2022 XC Bike Thread

New idea.

They should test the XC bikes you could take lapping with your Endur-Bro’s, and the trail bikes you could take racing.

I already struck out on getting an Epic, when Specialized stop delivering bikes to my LBS, so I need to branch out to a new shop to find what I want. Opens it up a bit.

Same, he has good feedback, but his riding is not what I’m doing, so just have to pick out the bits that are useful.

This is a useful reminder, I certainly don’t go downhill as well as him. I also ride much more tame terrain though too.

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Completely agree. Henry also has legitimate mechanical chops so his input on the technical side is hugely valuable. It’s just limited(or maybe just tainted) in this area it seems.

That is the beauty of these headset cups, they are as isolated of a geometry adjustment as you can make. Since you are not changing the length of the fork, just the location of the fork in the head tube.

The principle of the wolftooth 1 and 2 deg geoshift is to actually shift the fork so it is no longer concentric with the head tube.

This means the biggest change other than HA is the reach number but were talking a handful of millimeters. I literally didn’t notice it and it could be remedied with stem length.

The changes to stack height are also negligible since we’re talking one degree of change. which means the seat tube angle change is also negligible.

Some quick back of the napkin calculations tell me the 1 deg adjustment on my 120mm fork results in 3.3 mm lower stack height and 8.6mm longer wheelbase. These values would be doubled with the 2 deg angleset. So this would have a very minor effect on seat angle and bb height. Totally worth it in my case.

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Didn’t they test the DC bikes in Pemberton?

Also, did you guys listen to the PB podcast? That was pretty illuminating. I didn’t mind the mix of bikes they had, plus I just bought a new Top Fuel so I’m feeling glad they liked it!

Anyone know what the stock Epic expert or pro weigh in size M or L?

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Very different bikes, but it’s between the Element and the Exie for me.

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Yeah, I’d manage to make either of those work just fine :grin:

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This doesn’t mean much, but I really appreciate seeing an XC rig with a riser bar. My new bars on order (still shipping :man_facepalming:) are 20mm rise and I’ve been hoping it would still look racey enough with the stem slammed.

Exie is a great looking bike that’s for sure. Not for me but I can definitely see the appeal!

But why did they have to make it so ugly! Think this bike even rivals my own Ibis Ripmo AF as the ugliest bike in their lineup :joy:

There’s no missing an Ibis. I love the design.

Pemberton is just a town in BC. But I agree with @cjschmalz1, I also live in the Midwest so it can be hard to extrapolate from the pros and cons of a bike in BC to how those would stack up in a more tame environment like the Midwest.

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haha it’s good that we all don’t have the same visual taste!
My eyes are more drawn to the straight and angular designs of brands like Trek or Transition. The swoopy lines of the normal Ibis’ are one thing, but that kink in the top tube, that’s a bridge too far :rofl:

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Oh, thanks. In my mind I was thinking of the place that Kazimer lives and rides, Washington somewhere? Like you and @cjschmalz1 I’m somewhere totally different. I do wish they had an Epic Evo at that test, that was the other bike I felt probably ticked a lot of boxes for me. Nearly impossible to get though, and big coin…

They tested an epic Evo last year, so you may check that out. Just a shame they didn’t have it to test back to back with the others this year

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samesies

Just been watching the World Champs (how good!!) And Snowshoe WC again. I noticed Blevins has Fox suspension on his Epic, do you suppose that means he forgoes any “Brain”? I’m assuming he is running fox front and rear and that his Trinity team is Fox sponsored. May have a regular remote lockout :man_shrugging:

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What are everyone’s thoughts on Orbea OIZ Team TR vs Scott Spark RC World Cup vs Epic Evo Pro for mostly flowy and rooty XC trails with occasional trips to the mountains? All are 120/120.

Coming from a 2020 spark RC 100/100, 68.5 degree head angle, that I am parting with unfortunately due to a fender bender.

I only race occasionally but enjoy pushing the pace with friends. I think the Evo may be too slack and relaxed, with no on-the-fly lockout, so I kinda ruled it out. The new spark world cup has progressive geo like the epic Evo, but not as slack, and has the twinlock. Decent build for the price. The OIZ TR looks solid but has the oldest geometry of the 3, and the TR builds don’t have an AXS version. Decisions decisions…

Geo comparison to my current bike: Compare: Scott Spark RC 900 Team Issue AXS 2020: M -VS- Orbea OIZ M Team 2020: M-29”-TR -VS- Scott Spark RC 2022: M -VS- Specialized Epic EVO 2021: M -VS-

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@mailman, agreed the races are so good!! But you’re mistaken on the Fox suspension. Photos from both races show Blevin’s is running the RockShox with the brain.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CUDW5l5FYvy/
https://www.instagram.com/p/CS9N7ckv6xM/

There are teams and racers running the Epic w/ Fox suspension. One of them is the Clif Pro Team. This photo from Sofia Gomez Villafane looks like she’s running a remote lockout for her fork.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CUK8VJrFRgt/

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