Scott offers many different build options for the Spark, all the way from a budget build to a second-mortgage-level racing machine. Others can get into terrain warranting a full-face. The 2020 Calibre Bikes Bossnut 3 hit the Go Outdoors shelves in August this year boasting new geometry, better components and dare I say it, even better value. It’s like the regular Epic, but after it’s had a few vodka Red Bulls. Sure, the Maestro suspension is efficient and provides plenty of traction climbing, but the Trance 29 hungers for the gnarliest of terrain, preferably of the downhill flavor. Technical xc mtb specifications. The engine is either connected to a manual or DCT. Just point these race-ready rockets in the right direction and go. They’ve become more aggressive and more confident descenders. These full suspension and hardtail cross country models give you the ultimate performance edge, so you can go as fast as your legs and heart will allow, and come back grinning. The current generation of the Ripley shares the same roots as the OG, but quite a bit has changed over the years in the geometry department to make the Ripley the short-travel menace it is. You’ll roll over rocks better and carry more speed for a longer time. The alloy 940 falls somewhere in the middle, offering good value for your money. BEST FULL SUSPENSION BIKEPACKING BIKE. While there’s a great abundance of options on the market to choose from, we’ve gathered this list of 10 of our favorite non-directional-country bikes. If there’s a bike that defines this category, it might just be the SB100. With its 67.4-degree head angle, 75-degree seat angle and 470-millimeter reach in large, the Ryve looks to make use of that responsive suspension design, but still keep enough party in the tank when mashing pedals gets old. The Hei Hei is nearly an institution at this point—this ain’t its first rodeo. Check out Jonathon Weber’s review of the Sniper Trail here. Looking for the right XC bike can be a challenge, though. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Marathon, BCXC, light trail—this is the one genre that has resisted industry-standard (excuse the oxymoron) nomenclature. If you're ready for the cross country bike trip of a lifetime, prepare to join Trek Travel on a bicycle tour that stretches from the Pacific to the Atlantic, across the northern tier of this beautiful country. Review of the Diamondback Overdrive 29 Hardtail Mountain Bike On the carbon Hei Hei CR/DL you’ll get that GX shifting, Guide Rs, a Reverb dropper, WTB KOM Light Team i29 rims and Fox suspension, namely a 34 Performance and DPS Performance. Handlebars on XC bikes are commonly specced between 720mm and 760mm wide. Bike Magazine. Most mountain bikes on the market are coming standard with a 1×12 speed drivetrain and if not, you can score a SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain for under $500. Conventionally, riders thought that XC tires should be as narrow as possible, which makes sense since thinner tires are lighter and more aerodynamic. Consider what kind of rides you’ll use the bike for. But hold on, don’t write it off thinking it’s for doddery older riders on dull, wide fireroads. This is what makes the sprightly nature of the suspension platform, and why we pondered how it would be in a short-travel package. Of course, you’ll get a full carbon frame, as well as a torque wrench, shock pump and tools for set-up because, of course, Intense has a consumer-direct sales model now, in addition to brick-and-mortar sales. Best Mountain Bikes of 2020. is the name of the game with the latest Ripley. Traction can be found in shades, but the bike also has that stand-up-and-hammer attitude that most good short-travel bikes do. More on that later though. The Ryve, which comes in either 100- or 115-millimeter flavors, is essentially a shorter-travel version aimed for the aggressive XC/marathon crowd, or really just anyone who wants a fun-loving bike with heaps of get-up-and-go. Unless you’re competing seriously in cross-country races, it might not be. In the neutral setting though, you’ll be sitting behind a 69.2-degree head angle, atop a 74.7-degree seat angle and across a 445-millimeter reach on a large. The current generation of the Ripley shares the same roots as the OG, but quite a bit has changed over the years in the geometry department to make the Ripley the short-travel menace it is. Support Us | There’s even an XCO edition with a 100-millimeter fork and all the go-fast Gucci bits. While most of these bikes will be busy hammering out miles, the Trance 29 is more likely to be hammering out laps on the local gravity track. It feels like it has both more. Then you see the dropper post, the 66.5-degree head angle and 180mm/160mm brake rotors. It’s not often we wonder how bikes would ride with a little less travel, but that was the case with Spot’s Living Link suspension bikes, the Mayhem and Rollik. Subscribe to BIKE’s Newsletter to receive stories like this straight to your inbox. That’s the sort of shenanigans the Ripley is meant for. Like the EC bikes, the 300 and 250 differ only in bore. Santa Cruz Stigmata 2020 cyclocross bike Review 9/10 Santa Cruz is best known for its mountain bikes, but it’s brought some of that knowledge to … The Living Link suspension is a tricky one to put a finger on. Follow the latest updates about XC/Marathon on BIKE Magazine. Radical. It’s not really the longer, lower, slacker treatment, more like the crazier, shorter, more fun treatment. The A50 build strikes a neat balance in the middle, with a quality alloy frame hung with dependable and sensible components. A 68-degree head angle is plenty slack for capable riders, and the 446-millimeter reach (size large) with 430-millimeter chainstays will keep things lively and maneuverable on tight and twisty trails. Don’t think it can’t hang in the rough either— Spencer Paxson. The Top 9 New Dirt Bikes We’re Dying To Ride In 2020. Upon first glance, you may think the Sniper Trail is an XC pureblood. Our tech-loaded XC mountain bikes are the lightest, smartest bikes on the trail. The Epic is the quintessential XC bike, and then there’s the Epic Evo. Chainstay lengths are a bit shorter than they used to be for better power transfer and traction. But on dirt, it’s got the quickness of an XC bike. Here’s what to look for when shopping for a cross-country bike, whether it’s for racing, or long days across epic trails. Like the Ibis Ripley, the Trance 29 is, perhaps, a bit of an outlier in this travel category. Find places to cross-country ski in the parks. It’s also possible just to upgrade those with time. Minimize the Tools and Gear You Carry With These 3... New Knolly Chilcotin Long Travel 29er in for Test. But on dirt, it’s got the quickness of an XC bike. Most of the builds come with a 120-millimeter front end though, and are what you might call “BCXC” bikes. Tests. This isn’t going to be much of a question either. Before you keep scrolling, there are three more models of the Trance 29 that. The intent in both cases is the same — to offer stability and put the rider’s body weight more toward the front than back. At SCOTT Sports, we offer a range of cross-country mountain bikes in differents sizes from XS to XL. Built on twenty-one years of experience, we are the experts in long-distance touring. The mechanism, now way back by the rear axle, comprises a cylinder in the compression damping circuit that is closed off at rest by a tiny heavy brass ingot, but opens up when an impact knocks the ingot out of place. You may have expected to see the Blur here, but it’s just a tad too conservative for this club. Check out Mike Ferrentino’s review of the Trance 29 Adv Pro 0 from the latest Bible of Bike Tests, It’s still an XC marathon machine, sure, but if you were to. Stems on XC bikes are much shorter than they used to be also. travel, but that was the case with Spot’s Living Link suspension bikes, the Mayhem and Rollik. As one of our testers in this year’s Bible of Bike Tests put it, “The SB100 is an XC bike without the suppressed rage.”. Here at off-road.cc, we love this budget busting trail bike, it's fun, it's upgradable and in it's full suspension form it’s a great, accessible introduction to mountain biking. A lot of times, they’re just as light as carbon, and on an XC bike, the bit of flex from an aluminum wheel may actually keep your body feeling less beat up after long rides. Motocross, off-road, and dual sport bikes we’re looking forward to riding. Yeti designed the SB100 to be the best full suspension cross country bike on the planet, and because they’re Yeti they threw in some trail chops as well. Fresh off a 2020 redesign, the Ripmo V2 impressed our testers and is the best overall trail bike we've ever tested. Usually adapted from XC platforms, these micro-enduro machines blend the ‘long, low and slack’ geometry moniker with efficient, firm suspension platforms and a sprightly exuberance not found on their longer-legged siblings. This might be the biggest consideration when thinking about a cross-country bike. You might call them the downhiller’s XC bike, or the XC nerd’s downhill bike. If the Ripmo is a point and shoot (up or downhill), the Ripley is a choose-your-own-adventure kind of bike. Here's our pick of the best road bikes we've tested at Cycling Weekly and our buying advice telling you what to look for in a drop bar bike Paul Norman August 17, 2020 … The suspension performance is certainly the best of the two bikes in this category (the other being the Specialized Epic), and if you are looking for versatility you can instantly switch from performance XC to all-mountain ripping with the TwinLoc remote. Five 2021 cross-country bikes that we think are pushing the envelope of bicycle design including the Specialized Epic, Canyon Exceed and Cannondale Scalpel. and descending in one day on this bike, lapping one of the steeper and gnarlier trails in Bellingham, Washington. In the world of XC riding though, a 29er is going to help. Best Cross Country Mountain Bike for Women: BEIOU Carbon Fiber Mountain Bike ; Best Budget Bike: Yeogned 27.5 ; Our Top Cross Country Bike Pick: Savadeck Deck300 Carbon Fiber Mountain Bike ; The best cross country bike for you is out there. Just look at the current XCO World Cup courses. The Evo gains an extra 10 millimeters of travel in the front, loses a degree in the head angle (68.5-degrees)  and consequently 10 millimeters in reach (446 for a large). The Hei Hei’s geometry is fairly conservative by today’s marketing slogans, but still far more capable than traditional XC bikes. In cross-country racing, rigid versus dropper posts are probably a bigger debate than wheel size. They also get an FMF exhaust pipe in addition to the FMF silencer. Or both, if that’s your cup of tea. And even then, some pro riders are choosing to run droppers. Singletracks may receive compensation for purchases made through affiliate links in this article. Hardtails are still lighter than most full suspension bikes, although weights are getting pretty close these days. For XC bikes, head angles generally fall between 68 and 70-degrees. The bike is lighter and more powerful for 2020 with a 1,084cc four-stroke parallel-twin engine that’s fuel-injected and puts out 101 hp. Originally, and currently, Kona’s XC machine, the Hei Hei is build to tackle serious miles efficiently, but also comfortably. In fact, the alloy version starts at $3,100. Once the gradient turns the other way though, the SB100 descends with the prowess of bikes much bigger. Cross Country Bike Tours w/ CrossRoads Cycling Adventures | Ride coast to coast on a fully-supported bicycle trip & experience one of the greatest adventures of your life! Super narrow handlebars of the past have widened considerably and long stems have become shorter. Choosing a bike is an investment for at least 5 to 10 years. The Tallboy is offered in three frame materials: alloy, C carbon or CC carbon. That being said, if there is one remaining holdout for 2X drivetrains, it’s within the XC world. Check out Brice Minnigh’s review of the Tallboy here. Santa Cruz’s VPP linkage is time-tested and over the years they’ve dialed in a good balance that gives the Tallboy some pep in its step while also taking the worst out of that high-speed chatter and chunkage. They go cross- country, backcountry, up-country and, yes, down-country. The Living Link suspension is a tricky one to put a finger on. Singletracks Merch | The bike’s improved long-travel suspension and knobby tires ensure adequate control on, and off of the roadway. Available in either an alloy, alloy rear/carbon front, or full-carbon frame, the Element starts at a reasonable $2,500 and ends at a eye-watering $7,100. Giant formed a partnership with DVO not too long ago, and some of the top tier builds from Giant come with the boutique, highly adjustable suspension. What makes the 0 model special is the custom DVO Saphire D1 and Topaz 2 T3 that come stock. Like the Ibis Ripley, the Trance 29 is, perhaps, a bit of an outlier in this travel category. Most of the models come with a dropper post too, and along with the stock 160mm/180mm rotors, that hints at what this bike is for. But we like ‘down-country.’ It’s just so much fun to say. The short-travel XC/trail crossover category is one of the few flavors of bikes that aren’t meant for racing or going fast down a hill. Scott Spark 940. The power transfer is better when you’re clipped in, the pedals will probably be lighter, and the benefits of flats don’t really apply to cross-country riding. The ideal range for cross-country bike tires is around 2.1-2.4 inches. ... has been completely redesigned for 2020, giving it … You also get Maxxis Minion DHF/DHR tires, which pretty much sums up what the SB100 is for. The bike also gets a lot of goodies, including cornering ABS, rear lift control, wheelie control, cruise control, traction control, and Apple CarPlay. Suspension technology on XC bikes has progressed just as much as it has for any other platform. It’s possible to save money and weight by getting a cross country bike that doesn’t have a dropper, or carbon bits. Cockpits have changed for XC bikes, just like anything else. The C carbon is going to give you the best bang for your buck, especially in their R, middle-of-the-road build. hills well? This is less about jumps and slamming berms and more about pedalling miles and crossing fells. Widgets, Explore   MTB Podcast | Clearly, the Sniper Trail is meant for bigger and badder things than lapping XC loops. You just need to research, talk to other bikers, and even visit your local bike store. The V2's geometry has been tweaked to make it slacker and longer, and the suspension kinematics adjusted to make it more progressive at the end of the stroke. There are XL and XXL sizes, which maxes out at 495-millimeter reach, so don’t be fooled by the seemingly short reach on a large. While hardtails are the best option for pure power transfer to the ground, there’s not a lot of energy lost on full suspension XC bikes anymore. Seat angles are typically around 74 to 75-degrees these days. Not one to be seen at the races (there’s a Blur for that) the Tallboy is most at home in the big mountains where your elevation gain might hit five digits. Most of the builds come with a 120-millimeter front end though, and are what you might call “BCXC” bikes. These well-equipped bikes are some of the best options for multi-day tours, cross-country adventures, and countryside excursions. With those factors in mind, it’s more than likely that you’ll settle on the right bike. Consider what kind of rides you’ll use the bike for. Read the XC/Marathon blog. Up, down, you’d be hard-pressed to beat out the SB100. But if you’re planning to ride a lot of natural singletrack, with rock and roots and technic… Latest. Radical. There’s even an XCO edition with a 100-millimeter fork and all the go-fast Gucci bits. SRAM’s Level brakes are made for cross-country use and are specced on a lot of newer XC bikes. If it’s mainly for crushing dirt or fire roads, or smooth singletrack, then a hardtail will probably work fine. Bible Review: Ibis Mojo Deore XT | $6,900, Revel Bikes Introduces the Ranger Brunch Ride Edition. The base level 4-star build will get you a Fox 34 Step Cast and DPS, both Performance, a SRAM GX drivetrain, Level TL brakes and a BikeYoke Revive dropper. This might be the biggest consideration when thinking about a cross-country bike. Trek Supercaliber 9.8 ($5,900) Category: XC Frame: Carbon fiber Suspension: 100mm (front) 60mm (rear) Tires: 29 x 2.2 in. We’re back and forth on the whole remote lockout thing, but we have to say that it does make a lot of sense for a bike like this. Well, have you noticed that price tag? DVO is primarily a gravity-oriented brand, and if there was ever a short-travel bike that deserved capable, gravity-oriented suspension, it would be the Trance 29. Once you are certain in your decision to choose a mountain bike as your next bicycle – whether it’ll be an upgrade or you are simply starting out on the trails, you’ll find a selection of the latest and best value mountain bikes … While their upper-level M9000 XTR brake is made for XC, a cheaper option like the SLX or XT offers enough power most of the time and saves a lot of money. The foams density can be modified allowing manufacturers to create dual-density layers or tune specific areas of the helmet for specific or common impacts. A Fox 34 and DPS Performance come stock, as does a SRAM GX drivetrain, DT Swiss 1900 Spline wheels and Shimano XT brakes. Unless you’re absolutely new to mountain biking, you’ll probably want to go with clipless pedals on your XC bike. It’s simpler and easier to maintain than a drivetrain with a front derailleur and the range of gears is enough to get mountain bikers up steep climbs and still offer enough gearing to go fast downhill. Yamaha Super Tenere All rights reserved. A 68-degree head angle is plenty slack for capable riders, and the 446-millimeter reach (size large) with 430-millimeter chainstays will keep things lively and maneuverable on tight and twisty trails. That particular rider has ridden the Spark RC frame to more than a few victories. Again, think about your demands for the bike and whether you’ll ride more buff and smooth singletrack, or will mix in technical descents also. Terms | Privacy, First published August 31, 2018 @ 5:05:10. Both have KYB suspension, six-speed gearboxes and electric start. More on that later though. Although the bikes haven’t slackened out to the point that trail bikes are at right now, head angles are slacker than they used to be by a couple of degrees on average. Some are very nearly XC-thoroughbreds. meant for racing or going fast down a hill. It’s not just trail and enduro bikes that have gotten better with modern geometry. Up and down, you’d be hard-pressed to beat out the SB100. All of them, however, are simply a lot of fun. This keeps the rider’s weight centered over the bottom bracket and on the rear wheel for traction. By Andrew Oldar. Check out Mike Ferrentino’s review of the Trance 29 Adv Pro 0 from the latest Bible of Bike Tests here. It’s still an XC marathon machine, sure, but if you were to accidentally wander onto the enduro course you’d probably survive and maybe have a little fun. Then you see the dropper post, the 66.5-degree head angle and 180mm/160mm brake rotors. Racers in particular appreciate the added top end a 2X drivetrain can offer, though some choose to get the same effect by simply going with a 36T or even 38T chainring on a 1×12 drivetrain. About Us | But like some newer XC bikes, the 69-degree head tube is a bit more relaxed, giving the bike a more playful, versatile ride. The final question to ask yourself is whether the weight savings is worth going with a rigid seat post. Before you keep scrolling, there are three more models of the Trance 29 that aren’t nearly $9,000. The base level carbon frame comes with a SRAM GX drivetrain, Fox Performance suspension DT Swiss M1900 Spline wheels and Guide R brakes. Thanks, your survey has been submitted to the Mass.gov team! The Hei Hei’s geometry is fairly conservative by today’s marketing slogans, but still far more capable than traditional XC bikes. On paper, this bike might not seem like a good fit for this list. Dropper posts weigh more, but make descending much easier when you can put the seat down. A set of carbon wheels is going to be lighter, stiffer, and more responsive. Either way, make sure the bike you’re looking at will come with hydraulic disc brakes. Most hardtail eMTB products are cross-country rated, and they tend to be more affordable. While most of these bikes will be busy hammering out miles, the Trance 29 is more likely to be hammering out laps on the local gravity track. If the 66.5-degree head angle, 1,196 millimeter wheelbase or 35-millimeter bottom-bracket drop don’t catch your eye, the Truvativ Descendant bars and stem and Maxxis Minion DHF/DHR tires should clue you in on this bike’s preferred terrain. Cross country bikes are having a bit of a moment. So what the catch? It’s probably much less of a debate in this mountain bike category, as 29ers have basically taken over, and buyers will be hard pressed find an XC bike with 27.5-inch wheels, although they aren’t gone completely. Thank you for signing up. If that’s not your thing, alloy wheels have progressed to a pretty outstanding point. That said, 100 millimeters can’t magically become 150 millimeters, but the SB100 uses its travel quite effectively. Best MTB Gear | However, the 0 model comes with something special, and it rhymes with DVO Suspension. What we don’t: The focused XC design limits versatility. A 66.5-degree head angle is mated with 76-degree seat angle and a 475-millimeter reach on a large. The short-travel XC/trail crossover category is one of the few flavors of bikes that. Most of the models come with a dropper post too, and along with the stock 160mm/180mm rotors, that hints at what this bike is for. Longer, slacker and, wait for it, steeper is the name of the game with the latest Ripley. Editor’s Note: Purchasing from our linked retailers gives Bike a commission from the sale. Finding the Right Fit: 8 MTB Knee Pads, Tested, Introducing Foundry's New Race Bike: The Firetower. Most hardtails will come with a 100-120mm travel suspension fork to keep the hands and wrists happy, while a full-suspension will get around the same amount for the rear travel also. Ahh, the age-old wheel size debate. Rather than beat you to death with ‘pedaling efficiency,’ the Hei Hei is made to take some of the brunt of trail chatter to save you energy on long epics or on rougher trails. A 120-millimeter 29er that actually goes up. Company   The Hei Hei comes in either alloy or carbon, and with either SRAM NX- or GX-level shifting. Ride your bike across the US - … Top 10 Best Full Suspension & Cross Country Mountain Bikes for 2021 Posted By: Mike Hardaker October 10, 2020 Whether you’re looking for downhill crushers, cross-country speed machines, or something in the middle, you’ll find something in our picks for the best mountain bikes … Your hammering will be aided by Specialized’s refined but still polarizing Brain suspension technology. However, the 0 model comes with something special, and it rhymes with DVO Suspension. Read our first impressions of the new Ripley, Upon first glance, you may think the Sniper Trail is an XC pureblood. less suspension than it does, with supportive anti-squat numbers and a linear leverage curve that ends with a sharp ramp up. Yes, the Element is technically a race bike. The CC carbon is the top-tier fancy plastic, but you have to pay for it. The Ryve, which comes in either 100- or 115-millimeter flavors, is essentially a shorter-travel version aimed for the aggressive XC/marathon crowd, or really just anyone who wants a fun-loving bike with heaps of get-up-and-go. You can upgrade your fork, shock, wheels, tires (which have room to stretch to 2.6 inches), handlebars or dropper for extra, if you’re into that sort of thing. 0 shares. A carbon or titanium rigid post can save weight, but doesn’t help with descending. That being said, its 67.2 head angle, 438-millimeter chainstays and a 460-millimeter reach on a large trend toward trail-bike numbers—as long as you’re not running a silly negative rise stem, the Spark should be able to handle some pretty gnarly trails. So, what the heck are they for? Wheelbases have been stretched on XC bikes for stability. The VPP suspension is one of the better designs in this travel bracket for rough terrain. A 1×12 drivetrain is the way to go when it comes to most any mountain bike these days, if you can pull it off. They support the most casual level of mountain biking with lightweight frames, shorter travel (usually 120mm), and sometimes narrower tires. Marathon, BCXC, light trail—this is the one genre that has resisted industry-standard (excuse the oxymoron) nomenclature. Yeti’s Switch Infinity linkage climbs like you’d expect a hard-core 100-millimeter travel XC bike should—damn quick. That definitely helps put it on the nerdy XC end of the short-travel spectrum, but not so much that it comes with a strict spandex dress code. Best Cross-Country Bike 7. Not yet subscribing fully to the current industry manta, the Element’s geometry is on the steeper side, built for aggressive pedal hammering, but with enough leeway to let the experienced rider open up the brakes on the descents. More Dirt Bikes. There are a couple builds of the Sniper Trail, but the Expert will get you some bang for your buck. But we like ‘down-country.’ It’s just so much fun to say. By signing up you agree to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. Your information has been successfully processed! The mountain bike industry is at a pretty good point in time when it comes to drivetrains. April 2, 2020. Helmets commonly use in-moulding, this method of manuf… The stop in the middle will firm things up and actually adjust the travel in the rear to be only 85-millimeters—perfect for smoother terrain. A 66.5-degree head angle is mated with 76-degree seat angle and a 475-millimeter reach on a large. Geometry has changed quite a bit over the years for XC bikes. Granted, you can lap the loops if you really want to, but the Sniper Trail is probably happier smashing rocks chasing your buddies around on an after-work trail ride or weekend epic. With a bias towards trail riding, the Spark 940 really is an engaging and capable bike. Best Bike Trails | XC bikes are more aggressive and confidence-inspiring than ever, while maintaining and even improving the pedaling efficiency that they’re known for. nearly $9,000. With a minimal weight penalty, you get a lot more smashy-smashy capabilities up front with the 34. Usually adapted from XC platforms, these micro-enduro machines blend the ‘long, low and slack’ geometry moniker with efficient, firm suspension platforms and a sprightly exuberance not found on their longer-legged siblings. Don’t think it can’t hang in the rough either— Spencer Paxson clocked over 32,000 feet of climbing and descending in one day on this bike, lapping one of the steeper and gnarlier trails in Bellingham, Washington. But if you’re planning to ride a lot of natural singletrack, with rock and roots and technical features, then full suspension is the way to go. As one of our testers in this year’s, The SB100 is an XC bike without the suppressed rage.”, Check out Kristin Butcher’s review of the SB100, It’s not often we wonder how bikes would ride with a little. Hardtails are still lighter than most full suspension bikes, although weights are getting pretty close these days. Check out Kristin Butcher’s review of the SB100 here from the latest Bible of Bike Tests. Longer, slacker and, wait for it.