Are Cross Country Bikes Still Relevant? 

What people don't get is that the only reason XC bikes evolved the way it did, is because at the world cup level, the trails evolved. Pretty sure the XCO trails are rougher than what most people ride (sometimes even with their enduro bikes). If you're still riding your regular xc trail as you did 6 years ago, there are absolutely no reason you need a "more capable" XC bike

Yes they are. For example, I love getting uphill KOMs, and can't imagine doing this with 14kg 140mm travel trail bike. Also doing long z2 rides is better with light weight XC bike.

Yes, I love my Cannondale Scalpel. 100 mm in the back and 120 mm in the front. Perfect for the terrain I ride which has a lot of short punch climbs and narrow single track. Love your videos Clint!

i got a "downcountry" bike and havent touched my enduro bike since. i love the efficient suspension, remote lockout and low rolling resistance tires.

Love my XC and Gravel bike. Love taking the Gravel bike on XC Trails and the XC bike when I want a change. Heck if you have a 650 b wheelset for the gravel bike then you have a 3 choices! Also, I think being almost 60 I can preserve myself by staying away from going too Fast Down hill or doing jumps! Most of the time less bike is more fun and also equals more smarts as well!

Coming from the trail bike jib life, I absolutely love my XC bike for it's control and speed. Probably the best choice for most FL trails.

Personal experience: I bought a brand new Orbea Occam with 140mm travel front & back, Fox 34 fork…awesome trail bike. But, was heavy and not very good for climbing. I rode a friends Orbea Alma XC bike…instantly feel in love with it! Traded the Occam for his Alma and never regretted it. Now Orbea has a trail version Alma. If XC bikes are to keep relevant they must keep evolving.

Hold up. Not just racers want to do XC style riding with minimal weight, and high heart rate and cadence. To many, this TRULY IS MOUNTAIN BIKING. There is no better feel than climbing a mountain fast to be rewarded with a carving speedy downhill section that may lead into another lap, JUST FOR EXERCISE. A trail bike will do it, but its not as satisfying as letting a pure XC bike do its thing. These bikes are ridiculousy fast and light to urge the rider to maintain pace.

I went from a 26” cross country bike to a 29” steel hardtail with more modern geometry and the difference is amazing. I went over the bars 3 or 4 times on the old cc bike, but now I barrel over stuff with ease that used to make my palms sweat. It’s a rocket downhill and since it’s a hardtail it climbs like a mountain goat, even with a 66 degree head angle. Drops, jumps, roots, rocks… no problem. I hit my technical threshold long before the bike does. Cross country bikes just feel sketchy to me. Although I’m sure the newer ones are better.

I am a purist and I bike for fitness and not for speed, so YES on XC bikes. I went from a old 26" HT XC to a Polygon Siskyu D7, which when I bought it, they called it a XC, but I think it is more Downcountry. As a result I am a bit overbiked for where I ride, I spend a lot of time locking out my front and rear suspension. But I admit, I am 69, and I feel safer and more confidant and actually faster on the D7.

Good analysis Clint. Love my Canyon Exceed XC hardtail. It's light and nimble which allows me to get up steep climbs easily. Also good on paved roads. Use it as a winter bike in the city for light snow riding.

2021 Pivot Switchblade setup for long-travel downcountry. 26.5 pounds with pedals in a size Large. 2021 RockShox Deluxe Ultimate rear shock with MegNeg air can. * Never need to use shock switch. Essentially, like a true XC bike. 2022 Fox Performance 36 at 145mm travel. * Used a 2020 150mm Air Spring to keep fork feeling firm off the top. Rides like a medium/large. Very quick to handle. Rolls over tough terrain with ease. Climbs with lots of traction.

Great video. I’ve always appreciated your straight to the topic style when it comes to your videos. You’ve always been informative and I genuinely enjoy watching every episode

I just built my dream bike, an BMC agonist 2 110 mm front and 120 this bike is so capable, awesome climber and good on the downhill, I don’t do crazy jumps or anything extreme, I am 50 I didn’t want a bike a lot of slack, this has the right geometry for me I love it.

Fantastic explanation about the different style bikes and intended use. I have literally watched dozens of videos and this was the best. Thanks Clint

Thanks Clint, always enjoy your content & especially as I’m a Ninerd too. I’m going to buy a RKT 9 RDO when they’re back in stock in the new year to complement my fleet of JET 9 RDO & RLT 9 RDO for all of the reasons you articulated. Keep up the great content & Ride On!

yes i am a young rider with the NICA racing, and i have recently gotten a scott scale 900 and i have loved it so much more than my enduro bikes. it is so light at 19 pounds you can hop up and throw it around so easy it really just lights up the trail. It has helped me win so many races and 2 over 100 riders in NICA and i did not even think i was that good. And now i am trying to race nationals and this is all because of that one purchase to get this bike. And gezz i even sold my enduro bike to get a road bike i am really becoming a go fast xc rider instead of a enduro jump guy. I hope i wont become a roady. i know that was really long but i loved the video.

I recently bought a Transition Spur. Hugely more capable going down than my Giant Anthem, but the Anthem is still faster everywhere else. I'm going to try a faster tyre combo on the Spur come spring, however I didn't buy it to race, and it's much more of an all-rounder, which I wanted. I think there's still a place for proper XC bikes.

Still great to get out on a flowy trail with a light nibble hard tail and get up to speed...and yes still believe in learning to ride on an xc bike...so much of mtb today seems to be more geared towards jumping and going fast downhill...great topic.

Thanks Clint for the good discussion. Your comments about under-biked vs over-biked ring true for me. I would much rather be under than over-biked, and if I had to choose (fortunately I don’t have to), I would choose climbing over descending. My local trails and fire roads are not very technical and I ride them on my gravel bike, XC bike, and trail bike. It’s fun on all them, and different, but if I had to choose (again, I am grateful I don’t have to), I would pick my gravel bike as my one and only bike as the most versatile, challenging and fun. My gravel bike is a Cannondale Slate with 30mm Lefty Oliver fork, so in many ways it’s like a hardtail MTB (including the gearing I have added to it).

Great video Clint. I think your selection of bike/bikes also depends on your age. If you’re nearing 60 like me, and ride technical, rocky, rooty trails( I ride in Ringwood, NJ and Sterling Forest, NY, not far from where you used to live in Jersey), you need at least a Trail bike with a minimum of 130F/120R, with a 2.4-2.6” tire setup.

I'm getting a nice mountain bike for Christmas, so your solid technical and experiential videos (like this one) are fabulous. Thanks for posting!

Absolutely love my 2018 Giant Anthem Advanced 29er. It's fast, light, agile and fun. I do ride predominantly trails in FL and have taken trips to N GA, SC and NC. On the steeper, gnarlier trails, I find myself wishing for more travel and slacker geometry. However, 90% of my riding is on cross country style trails so it makes sense to have cross country bike as my main bike. Now, I am in the process of looking for a bike with 120-130mm travel for more versatility. I do plan on keeping my Anthem. I've done some racing on it and it is fast and fun.

I agree that they are relevant. I have three XC bikes, one of which is FS. The one I ride the most is the carbon hardtail with the least travel up front (100mm).

I purchased my Trance Adv. Pro 29 because of you and absolutely love the versatility of this trail bike. I came from an XC bike and don’t plan on going back. Picked up a Revolt for gravel and road and ended up riding more road this year than trail. Thank You for providing great content and reviews! I would love riding with you down in Florida the last week of March.

Great stuff! I am coming from 20 years of riding Enduro trails on a dirtbike, so love your camera work on the single track, brings back great memories! I tore my ACL in 2004 and basically quit riding as much, then quit all together. All the while, I commuted on 50/50 street and trails to work a couple times a week on an ancient, rigid MTB from 1986. I never did really tough trails until my son was older and we got him a Rockhopper Comp, and realized just how tough it is to ride trails on a bicycle that I used to blast through on my Husky dirtbike! I decided it was time to update my old Univega to a modern MTB. I was initially looking at XC bikes, not to race but to commute on with pavement mixed with gravel roads and mild trails, as well as ride more challenging trails with my son when he's home from college. Everyone I asked was pushing me to get a trail bike, since the Trek X-Caliber bike I was eyeing had "dated geometry" and a trail bike could ride XC better than a XC bike could ride trails. But I don't want something I would feel like I'm dragging along on the largest portion of my riding, for the minority of times I'd be on gnarly downhill trails. Besides, if the bike made it TOO easy to "send it" down the tough stuff, I would probably start riding over my skill level and rack myself up, and at 59, I don't heal like I used to! Your statement "a XC bike is still a mountain bike" was good perspective on my decision on what single type of bike I can get that will give me the most enjoyment, and look forward to riding. If I could afford both, I would in a heartbeat. But think an XC bike will be better for that "one" bike in our garage.

For the most part I almost always ride green to red trails and pushing it to black diamond. It's also really good for climbing and descending mountains

Yes I believe an XC is still relevant, A neighbor of mine didn’t want to spend a lot of money so I suggested that he get a Schwinn Axum and sure enough he bought one and now he’s hooked.

I got my replacement bike form pros closet, when my old one was stolen . Great service. I got an 2019 anthem pro 1 love the bike.

Great video as always! I always think geometry makes a much bigger difference than travel.. manufacturers are slowly getting onto this! Next bike is a shorter travel machine with enduro geo for sure. As you know the spur comes close to this :)

I would drive HOURS to hit some of the trails featured in this video.

Good video, thanks Clint. I took up mountain biking 4 years ago and ride 4 - 5 days a week. I’ve had a few bikes over this period and now ride and love my lightweight XC hardtail. 100mm travel, 70 degree HTA and at just under 20 pounds in weight the bike is a playful rocket. I’m riding increasingly technical terrain, including drops and jumps, and being under-biked most of the time is so much fun.

You weren’t kidding about making this video and somehow I read your mind. I just sold my Anthem and bought NINER RKT9 (thanks to your influence) Took it out on its first ride yesterday and the difference is pretty big. Mainly how stable but maneuverable it was on rock gardens and even small jumps. It glided effortlessly over roots with its 29er wheels. The Anthem felt nervous and snappy. I live in southern Ontario and my terrain is similar to Florida. Thanks for a great video.

Good advice Clint on using a trail bike to build your skills, picking your lines better, etc. I went back to my lightweight hardtail carbon Trek pro-caliber for 6 months on a rocky technical trail that I ride. 70 degree head angle! Feels like riding a unicycle. THEN, back to my full suspension I just flowed easily over downhill rocks and roots.

i do ride an "XC" bike and i find myself going back to it at least half the time. covering miles on forest roads and singletrack - but still having the modern "mini-enduro" frame geo that handles moderate downhills - and even smaller drops and jumps. that bike is the Revel Ranger.

I hope your making this video for people who are new to the sport because the question is silly. If your racing and trying to be a pro, YES it matters. If your like me ride purely for fun, adventure, and exercise then NO. Using a bike designed for the terrain you ride will help maximize the amount of joy you get, but there are no rules. Its about fun. If you aren’t a serious racer, something with beefier suspension or a 26er hardtail is just fine.

Very well said Clint, most people always tend to go for the jacked up MTB.

Agree, great perspective. Another consideration is riding style and stature. I know some casual and larger stature riders not liking their short travel xc bikes as much and moving to trail bikes. It does come down to type of tails and riding style.

The bike I just bought came in XC or trail options, I chose XC. I found out later that's it's considered a down country bike because it has 120mm front and rear. I'm happy I chose the XC version, 3lbs lighter than the trail version.

The fact that a XC MTB does commuting , Bikepacking and long distance riding with ease on tarmac, gravel, light trails + the pocket friendly price makes it very utilitarian and one bike to do it all. Trail Bikes are awesome - Roscoe, San Quentins etc , but for a lot of people , the local trails are'nt that hard, which a XC mtb can't handle

Great video Clint. I love that the lines between bikes have been blurred, and more aggressive geo has found its way to XC bikes too. I am always stunned with how much things have changed whenever I get on my singlespeed, which has old school geo and only front suspension, lol.

Totally on point and my take on MTB riding and what I get out of it seems to be very similar to your view. I have an Epic Evo as well as a Highball, and I enjoy both bikes a lot, doing different kinds of riding on each to help keep it interesting. A friend of mine just bought a Spur (great looking bike, BTW), looking forward to hosting him on my local trails, so we can swap bikes for the day.

im mostly a road biker and use an XC mtb over the winter to maintain my fitness, theyre great for unmaintained multi-use trails when theyre snowed and iced over

Awesome video and well explained where the XC fits. I use XC hard tail single speed for training and winter rides, XC full for racing cross country and a down country 120 x 120 with a 66.5 head angle for XC Marathons or Stage Races, I am not a big fun of Trail bikes I am light at 158 lbs and 5.8 ft so extra weight does not help me, it does opposite both going up and down hill. I like the Enduro Bike if used for really gnarly stuff beside enduro racing. Thank folks for your reviews. Enjoy your rides and bikes, whatever they are.

I ride XCountry and being in Central Mississippi I can get good hills and adventurous Flats! But just getting back into Bikes for health so thanks for the info. My claim to fame, I conquered Nimitz Hill (Guam) three times in one day! OORAH

I just picked up a 2021 Intense Sniper,the thing just rips. Im making it even lighter and it is going to get ridden in place of my gravel bike alot. And trail ridden,and used for all day dirt road trips. Its 100mm travel but has the slacker geometry. Fun bike!

I have an XC hardtail frame that I bought early this year and I built it up as a drop bar bike for gravel and trail riding for not too much and it’s one of my favorite bikes I’ve ever owned

Just bought a stumpjumper comp carbon this past spring, but still love my 2016 trek superfly hardtail!

I started with XC bikes, as I was fascinated with the light weight and nimbleness. However, I feel like they inhibited my development a bit as they are less capable and confidence inspiring. When I transitioned to a good trail bike with enduro tendencies, the learning process took off for me because I was just more comfortable and confident. The day I broke the seat stay on my specialized epic was a great day for me. I know the trip can be the opposite for some, but a do it all trail bike or down country bike is so nice to start with.

I Just finish a specialized chisel hardtail build after years on full suspension bikes the new xc bikes geometry are so good now, they are light but slack and long im impress how they handdle the downhills

I have a 100mm travel 2021 ProCal 9.6 which didn't have a dropper post and came with these XC tires which in wet condition were worthless. After fixing these shortcomings... I LOVE being able to make climbs I've never made before due to the lightweight of the bike. However, I revisited some old trails last time out and was brutalized by the pounding in the rock gardens. The 100mm travel definitely has its issues.

I have an old 90s hardtail xc bike and it seems very similar to the modern gravel bike geo. When I was out west, I only road my enduro bike, but now that I'm back east, this old bike is actually a lot more fun. I would love to get a more modern xc bike. I haven't decided if I want to get a xc full suspension or another hardtail. I'm kinda leaning towards the hardtail. Absolutely love how they climb.

I’m calling these videos: “Sunday Mornings with Clint”. I get up, fix my oatmeal, and open my RU-vid. It is really nice to start my Sunday with a video from Clint Smith. Thank you and keep up the great work. I ride xc (2013 Trek Superfly FS)because it is what i have. I Eventually i could see adding a trail bike in the future.

Commentary was superb

Interesting video. I have an carbon xc hardtail and an aluminum fs trail bike. I enjoy riding them both, for different reasons, bc their such different bikes. I've actually been thinking about this a lot lately and I think it's what makes mtb such a great sport.

Cool trails you have.

Here in the phillipines xc bikes are everywhere! And yes they are still relevant!

I don't think I could agree more with this video. I kept saying "yes" "yes" the entire time. As someone that lives in mega flat central Europe - very similar woods/leaf trails like in your vid, the xc/downcountry IS the mountain bike. The older xc bikes, with 2.0-2.2" tires, narrow rim, no dropper post, 70 deg head angle bikes - I'm glad this is not the xc of today. I had one (trek super fly 6), and it was just not great for anything other than dirt road, made me want to get a full sus / beefier bike. But then I got a 140/140mm" all mountain bike " (Lappierre zesty) and I regretted that too - on 90% of the trails its sooo overkill. So I'm very happy that literally yesterday I've got a lux trail cf6 delivered. I think this bike is what 2022 XC bike is - dropper post, wide rims, 2.4" tires, 110-120 travel, progressive geometry, capable, but still light - it's going to be a perfect middle spot, and for half the price of brands like specialized or trek - which I wouldn't be able to afford/justify. If you change the front tire you can even race with it, if that's what you wanted!

I think your statement..."xc bikes are designed for riding trails that aren't as rough and technical..." answers the question. Nowadays a lot of trails are machine built and as such are much smoother than those hacked out of the woods "back in the day." So much so that I'm of the opinion, and I've told a few HT 26" riders this, that less suspension is needed. They can get back out on their "old" bikes. Having said that (and I have 2 xc bikes, a 27.5" 100mm dually and an older 29" 100mm dually), I have been considering a 29" down country bike, 120mm front 100 mm rear, for a couple of old school trails that seem to have gotten rougher over the past decade. I'm 74 and have riding xc since I was about 45.

I transitioned to Mountain Bike (Cannondale M700) after BMX (Hutch Pro Racer) in the late 80s. This was before front suspension was introduced with RockShox (early 90s). Rear suspension was not a thought or possible. I too remember when there were only XC bikes to choose from , less complicated than today. I agree , climbing the technical climb in XC bike is fun , downhill a bit sketchy but you adjust. This takes skill. Today is so confusing with bike options. I would prefer more XC style with some robustness of trail. No interest in downhill, I reserve this for winter and skis.

Yes, XC get my vote! Especially for endurance type riding on most trails in the Tampa, Florida area.

And here I am considering signing up for the Laramie Range Epic on my Ripmo haha (big XC race held outside of Laramie, Wyoming every July with 31 and 62 mile options). Ok mainly interested in riding it because it's on my local trails. At least the Ripmo is actually pretty comfortable for big mileage days, though my biggest mileage day so far is 24mi, so got some training to do next spring to be able to do a 31mi trail day.

Merry Christmas! :)

Many people don't live where there are gnarly trials. He in the UK much of the off road legal routes are byways, bridleways or forest trails & single track. Trail bikes are often overkill.

My Mtn. Bike is a Giant anthem X which is XC. Initially I went for this type of bike inspired by light wieght. But have to agree about the bike matching to place intended to ride. I find that XC is best for rolling terrain where it is beneficial to keep your speed up and fast rolling tires can play their part. Trails that are rough or have long climbs are probably better for trail bikes or the newer down county builds. Bigger tires and more travel with a more upright geometry can be heavier but also provide more comfort than XC. My bike is pretty old now so my perspective may be jaded with older designs. These day I just want to comfortable but still some agility and a downcountry bike with a dropper seatpost is looking like the answer.

Here on the Mt. Wilson Toll Road, if you're riding a trail bike you are a masochist. On the flip side, You can rage down the hill on your trail bike and take out some elderly hikers. Even many of the single track-like paths on the Echo Mountain side of things are better suited to XC, IMHO.

YES,YES. and YES cross-country mountain bikes are my favorite bike.

You nailed it in this video! Match my thoughts exactly.

Allways will be. One just has to look around the trails and paths, XC style hardtails all around. One has to go to a bike park with jumps and DHs to find FS bikes. Current Grand Canyon lineup is one of those MTBs for everyone (like every 99 out 100 one).

Great video and awesome topic, Clint! I have a XC MTB with only 100mm travel up front. I think the bike you need comes down to trails you ride....the biking industry loves trends, so bike geo/drivetrains/wheel sizing will always change....I ride the same trails as I did years ago, and don't need a more capable bike. Given that gravel bikes are a big rage now, do we need road bikes anymore? There are those that ride rigid single speed MTB out there and are just fine shredding same trails I would ride on a more capable MTB. Ride what you have and have fun doing it!

I have a 26" 2012 Ironhorse Warrior 3.1 which is totally upgraded with 110 mm upfront and 95 mm in the rear , I enjoy that bike so much . My other bike is a 2021 Trance aluminum 27.5" which is awesome but I would never neglect my down country bike . I enjoy both . I hate 29s , they are not for me .

Great discussion. I have two bikes. A x-country hard tail and a full suspension trail bike. I feel like those cover most all the spectrum. You really can’t get away with just one bike. The hardtail is so much fun. Probably without any storage or $$$ issues, three bikes would be better!😂

Thanks for this video. I always have this debate in my head. On some of the long distance trails in North America, the preferred bike packing rig of choice is a 120mm hard tail. I told myself I'll never do that 😂😂 I live in central VA and ride anywhere east of the App mountains. I love my hard tail but looking to get another trail or XC bike. That new Roscoe 9 looks tantalizing but the Transition Spur makes me do that Shaq meme. Tough choices! I love what you said about underbiking! I just hate overly rough trails but most are now get the TLC where you don't necessarily need the full suspension around here

I tried xc and didn’t enjoy it ,felt difficult to jump (2015 Epic dual sus) sold it. I have a gravel bike now just recent purchased (2021 Diverge). I’m no racer that’s for sure . Bit of gravel and ash felt roads I enjoy these days..I love trail bikes and enduro bikes.We have one of each. 👍

My main bike is pretty much a ‘down country’ bike (Intense Sniper T). Never too much bike and rarely too little bike. About 26lbs in XL. Good enough for me and the trails I ride

The new KTM Myroon Elite & Pro (carbon fibre) versions have 71 or 72° headtube angle. I think it's not necessarily outdated. It's just that there are riders that may fit perfectly into that geometry specification so they can be able to bike & enjoy the ride. Hey, that's only my opinion. I could be wrong. Lots'a love, cheers, & Mabuhay, from tropical Philippines! #KeepBiking

Yes and also it depends on area, culture or country. Like example Japan are big enthusiast but Road, Fixed, folding and Gravel bikes are popular in their. I prefer XC bikes but I may get a gravel bike first if I had chance.

You can also do gravel races with your XC bike without having to go and buy a dedicated gravel bike.

yes they are relevant. I ride my hard tail XC and have no need for a fully, but cannot substitute it by a Gravel or CX due to the terrain around here.

Xc for life, especially under 10 kg😀🤟🤟🤟

HT xc is still very relevant to me both 650b and 29er. I prefer modern geometry and wider tyres now. I like trail bikes but I don't do gnarly trails and jumps these days and I just like a light bike.

Very informative.

well, I have XC hardtail and I really love it. i don't race (except some fun runs, not really competetive) but I love long rides with long climbs, for what my bike is great. i guess i love accross country riding :) but I must addmit, downcountry bikes sound interesting too. I might pick up trail bike in the future, but it will be probably be overbike for what i like and i do. before anything else, people have to figure it out what they want with the bike. i guess pick bike for 90-95% of trails you ride :)

I am glad XC bikes exist for those that want them but I would much rather have a trail e-bike (Orbea Rise or Specialized Levo SL) over an XC bike. The Rise or Levo would be a much more fun way of covering distance across flat ground (XC) and still be very capable trail bikes when thats the task at hand.

The quickest way to lose interest in mountain biking is overbiking. If you keep things light and agile, you'll build skills and fitness, the speeds will be higher on everything except the most aggressive dark black or double black trails. Riding XC or DC can be a positive feedback loop. The faster you go, the faster you'll WANT to go, and when you're done you'll have a huge grin ear to ear after getting a solid workout!

I'm waiting for the delivery of my 2022 Scott Spark 970 cos like Clint said, cycling to the trail isn't as fun when you have to do it on a burly bike...and my old 2012 Trek Remedy 8 is pretty burly for my size. The Scott Spark will be my first downcountry bike and i have the feeling I'll be enjoying my local trails like never before.

I'm just a simple country boy our cross country bikes made their own trails we didn't have fancy parks and things I like going to the park so I didn't hear the Whitewater center in North Carolina love to go there right I have a old ibex asta pro with 26 inch wheels. But I like it that way.

I would say the only issue with riding a mountain bike as a daily bicycle is the width of the handlebars mine are 800mm

Downcountry means not only capability but light weight too. Spur is the perfect example. Versatile but still pretty light. I wonder how it will feel with light carbon wheelset and a pair of xc-tyres...

I have recently bought 140/130 trail bike that I enjoy immensely, however, I could have bought capable 120/120 down-country bike if they were actually available. I want to learn jumping and ride rougher trail but Im not there yet. Too bad bikes are so expensive these day as I would love to own both a longer travel trail bike and down-country bike to pick best tool for a ride...

I would say unless you hit the bike parks regularly or live where it's really narly then 120-130 is probably enough travel. I ride a Camber and it's capable for most trails I ride

Just added a downcountry bike to my fleet to complement my enduro machine, after a summer season affected by injuries. I expect it to make easier trails more fun and make me rediscover the basic pleasure of Mtb without the constant urge to descend fast and jump far. If this works, I’ll ride more and stay fitter next summer through a reduced overall risk level of my riding!

It's an interesting question. My MTB is an XC hard tail. It suits my riding style (timid and incompetent). I may go to a trail bike, but, I'm not sure the trails around me need it.

I think bikes like the Salsa Cutthroat with 100mm of travel(from the factory when parts aren't an issue) will take the place of some of those 80-100mm xc hartails. It has a 69* hta(at sag I think), which is the same as some current XC bikes I've recently seen with 68.5*(maybe at sag?) & can take up 29x2.5 tires in the rear, which is more than the what Specializes offers on the Epic HT at 2.35 or so. Full sus at the spec is still safe as gravel isn't full sus yet. My friend just recently picked up an hardcore trail bike with a set up 120-140mm of travel. Then someone in my riding group just got an xc bike with 130mm from the factory. Manufacture's site calls it a progress xc hardtail designed around a 130mm fork.

I have no use for XC but they are the right tool for the job for some riders.

There is indeed much to be discussed, and I'd like to hear Clint's take on this from the angle of how efficient trail bikes are is there much justifiable advantage with a CC bike? The Spectral 29 CF 9 is a perfect example as it's made to be a fast trail bike with poppy, not plush, suspension. It seems no one needs to use the climb switch and they always leave it wide open. I've gone back and forth between the Trek Topfuel 5.8 XT and the Spectral above and it's hard to imagine the Trek being much more efficient than the Spectral. Let's discuss the angle of putting XC tires on a trail bike geared toward efficiency and speed and then ask how much faster is a dedicated CC bike? Maybe instead of being bummed that it's a heavy inefficient bike, you're stoked that it is very efficient and yet is going to perform incredibly well on any descent. Maybe it's not just how much travel, but how the bike and suspension were designed? If that's true, then make a DC bike with more travel so the two categories overlap in a serious way in amount of travel and the distinction becomes plush vs. snappy. My CC hardtail has a heat tube angle of 72. It's already scary with the 110 stem, but I took it down to 35 and that was serious fun.

Yes!

XC Bikes are fun on the road as well. Our roads aren't in perfect condition so an MTB is kinda a must, but a trail or Enduro would be too heavy and too much travel to be used on the road for longer than 30km

Just added a downcountry 130/130. My XC is actually a full rigid 29er

If u like climbing as well as downhill sure they do. I sold my 160mm Enduro bike, i like more my downcountry bike and my titanium hardtail.