride: @outride [https://www.instagram.com/outride]

Epic 9 | Creating the Fastest XC Bike Ever

You know Christopher Blevins from his record-breaking 2025 season, where he finished #1 in UCI XC points, claimed both the XCO and XCC overall titles, and helped the Specialized Factory XC Team sweep the World Cup podium twice aboard Epic 8. So why change the bike? Because lead engineer Jason McDonald and the rest of the Specialized Science Club knew they could make it faster. In this episode, Jason explains how the team started with Epic 8’s world-beating benchmark, then removed what held it back: 206 grams gone, making Epic 9 the lightest full-suspension XC race bike on the planet. Then he gets into how suspension friction was cut by 11%, how kinematics were optimized, and how it all adds up to unmatched efficiency, capability, and speed per watt. Christopher shares what modern World Cup XC racing demands at full speed, how Epic 9 feels on course, and why control, confidence, and composure now matter as much as efficiency and weight. This episode covers: • Why Specialized built Epic 9 after Epic 8’s dominant season • What actually slows riders down in modern XC racing • What “Made In Racing” actually means: turning data, rider feedback, and engineering into speed • The engineering behind the 1,589 g frame • Why lighter only matters if the bike stays fast, controlled, and composed • How Epic 9 blends Epic World Cup crispness with Epic 8 capability • The role of 11% lower pivot friction in ride feel and traction • How Wide Open, Magic Middle, and Sprint-On-Lock damping settings work in real racing • Why efficiency is more than stiffness and weight • How Body Geometry data shaped Epic 9 fit and handling • What Christopher feels when the bike disappears and flow takes over It is a conversation about speed, science, flow, and devotion beyond reason to making the fastest XC bike in the world even faster. GUESTS: Christopher Blevins and Jason McDonald Get More from Specialized   TikTok:   / specializedbicycles  [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbndCaDlmQlhYRTNHSVE4WUVBM0FKa0pFNFJLZ3xBQ3Jtc0tteGtrUU11V1RQTVI1Nmc3TXhXRXdacDczeUJBWjFLTjZKSG5IWUVyc0dyVURHcWJha0ZiNUdZZWh4VURlbkRsOFhsY1lUU2tvYU02ZVcwVXF1czdHUkFvTDJZTWY2LVhGRTdINmp2MHJOOGFfOWtoaw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40specializedbicycles&v=BGotczeLpOI] Instagram:   / iamspecialized  [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa19rcFk4NWY3aTlCRFVpaDFGcS1HWkdJYWl6QXxBQ3Jtc0trWTBZUnAzVXpibnpSek81T2dPeEw1X1RVbGtGTDBnYW1KT1JxYVVYZ002V2VLU09SUkFMd1dlYTJ6Zm1xbFE4ODFObFF3X2FYMXRobVhEQjZ3Smtyb2pmcVlmczZuVGhVcHg3ejlJbmFWY1lnRjFtSQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fiamspecialized&v=BGotczeLpOI] Facebook: https://www.fb.com/specializedbicycles [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGhJU2l3M0hIbHZBazJWZVpzcFFZcmtyM3hSZ3xBQ3Jtc0tsajVXYy1ObThxRXhIeEF5ZHhXYTBtQzdHMVlyNDgwNTBLUEVDajJWUVE5ZXlYS01DTXRqVkx2VmNsSHFxYlpDZFFGNUNWeVBxdmN0OUk1eVc0eVdVMGhLSDd6RVZUeUtkWFhYeGhQZDlwVldJNFhGYw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fb.com%2Fspecializedbicycles&v=BGotczeLpOI] Outride:   / outride   [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnE0YkxHdjNpRXoyR0pnQkJPcUxpbEFmdEFMd3xBQ3Jtc0tsSDhoVFktcWNiemJvNGZsaHZBbEZ4V2c2OXhhVHNQaHRHYWlJTUtiR3V0REN4S1BYZUlDTHBmVkpUTWEwdnFiMGZxYmdGVWE4Q0JPSlVRT2Y3aFFBcmRFSnBXYlByNjJMenhtYzk2TW1ETzRCRWFUaw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Foutride&v=BGotczeLpOI]