James Kelly set his sights high this season, with the MTB Marathon National Championships in Melrose, South Australia, and the Marathon World Championships in Switzerland as his big targets. To give himself every possible advantage, he came to us ready to upgrade from his 2022 Specialized Epic Evo to a machine built to leave nothing to chance.
He chose the 2026 S-Works Epic 8, equipped with SRAM XXSL, RockShox Flight Attendant suspension, and a RockShox AXS dropper post—a no-compromise setup. For wheels, James went with the Creative Carbon Ultralite XC, tipping the scales at just 1200g, paired with a 30mm internal rim width and wrapped in Schwalbe Racing Ray & Racing Ralph 29x2.4 tyres.
The result? James piloted his new Epic 8 to victory at the MTB Marathon National Championships in Melrose, before heading straight to Switzerland to line up against the best in the world at the Marathon MTB World Championships.
Full Specifications
Frameset
| Frame | S-Works Epic 8 Large |
| Fork | RockShox Sid Ultimate Flight Attendant Fork |
| Rear Shock | Rockshox Sid Luxe Flight Attendant Shock |
| Seatpost | Rockshox AXS Dropper Post - 150mm Drop |
Drivetrain
| Drivetrain | SRAM XXSL |
| Crankset | SRAM XXSL 165mm with 36t Chainring |
| Brakes | SRAM Motiv Ultimate |
Components
| Handlebar | S-Works Mini Rise (cut to 720mm) |
| Grips | ODI Elite Pro |
| Stem | Easten EC90 (80mm) |
| Pedals | Shimano XT |
Wheels
| Wheelset | Creative Carbon XC |
| Tyres | Schwalbe Racing Ray & Racing Ralph (29x2.4) |
Other
| Weight | ~11kg |
