The results of measured and timed trials put the 29-inch hardtail ahead of both 26-inch-wheeled hardtail and full-suspenion bikes. Photo Brad Kaminski

The 26-inch-wheeled hardtail mountain bike is, indeed, dead.

OK, so I’ve been intentionally stirring the pot with that proclamation. What you’re about to read is no exception.

In an article in the July 2009 issue of VeloNews entitled, A Racer’s Edge, Which is Faster: Hardtail or Full Suspension? I wrote a story comparing the prowess of hardtails to full-suspension bikes for cross-country racing. The result of our real-world, semi-scientific testing put the full-suspension bike on top. And I must note that the terrain I used for testing seemingly favored the hardtail — if one were to base their choice on only perception.

The prowess of the big wheels in my measured testing and racing leads me to continue to pronounce the death of the 26-inch-wheeled hardtail. At this point, if you’re racing one, I truly believe that you’re at a disadvantage.

That story spurred a flurry of reader mail into my inbox. Many people liked it. Others expressed the opinion that they think I’m full of it. Those readers specifically pointed to multiple-world mountain bike champ Julien Abaslon as the proof that the 26-inch hardtail is still better. For the record, I did mention Mr. Absalon in my story. Alas, if only we could all ride like him.

These two points aside, the most frequent comment and complaint I received from readers was that 29ers weren’t represented in the test.

Warming up to 29-inch wheels has been a long time coming for me. I’ve never been against the idea or technology, but I’d never spent enough time on a well-designed example to really learn how to exploit its benefits and minimize its shortcomings. My experience was left to yearly exposure at Interbike’s Dirt Demo and Gary Fisher media events; admittedly not enough to form any sort of opinion. For a long time I simply thought that big wheels made sense for big riders and left it at that.

Then two things happened in summer 2009 that forced me to take a better look at the technology and form a true opinion. You, the reader, filled up my email inbox and the husband-and-wife duo of Heather Irmiger and Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (both Subaru-Gary Fisher) won two sets of national championships on 29ers. Those victories inspired me to write another oft-commented web story about the 26-inch hardtail dying.

It should be noted that 29er carbon (frames, wheels) and tire technology evolved significantly over the last few years and are key in allowing Horgan-Kobelski and Irmiger to win big races on big wheels. There is now very little disadvantage — in terms of weight and tire technology — associated with 29ers.

So after being inundated with mail and watching the Subaru-Gary Fisher racers win, I took up the cause of trying to compare a similar 29-inch-wheeled hardtail to the 26-inch hardtail and full-suspension bikes that I tested for the magazine in July.

THE TEST AND TOOLS

TEST TOOLS: Test protocol depended on two training products working in tandem to record the data and monitor our output — Garmin’s 705 cycling computer and the ANT+ transmitting PowerTap disc hub. CLICK ON THE PHOTO TO READ MORE.

Over the course of 14 days I rode a full-suspension bike and hardtail bike 28 times on our 3.1-mile test course. Both bikes were built from aluminum and the position of the bikes was matched. The weight of the bikes differed by roughly one pound. The same wheelset was used on both bikes and tire pressure was kept the same. The bikes also used the same gearing. They were ridden in the same smooth-pedaling manner; riding out of the saddle created power spikes and was therefore avoided. Data was gathered using Garmin’s 705 GPS unit and a PowerTap Disc hub.

The constant was our power output, keeping in mind that it’s very hard to keep anything constant on a mountain bike. Climbing was limited to 300 watts and flats limited to 250 watts. In reality the closest I could get was to keep the ranges within 25 watts of each side of these set parameters. Downhills were all ridden at zero watts, simply coasting, and we abstained from pedaling out of corners.

The test course consisted of just under a mile of rolling, lightly technical terrain: A half-mile climb gaining 50 feet in elevation, 1.2 miles of flat, non-technical-but-bumpy doubletrack and a half-mile of twisty, fast-descending singletrack with three moderately technical sections.

It took roughly 15 minutes to complete each loop; the fastest lap recorded stopped the clock at 13:30 and the longest took 15:48.

29er in the test

Following the same protocol I tested Gary Fisher’s Paragon 29-inch-wheeled aluminum hardtail. As equipped for our test, it split the weight difference between the 26-inch hardtail and full-suspension bike.

The surprising results of our measured and timed trials put the 29-inch hardtail ahead of both of the 26-inch-wheeled bikes. The fastest lap recorded on the 29er was 13:26, four seconds faster than the fastest of the full-suspension bike. The 29er reigned supreme, however, because of its consistency on our test terrain; the big bike’s averages were significantly better than either of the small-wheeled bikes. The 29er’s average lap time was 13:39, the lowest by about a minute. It also posted the lowest heart rate and power averages, which means that I was going faster and doing less work.

So what does this mean? Did I get rid of my full-suspension bike in addition to proclaiming the death of the 26-inch hardtail?

29ERS: THE TAKE AWAY

THREE SWEET 29ERS: 29er frames, wheels and tire technology has evolved significantly over the last few years, allowing top racers to win big races on big wheels. There is now very little disadvantage — in terms of weight and tire technology — associated with 29ers. CLICK ON THE PHOTO TO READ MORE.

29-inch wheels are quite fast in the context of cross-country racing. The big wheels seem to smooth out moderately bumpy terrain and they definitely make descending easier, especially when it’s steep, due to the larger diameter wheel. It’s much harder to go over the handlebars of a big-wheeled bike.

In addition to the testing I carried out on the test 29er, I also raced it in both short track and technical cross-country races. My findings here were twofold. I expected it to be slower for short track because of the importance of quick acceleration in this type of racing. In practice I found it faster than a 26-inch-wheeled bike and was even able to win a local weeknight race on our 29-inch test bike.

In a technical cross-country race, however, I found myself wishing for my full-suspension bike. Even with the larger wheels I was bounced around, which lead to fatigue, not to mention a greater fear of flatting than when on a full-suspension bike.

The prowess of the big wheels in my measured testing and racing leads me to continue to pronounce the death of the 26-inch-wheeled hardtail. At this point, if you’re racing one, I truly believe that you’re at a disadvantage.

For the one-bike quiver, I still conclude that a full-suspension bike is more practical. It’s more fun, more comfortable and the fastest both down the hill and in technical terrain. If you could have two bikes, however, my pick for that second bike would surely be a 29-inch hardtail. I believe the big-wheeled bike is the fastest for smooth-to-moderately bumpy terrain. A 29er is a great tool for racing and is my new go-to short-track racer.

It looks as thought Specialized’s Todd Wells might have the perfect quiver right now as his team allows him both a 29er hardtail and 26-inch-wheeled full-suspension bike. Both of his bikes weigh about 20-pounds, so weight doesn’t factor into his choice and he can focus his decision on which is best for each individual racecourse.

Read about the tools used for this test.

The 2010 version of Fox’s cross-country stalwart performs better than any previous model. CHECK OUT MORE PHOTOS BELOW Photo by Matt Pacocha

Fox Racing Shox’s motor sport pedigree shines through in the latest iteration of its cross-country flagship fork — the F100RLC.

It works extremely well and, I would argue, to a level that hasn’t before been achieved in a cross-country suspension fork. Its damper is best described as subtle and refined, but with a wide range. Most XC suspension forks either smack you in the face with their action — lockout, low compression and rebound — or provide vague feel; some do both without giving the “right” setting.

Why? I think the simple answer is twofold: It’s what riders ask for and it’s the solution that best fits a wide range of said riders.

Fox takes a different tack. It focuses most on keeping the front wheel on the ground with good quality suspension, rather than making sure the person riding it can feel something.

That’s not to say that both can’t be achieved, because I believe Fox has.

Fox built a damper called FIT (Fox Isolated Technology) that provides tuning adjustment that riders can better feel at the points they are thinking about it, like climbing, sprinting (i.e. low-speed circuits), but also works well when they aren’t thinking about the fork; like hanging on for dear life on a rippin’ descent (i.e. high-speed circuits).

FIT comes to Fox’s cross-country and trail products by way of the brand’s gravity development team and racers. FIT puts low-speed control of both compression and rebound in the hands of the rider. The rider also has control over a lever lockout and the ability to adjust the lockout’s threshold force. These adjustable attributes should not be a surprise, as they’ve always been available with previous RLC dampers.

The new technology is in the FIT damper’s bladder design, which provides hugely improved and more consistent damping characteristics; stuff you can really feel on the trail. The range of the low-speed compression adjustment has also been greatly increased. The bladder keeps all of the damping fluid internal and also helps dissipate heat. The design also offers the lowest internal friction of any it has produced, according to Fox. Being completely sealed makes it highly resistant to cavitation, which is defined as the aeration of the damper’s fluid resulting in a breakdown in damper control and performance.

You will notice that the rebound and threshold adjustments have traded places; this is also because of the damper. By rearranging the circuits Fox was able to reduce the unsprung weight — meaning the weight that moves, in this case, at the bottom of the damper — of the system. That reduces the amount of weight the damper needs to control allowing for better damper performance.

While it may not seem like much, reducing unsprung weight in the world of suspension has big benefits, much like reducing the rotating weight on a wheel. Bottom line it’s important weight to lose.

Fighting the Weight War

Besides rearranging where the weight is, the damper unit is 71-grams lighter, according to Fox, than the previous model year. This massive weight reduction allows Fox to offer a fork that competes in the one arena that every World Cup racer cares about: The weight war. This is traditionally a place where Fox has suffered and instead made up for a heavier weight with suspension quality, this latest reduction will surely strike fear into Fox’s competition.

Weight is the one thing riders have been begging for since the brand started making mountain bike suspension forks in 2002, a fork that can compete with the competitions’ lightest models.

Hello racers. The F100RLC now weighs virtually the same as a 2009 Sid World Cup and only about 40-grams more than the 2010 Sid World Cup with its carbon steer and crown assembly and close to $400 less. You’re probably sold on this simple attribute, but please read on.

Better and Better

Fox’s F100 FIT RLC works better than the previous F100RLC. Every year Fox picks a feature and betters it. Last year, 2009, it was the linear quality of the air spring. Now that improvement is further capitalized on by the aforementioned separation of the damper’s oil with the FIT bladder.

The new fork is phenomenal out on the trail. It seems even plusher than the 2009 model, but it never surprises you with a harsh bottom out, while the low-speed compression adjustment holds the fork up in its travel under braking.

As stated earlier, the best thing about the new fork is that you can tune it to feel how you want when you’re climbing or hammering, yet no matter how poorly you inhibit its low-speed action (by making it really firm) it ends up doing a good job on the way down. This is because of the shim-controlled circuits that handle the mid- and high-speed hits. The range of the low-speed compression adjustment is noticeably wider and it seems to do a better job of supporting a rider and bypassing quicker after an impact.

I also feel that the rebound is also more consistent than on previous models, again, likely due to the new shim-controlled circuit. The rebound and bump threshold adjustments change places; rebound is now on the bottom of the leg, which is a preferred placement, since you’re apt to more frequently adjust threshold than rebound. The only gripe is that the lockout lever is still small and harder to use than that of the competition — mind you this is the only flaw I could find with this fork.

The 32-F Series RLC forks come in three travel configurations, 80mm, 100mm and 120mm. Fox offers a traditional 9mm quick-release or a QR15 thru-axle and it also makes a version for 29-inch wheels. Our test fork preformed flawlessly for eight months of testing and is currently without weepy seals or anything of the sort.

The bottom line comes down to this: Fox knocked it out of the park with its 2010 F100 FIT RLC. Its new lighter weight and stellar FIT damper give no reason to look anywhere else for a cross-country race or light trail fork. The only question we have is how Fox will possibly improve upon this for 2011.

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One of the least expensive component upgrades available for your bike also happens to be the one that can take it to the absolute pinnacle of its potential performance. What’s this supremely important component choice? Your bike’s tires.

Here’s a look at Michelin’s all-new line and the development undertaken at WTB for 2010, along with new model highlights from Geax and Kenda.

Michelin Revamps Mountain Line

Michelin unveiled a completely renewed mountain bike tire line for the 2010 season at last month’s tradeshows. The new line brings a new naming system, as well as one new cross-country/trail tire called the WildRock’r. Name changes are as follows: WildGrip’r uses the tread pattern previously designated as A/T and the WildRace’r uses the same pattern as the Dry2.

The new tire is designed for muddy and extremely rocky terrain. It’s said to grip more aggressively than the Grip’r, which is meant for intermediate terrain. The tread pattern of the Race’r remains relatively untouched, rightly so, as it is proven as one of the best dry condition tires in the industry as it rolls almost as fast as a semi-slick but with much more grip.

The predecessor of the Race’r, the Dry2, has been the go-to tire of Adam Craig and his Giant Factory Team since the its inception. The Grip’r differs from the old A/T by hollowed center knobs, which will presumably act like sipes, enhancing grip.

For 2010, Michelin will continue with only one 29-inch model, although the tread pattern will change from the Grip’r (A/T) pattern to the Race’r tread pattern. The Race’r 29-inch will be available in a 2.1-inch width only.

Michelin’s cross-country and trail tires are available with a standard bead and 60tpi casing or an Advanced version with a unique dual tread compound — a harder base compound with a softer outer compound — and 127tpi tubeless casing. Michelin offers a reinforced casing option, which adds four protective plies under the tread to prevent puncture in select larger tire sizes.

Other options available in select tires include a new technology called Gumwall, which is a secondary rubber layer that is placed on the sidewall of the tire. Michelin’s cross-country and trail tires range between $50 and $65 depending on features.

Michelin’s light duty tires, aside from the new model, build upon proven concepts, a trend the manufacturer employs to assemble its renewed downhill line.

The trio of downhill tires includes the new WildRock’r tread, the WildGrip’r, which is the resurrected DH 16 A/T and the WildDig’r is a revised version of its previous DH Mud3. Michelin’s WildGrip’r downhill tires are available in 2.5- and 2.6-inch sizes, while the WildRock’r comes in 2.25- and 2.5-inch sizes. All of these variations feature “Descent Technology,” which is a wire bead that’s designed to keep the tire on the rim under heavy cornering pressure.

The WildDig’r downhill mud tire is only available in a 2.2-inch size. Michelin’s downhill tires range between $51 and $76 depending on size and technologies.

WTB 2010: Race Developed

The man who put all-mountain racing on the map, Mark Weir, is a salaried employee of WTB. He has been for almost a decade. Weir has bounced from working in WTB’s office, to one of its athletes and is now heavily involved in the brand’s development of new tires.

Weir and Jason Moeschler, who heads up product development at WTB and has won the famed Downieville all-mountain title three times, stepped up the brand’s development effort in the last year. With the “mission of ensuring that not one of the brand’s competitors have a tire that we’d rather ride,” Moeschler and Weir took a hard look at the tires WTB produced and what changes were needed.

The first step of their plan took them to Weir’s ranch in Novato, California, where the duo built a test track specifically to test tires and compounds. The 2.5-minute test run consists of conditions that a rider might encounter on an average ride. It includes an artificial mud pit, rock face, deep loose dirt and the dreaded loose-over-hard surface. By using timing sticks and GPS, the duo benchmarked the brand’s current line up of tires.

Once they had a “bunch of ideas,” they had a meeting with WTB tire designer Mark Slate, co-founder of WTB, and man who has designed more tires than anyone in the industry. according to Moeschler.

Slate takes a comment like, “doesn’t brake hard enough,” and knows to increase the knob height and the distance between the next, Moeschler said. Once he worked all of their comments into the new designs, a mold would be cut and the tires prototyped. The process depends heavily on good feedback and an experienced designer. Even still, sometimes a mold doesn’t work out, said Moeschler.

Once the molds were cut, seven sets of prototypes were molded for each tread pattern and then sent to Weir’s ranch for testing. Each prototype set highlighted a different rubber compound or combination of rubber compounds. Compounds for each of the new tires were then narrowed down. Instead of going through each tire here, the best illustration might be to use Weir’s namesake as an example, the Weirwolf, a tire that already had a buzz surrounding it at last months tradeshows.

The original Weirwolf is a proven race tire, but it had two problems, according to Moeschler. First, it didn’t roll fast enough and it had a large “drift zone.” Weir likes to drift, said Moeschler, but for the majority of riders it provided too much time in this zone and required too steep of an angle before it hooked up.

To fix these issues, Slate reduced the number of side knobs to three in each grouping for more of a rail-like ride and cut them with a new three-tiered stepped shape that’s also siped. Then he decreased the dead space between the center and side knobs, as to reduce the drift zone. And finally he pulled the center knobs closer together so the package would roll faster.

After much test riding, Weir settled on a 53d shore rubber compound for the center and a 45d shore for the side knobs.

The new tire is available in 2.1- and 2.3-inch sizes; the 2.1-inch tire has four different levels, including UST tubeless, TCS (a sealant based tubeless technology that conforms with UST rims) as well as Race and Comp series (the Race designates a foldable bead and Comp a steel bead.) The Weirwolf costs $25 in the Comp, $50 in the Race model and $60 for the TCS or UST tubeless models.

Besides the new Weirwolf, WTB brings tread refinements to its Vulpine, Mutano, Wolverine and Dissent tires.

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You can ride the bike in the foreground, but you probably won't ride like the guy in the background. CHECK OUT THE SLIDESHOW BELOW FOR MORE. Photo by Matt Pacocha

Amidst the debate surrounding whether or not the 26-inch wheel still offers advantage on the racecourse, there is no doubt that fast guys can still win on them.

The best example, of course, is Orbea’s Julien Absalon. The Frenchman has won just about everything there is in the cross-country discipline and he’s done it all on a 26-inch-wheeled Orbea Alma.

Orbea introduces a new Alma to the public for 2010. The new frame incorporates an updated dual four-point carbon frame design called 4X4. In the previous rendition of Alma, only the rear triangle sported the feature. The premise behind the four-point system is to offset the dropout from the intersection of the seat and chainstays to incorporate a level of vertical compliance into the frame.

In the new Alma the feature is built into the front triangle as well. Orbea says that it gives the bike a level of compliance better than any other hardtail without compromising lateral rigidity.

In addition to the frame’s new shapes, the Alma now includes a BB30 bottom bracket system and full carbon dropouts. The stiffening bulge in the down tube, which doubles as a pseudo fender, carries over from the previous version. Additionally the Alma mountain frames now incorporate Orbea’s Size Specific Nerve carbon construction, which plots a separate carbon layout for each size to ensure that despite a rider’s ride and weight the bike performs as the engineers intend it to.

The final design element incorporated into the new frame is housing-less cable routing from the head tube rearward, save for a short loop to the rear derailleur. All levels of the new Alma model incorporate this feature, which is specifically intended for use with GORE’s fully sealed cable system.

The new frame design is available in two types of carbon modulus – the gold level is the premiere, while the second level is billed silver – and with multiple parts options. Two examples include the SRAM XX equipped Alma Gold World Cup at $6,500, which is a replica of the bike Absalon rides that weighs 20 pounds and the Alma Silver 10, a Shimano XT-equipped bike that bares a more reasonable $3,800 price tag.

Besides new bikes, Orbea brings a line of helmets and clothing to the U.S. for 2010. The Odin highlights the helmet line, which is also part of Absalon’s kit. The helmet features a carbon skeleton, massive venting and an adjustable retention system. It weighs under 300-grams and costs $200.

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Magic Link suspension designer, Brian Berthold, used to engineer Formula 1 cars. Photo by Matt Pacocha

Kona introduced the Magic Link on its Coilair model three years ago as a chassis for trail riders who want a bike to pedal up hill as well as it goes down and vice-versa.

The system is comprised of a dual-shock linkage, where the secondary shock flips the linkage between a climbing mode and descending mode depending on the forces acting on the bike, either pedaling or braking and bump input. What Kona wanted is what all full-suspension bike manufacturers want in a trailbike, a platform that does everything well. .Kona’s solution is far from simple; rather it can be considered “Magic.”

The man responsible for Kona’s Magic Link suspension design is Brian Berthold, a former Indy Car and Formula 1 suspension engineer. Berthod is also the designer of the Brake Therapy floating disc brake mount and Kona’s DOPE (drop out performance enhancement) floating brake system.

Berthold’s inspiration for the Magic Link came from the active suspension systems found in F1 competition. These systems allowed for the suspension to adapt to the conditions they encountered. Use of these systems were qualified as drivers’ aids by FIA, the sport’s governing body. All drivers’ aids, including active suspension, traction control and other computer-controlled systems were banned in 1993.

The Magic Link is controlled by a secondary shock that switches the design between the climbing and descending modes. Photo by Matt Pacocha

“I don’t like messing with my suspension to just climb or descend,” said Berthold. “I wanted to make a bike that pedaled better without making the suspension ineffective, so I started by just making a list of what I wanted.”

Berthold’s list included steeper angles, firmer spring rate, a cockpit and seat angle that puts your weight more forward, shorter chainstays and a slightly higher bottom bracket for climbing. On the flip side, he wanted the opposite of all of these attributes, plus he wanted to transition between the two sets of performance attributes without conscious inputs from the rider.

“So in my mind, I try and figure out how I can arrange some linkage to make this happen,” he said. “In Formula 1 we once had active suspension [controlled by computer]. I liken this to mechanically active.”

In Berthold’s mechanically active system, the wheel is the sensor, the chainstay is transmitting the information and the Magic Link is the computer that’s telling the suspension what to do. In use, inputting pedaling force causes the Magic link to push forward and achieve all of Berthold’s ideal features for climbing. Letting off pedaling force, for even a second, puts the system into a neutral mode where there is an instant reduction in spring force at the moment of impact, based on the laws of springs in series.

“It’s all force balance,” Berthold said.

The initial movement the Magic Link also provides a slight rearward path reducing hang ups on climbs.

“The thing about bike suspension is that all designers have their priorities,” said Berthold, adding that some would want rearward path while some would want a certain progression. “Put us all in a large room and we’ll argue about which one is the most important. Everybody picks their priority. They’re not wrong; they’re just better for one or another.”

Berthold said the nobody will argue the fundamentals of frame geometry, which is that steeper angles are better for climbing and that slacker is better for descending.

“Not one of those engineers arguing about suspension design will argue with what this bike does,” he said. “Nobody is going to say, ‘Why do you want the bike to get slacker on the downhills or steeper on the climbs?’ and that’s a cool thing.”

The Magic Link has been around for three years and it’s just now coming into form. For 2010 Kona adds a new two-model platform with 6.3 inches of total travel to the existing Coilair 7-inch models.

The two new bikes – Abra Cadabra and Cadabra – feature lighter more trail oriented component kits and lighter frames. Through the use of hydro-formed tubing and intricately forged parts, Berthold said the two Magic Link bikes best fit his original concept, it’s just taken three years to get here. The Cadabra costs $2,800 with a mix of Shimano SLX and XT components, while the Abra Cadabra leads the line at $3,700 with a full Shimano XT group and top of the line Fox suspension components.

Dozens of manufacturers, big displays and scores of attendees at Interbike's Outdoor Demo on Monday indicated that things are pretty good in the bicycle industry. SEE BELOW FOR AN OUTDOOR DEMO SLIDESHOW Photo by Zack Vestal

Blustery winds and a subsequent 10- to 15-degree cool down from Sunday’s century-mark were welcomed by exhibitors at Interbike’s Outdoor Demo in Bootleg Canyon outside Las Vegas on Monday.

Dozens of manufacturers, big displays and scores of attendees indicated that things are pretty good in the bicycle industry. While the Outdoor Demo appeared healthy there is a definite, albeit low, grumble that the indoor show, which starts Wednesday morning, may offer a different story.

More major manufacturers – Felt, Giant, GT and Schwinn – join the likes of Cannondale, Trek, Yeti, Santa Cruz and others, who for the last few years have sat out. Stay tuned for what actually transpires on Wednesday.

So without further ado, here’s the fun stuff from day-one of the Outdoor Demo.

Crankbrothers

The team from Laguna Beach, California has been busy this summer dreaming up new color schemes and getting its wheels out to niche-brand bike manufacturers.

The Cobalt and Iodine wheelsets are currently available in limited edition colors on both Ibis and Titus bikes. The brand’s pedal line takes on all five of SRAM’s Design Your Ride colors for 2010 in an effort to give riders further control over the look of their bikes.

Jason First, crankbrothers’ athlete liaison and marketing team member spent a month this summer in the Rocky Mountain region, where every shop asked him for a 29er wheel. That wheel was already in the works and it will be ready for sale this November. The new wheel uses the same rim extrusion, hubs and extended nipples as the Cobalt wheel, but with a longer 1.6mm triple butted spoke and larger diameter hoop. The wheels are 9mm QR and 15QR compatible, weigh a claimed 1720-grams and cost $950, the same price as the 26-inch Cobalt

Felt Bicycles

The first question for Felt was: Where is its new cross-country race full-suspension platform? We saw prototypes at the Sea Otter Classic and were hoping to see the real thing at Interbike, maybe even ride it. Alas it’s still in prototype form and only available to sponsored racers and shop employees.

“It’s a place we know we want to be,” said Andy Holmes, Felt’s mountain bike product manager. “It’s all proven technology, but we’re still tinkering to make sure we hit our target square on its head.”

Holmes was happy to show us the new Six LTD frame, which is made using the same Ultra Hybrid Carbon with Nano Resin as the brand’s Tour de France-proven F1 and AR1 frames. A medium frame tips the scale at just 1050-grams, according to Holmes, and the complete bike, built with a full Shimano XTR group and RockShox Sid World Cup weighs a claimed 19-pounds. This complete 26-inch hardtail runs around $7,000.

At a slightly more attainable level is the Six Team, which is built using the same mold, but with a less expensive material and weighs a claimed 1,200-grams. The complete bike built with a SRAM X.0, Truvativ Noir group and Fulcrum’s Red Metal 1 wheels costs $5,000. The complete bike weighs a claimed 20-pounds

Felt’s Nine Team, easily the hottest mountain bike in the company’s tent on Monday, is in the same price range, built out of the same material using most of the same components, but with larger 29-inch wheels. The Nine Team isn’t far behind in the weight game at 22-pounds. A recurring theme: Hardtails made sexy again with big wheels.

Felt continues with the trend of mirror image 26- and 29-inch carbon hardtails at the $3,000 price point with the Six and Nine Elite models. It’s an interesting way to do it. The mirror image choice will surely be fun for the consumer to test ride back to back, but it might be tough on the dealer, who has to make the right choice of what to stock.

The attention to detail on the Felt line is top notch, highlighted on these bikes by their bolt on carbon chain watchers and replaceable carbon and Kevlar belly plates. Other details include matching alloy cable ferules and housing.

Yeti Cycles

Yeti doesn’t have a 29er – yet, but it does have the mirror image choice in its new ASR 5 trail bike frame. Consumers have a choice between the ASR 5 Carbon and the ASR 5 Alloy. Both bikes share the same carbon rear end, which is 50-percent stiffer than the old ASR’s carbon rear end, but differ by front end material choice.

The ASR 5 Carbon, obviously, has a carbon front end. It weighs 4.75-pounds and costs $2,450. The ASR 5 Alloy, with a 7005-series front triangle, weighs 5.2-pounds and carries two prices $1,900 in a solid color and $2,000 in Yeti’s turquoise team paint.

Both new ASR 5s share the same feature set, which includes a 1.125- to 1.5-inch headtube, 5-inches of travel and the option of a standard 135mm quick release rear end or the new 142x12mm Syntace thru-axle standard. The bike’s rear dropouts utilize an interchangeable chip system to switch between the two standards.

Why another standard you may ask? Peter Zawistowski, one of Yeti’s two in-house engineers, says that the quick wheel changes the Syntace system affords are what sold Yeti on the technology. Since the dropouts are stepped, the hub quickly nestles in when re-inserting the wheel on the trail or in the stand.

You may also be wondering where the ASR 5 fits in Yeti’s line. Zawistowski says that it rides much more like the now discontinued 4-inch travel ASR, but with an extra inch of travel. Its leverage ratio provides a stiffer feel throughout the stroke than the 575, especially mid-stroke, making it an efficient pedaler. Yeti will continue to produce its ASR C, the carbon 4-inch travel cross-country racer with an integrated seatmast.

Yeti’s newest world championship winning bike is its DJ, which just won the 4-cross championship in Canberra, Australia under Yeti team rider Jared Graves. The Yeti crew said that after a season racing BMX in 2008, due to the Olympics, Graves came back to his mountain bike and found it too flexible, especially in out-of-the-gate efforts. The alloy bike shares the tapered head tube of the ASR 5 alloy and features burly aluminum tubes. The DJ has vertical sliding dropouts that allow for chainstay adjustment from 395mm to 410mm and the ability to tension the chain in a single speed configuration.

Jamis

We’ll look deeper into Jamis’ line in a separate story, specifically its 650b-wheeled bike, but the manufacturer also has a new carbon 29er called the D29, which is available in two models, Team and Pro. The bikes hit the respective price points of $5,475 and $3,475.

To be honest the Ritchey WCS 10-degree sweep riser bar found on the Team is what pulled us in for a closer look of the D29. The bar is wide with a big sweep, but without rise making it perfect for use on the already tall front ends associated with the big-wheeled bikes. Jamis puts forth quite an effort with the D29 Team by incorporating BB30 and FSA’s new compact 386 mountain double K-Force Light crankset.

While we’ve just begun to skim the surface of what’s new for 2010, it’s all we have for now. Be sure to check back to Singletrack.com and VeloNews.com everyday this week for reports from the Outdoor Demo and when we go indoors on Wednesday.

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In a departure from the original Fisher Superfly hardtail, which is made overseas, the Superfly 100 is 100-percent OCLV carbon, which is made exclusively at Trek’s carbon manufacturing facility in Waterloo, Wisconsin. CHECK OUT MORE PHOTOS BELOW. Photo by Matt Pacocha

During the middle part of the 2009 racing season the Subaru-Gary Fisher team gave Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski, a racer with a preference for hardtails, a new full-suspension bike.

To the surprise of many he raced it in some of the biggest events during the second half of this season. JHK rode Fisher’s new Superfly 100 in two world cups, the marathon national championships, which he won, and the last two stops of the Pro XTC series, of which he won the overall series.

It should be noted that JHK has raced the Superfly 100 more than any other full-suspension bike Fisher has provided him in his five years on the team, – 29-inch wheel or otherwise.

“It was one of the easiest transitions [to a new bike] I’ve ever made,” Horgan-Kobelski said at Fisher’s unveiling of new bikes last weekend in Park City, Utah.

So the Superfly 100 will likely go down as the bike to convert JHK to full suspension. It’s also the lightest full-suspension bike that Fisher has ever produced, at 2,100-grams (medium, frame, shock and hardware). And in a departure from the original Superfly hardtail, which is made overseas, the Superfly 100 is 100-percent OCLV carbon, which is made exclusively at Trek’s carbon manufacturing facility in Waterloo, Wisconsin.

Gary Fisher, the man, has been a 29-inch evangelist for many, many years, but his namesake bicycle brand has produced them for a decade. Working on the product for a decade is important, according to Fisher.

“When the first butted chromoly tubing came out, it took them about 10 years to get it so the stuff wouldn’t break – that was back in the ’20s,” Fisher said. “When the first aluminum frames came out it took them 10 years until those things stopped cracking on a regular basis. When the first suspension came out, good old RockShox, we spec’d one on our bikes in ’91 and our dealers thought we were crazy. It took about 10 years for those things to become refined enough to where everyone said, ‘it’s a no-brainer, I’m getting it.’ So it’s no coincidence: 29er – 10 years.”

Superfly 100: Fisher’s Most Advanced bike yet

Before we get back into the debate over wheel size, we should go over the specifications of Fisher’s newest top-of-the-line model. The Superfly 100 incorporates all of the highest technologies found within the Gary Fisher and Trek family. From the Fisher side comes the decade worth of refinement to 29er geometry. Highlights here include the G2 geometry and fork offset and 29er Advantage, which pertains to creating the shortest rear center measurement possible for better, more 26-inch-bike-like handling.

Trek offers the whole of its latest suspension and carbon engineering advantage to Fisher’s flagship, full-suspension project. These include the Net-Molded E2 tapered headtube, BB95 Net-Molded bottom bracket and ABP concentric rear pivot. In a first from Trek, all of the Superfly 100′s bearing seats are Net-Molded as well; there is no metal molded into this frame, save for the threads for the direct mount front derailleur. Couple all of this carbon technology with one-piece OCLV seatstays and a 44-gram carbon swing link as the finishing touch. The Superfly 100 uses these features to produce 110mm of rear wheel travel. Together, all of these technologies make for one of the most advanced cross-country, full-suspension bikes available on the market for 2010 – 29er or otherwise.

Component Picks

Continuing the impressive story surrounding the Superfly 100 is its raceable, yet relatively affordable parts selection. Top of the line cross-country suspension components come from Fox Racing Shox in the form of the brand’s 100mm F29 RLC and RP23 with Boost Valve. SRAM, Truvativ and Avid take care of the component group with a collective of the joint brands’ “Design Your Ride” Redwin components.

A smart selection of Bontrager alloy and carbon components finish the package: Race X Lite alloy wheels, stem and Race Lite Big Sweep flat handlebar are complemented by the weight savings from the Race XXX Lite carbon seatpost. Maybe more impressive than the Superfly100′s technological package or component picks is its price. While some manufacturers offer less for more, Fisher prices its flagship at an expensive, yet attainable $5,560.

Riding It

While a couple of hours on any bike are hardly enough to pass any sort of judgment, my initial impression was good. It was similar to my first ride, three years ago, on Trek’s ABP suspension platform. During that launch I rode Trek’s Fuel EX 9, a 5-inch-travel bike that pedaled uphill, and on flats, like a full-on cross-country race bike. From that point I was convinced that ABP is a good system and it doesn’t disappoint on the Superfly 100.

I was able to ride the bike comfortably with the shock in the open position for just about the entire ride, save for checking out how it felt with ProPedal. Without going too much deeper, I’ll leave my impression at this: If Trek had launched this bike, with all of the same technology at a higher price, I would have been impressed. The lower-than-expected price and the fact it has 29-inch wheels did not dampen my impression at all.

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Up next? Matt, Utah and a Superfly 100.

As I write yet again about 29ers, I’m hurtling over the Rocky Mountains in an airplane at 36,000 feet doing about 400 mph.

My destination: Deer Valley Resort, Utah.

My mission: Ride Gary Fisher’s new Superfly 100.

Yes, dear readers, that would be a full-suspension 29er. Being in the air is a nice respite from the earlier half of my week in the office, where the bulk of my time was spent responding to the emails that have come in after I further poked at the inadequacies of the 26-inch hardtail.

The reason why I have been writing so much lately about 26- and 29-inch hardtails and 26-inch full-suspension bikes is that after almost a decade, larger wheels have become a legitimate tool on the domestic racing circuit. I think that progressive racers will continue to try new technology to gain an advantage. And I believe that many see it the way my semi-scientific testing led me to see it: There is the right tool for every job, and on some race courses that “right tool” may be a 29er, or a full-suspension bike or maybe even — gasp — a 26-inch hardtail.

My testing made lots of assumptions and it by no means provided an end-all answer to what is the fastest type of bike. We here at VeloNews and Singletrack.com will continue thinking and testing to improve upon real world protocol — something more than just a subjective opinion — that leads us closer to answers.

As an admitted technophile I was absolutely stoked to see different bikes duking it out for the win at the U.S. National Championships in Granby, Colorado earlier this summer. Not only Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski and his Gary Fisher 29er, but Todd Wells and his Specialized S-Works Epic full-suspension as well as Katie Compton and Heather Irmiger on their 29er hardtails.

Something else that should raise a brow is Willow Koerber’s recent third-place finish at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Canberra, Australia; a result she achieved on a 29er. What makes Koerber’s bronze medal even more interesting is that she didn’t start racing with larger wheels until after July’s national championship races. Nonetheless, I have no doubt that the larger wheels allowed her to ride the incredibly steep drops featured on the race course with more comfort and control.

The trip to Utah, meanwhile, has me excited because the new Fisher Superfly 100 full-suspension bike seems to have JHK excited. I’ve known him since we were both at the University of Colorado together close to a decade ago. I can attest he’s been a slow adopter of new technology, especially when it adds weight to his bike. He resisted disc brakes, held out on big wheels and has never fully embraced full-suspension bikes.

We’ve had many dinner party arguments about the efficiency of a full-suspension bike versus a hardtail. JHK has always favored the hardtail. I’ve always had to concede since he knows how fast it is at the front of a World Cup race and I don’t.

But if you’ve followed JHK this season you know that he’s raced the new full-suspension bike more this year than he ever has before; from the winning the marathon national championships and local Colorado series races on it, to the huge feat of just starting the Canadian stops of the World Cup on it. His actions seem to tell us that he sees it as a good tool for the right course.

Finally, I’m stoked to stir the pot. I’m hoping that I may have caused you to think about what type of bike you should test ride the next time you’re in the market for a new rig. Maybe you end up buying another 26-inch-wheeled hardtail, but at least you’ll have thought about and tried some other options.

Last but not least, be sure to check back to Singletrack.com for my report on Fisher’s new Superfly 100.

Matt Pacocha is the VeloNews/Singletrack.com test editor. He started in the bicycle industry sweeping shop floors at 13. Since then he’s wrenched, raced mountain bikes on the national circuit for four years, worked at IMBA (International Mountain Bike Association) for two years, raced on the road in Belgium for six months and served four years as the tech editor for VeloNews. Matt can be reached at velonewsmatt@competitorgroup.com.

Gary Fisher Super Fly: National champion pedigree $4,200 (complete)

GARY FISHER SUPER FLY: National Champion Pedigree $4,200 (complete)
The carbon SuperFly took three national championships this year and three of the top five spots on the men’s national championship cross-country podium. These results are hard to argue with, so we won’t. For 2010, Fisher presents the SuperFly with a Subaru- Gary Fisher team paint scheme and SRAM’s ‘Design Your Ride,’ color matched Redwin X.0 components. Also new for 2010, is the option of a single speed frameset (SuperFly SS frame and Fox F29 Fit RLC G2 offset fork) with adjustable slider dropouts.

Niner EMD9: Budget by Price Only $500 (frame only)

NINER EMD9: Budget by Price Only $500 (frame only)
Niner’s 7005 series E.M.D. 9 (Eat My Dust) shares many of its tube shapes and design attributes with the Scandium tubed Air 9, Niner’s premier alloy hardtail. The main design goal of both bikes is to dispel the myth that aluminum can only have a harsh ride. A medium E.M.D. 9 frame weighs 3.6-pounds. It would have been easy for Niner to command twice the price for this frame, but they didn’t and because of that we’ll recommend it to you.

Salsa Dos Niner: Smooth Scandium $2595 (complete)

SALSA DOS NINER: Smooth Scandium $2595 (complete)
Salsa is pushing the envelope when it comes to 29-inch full suspension bikes, and its Dos Niner can be thanked starting its charge. The 1-inch of pivotless suspension travel is just enough to complement the larger wheels ability to take the edge off. The frame is made from Salsa’s own custom drawn Scandium alloy. The complete bike comes with a complement of Salsa’s own components and a Shimano XT group.

Find out more about the 29er Vs. 26er debate.

Test data was downloaded in Garmin’s Training Center program and through the third-party, Training Peaks, online software.

Test Tools: Garmin’s Edge 705 — $500
CycleOps PowerTap Disc Hub — $1600

Our test protocol depended on two training products working in tandem to record the data and monitor our output, all in an effort to present reliable results and a repeatable test. We used the heart rate, ANT+ power and GPS functions of Garmin’s top-end 705 cycling computer and the ANT+ transmitting PowerTap disc hub. These two items allowed us to capture more data than any other combination of tools and the results of the test can be better trusted because of it.

For the test we were able to modify the number of fields displayed on the Edge 705 unit’s screen to best track the information in real time. The PowerTap hub was easy to zero at the beginning of each test session and seemed to produce accurate consistent results throughout our testing. We did double check the incoming power data by using both the PowerTap head unit and the Edge 705. Aside from a slight lag on the part of the 705 we were happy with how both devices communicated and recorded data. We looked at our data in Garmin’s Training Center program and through the third-party, Training Peaks, online software. I found this combination to be a powerful test tool, which correlates directly into a powerful training tool.

Find out more about the 29er Vs. 26er debate.

In 2009, Scott USA’s Voltage bike line represented a complement of progressive street, dirt jump and park oriented 26-inch-wheeled hardtails, which boast some of the shortest chainstays in the industry.

For 2010, the Voltage line gets a new chassis addition – the Voltage FR, an 180mm-travel freeride bike built specifically for park riding and for Scott-sponsored freeriders to use in slopestyle and gravity competition. The hardtails will continue while Scott’s longer-travel Gambler will evolve into the brand’s dedicated downhill racing chassis.

“The whole premise of [the Voltage FR] was to address the equipment needs of our slopestyle athletes, who require a certain type of bike,” said Adrian Montgomery, Scott USA marketing manager. “But we wanted the same platform to translate into something that people would buy, because the reality is that there is only like 1 percent of all riders who need to be on a pure slopestyle bike.”

Montgomery said he sees the new platform fulfilling the needs of the brand’s slopestyle athletes without alienating consumers who aspire to that style of riding.

Coming from a company that’s known for producing extraordinarily expensive bikes, the three-model Voltage FR line may represent the company’s best ratio of cost to performance. The top-of-the-line Voltage FR10 tops out at $3,500. The second-tier FR20 hits a price point under $2,500, but you can enter the line at just $1,700 with the FR30.

It’s worth noting that the whole of the line shares the same base frame so the different price points are a function of bike specification.

The Voltage FR employs many of the same formed-tubes that the Voltage hardtail uses, with the top tube being the most noticeable example. It’s built to be compact – both short and with huge stand over, which is a departure from traditional frame sizing. This type of bike is fit based on reach rather than the dimension of the frame itself. So rather than sizing it as small, medium or large, it’s simplified to long- and short-reach cockpits, where the stand over clearance is maximized in both lengths.

Design highlights of the linkage-activated, single-pivot Voltage FR chassis include replaceable rear thru-axle dropouts in three lengths as well as adjustable travel from its stock 180mm to 140mm through use of adjustable mounts and use of three lengths of shocks. The bike doesn’t come with additional shocks because most consumers will find the stock shock and two-position linkage (180mm to 160mm adjustable, with stock 241mm shock) adequate.

The reason for the adjustability of the travel is to allow the modification necessary – shorter travel – for such an economical chassis to be used in elite level slopestyle competition. The frame is finished off ISCG mounts.

Voltage FR Adjustability

The accepted optional shock lengths and associated travel with using the two-position linkage:

Shock Length – Long Travel – Short Travel
215mm ——— 150mm ——- 140mm

222mm ——— 170mm ——- 150mm

241mm ——— 180mm ——- 160mm

Replaceable Dropout and chainstay length adjustment:

Dropout ————- Chainstay Length

Short: -10mm ——- 415mm

Standard: 0mm —– 425mm

Long: +10mm —— 435mm

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Reign X 0 costs $5,650, but luckily the X 1 and X 2 models use the same frame and cost $3,600 and $2,250 respectively. Photo by Matt Pacocha

It had been raining on and off all afternoon. The wood was wet. So were my hands, but not because of the precipitation; they were wet with anxiety-induced sweat.

There I was standing atop the Barracuda ladder drop at Keystone Mountain Resort’s Bike Park in Colorado that Giant’s global marketing manager, Andrew Juskaitis, had just launched himself off.

It had to be more than 15 feet from wooden lip to technical rocky landing, I thought to myself as my stomach turned.

With that I turned around to walk out onto the smaller Piranha ladder drop. It was billed as “novice level” when it comes to freeride features, barely a bunny hop when assessed by a true gravity enthusiast. This specific man-made feature is just chest high, but presents roughly 7 feet of hang time from lip to landing.

I wanted to ride it, but I wasn’t sure.

My internal dialogue went something like this: “Ok, you can do this. You’ve got this. You’re on a bike that’s built to take double, triple, quadruple the drop. OK, this is it. Dropping. Can’t see the landing – ahhh – keep the momentum going; don’t want to get hung up on the lip. OH S-IT! MADE IT, WOO HOO!”

I was at the Keystone Bike Park riding with Juskaitis in conjunction with Giant Bicycle’s 2010 bike launch. After the Giant staffs’ presentation and lunch we headed to the hill with three of the brand’s top-tier, long-travel platforms for next year: Reign X 0, a 6.7-inch travel, all-mountain machine; Faith 0 and Glory 0.

I ended up on both Reign X and Faith 0 with a group of like-minded riders whose skills kept everyone pretty much evenly matched when bombing Keystone’s black diamond trails. After a run on Reign X, I opted for the added confidence Faith offered. That’s when I progressed to the point of dropping off the Piranha.

It was my leap of faith on Giant’s Faith. It was my personal progression.

Weighty Issues

Giant’s 2010 long-travel models have progressed too. The brand seems to have taken its own leap of faith. Previously Giant admittedly overbuilt its bikes, especially its long-travel models. Like I was afraid of getting hurt on Piranha and second-guessed my skills, Giant seemed to be afraid of failures and maybe not as confident as it should be in its engineering and manufacturing.

Its Maestro suspension system is world class, but it’s the weight of its freeride and downhill bikes that held it back in previous years when compared to its competition.

Giant enters 2010 full of confidence in its engineering and with a line that has progressed to compete with any bike, in any category. Here’s what the brand has lined up for your shop this fall.

All of Giant’s long-travel models – Reign X, Faith and Glory DH – now utilize a Co-Pivot, which is a proven way to save weight and reduce complexity of the frame by combining the main, lower pivot with the shock mount. The design has previously been used on the brand’s short to medium travel bikes.

Reign X 0: 6.7 inches of travel that can go up, as well as down
Previous examples of Giant’s Reign were heavy, so naturally more biased toward the down part of the all-mountain equation. The new 2010 model is much more balanced and should help shed the stigma of “down only.” Giant pared 675-grams from the Reign X chassis (frame, paint, shock and all the requisite hardware), bringing it to just 3,100-grams. This improvement is featured across all Reign X models. A complete medium sized Reign X 0 (the top model) weighs just 30.2-pounds. Reign’s new weight is upwards of 20-percent less than this year’s model. Almost more impressively, Giant achieves the X 0′s weight without slipping in any sort of cross-country equipment that would reduce its all-mountain capabilities.

Giant smartly saves weight from the Reign platform through engineering and design. Besides its new Co-Pivot, the frame boasts fluid forming throughout its tubeset including the seat and chainstays and a new tapered head tube, which bolsters stiffness without adding weight. All of the tube forming and re-engineering that’s gone into the frame has not just reduced the weight; Giant claims that the frame’s stiffness has increased by 5-percent. Add a first in the industry Maxle Lite rear axle and a tapered steerer tube to match the new head tube and the gains are noticeable on the trail. The geometry remains the same with a 67-degree head angle; 440mm rear center and -13mm of bottom bracket drop. Besides the big changes Reign X gets new, more streamlined cable routing and bosses for an adjustable seatpost.

Faith Returns: Quality travel, not quantity

The Faith 0 sports 7 inches of travel for 2010. Giant says the goal was to make sure it adhered to the adage "quality over quantity." Photo by Matt Pacocha

Giant’s Faith freeride bike returns after a yearlong absence from the line. The return restates the brand’s commitment to the category. The 2010 Faith line is clearly and specifically designed for bike parks and freeride with less travel and refined, now adjustable, geometry.

Like all of the bikes in Giant’s 2010 line the new Faith loses considerable weight. The Faith chassis is claimed to be 1100-grams lighter than the 2009 version, bringing a complete medium Faith 0 to just 36.8-pounds without pedals. Much of the weight was lost through the use of the Co-Pivot. Additional weight is lost through a lighter more refined fluid formed tubeset. The OverDrive tapered headtube takes Giant’s fluid forming technologies to their limits, according to Kevin Dana, Giant’s global mountain bike category manager.

Despite its new diet, the Faith frame’s stiffness is 7-percent higher than last year’s model.

Along with the loss of weight, Faith drops from 8 inches of travel to 7-inches. Giant claims that the extra inch is unnecessary because it values the quality of the usable travel that the Maestro design offers over just having lots of travel.

After testing, Giant determined that the bike doesn’t need 8-inches of travel for its intended usage. Less travel keeps the wheelbase tighter and preserves a more balanced feel from front to rear. Notably, Faith is available and ships from the factory with two sets of dropouts: The tighter set offers a 442mm rear center (chainstay length) and a longer set that pushes the chainstays out to the same 445mm length as the 8-inch travel Glory gravity racer. Changing the dropouts also modifies the head angle by half a degree and lowers the bottom bracket by 6mm.

Glory goal: To be the fastest down the mountain

While not cheap, the Glory 0's $5,350 price tag gets a bike that can legitimately win a World Cup out of the box. Photo by Matt Pacocha

“Let’s be honest, the old bike was a beast,” said Dana. “It was a tank, that’s absolutely the truth, but it rode great. We had the privateer bike. We had a bike that preformed so well in high-speed, off-road conditions [that] if a guy lost a sponsor he got a Glory. Up-and-coming guys got a Glory; they’re everywhere.”

The first goal to make the Glory better, Dana said, was a no-brainer.

“Let’s take some weight out of it,” he said

Nearly two years and four prototypes later, Giant finished the new Glory. And when Dana pulled his first full-blown production sample out of its box it weighed just under 38-pounds (Glory 0, medium, no pedals), making it lighter than Jared Rando’s Glory team bike.

In the end, the 2010 bike is 26.8-percent lighter than this year’s bike, a figure that results from carving 1500-grams (3.3-pounds) out of the chassis.  Glory’s new weight will surely make competitors shake in their sticky-soled shoes.

The Aluxx SL aluminum frame features fluid-formed top and down tubes and new forged upper rocker links. Like all of Giant’s long-travel bikes that have lost massive amounts of weight, Glory can attribute a majority of the savings to the Co-Pivot design.

Like Faith, Glory relies on convertible dropouts that can accommodate standard thru-axle, Shimano Saint and SRAM Maxle rear axles. Besides the massive weight loss, Giant streamlined the details of the chassis including the pivot bearings, which are now covered and a re-routing of the bike’s cables. Glory was also one of the first bikes on the market to have a tapered headtube (1.125- to 1.5-inch) and it continues using this technology.

Glory still may be the best privateer bike, but now it is without the exception of its weight. The only caveat is if the new massively lighter frame holds up as well as the old battle “tank,” which is a notoriously sturdy bike.

Has Giant Crossed its Finish Line?

Giant’s 2010 long travel-line is absolutely progressive. The once reserved Taiwanese manufacturer has made serious headway in its goal to produce the most competitive line of gravity bikes it can. In the past, its fear of failure may have held it back, but clearly it has taken its own leap of faith for 2010.

The question becomes where is Giant’s limit? Can you add 20-percent-plus performance every year or is 2011 going to be more reserved?

“Refinement is a huge part of what we do every year,” Dana said. “But to get the massive types of weight losses [again] would certainly be a huge, huge engineering challenge. We’re not here to hang our hat on building the lightest bike or the stiffest bike – [those] are one-dimensional things – we’re here to deliver the all-round best riding bikes.”

As with Giant’s short-travel, full-suspension bikes one thing is for certain: 2010 is an exciting year for Giant Bicycles and anyone looking for a new ride would be remiss not to take one of its bikes out for comparison.

The Anthem X Advanced SL is race ready out of the box and it should be for $7,800.

You’ve seen it, we’ve reported on it and everyone expected it to eventually be offered for sale and now it’s finally official: Adam Craig’s Anthem X Advanced SL carbon racer will be included in Giant’s 2010 mountain bike line.

The new World Cup-worthy full-suspension carbon race bike will be accompanied by a ground-up redesign of the Trance composite platform, which was absent from the line in 2009, but will be offered again in 2010 as the Trance X Advanced SL.

Anthem X Advanced SL

Last year Craig won mountain bike nationals on the aluminum Anthem X before it was available to consumers. At that point, he was already helping Giant product managers and engineers define the design criteria for the composite version.

Craig first jumped on a prototype eight months ago. Since then, Giant produced four prototypes of the 4-inch travel bike. While the Maestro suspension system and geometry carries over from the aluminum model, the bike’s design details differ and the bike is lighter. Despite his relaxed demeanor, Craig is still a World Cup cross-country racer and that means shaving weight is important, although not to the point that it adversely affects performance.

“It’s a cross-country race bike thing; people weigh these things in grams,” said Craig. “Still (it has to) be a mountain bike. We actually had the first version of the ‘totally awesome’ prototype (the code name dubbed by Craig and Giant category manager, Kevin Dana) under 2000 grams, but it wasn’t quite as solid as we needed. It’s cool that it was light – I can’t believe that I’m saying this – but (I told him) maybe we should make it a little more stout so that you can actually go for a mountain bike ride on it.”

The final production version of the frame weighs 2,100 grams, 200 grams less than the alloy Anthem X. More importantly the frame’s stiffness increases by five percent, meaning that it meets Craig’s requirement that it also ride like “a real mountain bike.”

The Anthem X Advanced SL relies on the same geometry and Maestro suspension system as the alloy version, but the carbon bike borrows the OverDrive tapered 1.125- to 1.5-inch head tube and MegaDrive oversized rectangular down tube from the TCR Advanced SL ProTour road bike. Both features are modified for off-road use through design and carbon layup.

The bottom bracket and chainstay area of the new bike also underwent revision to accommodate SRAM-Truvativ’s narrowest 156mm Q-factor XX crank, by way of a 68mm threaded bottom bracket shell. The 2010 Anthem X Advanced SL0 comes equipped with SRAM’s XX component group, including a custom XX SID suspension fork with a tapered alloy steerer tube (that boasts a 25-percent stiffness gain over the standard 1.125-inch model), custom finished Mavic Crossmax SLR wheels and a custom tuned Fox Float RP23 shock.

Giant also used the opportunity to launch a new line of cockpit components with its 2010 bikes. The Anthem X Advanced is equipped with the brand’s Contact SLR carbon stem, handlebar and seat post. According to Giant, a medium Anthem X Advanced SL0 weighs just 21.8 pounds, without pedals. The suggested retail price of the bike is $7,800.

Trance X Advanced SL

“You can imagine with my role as global category manager for Giant, I have a lot of bikes at my disposal,” said Kevin Dana, Giant mountain bike category manager. “I’ve got everything, but when people ask me, ‘what’s the one bike you ride when you’re not developing or working on something new?’ That bike is Trance X, every time, without question; I built the bike that I ride.”

The new Trance X Advanced SL sports 5-inches of travel, while posting a claimed cross-country race weight of 24.5lbs.

Dana’s main goal in designing the Trance X Advanced SL, which sports five inches of travel, was to drop weight off the platform without compromising the bike’s on-the-trail capabilities. The stiffness and weight statistics Giant claims for the new chassis lead one to believe that he achieved his goals; the new bike is more than 15 percent lighter and seven percent stiffer than the 2009 alloy model.

The new chassis weighs 2250 grams, 400 grams less than the alloy version, in a size medium with its shock, paint, clear coat and all of its hardware.

Like the new Anthem X, the Trance X Advanced SL utilizes Giant’s OverDrive 1.125- to 1.5-inch head tube mated with a matching tapered steerer on its Fox suspension fork and MegaDrive downtube. Giant did shorten head tube heights on the large and extra large sizes by 5mm and 15mm, respectively, based on rider feedback.
Otherwise, the Trance X geometry remains trail worthy with a 69.5-degree head tube angle, 73.5-degree seat tube angle and 435mm rear center (chainstay).

The big story associated to Trance X Advanced SL is uncompromised trail performance, something that seems to be reflected in its component spec. The bike comes in trail-worthy dress including notables, like: Fox’s 32 Talus RLC fork, Mavic Crossmax ST trail wheelset and 2.1-inch Kenda Nevegal tires. With these proven, trail worthy components Trance X Advanced SL 0 tips the scale at a claimed 24.5-pounds. Giant hangs a price tag of $6,800 on its flagship trail bike.

The Trestle Bike Park is the home of Crankworx, Colorado, a four-day mountain bike event with everything from cross-country to freeride.

As soon as you reach the edge of town, where US 40 turns into more of a main street than a highway, signs proclaim Winter Park, Colorado, “Mountain Bike Capital USA.”

With more than 600-miles of well-marked and mapped mountain bike trails providing plenty of off-road challenge for even the fittest mountain bike riders, that claim may indeed be true.

Maybe the best part of riding in Winter Park is that once you pull into town you won’t need a car to access the majority of its trails.

First thing, pick up the chamber of commerce’s Guest Guide Publications Mountain Bike & Trail Guide Lite. It’s the perfect companion for a visiting singletrack fiend. It even has suggested ride routes that link loops on the mapped trails.

A four- to five-inch full-suspension bike is the ideal weapon for the rocky and root-filled trails around Winter Park and the adjacent Fraser Valley. More travel might be overkill, based on the amount of climbing to be had and the intermediate roughness of the majority of the trails. Also consider that you can cover up to 30 miles during each day’s outing, if desired.

The Tipperary Creek race course is a must do for the cross-country enthusiast and a perfect taste of what riding in the high country of Colorado is all about. The almost 26-mile course links the alpine meadows found on the Tipperary Creek Trail with local singletrack favorites like Flume, D2 and WTB. Be prepared for a hardy day in the saddle as the route encompasses over 4,000-feet of climbing.

After a couple days riding the cross-country trails crisscrossing Winter Park and Fraser Valley, you might head up to the Trestle Bike Park at Winter Park Resort to give your pedaling legs a rest and broaden your lift-served freeride horizons. The Trestle Bike Park is the host of Crankworx Colorado and quickly gaining clout as a destination bike park.

The Trestle staff is hard at work building new trails and at the beginning of the 2009 season the park boasted 32 miles of downhill trail with 150 terrain features served by two lifts. For those just dabbling in lift-served riding, equipment rentals, lessons and clinics are readily available at the mountain.

The out-of-town racer should check out the Winter Park Race Series found at epicsingletrack.com. What better way to test your mettle than to race on the valley’s singletrack?

Keep in mind that you’ll be riding at high elevations in a dry climate with the possibility of fast-moving afternoon storms, so sunscreen, rain gear and attention to proper hydration are paramount to making sure your rides are enjoyable.

If you go: Winter Park, Colorado

Must Do Trail: Tipperary Creek

Bike Shop: Totally Wired, 543 Zerex, Fraser

 Map: Guest Guide Publications Mountain Bike & Trail Guide Lite -found free all over town

Java: Rocky Mountain Roasters, 78723 US 40

Fuel: Breakfast: Carver’s, 93 Cooper Creek Way; Dinner: Tabernash Tavern, US 40 Tabernash, Colorado

Pizza: Hernandos, US 40

Tacos: Mirasol, 78415 Park Place, US 40

 Aprés Ride: Cheeky Monk, 130 Parry Peak Way

 Riding Season: mid-June through October

 Getting There: From Denver west on I-70 to US 40 over Berthoud Pass.

 Lodging/Camping: Idlewild Campground, 1 mile south of Winter Park Resort on US 40

Alternative Activity: Winter Park Alpine Slide and activities; Hot Sulphur Springs

Tech Tip: Winter Park’s trails are comprised of good organic dirt and decomposed granite, it can get muddy, but the trails drain well; a moderately aggressive all-conditions tire is recommended.

Web: winterparkguide.com

The elite men’s podium, for example, looked like this: First place: Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski, Gary Fisher SuperFly 29er; Second place: Adam Craig, Giant Anthem X Advanced full suspension; Third: Sam Schultz, Gary Fisher SuperFly 29er; Fourth: Jeremiah Bishop, Cannondale Scalpel full suspension; Fifth: Jay Henry, Gary Fisher SuperFly 29er.

Sixth place did go to a traditional 26-inch hardtail (Andy Shultz, Tomac Type X), but seventh, eighth, and tenth places all went to 29ers or full suspension bikes. In fact Kona’s Barry Wicks took tenth place on Kona’s Hei Hei 2-9 Deluxe, a 29-inch full suspension bike.

So is the 26-inch hardtail dead? It sure looks that way on the domestic circuit. But why? The simple answer is technology. There are two distinct areas where technology has made breakthroughs: Suspension performance and efficiency and weight reduction.

Full suspension technology and cross-country racing has a bumpy history. Racers are always searching for speed (whether perceived or real) and when you’re bobbing around in your saddle or bogging down on climbs, it’s not perceived to be (nor is it) efficient.

While it took a bit of patience on the part of the World Cup-caliber racer, suspension technology is finally to a point where it is truly more efficient than a rigid hardtail. We know this because we carried out our own study here at VeloNews(A Racer’s Edge, VeloNews July 2009) and proved — to ourselves and hopefully others — that a full-suspension bike is faster than a traditional hardtail propelled with the same wattage.

And there’s another example that signifies that full-suspension bikes have come of age for cross-country racing: It’s the simple fact that the sport’s top World Cup contending professionals are racing them. Racers including Sauser, Craig, Paulison, Näf and others are all turning up at the races on full-suspension bikes, and it’s a phenomenon that’s becoming the norm rather than the exception.

Some of the latest suspension technology has come from true breakthroughs. The best breakthrough example may be the research and development done by Fox and Specialized to invent the inertia lockout that was first found on Fox’s TerraLogic forks and now Specialized’s BrainFade-equipped full suspension bikes and Future Shock suspension forks. So a racer like Specialized’s Todd Wells can compete in an entire cross-country race without having to flip, or think about flipping, a lockout lever.

Other technological developments come from the simple mantra these companies have — lighter, stiffer, more efficient — to legitimately improve their products. Examples are aplenty here. Every suspension company is working to make the next year’s product lighter and perform better. Fox has a new FIT damper in its 2010 forks that knocks considerable weight out, while making the forks even plusher and more adjustable. RockShox is bringing back a carbon crown on its benchmark SID fork next year, plus it introduced the industry’s first handlebar-mounted hydraulic lockout called X-Loc, as part of the new SRAM XX group. The lockout adds less than 20-grams to its forks.

Not more than a year or two ago, it was a challenge to reduce a 26-inch wheeled hardtail’s weight to the 20-pound mark. Metal bikes all seemed to hover around the 21-pound mark and full suspension bikes all posted up in the 24- to 26-pound range. Back then, you could see the carbon revolution coming, but now it’s truly here. Today’s carbon technology allows manufacturers to build 20-pound full suspension bikes, sub-20-pound 29ers and 26-inch hardtails that, amazingly, hover in the 16- to 18-pound range.

Now technology lets racers choose the benefits of a specific bike platform (29er, full suspension) without any real drawback. Take newly crowned national cross-country champion Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski who rides for Subaru-Gary Fisher. He’s whole heartedly thrown himself into the 29-inch wheel revolution, as has his sponsor, but it’s only now, since Fisher figured out how to build him a super light big wheeled bike with light wheels and tires, that he has advantage over those on light 26-inch hardtails.

The big wheels likely kept him safe on the national course’s treacherous downhill because of a better ability to keep a rider centered and rolling over obstacles on the steeps. Another technological advantage JHK had were his prototype 400-gram tires. Slow acceleration plagues 29ers because of their heavier rotating weight, but when you minimize those penalties, as Bontrager has with its carbon wheels and prototype tires, then the penalty can be justified for the advantage.

Another good technology-driven example are the choices available to Specialized rider Todd Wells. We saw him riding on a 29-inch wheeled bike for most of the early season domestic races and he was planning on racing his big-wheeled bike at nationals, until he saw the course. Knowing that he has a full suspension S-Works Epic that weighs around 20 pounds, just about the same as the 29er, he realized that the rough, straight-up, straight-down course better suited the full-suspension Epic. It was seemingly the right choice. Had the course been a roller coaster like Sea Otter, the big wheels would likely have been the superior choice.

Finally there’s racers like Giant’s Adam Craig, who have ‘gotten it’ for a long time — ‘it’ being the benefits of suspension. He’d be apt to tell you how not sweet it would be to ride a dirt bike, super moto motorcycle or race a rally car without suspension. Knowing this, he would then ask you why the heck would you want to race a mountain bike without suspension.

For Craig, it has been more of a matter of patience with his sponsors during the product creation process, while doing everything he can to help them develop the fastest full-suspension bike he can have to race. Unlike many of his peers, he wants to race a suspension bike. It has just been a matter of making one work, then making it lighter so that he can compete with all the racers who haven’t gotten it yet.

Is the 26-inch hardtail dead? Yes, I think so. Of course, you’ll continue to see the traditionalists and Europeans using them. And you’ll also some of the world’s most talented riders, like Orbea’s Julien Absalon, on them. But I would suspect that if these racers aren’t careful they’ll eventually be caught out. Maybe then, if the manufacturers can keep the steep technological development curve going, it’ll mean our U.S. racers who are willing to accept 29-inch wheels and full suspension will have the upper hand they need to win some big races.