Specialized sworks epic m5

[dandy1]

Have too many projects on the go! Still trying to finish my brothers and his wife's marin builds, and this pops up. Have had a couple of hardtail sworks but never one of these, so kind of had to get it!

I believe it to be a 2004 model as its got disc and rim brake options. From what I've read the 05 was disc only

Anyway here she is, frame only at the moment



It's going to be a very slow build as I still need to finish other builds, and I haven't decided what to build it up with. I think it originally came with m960, but I hate the dual shifter levers, so options are m970 (costly) sram x0 (cheaper, but have always had shimano) or xt

Anyone had experience with these frames? Opinions on sram x0 over shimano?

Thanks

 

[Lacuna]

M9000 should still play nice with a QR rear hub. Probably a comparable price to older XTR groupsets

 

[dandy1]

Good shout, will have a look

 

[dandy1]

Managed to score some m970 parts, unfortunately it came with the rapid rise rear mech so that will need changing for the 'normal' one!

Hopefully some reasonable weather at the weekend to get most of it fitted

 

[dandy1]

More goodies arrived... M970 calipers, thanks to @andybikes

 

[rentedmule]

I've always liked those satin black frames, it should be a sweet bike.

Good call on the M970 stuff. I ran a SRAM XO groupset on a Titus RacerX and couldn't get used to the feel after using Shimano forever.

The M972 rear mech with the carbon plates I have on my Tracer is shockingly light compared to a standard unit. They're appreciating quickly though - it's hard to find a decent one at a price one could swallow.