Last weekend was a very successful one indeed for British Cycling, with great success both on the roads of France, and off road at the UCI mountain bike world cup series event in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. Annie Last was only last by name, as she took victory in the women’s cross country category to record Great Britain’s first victory in the discipline for 20 years. Last, has endured quite a hard time over the past couple of years, and the determination and resilience she showed to secure victoryis certainly inspiration for us to get out there and hit the trails. So whether you’ve never rode a mountain bike, or are looking for an upgrade here are some great choices from across the cross country mountain bike range.
Specialized Pitch 2018
The Specialized Pitch is a cracking entry level hard tail mountain bike. It comes with the A1 Premium Aluminium frame in a 650B wheel geometry, allowing it to be lightweight for good manoeuvrability, but sturdy enough to survive the trails. Using Suntour suspension forks, and Shimano 24 speed gears, this Stout Trail rimmed machine will have all the right answers to any questions the trails can throw at it.
Trek Marlin 5 29ER 2018
The Marlin is Trek’s entry level disc brake equipped model. It has a ride-tuned aluminium frame: light enough for the cross country ascents; but tough enough for rugged and fast descents. The 29ER wheels are the largest wheels appropriate for cross country riding, meaning they’ll roll nicely on the flatter parts of the trail. The 7 speed Shimano Tourney groupset, has a mammoth 12-32 cassette, therefore you shouldn’t be finding yourself without a gear to get you up the steepest parts of any course.
Specialized Rockhopper Pro 2017
This mid-range hardtail mountain bike from specialized is an absolute gem with superb specification. The geometry of the bike features a low bottom bracket, roomy top tube, and short chainstays to keep you confident both up and down the trail. Components are purposefully selected to create a bike that is an absolute bargain, combining a mix of Shimano Deore XT and SRAM, fast-rolling Ground Control Sport tyres, and a plush fork from RockShox.
Giant XTC Advanced 29ER 2017
The Advanced-grade composite 29†wheeled hardtail frame is the heart and soul of the bike. Strong and lightweight, the frame is built to tackle the most difficult cross country tracks in the world. Stiff and responsive is the name of the game, yet the frame has the compliance built in to take on the rocks and roots of the toughest terrain. Like all good disc brakes, the SLX disc brakes are reliable and consistent performers. A SLX 1x11 speed drivetrain will drive you through the trails - offering sharp shifting in all conditions, wet or dry. Fox’s lightest fork yet, the 32 SC (Step-Cast) gives 100mm of terrain flattening suspension and will certainly keep you rubber side up.
Embrace your inner child, and adventure beyond the paths and roads. You never know where you might end up, but be assured that any of these bikes won’t let you down on the way back home.
