What changes with High vs Low?

High raises the bottom bracket by ~5mm and steepens the head tube angle by 0.5°. Low lowers the BB and slackens the front end.

Do I need a torque wrench?

Yes — use 6 Nm on the front bolt and 20 Nm on the rear bolt.

Do I need to remove the shock to flip the chip?

Yes — the chip sits at the bottom of the shock yoke and requires removing the shock for access.

How to Flip the Flip Chip on a Specialized Epic 8

Published: 5/31/2025

Tags: Epic 8, flip chip, bike setup, geometry, suspension, maintenance, RockShox

TL;DR — Flip Chip Quick Facts

High: +5mm BB, +0.5° HTA — better for XC, fewer pedal strikes
Low: −5mm BB, slacker HTA — better for descending stability
Torque: Front bolt 6 Nm, Rear bolt 20 Nm
Time: ~10-15 minutes, Easy

🛠 Tools for this job

Tools You’ll Need

Park Tool AWS-1 3-Way Hex Wrench

Classic 3-way tool with 4mm, 5mm, and 6mm hex heads—perfect for quick adjustments and daily use.

Buy Now

Topeak Digital Torque Wrench

Accurate, reliable digital torque wrench for precise bike maintenance.

Buy Now

Microfiber Cloth

The simplest and safest way to clean your frame, fork, and components without scratching or streaking.

Buy Now

Park Tool PolyLube 1000 Grease

Reliable general-purpose bike grease for everything from bottom brackets to bolts.

Buy Now

Loctite Threadlocker Blue 242

Medium-strength threadlocker that keeps bolts from loosening without making them impossible to remove.

Buy Now

Why Flip the Chip?

The Epic 8 and Epic 8 EVO come with different geometry out of the box:

Epic 8: Ships with the flip chip in the high position.
Epic 8 EVO: Ships in the low position.

Specialized says that switching from low to high:

Raises the bottom bracket by 5mm
Steepens the head tube angle by 0.5°

I run my Epic 8 EVO in the high position after installing 120/120mm RockShox Flight Attendant to keep pedal strikes down, increase efficiency, and improve handling on tight, punchy courses.

Step 1: Remove the Shock

Get the bike into a stand and remove the rear wheel so there’s no weight on the rear triangle.

Microfiber towel protecting frame — I like to tuck a microfiber towel behind the shock extension to protect the frame while working.

Loosen and remove:

Front shock mounting bolt
- 4mm hex
- Torque: 6 Nm
Rear shock mounting bolt
- 6mm hex
- Torque: 20 Nm

⚠️ Carefully track the washers:

Front mount: 2 washers per side
Rear mount: 1 washer on drive side

Step 2: Flip the Chip

Once the shock is off, you’ll see the flip chip insert at the bottom of the shock yoke.

Bottom view of flip chip positions — High vs. Low position. It’s a simple rotation of the chip.

Rotate the chip 180° to change the position:

Low → High: Raises BB, steepens head angle
High → Low: Lowers BB, slackens front end

Make sure the chip is fully seated before reinstalling the shock.

Step 3: Clean, Grease & Reinstall

Cleaning the front shock axle — Clean the axle and threads with a microfiber towel.

Before reinstalling:

Clean the front shock mounting axle
Reapply high-quality grease to:
- Front axle
- Interface between front bolt head and axle
- Rear bolt’s non-threaded shaft
Apply a drop of Loctite to the front bolt

Then reinstall the bolts: