Input on your Ideal XC Mountain Bike

[_BBi]

For general riding and occational racing I will go with (also not that expensive):

Materials - Alu for sure

Weight - <14 kg

Geometry - fairly relaxed with low flat handlebars
Bottle Mounts - one + camelbak

Cable Routings - anything exept routing under bottom bracket (to exposed to rocks)
Travel > 100mm

Price < 20K

 

The point I am trying to make it that you need to first define the role of your XC bike, for top end racing go with the previous surgestions.

[Marius]

I'd say you have to look at things like were are your Cables running, bottom, side or top of the tube. Mine is running on the side, I think they's possibly the best place, if it were on top you'd just mess your bibbs up cuz while waiting to start a race I sit on the top tube. Also when you have to put the bike in a bike rack the rubber straps might damage the cables if it was running on top.

 

Weight is also at the top of the list, don't buy a frame heavier than 2.4kg of a DS. Has to be build up close TO or under 11kg but 10kg would be pretty damn sweet, I'm not close yet..!:-/

 

 

[Saffa_G]

nice guys, but feel free to elaborate further,you don't only have to stick to the points that I mentioned?

[Marius]

Oh, and it HAS TO HAVE V-BRAKE Mounts, just incase you want to use V-Brake4s, most new frame don't have V-Brake mounts which SUCKS!!!

[MintSauce]

looking at R35k for top of the range XC bike.

 

camelpack on a XC bike????? eish

Yes because 2 bottles will weigh 1.5kgs and you still need your saddle bag with spares. Carry all of that on your back and the bike still is sub 10kgs.

 

 

If it's lapracing' date=' one mount and a back-up crew

 

 

 

Cable Routings - anything exept routing under bottom bracket (to exposed to rocks)

 

But the rocks will hit your crank long before it hits the cables...?

 

Best routing in my experience is under the toptube. Marius' bibs are fine and it's just out of the way. Hate routing on the side or on top, not that it'll make me not buy a bike because of it....just looks messy.

 

Geometry has to be steep for snappy handling.

 

29er wheels most definitely!

 

Popular consensus seems to be that carbon is the way to go, although I won't go there myself.

 

In head to head racing I reckon hardtail would be better suited because in a sprint it will be an advantage. If you're not placing near the front, FS for sure.

 

 

[Azonic]

 

3. Because my new 10kg Cannondale Scalpel does one hell of a nice job in XC races. Gonna cost you an arm and a leg!

 

Not at all! Got the frame for R4000 (Scalpel 3000), Rock Shox SID Race Carbon (same as World Cup) for R3000. All in all, built up for under R15k.

 

 

 

[NotSoBigBen]

So my .02c worth

On most 'real' XC lap courses a HT is the better choice, there are of course exception's.

 

If we are talking real XC then 1 bottle cage is sufficient because of the feeding zone, of course if you aint got no helpers (shame!) then use that camel-sack!

 

As far as carrying spares etc. goes me and LittleBen just tape a tube to the seatpost (yes we got tubeless ....) and carry a bomb/small puncture repair kit/ emergency tool (all in one chaintool with 5mm allen key)/Powerlink/tubeless repair snots and stuff as well as a short pump. Seems lots but it isn't, fits in 1 pocket.

 

I agree with the preference to have the cables not routed under the BB, Minty my reasoning here is not that it gets knocked on rocks but rather that it tends to get dust/sticky juice in there and can hamper shifting performance. Again I prefer them to run under the toptube cause it just looks a lot neater.

 

Weight - huh? The lightest you can afford boet .............. Carbon is fine and I won't go into that discussion again but a light Alu will also do the job quite nicely thank you!

 

Geometry - not an expert but my Specialized S-works HT does have 'snappier' handling than my Epic and is better at trickier courses with sharp turns etc. It can also catch you out if you not careful ............

 

The usual disclaimer applies here - I take no responsibility for your choice of bike and the consequences it may have and these are not the opinions of my employer, the bike manufacturer mentioned or in fact anyone else I know ................. at the end of the day you're on your own!

[AuctionLamb]

 

3. Because my new 10kg Cannondale Scalpel does one hell of a nice job in XC races. Gonna cost you an arm and a leg!

 

Not at all! Got the frame for R4000 (Scalpel 3000)' date=' Rock Shox SID Race Carbon (same as World Cup) for R3000. All in all, built up for under R15k.

 

 

[/quote']

 

GEESH!!!!OK...I am pulling that comment back then, sorry.

[Tumbleweed]

So my .02c worth (blah' date=' blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, ?)

[/quote']

pssst, dude, your inbox is full. and talking of xc racing, are you riding on sunday? is it at fountains or phambili?

[NotSoBigBen]

 OK now I know, yes I am, Fountains

[Tumbleweed]

bb, cool, i'll pop in and say hi after doing a lap of groenies. boys are racing!

[Marius]

The bottle Cage on the frame is silly in my opinion, how many times have I seen Water bottles on the route while doing a Mtb race??? I see it every single time, and it?s not from the back markers, it?s normally the front 10% of the bunch. It makes me happy cuz I know who ever is in front of me will get de hydrated or will have to stop at water points and I'll beat his a$$. So keep on using Bottle cages, please, I implore you!

Cambelbaks also have a dual function in protecting you back when you go down, you can also use ti to cross rivers by inflating it, ok ok, I'm going of topic now:-P

[NotSoBigBen]

Hey M if you fall that often then maybe you need more protection than just a camelback? How bout some shin protectors, arm and chest etc. But I like the inflation idea, tie it to the toptube of the bike and let it float over mmmmmhhhh .................

[JasonW]

Unless you really need to save seconds, full sus is the way to go. Even then Sauser and a lot of the other top guys are now riding full sus (the guy who finished second at the Jonkershoek national was on a giant anthem).

 

Personally I would recommend either the Anthem Advanced, Scott Spark or new 'dale Scalpel.

 

I've got the Anthem and really happy with it. probably also the best value frame).

 

As for components, get a set of Stans Olympic ZTRs and then buy the groupset you can afford. XTR is nice, but I'm not convinced that it is worth the extra (read double) cost. The new XT is really light.

[Azonic]

The bottle Cage on the frame is silly in my opinion' date=' how many times have I seen Water bottles on the route while doing a Mtb race??? I see it every single time, and it?s not from the back markers, it?s normally the front 10% of the bunch. It makes me happy cuz I know who ever is in front of me will get de hydrated or will have to stop at water points and I'll beat his a$$. So keep on using Bottle cages, please, I implore you!

[/quote']

Those are wally's that ride with bottlecages so loose you can fit two bottles in. In my 14 years of racing I have ever only lost two bottles, and both were my own fault as I didn't have the cages bent down tight enough.

 

I used to use camelbacks, but not anymore (only for enduros where I need lots of liquid like Trans Baviaans). I prefer as little as possible on my person when I race which is why I use bottles and put all my tools in my saddlebag.

[builttoride]

Hey,

 

The Reason that Saffa G started this discussion, is because I have just started the conceptual design stages for 2 new 2010 bikes, one an XC race hardtail, and the other an XC/marathon full sus.

 

I am not concerned about components at this stage, just the frame design, so far things like bottle mounts and cable routings have interested me most. I am wanting more spcific feedback so that I can create a better bike for you.

 

as for materials I am considering Aluminium (yes I am from UK, that is how we spell it) titanium, magnesium, scandium and carbon, or combinatiosof the afore mentioned.

 

Suggestions you say now may actually become reality.

 

Thanks,

Keith