CROSS COUNTRY BIKES

Norco Revolver FS XX1 $9,999

Raced by the successful Norco Factory Team on the world stage, the Revolver FS xx1 is the company’s ultimate XC race machine. The Revolver FS carbon frame uses a hanging-link art suspension design with a 100-mm-travel Rockshox Monarch RL. The Rockshox Sid World Cup R fork offers 100–110 mm of travel. The drivetrain is sram’s race-focused xx1 Eagle 12-speed system with a 34-tooth crankset and 10–50 tooth cassette. The wheels are DT Swiss xrc 1200 Carbon 29ers with Maxxis Ikon tires. Stopping the Revolver are sram Level Ultimate disc brakes. The lightweight Race Face Next line supplies the cockpit parts, while the saddle is sdg’s Duster RL. The bike is available as a 29er in four sizes, as well as an extra small with 27.5" wheels. ( norco.com)

Giant Anthem 29er 1 $4,299

The Anthem 29er from Giant is an aluminum-framed XC bike that likes to go fast, and sitting atop the two-model lineup is the Anthem 29er 1. Designed for 29" wheels, the Anthem uses Giant’s latest Maestro rear-suspension design and a Boost 148 rear hub. Suspension comes from a 90-mm-travel Fox Float Performance Elite trunnion mount rear shock and a Fox 32 Float SC Performance Elite fork with 100 mm of travel and a 15-mm thru axle. sram’s GX Eagle 1 x 12 system provides the shifting power, while sram Level TL disc brakes – with a 180-mm-diameter rotor up front and a 160-mm-diameter rotor at the rear – control the bike’s speed. Wheels are Giant P-xcr 1 29 carbon wheels run with Maxxis Ikon tires with a tubeless setup from the factory. The bike is available in five sizes. ( giant-bicycles.com)

Specialized Chisel Expert $2,509

Building off the legendary Stumpjumper, Specialized has introduced a brand new lineup of aluminum hardtails for 2018. The Chisel 29er is a lightweight M5 aluminum chassis with race-focused geometry and a Boost 12 x 148 rear hub. Suspension up front comes from a Rockshox Reba RL 29 with 90 or 110 mm of travel depending on the frame size. The sram GX 1 x 11 drivetrain includes a 30–tooth crankset up front and an 11–42 tooth cassette. The wheels are Specialized’s own alloy 29er hoops with Fast Trak rubber. The brakes are sram’s Level TL hydraulic discs. Available in four sizes. ( specialized.com)

Ghost Lector 4.9 LC $3,250

A race-ready carbon 29er hardtail, the Ghost Lector 4.9 is ready to fly out of the box. The lightweight carbon frame has competition-focused geometry and offers internal cable routing to keep things clean. The Fox Rhythm 32 fork has 100 mm of travel that can be adjusted from a handlebar-mounted remote. The Shimano XT 2 x 11 drivetrain, including hydraulic disc brakes, is a perfect mix of reliability and performance. The Alex wheels are run with Continental X-king 29 x 2.2 tires. Ghost provides the seatpost, stem and handlebars. Available in five sizes. ( mec.ca)—dandakin