CROSS-COUNTRY MILE MUNCHERS

There’s nothing like a short-travel full-sus for riding epic distances at speed, but which of these four bikes is best for you?

For some riders, mountain biking is all about bombing downhill. Others prefer to cruise and soak in the views. And then there are those who get their thrills from riding as much trail as possible, as fast as possible. Whether that’s purely for fun or with a race number ziptied on, max-speed cross-country (XC) riding has always bred a specific type of bike that reverses a lot of the trends we tend to bang on about as good things.

Starting from the ground up, tyre grip needs to be kept to a minimum, because it slows down rolling speed. That means almost-slick treads and harder rubber compounds dominate. Big-diameter 29in wheels are top dog in XC too. They’re heavier to get moving at first than 650b (aka 27.5in) hoops, but roll over lumps more easily because they hit them at a shallower angle.

Suspension only needs to soak up momentum-killing bumps, not deal with big drops, so you don’t need as much – 90 to 100mm is generally enough. Less travel makes it easier to achieve a balanced suspension feel. It also means the fork is under less strain (due to the reduced leverage of its shorter legs), so it can be skinnier and lighter. Because steep, rocky or big-drop sections are rare, heavy dropper seatposts are generally an optional extra too.

XC bikes aren’t totally isolated from modern trail-riding trends, though. The latest designs are longer and have slacker head angles to improve front end stability. Bars are wider and stems shorter, too, for a more playful ‘power steering’ feel. With this extra bit of control added to their ability to cover ground rapidly, we had a blast testing this month’s bikes. While they’ve got a lot in common, they definitely don’t all ride the same, though. So, if you fancy a seriously fast ride, which one here is the right one for you?