I picked up one of these frames and can't wait to build it up. I bought a 200x57 Rockshox Monarch and it should give about 110mm rear travel like the actual Evo. Anybody else run that shock size?
Also, does anyone know where to find the rubber boot that goes between the BB and chainstay? Is there an alternative to the Specialized one? As another user previously mentioned, the cable clearance at that junction looks to be too tight. Is widening the cable routing holes is the only option? Thanks
Widening the holes was the only solution I came up with. Yeah you can remove the lower pivot bolt to pull the rear triangle away, route the cable/brake housing through, then use your muscle to pinch it all back together and get the pivot bolt in there, but that just means you're kinking your brake hose and shifter housing. And eventually it will wear into the frame anyway.
The only fix I found that wouldn't risk damaging the frame as the suspension cycled was to, annoyingly, widen those channels in the front triangle. Not by a ton, and only where the cables sit, but it made the suspension both work as it is designed without binding and made the frame usable.
As for the rubber boot, 3d printing a custom one is probably your only option (I made a custom mud guard instead, similar concept). You can see why the specialized one wont work by looking at the manual for the MY21 epic evo, the holes are simply not in the right place in the rear triangle, they're spaced way too far apart: