Hardtails were well-suited to the courses we used to see in cross-country a decade or more ago. Those improvements in suspension technology, along with the fact that courses are more technical than ever, mean you’re more likely to see a full-suspension bike at a top-level XC race than a hardtail. From Fox’s electric lockout, to lighter and plusher shocks, there’s no doubt the bikes of today are much more at home on steep or technical terrain. Suspension has come on leaps and bounds over the last decade or so. Victor Koretzky won the men’s elite race of the 2021 Albstadt World Cup on an Orbea Alba hardtail but we’re now used to seeing full-suspension bikes at top-level races. There are lots of other figures and factors that influence how a cross-country bike handles beyond the geometry numbers we’ve quoted here, but it’s undeniable that modern XC geometry has evolved, making these bikes less shy when it comes to downhill riding. It’s worth noting that we’re painting in broad strokes here. The head angle is 1.5 degrees slacker than the previous model, while the seat angle is one degree steeper. That slacker seat angle may have made it harder to get an efficient position for pedalling over the bottom bracket.Įqually, the new Cannondale Scalpel is another XC bike that has seen its geometry evolve. ![]() The reach is also shorter at 438mm, and the seat angle is a little slacker at 74 degrees. The 70.5-degree head angle would have made the bike sharp in the turns, but it would also make it less confidence-inspiring on the descents. The 2012 Epic looks outdated when compared to its modern-day counterpart. Reflecting the development of XC, the BMC Twostroke has very contemporary geometry. They can roll faster, give greater traction and increase comfort. From that point, 29in wheels gradually became the standard for XC racing.įast-forward to the present and most riders will agree on the benefits of 29in wheels for XC racing. He then went on to win the 2012 London Olympic cross-country gold medal aboard a 29er (a Specialized S-Works Epic). However, in 2011, Czech Republic’s Jaroslav Kulhavy was the first-ever rider to win a cross-country World Cup on a 29in bike. Wheels could be flimsy and handling could leave a little to be desired, so it’s no wonder some riders were sceptical. It took a while for the bike industry to get the geometry and componentry of 29ers right. But regardless, many riders were happy to stick with what they knew.Īnd, they had good reason. ![]() ![]() If your sponsor didn’t make a 29er, then you couldn’t ride one – even if you wanted to. Now, this would also have been down to sponsorship requirements. Perhaps the most striking place XC bikes have changed is the size of their wheels, with the top cross-country mountain bikes all using 29in wheels.Ĭast your eyes back 10 years, and while many riders were starting to realise the benefits of 29ers, many were still doggedly sticking to the smaller, and up until then, standard size of 26 inches. Jaroslav Kulhavy won gold at the 2012 Olympic Games on a 29er.
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