The fork division of DT Swiss has its roots in the UK, through Pace cycles whose RC series was one of the earliest suspension forks and was notable on the bike of former world champion Christoph Sauser among others. Known for their fantastic performance but less than fantastic quality control, DT Swiss stepped in and solved the problem immediately. Slowly but surely the company redesigned the line, using the Scott Swiss Power team and also the Merida squad as a test bench and winning quite a lot along the way.

The XMM range stands for Cross Mountain Magnesium and the fork featured here is the new XMM 100 29er. Developed in conjunction with 2011 world champion José Antonio Hermida Ramos and Florian Vogel the pedigree is evident with top notch design and features.

First up, as is standard now across most manufacturers, the fork comes in a variety of options – carbon or aluminum steerer, tapered and standard steerer tube and 9mm or 15mm thru axles. I tested the aluminum tapered 15mm thru axle version. Lines are smooth and ooze quality with nice little features such as the reverse brake arch.

However this is not just a visual feature. DT Swiss developed a honeycomb type interior to the arch and added a clever cap that adds yet more stiffness called the ‘torsion box’. It certainly seems to work, the fork is super stiff, both under side loading in corners and sprints. The tapered head tube and 15mm thru axle undoubtedly helped, but it is stiffer than most forks we have tested. The axle works on a ratchet system rather than the traditional quick release. It is not quite as quick to remove as, say, a Rockshox or in particular a Fox 15mm QR but it is secure and easy to get to the correct tension. In fact DT Swiss doesn’t refer to it as a quick release, rather as a thru axle, yet it is still relatively easy to remove.

DT Swiss utilise their ABS (Auto Balancing Spring) system for air damping. Two air chambers are self-regulating: you inflate the positive air chamber and it self-balances with the negative chamber. The suspension seemed a little harsh at the recommended pressures but under-inflating it slightly really helped. Overall I would say the suspension is more cross country orientated than the ‘cross mountain’ label, but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Compression and rebound adjusters are located on the top of the right leg and are easy and quick to use, even when wearing gloves. Having both in the same place and within reach makes them easy to tune on the fly, making you more likely to set them up properly, something I definitely appreciated when playing around with the settings.

There are two damping options available called Single shot or Twin shot. Single shot is simple, locked out or fully on but the one to get is the Twin shot. This adds a climbing mode in the middle where the forks compress to about 80mm, dropping the front end and almost locking out the fork (there is still a little bit of movement). This is fantastic on the hills getting you down over the front wheel and giving you the perfect climbing position. You get the benefits of 80mm geometry but with 100 mm travel at the flick of the remote.

Speaking of which, the lever is a work of art too. The on/off and middle climbing settings were easy to adjust and a positive click in the middle means the climbing mode is easy to find. I would have preferred the climbing mode to be the final click but this is a small thing. Minimalist is the name of the game for the remote and it fits really well between shifter and brake to keep an ergonomic and clean cockpit. While it is the neatest system I have used (with the possible exception of the Fox remote) unfortunately the cable is pretty exposed to the elements at either end. On the flip side it is easily and quickly replaced. In dry conditions this would not be an issue at all, possibly a consequence of testing it in the middle of winter.

Weight wise it is pretty good by lightweight 29er fork standards. The 9mm, twin shot, tapered fork weighs 1538 grams, the 15mm one (same spec) is 1748 grams. By comparison, Rockshox’s top end SID XX 29er fork comes in at 1700 grams and a Fox F-29 Terralogic is about 1860 grams.

Overall this is a classy fork. Smooth suspension, great design and the Twin shot damping cartridge combine to make a great package. The climbing mode really is of benefit and differentiates this fork from the competition. It is easy to see why Scott bikes are specing it on it top level Scott Scale 29er. Best for the cross country racer this one!

Elwood: It’s 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas,
half a pack of cigarettes, it’s dark… and we’re wearing sunglasses.
Jake: Hit it.
-The Blues Brothers

January is coming to a close and the first 2012 ProXCT and World Cup races are just around the corner. It’s a perfect time to take stock of the situation before the season starts.

Sadly, my immediate inventory focuses on a head cold, the couch and a lot of reality TV about tattoo competitions and motorcycles. The winter training rides got the best of me this week, and basically, I’ve been reduced to a Grump-apotomus asking herself how broke you have to be to get tattooed by a total stranger on a time crunch. You know that game will end in tears for someone.

But zooming out…this year is looking to be a crazy ride.

For 2012, I’ll be racing for the Crankbrothers Race Club. Chloe Woodruff (formerly Forsman) and I will be teaming up to race Ibis Tranny hardtails, with SRAM 2×10 setups, X-Fusion suspension, Formula brakes and Crankbrothers components. The guiding aesthetic is classic race car, which rocks. (Race stripes aren’t just fast, they’re oh-so flattering.) While I’m stoked on the new gig, it’s with fond memories that I’ll be leaving Kenda/Felt. I made friends with some very cool people on that program and it was nice to be sent off with warm wishes from my sponsors and team.

Change in program

The Race Club emphasis isn’t just on racing. Crankbrothers has got a vision to create community as well as stellar product, so there will be a lot to see and do, fo’ sho’. I like stepping into the new and unknown so I’m looking forward to this. Additionally, the move will help me chase my biggest goal of the season — and possibly my life: The Olympics.

In December, I was announced to the 2012 Olympic long team. The long team is the group of nine women from which USA Cycling will choose the two female riders to represent the USA in London in August.

In quick summary, the riders will be decided based upon performances at the first four World Cup races, UCI points and/or podium potential in London.

See, it’s not that you’ve just got to knock it out of the park at these races, you’ve got to get to the races in the first place. I’ve charted out a spreadsheet on flights, lodging and the etceteras to travel to South Africa and Europe. Add those trips with a good amount of domestic races in between — and it tallies up to a metric monkey ton of money.

Even with the incredible support of my new team, the budget isn’t without limits. Additionally, I read Pua Mata’s story about racing in Europe to earn UCI points. She ran into enough unexpected expenses that they had to abort the mission early. What’s cool is Chloe is also on the long team so it’s good we get to join forces to share the adventure and expenses. Still, pocket books and training aren’t the only element to this venture — there’s the mental prep.

Reality vs fantasy

I’ll admit it, below this steely exterior and intimidating 5’2” stature; there exists a nagging question or two. Am I crazy? I know what I’m up against. What if I fail? And, about how much of fool can I make of myself? (Just a rough estimate, please.) Keeping a positive focus is going to be key, but I’m not a total machine (maybe 50% dance machine). It’s a whole new ball game having this goal step out of fantasy and into the realm of possibly, no matter how remote that possibility may be. Fantasy is safe, “out there,” nice, sweet and off in “someday land.” Reality is now, in your face, pushy at times and asking you “What are you going to do about it?” It forces a new level of digging deep.

What to do, what to do

So what do you do when you’re told you’ve got a shot at a lifelong dream? (Yep, practically lifelong; I wrote stories about competing in the Olympics when I was 10.)

You go for it — one step at a time. Talking with other riders who have made efforts to race abroad, conversation on “pulling the plug” comes up matter of factly and often. It’s what you do when the money runs out or injuries stack up. But up till then, you go for it and don’t doubt it. Take a big step out, gooseneck around to assess the situation. And then take that next step. Because who wants to be on the other side of their dream and think that they didn’t even take a shot at it?

It’s crazy to think about the possibilities and adventure 2012 holds. My picture of what it’d be like to go to the Olympics was way different when I was little. But then again, when is anything like what you planned? I know I’m not the only person who looks back at where they’ve been on a bike and thinks ‘this contraption has taken me to some places I never imagined.’ So let’s just see where this goes.

Hit it.

Race results

Riders started the day with the Zeehan Spray Tunnel time trial. Paul van der Ploeg finished 33 seconds behind the winner, Plaxton. Sid Taberlay came in third.

The afternoon saw the same cast of characters battle it out for the stage win. New South Wales rider Josh Carlson broke away on the steep climb, Trial Harbour, but Taberlay and van der Ploeg caught the Australian early. The group allowed Plaxton to break away and win with a 20-second lead on Taberlay. Van der Ploeg came in third.

Taberlay is in the overall lead, with van der Ploeg in second and Plaxton third.

King finished the afternoon stage three minutes ahead of Jessica Douglas, leaving the women still in first and second overall.

Michael Brill is the overall singlespeed leader.

Ian Smith, chief mechanic to the participants of this year’s Pure Tasmania Wildside, talks to Singletrack.com about the most commonly encountered mechanical problems, the challenges in servicing an eclectic mix of bikes and group sets, and the differences in requirements between the amateur and pro rider.

Race results

Race report

Plaxton talks to Singletrack.com about his time in Tasmania where his parents now live; the misconception that he has already qualified for the London Games; what he needs to do to qualify; based on his likely selection, his preparation heading towards London; the Olympic mountain bike course itself; and what he needs to do to match the likes of Julien Absalon, Nino Schurter and 2011 world MTB champ, Jaroslav Kulhavy.

Race results

The 25km race begins on the Bagwaji/Adventure Loop, a challenging section of nordic trails that you could only experience under your tire during the race. The race is open to standard mountain bikes, also.

Then head into some quick descents before finishing in Marquette. The course drops several hundred feet in this second section.

The race finishes at the Superior Dome, or Yooper Dome, at Northern Michigan University. It was built to be the world’s largest wooden dome, though the 2010 Book of World Records listed it fifth.

The three-day festival will also feature nordic ski races, snowshoe races and a skijor category. More information can be found on the race website.

As of Friday, the race director’s snow report read: “I am happy to report to you that we were able to mitigate the slush on Deer Lake. Most of the lake crossing is very good, although there will be some icy sections. We have also managed to cut off half of the road section on North Basin Drive. There will be about 120 yards left that will be on thin snow cover (instead of 200+ yards normally). There is a 150 yard section in Granite Pointe that is going to be a little narrower than normal, due to a construction project. The rest of the trail on into the dome should be in excellent shape. We are supposed to have warm weather today, but temps starting to drop on Saturday morning throughout the day. We expect to get about an inch of new snow Saturday morning before the race with temperatures in the 20s for most of race day. Travel safe.”

Learn about upcoming snow-bike events: Snow-Bike Races: The Long and Short of It

Held in what is affectionately known as Australia’s ‘Apple Isle,’ the four-day event starts at the World Heritage-listed Cradle Mountain and finishes at Strahan Village, located on Tasmania’s pristine west coast. This year, the race has attracted riders from all states and territories in Australia as well as overseas, with representation from Switzerland, Columbia, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand, Thailand, Singapore and the United Kingdom.

The men’s elite field is one of the strongest in the event’s 10-year history, with early favorite and four-time winner, Sid Taberlay, back for another crack. The only rider to have ridden every Wildside since its inception, Taberlay last won the race in 2005 and is keen to prove he still has what it takes, and will use the race as an important test of form in his quest for Olympic selection.

His greatest adversary is undoubtedly Canadian Max Plaxton, who won the 2011 NORBA series and in doing so, earned selection for the London Games. Snapping at their heels will be a trio of Australian riders from the state of Victoria: 2010 Wildside champion, Daniel McConnell, under-23 national champion Paul van der Ploeg, and 2008 Wildside winner, Adrian Jackson.

Riders compete in seven competition stages linked by six ‘cruising’ (non-timed, transitional) stages; in short, a continuous and visually spectacular journey of over 200 kilometers that will challenge the skill and endurance of every participant.

Stage 1 gallery

The Stages

• Day 1 – January 28: Cradle Valley to Tullah, 70km Results
  • Competition stages (2) – 38km
  • Cruising stages (3) – 32km
• Day 2 – January 29: Tullah to Zeehan, 64km
  • Competition stages (2) – 52km
  • Cruising stages (2) – 12km
• Day 3 – January 30: Zeehan to Granville Harbour, 43km
  • Competition stages (2) – 28km
  • Cruising stages (1) – 15km
• Day 4 – January 31: Strahan to Strahan, 36km
  • Competition stages (1) – 36km

Event website: www.wildsidemtb.com

They were available nationwide from January 2008 to July of 2011. Owners of the bar should discontinue using them immediately. There is a possibility that they can break causing injury to the rider. The recalled aluminum bars have “NITTO” and “B259” printed at the barends. Approximately 2,000 units were sold in the United States and 70 in Canada.

Consumers who own the recalled bars should contact Euro-Asia to receive free replacement handlebars. They can be reached at (888) 662-1814 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Pacific Time, Monday through Friday, or visit the company’s website at www.euroasiaimports.com.

It was February of 2011 and living in the mountains of Colorado, I hadn’t seen a dry patch of dirt or a temperature above 15 degrees in months.

When I arrived in St. George, Utah for a mini-training camp and found myself surrounded by the classic desert landscape of red rocks, sand, and warm temperatures, I wondered why St. George had never been on my radar before for a wintertime riding destination.

My theory is that St. George has remained hidden because of the lack of a large race or event in the area. If so, that is about to change as the True Grit 50/100 links together 50 miles of some of the best trails in the St. George area and was greeted with excellent reviews in its inaugural year in 2011.

With a stern warning on the website to pre-ride at least two of the trails on the course because of technical sections, the race definitely showcases some of the classics in the area.

Located in the middle of Dixie County in the far southwest corner of Utah, St. George lacks the small-town feel that has made other destinations, such as Moab and Fruita popular. But what it lacks in tourist attractions, it makes up for in quality and quantity of trails a stone-throw from city limits and a wide variety of amenities not found in the smaller towns.

The Velo tech crew of Nick Legan, Caley Fretz and Lennard Zinn profiled over 80 bikes for the 2012 Buyer’s Guide, from dream road bikes to trail mountain bikes, including six “Horses for Courses” to help you choose the right steed for your upcoming event.

They also weighed in on the latest trends in the cycling industry — bottom bracket standards, electronic shifting, wide rims and aero clothing. Not all were given the thumbs up. Volagi’s Liscio, however, was dubbed “the bike of the future,” and held up as a fine example of where bikes are headed.

Seven of the sport’s architects are profiled in a special “Creators” section, featuring the men who first brought you aero bars, carbon fiber frames, 29er wheels and much more.

Also inside: Nick Legan has a chat with the founder/owner of Quality Bicycle Products, the largest bike and parts distributor in the cycling industry; Lennard Zinn visits the factory of the world’s toughest chain; and Caley Fretz gives a peak inside the job of a tech writer with his At The Back column, “Unattainable Perfection.”

The kicker is that I use that big/big (32/36 in my case) gear a lot, and I’m not sure having it stretched tight for extended periods is really efficient, or good for the drivetrain.  With the four extra links, it looks about right, and that’s still six pins less than I had before, so the chain is still plenty tight.  What do you think now that you’ve used yours for a while?
― Steve

Dear Steve,
Cross-chaining always is harder on a chain, regardless of its length, and, even though you’re using rings in essentially the middle and inner positions, there is still plenty of cross chaining going on.

People often think that they can use all of the cogs from the middle chainring, and that chainline is not an issue. While on most modern mountain bikes you can use the full range from the middle ring, if you look at the chain line, you will see that there is a lot of chain angle at both extremes of the cogset.

Making the chain angle off as soon as it leaves the chainring or the cog wears the joints quickly, and it is the wear in the joints that causes a chain to “stretch.” It becomes longer simply because the joints become looser. So the cost of using your big-big a lot is increased chain wear and decreased intervals between chain replacement.

I personally do the same and feel the convenience of using the big-big combination is worth having to replace the chain more frequently.

You can get more chain life by running a straight chainline only, making sure that you only use the two gears that give you a chainline parallel to the frame, but what’s the point? The best way to have your chain last forever is to not ride the bike. If instead you choose to ride it because it’s good for your body and for your soul, why not extract all of the benefit it offers you?

The system is designed so that you can ride smoothly in that gear, so it’s a great gear to use.

As for extending the rear derailleur out by using a shorter rather than a longer chain, I’m sure that it does wear the spring in the lower knuckle faster, and it probably wears the jockey wheels faster as well.

On the other hand, the shorter chain reduces chain slap and potential for losing the chain on a bouncy descent when you’re in the inner chainring. If you have no problems with using a longer chain, it does reduce friction in the drivetrain (you can feel it when you spin the cranks backwards), so go ahead and experiment.

Putting links in, of course, is not recommended with today’s narrow 10-speed and 9-speed chains. You’re asking for a broken chain that way, so you might want to wait until your next chain before trying a longer one.

Just make sure you have a good chain checker (I recommend the ProLink, the Rohloff, or the digital Feedback) and use it frequently. You don’t want to fry your cogs and chainrings by letting your chain get too long from having fun in that big-big gear combo.
― Lennard

My Fitness Pal

The idea of calorie counting is nothing new but who wants to go keeping a diary laboriously by hand when you can scan in everything you eat with your phone’s built in camera? My Fitness Pal uses a quick questionnaire to give you a suggested daily calorie intake. Everything you eat goes into the daily diary.

Many items can simply be scanned into the phone (using the camera as a bar code scanner), entered by hand or you can search a database to add foods. It doesn’t only count calories though, the app also catalogues your carbohydrate, fibre, protein, fat (saturated, trans etc) and mineral intake to give you more of a balanced understanding of what you are actually consuming.

This app is fantastic for teaching you the importance of what you put in your mouth. You would be amazed at how crucial portion control is. After using this I weigh my muesli, pasta etc daily and I am a lot more aware of what goes on my plate. Lighter you means less mass to haul around on your bike. Not much point having a super light weight bike if you can’t match it.

Exercise can be traded off against calories burned with a whole host of activities to choose from. Rock climbing is even listed with an associated calorie burn per hour. Incidentally this can either be estimated by the app or input manually if you use a heart rate monitor when training.

The first thing to realize is that low calorie foods do not equal the best foods to eat, so it is not an exact science. But, on the flip side you will quickly see that certain brands or types of food stuffs are better than others and, most importantly, how portion control can make a huge difference.

As someone with a sweet tooth, this has been invaluable to me in learning how much I can and should eat of something. Seriously, 2-3 chocolates are often as much as a big bowl of pasta!

Cost: Free from the Apple app store and the Android marketplace.

The growth is backed up with an abundance of trails, ranging from forested singletrack just outside of town to the slickrock of the Willow Dells Loop. Pleasant weather throughout the winter with highs in the 70s in the late spring, combined with a community boasting excellent restaurants, coffee shops, and art make this an ideal getaway for those trying to escape the winter cold.

I had the pleasure of spending a week in the small town while participating in the Whiskey 50 last spring, riding the trails, camping, eating at the restaurants, and sampling the thrift stores that make the Southwest famous.  After a winter spent in the snowy mountains, the warm temperatures and welcoming community put Prescott high on my list of places to return when the urge to ride on dirt in the winter became strong.

Trails

The town of Prescott is surrounded by the Prescott National Forest on three sides, providing an abundance of mountain biking in the largest contiguous ponderosa pine forest in the U.S..

To the north of town is the Willow Lake area that boasts technical singletrack in the form of slickrock on the Willow Dells loops.  Between the two areas, there are trails to cater to cross country riders, gravity riders, beginners, and dare-devils. Located at an altitude of approximately 5,000 feet, the trails are snow-free year round most years. Stop by any bike shop for a comprehensive map of the trails and prepared to be astounded by the sheer number of routes ready to be ridden.

One of the classic areas for trails in the Prescott National Forest is the Thumb Butte area. The area hosts the Whiskey 50, held on classic high-altitude forest singletrack built with mountain bikers in mind. Technical rock gardens and tight switchbacks are interspersed among miles of buffed out, flowing trail with a combination of long and short climbs and similar descents.

Another trail not to miss is located just south of town leaving from the White Spar campground. The 4.4-mile Gold Water Lake trail is the single trail that we were directed to after stopping at a local bike shop and asking the age-old question: What’s your favorite trail around here?

The trail climbs moderately out of the campground before embarking on a roller coaster ride of turns and dips, short climbs and fast descents. While short, the trail delivers more grins per mile than nearly any other trail I have ever ridden.

When looking for a change of pace, head up to Willow Lake to ride the 2.9-mile Willow Dells Loop. The loop meanders along slickrock on the edge of the lake following a white dotted line, much like the Moab slickrock. There are plenty of technical features to keep the most technically adept rider entertained and enough smooth rock to appease those with a moderate self-preservation gene.

Community

Last spring, as part of the festival surrounding the Whiskey 50, the community hosted a showing of Pedal Driven, a documentary showcasing trail builders working with the Forest Service in order to build legal, sustainable trails.

Community members and athletes in town for the race showed up for the screening in the historic theater hosted by the Prescott Mountain Bike Alliance.  The group had recently applied to turn Prescott into an IMBA Trail Center and was hoping to turn the momentum building in the mountain bike community into more miles of trails surrounding the town. One of their projects: The Circle Trail, which they plan to build into 50 miles of trail surrounding the small town.

At a time when land use issues seem to be placing road blocks in the way of mountain bike development, the Prescott community appears to be embracing both their western heritage and the progressive mountain bike movement.

The town maintains it’s quaint, old West feel with its Whiskey Row main street, complete with a wide variety of cafes, bars, and shops while promoting art, culture, music and mountain biking within the same framework.

When the circus called the Whiskey 50 came to town, the community fully embraced the festival, shutting down their main street for the expo as well as for the race.  Everyone in town seemed to respond to the race, and all the traffic issues that it created with closed roads and hundreds of extra people, with an amazing amount of grace and poise.

The locals were clearly proud of their town, proud of their trails, and more than willing to welcome out-of-towners to sample the goods. Mountain bikers in the town believe that the Prescott area is on the verge of becoming the next Moab or Fruita, a mountain biking Mecca, and based on the enthusiasm within the community and the sampling of trails I got to experience, I’d say they are well on their way.

Best Restaurant – The Raven Cafe
142 N. Cortez St. 928.717.0009
Do not miss eating at the Raven. A fully organic, fully green restaurant that uses vegetables from their own garden, meat from local sources, and only toxin-free cleaning supplies, including Dr. Bronner’s soap. There is no better place to get a meal in town.

The burgers are huge, the sweet potato fries crispy, and the menu includes vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free entrees. If the food isn’t a draw enough, the cafe boasts an amazing selection of microbrews; perfect for enjoying while recounting the ride that day. The walls are covered with work of local artists and local music is not an uncommon occurrence at night.

Developed in conjunction with their Pro level Black Box program it resulted in some of the world’s lightest components. For World Cup cross country racers, weight is a big big issue. Racers have been known to ride with three instead of six bolts securing their disc rotor (not recommended!!!) in the pursuit of saving those few precious grams.

Every aspect of weight saving has been looked at. The Avid Caliper Positioning System (CPS), the cup and ball washers which allow for fine tuning of the caliper position, do not feature at XX level, which I think is no bad thing given that most brake manufacturers don’t bother with them either. The TaperBore system has been tweaked (more on this later) and every aspect of weight saving has been utilised including a carbon fiber lever blade and magnesium calipers.

For the World Cup racers even that was not enough. Take a 288 gram Avid XX brake and make it lighter? Really?

First up take away the pad adjustment. You don’t need it if you have a mechanic in the pits adjusting your gear for you after every ride. You have now saved a whopping 11 grams. Next use titanium bolts where possible, such as on the matchmaker clamps. The full system weighs in at a svelte 277 grams.

For 2012 Avid tweaked the technology in both its XX level brakes. The new Avid Taperbore (the fluid in the lever is compressed into a tube that tapers as you get into the stroke) has a clever airtrap which traps air in the event of some getting some into the system, reducing the need for bleeding. Also there are new o-rings integrated into the assembly and the system has been refined to allow for better modulation through the lever stroke. You want to scrub speed quickly without locking up and going into a skid at this level.

This is really noticeable on the trail and feels very tuned. The brake is never squishy or soft under braking; rather you are aware of having more power available if necessary. I felt like I was able to hold my speed better because I was braking more precisely. This is a big plus.

The brake fluid reservoir is integrated into the lever. For a World Cup racer with a mechanic on standby this is no big deal, but in the real world it is a bit of a pain requiring syringes etc. However the bigger problem concerns the lack of pad adjustment, something that is available on regular XX brakes. Bleeding the system is actually fine once you are confident in your abilities and have the right tools. Avid have a really good video that shows you how to do it.

Looks wise it is great, a nice stealthy black as opposed to the standard XX grey. The lever feel is really natural and doesn’t feel plastic like some carbon levers can. Reach adjustment is via an Allen key under the lever and is fine. The caliper is really nice and neat with great power transfer. Pads are now top loading on all Avid systems, making them easier to replace, although our set lasted really well despite an autumn’s abuse in totally mixed conditions and terrain.

How do they compare to the competition? Well, brake feel is a highly individualistic thing (this is not a cop out). I personally like brakes from a number of manufacturers for different reasons. Shimano are so bomb-proof and easily serviceable. Magura’s new MT range have awesome power, low weight and a great feel, and Hayes are really getting their act together with their new Prime, while Hope and Formula have downhill strength power at XC weight.

So where does Avid XX WC fit in? It is definitely in the ballpark in terms of weight and it has one of the best lever feels and modulation. Fit for purpose is how I would describe them – a really great choice for the high level cross country racer.

Overall this is a really good brake but I wondered was it really necessary for anyone but a top level cross country racer and SRAM would probably agree. Check out the regular XX brakes or opt for the 50 gram heavier X0 series which is very similar. You will be glad of the pad adjustment and probably not too worried about the extra weight.