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What is your race bike for 2025?

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#41 ·
Mudguard said:
Isn't that always the key in XC races though? It's all about the climbs and hang on and recover for the descents.
Realistically how many grams/kg would you save by going to something more racy?
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Overall, I think so. Really depends on the course. I’d say I’m giving up a pound or two, certainly nothing crazy. The cool thing about the Spur is I can XC race it one day and Enduro race it the next (at least here in the South/Midwest). I rarely ride my Stumpy EVO anymore.

I’ve been eyeing up an Ibis Exie frame.. need to throw a leg over one first. As the other guy said, the Spur is easy to look at and a great bike. It would be hard to part with.
 
#42 ·
My 2022 Orbea Oiz.

This bike is long in the tooth. But it has been good to me. Approaching 10,000km on it, standard wear and tear but no major issues.

I am racing in BC. Most of our races tend to be around that 3hr range, I would call them traditional XC races.

What do I like about it? I ride the bike well and it has been super reliable.

What don't I like about it? Seat angle is slack by modern standards, and I notice it.



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Discussion starter · #47 · (Edited)
One for marathon/trail and the other for short XC/gravel. I'm racing in the UP of Michigan and upper midwest.

Ibis Exie:
CC DBIL Air Rear, Fox 34 Grip2 front
Eagle
180mm dropper
25.0 lb

Trek Procaliber Gen1:
Brain Damper (gasp!-I love it on an XC hardtail)
11 Speed SRAM
Fixed post
20.0lb

The Exie has been my primary bike for a few years and I have it set up as burley as I dare go on an XC bike, it's perfect for very technical trails that we have around Marquette, and is very efficient and smooth, it's what I will race in the Marji Gesick.

The Procaliber is set up pure XC and the fastest feeling bike I've ever owned..I've set a few PRs and KOMs on it recently.

They offer very different ride experiences and are suited to different trails...but both are efficient enough to ride some big miles. When in their respective element, each is significantly faster than the other.

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#48 · (Edited)
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So much nicer bikes being posted these days, I didn’t grimace at any of them (well, that one with the bar ends)!

What is your race bike? Ibis Exie USA, size XL. 180mm XTR cranks with 4iiii power meter, custom Flight Attendant, Berd wheels I built myself, 22.9 - 24.5 lbs depending upon dropper and wheels.

What region do you race in? Texas, although I've raced all over USA and rode a little in Europe and Asia too.

Are you racing XC or Marathon? Marathon, then XC, Cat 1 age group. Some podiums and 3rd place overall in marathon series after a few years of mediocre lethargy, felt great. Unfortunately got injured between seasons (again) and so I'll go out for Fall XC. Spring XC is the biggest season here.

What do you like about your setup? Longest reach of any WC XCO-proven frame at 519mm. Very light but sturdier/stiffer than S-Works or similar. Expensive but high value. Odd mix of geometry that was almost a design mistake but works for me (high BB, XXL reach, 120/100mm suspension). Currently building some new sub-1000g race wheels.

What don't you like about your setup? The graphics look like they were created by a teenager and don't belong on a $5k frame ;) Thankfully I found Stickrd and besides the ability to change up the look, they also double as frame protector. Also recently added 3mm of offset bushings which noticeably helps lower the BB down and HA slacken to current trends of 13.1" BB height and 66.5* HA. I vacillate between slammed 70mm bar/stem an 60mm raised bar/stem, not sure which is faster. FA's one weakness is standing and hammering, still need a button for that.
 
#50 ·
Getting ready for the next summer in the southern hemisphere…

Coming from an original ibis ripley that I made an xcm bike out of, i have an epic evo for the next season. I managed to drop a whole kg and add 10 years of geometry progression which will gain me a few seconds when our summer series eventually starts up 😅

it’s only had one ride on the dirt so still tweaking the touch points. Shimano xtr bar the xt cassette and a gold sram chain, manitou magnum fork up front (ideally I want a new mattoc but beggars can’t be choosers), will see how the deluxe shock holds out before I look for alternatives

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#52 ·
What is your race bike? 2021 Scott Spark 930
What region do you race in? Rocky Mountains, typically front range
Are you racing XC or Marathon? Marathon/ultra endurance
What do you like about your setup? TwinLoc suspension control, light-ish build for climbing, I9 Enduro wheels with Hydra hubs spin up nicely and work great in techy sections, all the while remaining tough enough to endure my dumb line choices...
What don't you like about your setup? Only 1 location for a water bottle. I've added a holder that straps onto the top tube, but my legs occasionally hit it during descents and it's annoying. The Shimano Deore brakes aren't great. Rear brake has always felt softer than I like. Brand new rear caliper magically self contaminates regularly. Can't figure out why, no evidence of oil in the area. So pad/rotor sanding and cleaning is a monthly activity...

Pic is from a few years ago, pre I9 rims and hydra hubs and addition of top tube bottle holder. 13.5k miles on that baby, so it just feels like an extension of my body now.

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#53 · (Edited)
What is your race bike?
2022 Scott Spark RC World Cup

What region do you race in?
Southeast – based in Charlotte, North Carolina

Are you racing XC or Marathon?
Marathon — A-race this year is Marathon Mountain Bike Nationals in Roanoke, Virginia. I'm also considering the Breck Epic.

What do you like about your setup?
  • Recently added a chain guide so no more chain drops that cause shoulder dislocation...
  • Running a -40° stem for a more aggressive position for climbing in the mountains.
  • Planning to upgrade to Continental Dubs in 2.4 — should be a perfect tire for the flatter, fast trails in Charlotte
What don’t you like about your setup?
The aggressive setup — specifically how low I have to run the stem and the seat angle. None of my previous bikes have ever needed such a slammed headset or such a forward-rotated saddle. I think it’s mostly due to the suspension squat or anti-squat characteristics of the bike. When I sit and the suspension compresses, the saddle levels out to around -1° to -2°, which feels fine when riding. The stem position isn't that different from my older Scott but it just looks awkward in photos and in-person.

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#54 ·
Hroot said:
What is your race bike?
2022 Scott Spark RC World Cup

What region do you race in?
Southeast – based in Charlotte, North Carolina

Are you racing XC or Marathon?
Marathon — A-race this year is Marathon Mountain Bike Nationals in Roanoke, Virginia. I'm also considering the Breck Epic.

What do you like about your setup?
  • Recently added a chain guide so no more chain drops that cause shoulder dislocation...
  • Running a -40° stem for a more aggressive position for climbing in the mountains.
  • Planning to upgrade to Continental Dubs in 2.4 — should be a perfect tire for the flatter, fast trails in Charlotte
What don’t you like about your setup?
The aggressive setup — specifically how low I have to run the stem and the seat angle. None of my previous bikes have ever needed such a slammed headset or such a forward-rotated saddle. I think it’s mostly due to the suspension squat or anti-squat characteristics of the bike. When I sit and the suspension compresses, the saddle levels out to around -1° to -2°, which feels fine when riding. The stem position isn't that different from my older Scott but it just looks awkward in photos and in-person.

View attachment 2150988
Click to expand...
Wow, I've never seen a stem dropped like that (in the wild) on a Spark before:oops: no wonder you need the seat tilted forward. You must be railing the climbs. Your bike is basically my "graduation bike" when I finally wear out my 2021 Spark. Just can't justify it now with a perfectly good bike in the garage. :)

Was your older Scott also a Spark RC, and if so, did you also have to drop the bars similarly?

And do Breck... I'll see you there;)
 
#55 ·
Hroot said:
What is your race bike?
2022 Scott Spark RC World Cup

What region do you race in?
Southeast – based in Charlotte, North Carolina

Are you racing XC or Marathon?
Marathon — A-race this year is Marathon Mountain Bike Nationals in Roanoke, Virginia. I'm also considering the Breck Epic.

What do you like about your setup?
  • Recently added a chain guide so no more chain drops that cause shoulder dislocation...
  • Running a -40° stem for a more aggressive position for climbing in the mountains.
  • Planning to upgrade to Continental Dubs in 2.4 — should be a perfect tire for the flatter, fast trails in Charlotte
What don’t you like about your setup?
The aggressive setup — specifically how low I have to run the stem and the seat angle. None of my previous bikes have ever needed such a slammed headset or such a forward-rotated saddle. I think it’s mostly due to the suspension squat or anti-squat characteristics of the bike. When I sit and the suspension compresses, the saddle levels out to around -1° to -2°, which feels fine when riding. The stem position isn't that different from my older Scott but it just looks awkward in photos and in-person.

View attachment 2150988
Click to expand...
Holy mother of god!!! Hide that pic...you could get annihilated here for running that setup...

How tall are you?
 
#56 ·
bfdnelson said:
Wow, I've never seen a stem dropped like that (in the wild) on a Spark before:oops: no wonder you need the seat tilted forward. You must be railing the climbs. Your bike is basically my "graduation bike" when I finally wear out my 2021 Spark. Just can't justify it now with a perfectly good bike in the garage. :)

Was your older Scott also a Spark RC, and if so, did you also have to drop the bars similarly?

And do Breck... I'll see you there;)
Click to expand...
I had a 2021 Scott Spark RC World Cup. Honestly, I think it’s a better bike—especially if you're not riding in the mountains. There's definitely a noticeable difference in stiffness between the two bikes. The newer model is a lot stiffer, but the power transfer on the older one feels better. That might be due to the 3-pound weight difference and the wheelset. Of course, this is all anecdotal, so take it at face value.

See you at Breck Epic, should be a good time. Changing my front chain ring to a 32t for it.
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#57 ·
carlostruco said:
Holy mother of god!!! Hide that pic...you could get annihilated here for running that setup...

How tall are you?
Click to expand...
I'm 5'8", and looking at the picture, the setup drives me nuts—I know it looks bad! I even got a professional bike fit because I thought I was way off, especially with the -40° stem and the aggressive seat angle. But the fitter told me my saddle height and angle were spot on once the suspension was compressed—it leveled everything out.

The only thing he recommended was switching to a shorter(70mm instead of 80mm) and a -30° stem. I bought the bike used, and the original owner had a -20° stem on it because he also felt the front end was too high. When the fitter compared the geometry of my old bike to this new one, it wasn’t far off.

What I still don’t get is why I have to run such an aggressive negative stem just to avoid front-wheel wander while climbing here in Western North Carolina—and why the seat has to be tilted so far forward. If you look at the photo of my old bike above, it’s a pretty normal setup—no extreme stem angles or wild saddle tilt—and I tried to replicate that same feel.

Anyway, I'm not a geometry geek, but I always set my bikes up based on what feels right. This is just where I’ve landed. I’m heading into the garage now to throw on the -20° stem and level the saddle, even if it means feeling like I’m sliding off the back — at least it’ll keep everyone’s eyes from burning in this thread.
 
#58 ·
I have never done a bike fit for anyone on those Sparks. But I hear from fitters that they are hard bike to fit people on. I definately see some very funky set-ups on those Sparks.
 
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#59 ·
That is quite the saddle angle. Mine on the same model is level, and I can't recall ever seeing another that extreme. Hroot, are you pedaling in open mode with lots of sag?? Whatever works for you, but seems odd you'd be so far from the norm.

Very jealous of the Breck epic. I'd live to do it but don't have the time. Enjoy!
 
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