As one who has owned eight different Epic “brain” bikes since 2003, I partially agree.
The rear shock brain is absolutely glorious, when you get used to how it responds. It takes some dialing in. Some generations of the Epic were much better than previous generations. I am now riding a 2023 Epic Expert model and the rear brain shock is perfection.
On an XC bike I’m a big fan of the Brain as well.
To be able to go from locked out compression to fully open compression was magical. Hammering with no bob on a smooth surface and transitioning to roots / embedded rocks was really an experience. They were also able to run those bikes with really low anti-squat which helped them pedal well in the rough.
For many, however, the need for maintenance (and the lack of durability of earlier systems) just doesn’t work with the general consumer.
With all this said “MTB YUM YUM” posted an Epic Evo review on YouTube and his experience is very different from my own. This isn’t to say he’s wrong, but it’s just a reminder that different people have different experiences. I will say that I’m a bit of a suspension nerd, and I have to wonder if his experience was tainted by poor suspension set up.