I Switched Between Trail and XC Bike for 3 Months - Here's what I Discovered

[@jasonbeasley5766]

Trail vs. XC: Most mountain bikes are capable of far more than the person sitting on them. Pick a bike, ride it often, continue pushing your skills to the next level again and again and you will go far before the frame geometry makes enough difference to matter for you.

[@currentsupply]

I agree, but the terrain is also a factor. You wouldnt take a gravel bike to a bike park, and you wouldn't take a DH bike to a 20mile 2000' climb.

[@nl3712]

Agreed. The modern down country / xcm bikes are wayyyy more competent than most riders, me included

[@gustavomello6667]

I say that all the time!!!

[@xxxmtb]

facts, top 10 xco elite in uk local to me does bike park/trail stuff on his XCO race bike and has most of koms, XCO bikes are insanely capable in the right hands.

[@sepg5084]

XC hardtail for me. I don't ride fast nor aggressive enough to spend on a full suspension bike.

[@HypocriticalElitist]

I'm currently in the fantasizing phase of mountain bike ownership, so thanks for this great comparison video.

[@cvdavis]

It's so fun. Get a used one if new is out of your current budget. Consider it an investment in your cardio and mental health.

[@brokenrecord3523]

I'm in the fantasizing of living near a mountain bike trail.

[@brandonperschon449]

I literally had to research what a trail bike was vs a XC. If you're like me and rode the same 1995 Trek hardtail for the last 26 years then any decent bike is an awesome upgrade and will be a huge improvement. Having said that I bought a specialized Fuse last September and I love it. I couldn't believe how much better it felt. I rode it on some rocky trails in Southern Utah last month and decided I might like full suspension so 2 weeks ago I picked up a new Salsa Blackthorn. I'm excited to take it out after winter finally decides to leave Montana.

[@northguilford]

I’ve been riding a 1996 Gary Fisher hardtail over the same period and glad to hear you say any bike at around that price in today’s dollars will be a big upgrade. What are the tire sizes on your new bikes?

[@myfrequencies1912]

I went from a 2010's "hybrid mtb" (3x10, 26") to a 2017 giant xtc (carbon frame, modern fork, 2x11, 29"). Insane difference in feel & performance. Biggest game changer is wheel size.

[@mikehawk120]

@@northguilfordI was riding a 1990 park pre myself lol. But always liked the Gary fisher stuff from back then, when it was an actual GF product etc. just picked up an alchemy ark toys 150. Way too much bike for me, but I want an over engendered do all and such.

[@terrymtbnurse4760]

I'm a travel nurse so I'm all over the place. I bought a new Specialized Stumpjumper and it perfect for a wide variety of trails. Very happy with the modern trail bike.

[@enux6351]

How do you find trails in new places??

[@GeneVilleneuve]

Great video. I have an old hard tail XC with 90 mm travel in the fork and just bought a new short travel trail bike. 140 mm front and 125 mm rear. I appreciate your channel.

[@gustavomello6667]

every mountain biker should start on a hardtail XC bike. Build the technique and then move on to longer travel.

[@ClintGibbs]

Agree

[@bterper1142]

I did that but not a hard tail. Still fs but only 110 travel went to 150-160 e bike and now find myself loving the 110 travel without pedal assist.

[@bob4q]

Here in So Cal, every ride 1200-2200 feet of climbing with steep up to a mile downhill sections. Enduro for me 160mm/170mm of travel. I use all of it and it’s really fun! Lots of climbing on a heavier bike though. 170mm forks are heavy. Rocky Mountain Altitude A50.

[@jameshisself7375]

Great comparison, and nice to hear the reasons that I prefer XC. For some reason Trail gets cool points but I can't live without the razor sharp handling of XC. I own both and the Trail just gathers dust. I do it all for the speed and for me XC is just faster everywhere.

[@joeydirty6112]

Live in S.E. Michigan and we have tons of XC trails. I feel my Supercaliber XX1 was more than adequate! Just ordered a Gen 2 Supercaliber with 110 up front and 80 in the rear, that should be perfect. Now, if I head to the UP, then a trail bike would be better! XC for life!

[@kristophstjames4143]

Ride and race XC- I have a SC Blur, thought I would score a trail HT for the N Ga mountains etc so I picked up a SC Chamelion. Sold it soon after, felt like a slow monster truck. Bought a Santa Cruz Highball. It's a rocket. When you're used to XC bikes, trail bikes seem cumbersome and heavy to me.

[@vasipro]

They are.

[@aedsy]

Thoughts on technical climbing on a 130mm trail bike vs XC?

[@TheBaldTruth1]

I am having this exact same thought right now. I have an Orbea Alma carbon hardtail XC bike and a Trek Fuel EX (also carbon), and the trail bike feels bloated and slow, like I'm pedaling a lot of extra weight. I may sell it and get a downcountry bike like the SC Blur. I like the sports car feeling of a light bike. And honestly, the Orbea Alma is a smooth riding bike considering it's a hardtail.

[@dev1ce888]

Modern xc bikes are extremely capable of tackling bike trails and it's very evident when you watch the latest xco races the only difference is those riding the xc bikes in that race is a full time mtber that has enough saddle time to polish skills they possesed. Unlike us who only get few saddle time that is why a trail bike which is easier to handle is both safer and more fun for us nonetheless it os still the best to enjoy what bike we have. I remember using my xc bike for long distance road travel before i got my road bike

[@accolade37]

This is great Clint thank you. A brief explanation and the beginning would have helped because I didn't really know the difference between a XC bike and a trail bike. This explains why I don't like my XC bike for the trails I usually ride because they are technical terrain, so this helps. What I really need is a trail bike.

[@zguitar71]

I recently changed from a ‘21 Epic Evo to a ‘22 Stumpy. I moved many of the parts over from the EE to the SJ (bought a frame and fork) so I was able to really see the difference in the geo without influence from unfamiliar parts. The biggest difference for my riding is the added stack height. The slacker head is the next standout but the stack has taken away the over the bars feeling I was getting on steeper trails with roots and rocks. That helped to give me more confidence throughout the ready of the riding aspects. It’s not as nimble as the EE but as far as speed up a hill I don’t think it is any slower. Like you said after a ride and you settle back into the bike you will find how to get speed and agility out of it.

[@JoshTaylor]

I also built up a '22 Stumpy and am working on more of an XC setup. Have Control carbon wheels w Ground Control tires, just went to a slightly longer 60mm stem and want to try reducing my Pike to 130mm for kicks. TBH, if I discovered a way to reduce rear travel to 120mm, I'd consider matching it with a SID or SC 34 to see how that goes -- would probably be 67'ish degree HTA. Then the lower BB height would have me looking for a 155-160mm crank. All experimental, but would be fun to try.

[@tomrodgers6629]

I have been running XC for all applications for years. It is a good compromise between trail and downhill.

[@tomrodgers6629]

@VojtaHry It is actually trail, XC, Enduro, downhill. XC has been the best for my abusive 365 day a year all weather riding style.

[@tevahflys]

Great video. I started XC riding and ended up getting a trail bike and doing more trail riding and I totally get it when you said it takes a more experienced rider to go fast on an XC bike. I was waay faster on my modern geo trail bike. However, I am constantly bottoming out my 140mm fox 34mm fork and my 135mm fox dps shock. My next bike will definitely have more travel and maybe a little slacker geometry. Great video though!

[@onlyonecannoli3952]

Clint, I think you should try putting 760mm bars on your trail bike. I think you'll find that the bike will feel a lot more agile. I went from 800mm to 760mm on my trail bike and this was my experience. So I think it's not just the head angle, shorter wheel base, and steeper seat tube angle that contribute to the difference in feel between the xc and trail setups.

[@JFL7796]

100% agree with this comment. My xc bike feels sluggish with wide bars and agile with narrower bars- but I guess wider bars suit a trail bike more for the leverage/control in the tough stuff.

[@ClintGibbs]

I love the feel of wider bars when I'm descending fast in the mountains over rougher terrain.

[@kiteguernsey8261]

I experimented quite a bit, and found for me at the same height as Clint on a medium Spur, 770 was the sweet spot. I’m using it as a one bike does all, XC, trails, not too chunky downhills etc. my girlfriend has hers at 760 and I don’t like it as much, she’s shorter and she’s perfectly happy with it.

[@mountaingoat2866]

I agree with this, bike companies sell their bikes with 800 mm bars most of the time not because thats the right length for people but because they want people to have the choice. Most people seem to not cut them and i think thats a mistake, im a lifelong gravity rider, and i've found my sweet spot to be 780. (im 6'1") I even have EWS pro friends and they run their bars at 760. Jesse Melemad runs his bars at like 720 lol not saying normal riders should go that short but you get my point. Unless your 6'5" theres no real reason to run 800mm.

[@jeremywatts2768]

Def try cutting the bars down. I have fairly wide shoulders and cut down to 780 and then 760 from 800 and it engages a greater number of your back muscles more. This is especially important if you're going to be doing jumps because of the rowing movements. Wide bars can actually cause shoulder problems over time though it feels stable on the downhills, but I think its because it forces your posture down.

[@TheKevbrannan]

Great concise explanation. Unfortunately can’t have an XC and trail so I ride a Stumpjumper that I’ll use in a duathlon this June. Make the best of what you got, right?

[@jamesweldon8118]

Same!!

[@rule3036]

You are dead right!

[@thiosemicarbizidebenzoylal2921]

There is far less movement on a XC bike if its set up for competition. XC is one of the most extreme disciplines in the sporting world and requires very little excess motion besides going forward.

[@ByronWWW]

Going from a trail bike to a light weight xc hardtail was the best thing I've done - feels fast everywhere, accelerates like a road bike and I can approach the limits of the bike and it feels mega agile, far more versatile as I can use it on road, around the park and on trails. trail bike was amazing when pointed downhill and you can lean it right over and drop off insane stuff but everything else was a chore. like driving a truck Vs an Ariel nomad.

[@fizzyjoecsgo7154]

depends on the trail bike and how you build it up. I'm a huge fan of converting trail bikes into "downcountry" bikes by sticking XC stuff on a trail frame as I'm a light guy. I'm currently building up my spur at around the 9kg (20lbs) mark without pedals. It's gonna accelerate and rip like my scott spark. But building it custom and super light is also not cheap so there's always that trade off too :) When you've got $3000-$4000 to spend and you're not riding knarly trails then I agree that the XC is king 👑

[@jonathanbailey2021]

I would like to add that I feel much safer on a trail bike. I don't miss going over the handlebars on those steep head tube angle race bikes I rode for years.

[@messiasbapbaptista353]

Fantastic video, Clint! On top of the info, if someone likes to ride a marathon or long time riding technical trails, such as 8 to 12 hours relay, I'd recommend choosing the new "down country" models as well. That one combines speed with cornering and some more suspension strokes. I ride XC bikes (specialized Epic carbon, 29er) and enjoy tech trails a lot. uhull nice let`s ride :)

[@kylehoffman8830]

I'm in the Appalachian foothills (local to Blankets Creek, Rope Mill, Bear Creek, etc.) and trail bikes have won me over. I had a Giant Anthem that was fantastic 80% of the time around here, but I could overwhelm it in the chunkier stuff. I now have a '19 Transition Scout and a '22 Kona Honzo ESD, which both pair to the local trails beautifully. Not the greatest climbing rigs, but they get it done and make up for it everywhere else.

[@raisingachampion8693]

I'm riding a KTM Scrarp. A rather agressive XC bike and i love the the instant reactions i get from it. We don't have any downhill tracks here, it's all a rather flat land with some small hills and lots of forest, so its a perfect ride for me.

[@ThePowermax01]

I think that you can see that XC bikes are getting more and more suspension. Even Schurter runs a 120mm/120mm for 2022. Lock it up on the uphill, and let the slacker, more trail oridented geometry do the work on the downhill and save seconds there. Downcountry is getting more and more popular. You would have a hard time finding a 2022 XC bike with less than 100mm front and rear. (I'm sure they exist)

[@janeblogs324]

Xc is now getting 66° head tubes

[@patrickhaarhues2870]

Love my trail/all mountain bike. 150 front/rear. Flats. Love it when I’m building confidence on new trails or technical. Once comfortable XC PRs. Genius/spark

[@juluisreyes9094]

The Sta.Cruz Tallboy is also a solid and versatile aggressive trail bike although having a 130 mm travel fork. And yeah, you could ride an enduro trails.

[@Peachypupp]

The rider is more important than the bike. I ride a 2013 Scott Spark and can keep up with or get away from most riders on newer, more aggressive bikes.

[@Jamie6029]

Same with me and my 2013 epic fsr

[@JesusRescuesUs3-16]

Great review, I ride a 2018 Pivot Mach 429 trail, I tend to not be able keep up with friends who are on xc but I love the versatility of the 429 and have it dialed for technical to flow as well as jumps. The bike is certainly very capable so working on my skills is a constant mindset.

[@roblumba]

I have the 2020 Trail 429 and just switched from Dissectors to Aspen. I was keeping up with XC folks, but more overall because I was faster on downhill. Now the aspens are noticeably faster to spin up coming out of corners and faster uphill, but I loose the aggressive cornering and downhill.

[@erlendsteren9466]

Talking from a not so good riders perspective: I feel better on trailbike in descents and trails. Both are good on gravel, and the XC is much lighter to pedal on tarmac. I totally agree that riding xc on trails demands more skills (that I dont have)

[@josh33172]

We are spoiled w/ choice today which can do a lot of things...paralyze us with decision or just expand the possibilities. Been in the game racing and riding since the mid-90s. The two biggest revelations in MTB for me was in 2003 getting a Santa Cruz Blur and when 29ers hit the scene. For me, the 29er was the bigger one since I already had a FS before that (Santa Cruz Superlight), but when 29ers hit the scene, it was when I really started liking singlespeed. I have 2 (technically 3) MTB, an Ibis Ripley LS with a 140mm fork and an Ibis Tranny29 (T29). The T29 is setup singlespeed but I have done a lot more mods to it: A SID Ultimate 120, Wolft tooth 2deg angleset headset so it puts into a more modern geo like a "Down country" but still singlespeed and HT. The front end by calculation is about 67deg (very close to the same as the Ripley with a 140) but a very short rear-end and higher bottom bracket so it just blasts technical bits but with a bit more precision than what the normal XC bike is. Being also just a hair under 20lb, it just accelerates so fast! I do throw gears, a suspension post and bar-ends ran inboard on it and I've done 120mi + gravel events....simply a fantastic all-arounder. That said, for the trails I like to ride...I still feel like the trail bike is a more fun bike to ride most of the time, and the Ripley isn't slow either sitting right about 25lb. Its just that regardless, that rear suspension and longer travel just created a big safety net and allow me to push the bik e further. I say if you want gravel versatility, go HT XC. IF you want travel versatility, go trail bike.

[@njasicko]

I have 175 length cranks for my XC setup and 165 length for my Trail/Enduro setup. Problem solved on pedal strikes.

[@dylansalt1]

Very age relative - I rode XC bikes over every conceivable trail I tackled as there were no Hybrid Bikes available - from the 1990s up till now - I’ve purchased a 2022 Trek Fuel Ex 9.8 at age 61, tackling the same trails even faster than my 29 FS XC & even doing light enduro trails - I could never go back to XC at my age

[@Gianluca_B]

I will never swap my Specialized XC 29 Stumpjumper HT for any full suspension XC ( I tried it) or a trail bike as my bike rolls perfectly in the terrain where there are quick singles with no rocks. Preferring riding Porsche 911 rather than Kia Sorento so to say. IMO the type of terrain you ride determines which bike you choose. More rocky - trail, fast singles - XC hardtail/full XC

[@chrisallen5293]

Great video. I too see the differences in my bikes but mine are my Jet9 vs my Hightower. I love switching back and forth from one bike to the other. Makes you appreciate the advantages in each bike

[@idinfinity]

Then try a 26" bike))) It is much more percise in handling and faster to acelerate. 29er is like a boat.

[@tonyyates2012]

Shorter cranks would alleviate a lot of the pedal strike issues. It also helps with a more natural hip rotation. Make sure to compensate your seat height to account for the shorter crank set up.

[@BoxCarBoy12]

If you want to split categories even further between XC and trail bikes, you can look at downcountry bikes. Another option that I'll advocate for is what I call long legged trail bikes, which are bikes with geo closer to an XC bike, but the travel of a trail bike. My Orbea Occam fits this description and it's great: as a cyclist who enjoys the endurance and pedaling aspect of cycling and will never be someone who likes to ride insanely technical stuff, I love that the Occam retains the playful and nimble feel of an XC bike but still has some travel in reserve for rougher stuff if I get in over my head.

[@VelcorHF]

Lots of the world doesn't have mountains and is flatter. XC way more applicable to most people.

[@tonyyates2012]

You must be Dutch, 😂

[@alecsithong]

Great video. Thanks for sharing your experience between XC and trail bikes. Im definitely in favor of trail bike. Also I'm glad to see Santos trails. Boy, do I miss it! I'm in NC and love my mountains, but it's been 8 years since I've moved from Florida trails, especially Santos. Keep riding!

[@Pesmog]

Although I don't have an XC bike it is interesting comparing my Down country and Trail bikes and its pretty much the same as what you are saying Clint. The steering is sharper on the Down country than the trail and if I am going on a long ride, I take the Down Country every time. In the winter I prefer the trail bike as we get a lot of mud and the trail bike is just that bit more robust. The Down Country climbs loads better than the trail bike as well.

[@aedsy]

climbs better for technical climbs or just climbs without obstacles because it is lighter?

[@Rzagski]

I have a classic “old school” 2013 cannondale scalpel 1 vs a 2020 cannondale habit. The ride is night and day different. 90mm vs 130 and cornering vs downhill so different. Yet I feel the scalpel is better at climbing and short track vs the habit is bomb going downhill. Cornering is much faster on the scalpel. At the end of the day though the Scalpel is punishing on my 58 yo body for anything other than brief training or event days. Plus you have to be very attentive during the ride because it’s handling is so fast.

[@toxiemaniac]

good point with the super low BBs on trail bikes. had to install a bigger fork on my SC 5010 to get rid off some of the issues. works better now, but I'll probably also change the cranks on this (from 175mm to 165mm or so)

[@hexsense3999]

Bought my downcountry bike. And I don't like how sluggish it feels when cornering. That problem was (partly) cured by changing the fork to one with more offset. Changing stock 44mm offset fork to the old school 51mm offset fork reduce trail value and bring back the lively steering I want. It still does not handle as quick as the real original XC bike with both steep HTA and high fork offset, but anything toward that direction is welcome.

[@David_Palka]

Tank you, that's why I chose Canyon Neuron (67° head tube angle) over the Canyon Spectral (64° head tube angle). It's still an trail bike, it's slacker than XC bike, but seems like a nice compromise. I live in a low to mid mountains area with a lot of hilly meadows.

[@lennylightskin218]

Call me crazy but I race a stumpjumper evo for xc, and it’s super fun for me

[@ashevillescarborough]

Always love seeing content relating to the Spur.. seems so versatile

[@nkoeppen]

Modern trail bikes are so good now! I have a carbon ibis ripley and set kom’s at my local xc trail.

[@shaun1900]

The best bike I have ever ridden, by a country mile.

[@georgehodder8451]

I race XC and typically ride a Trek SuperCaliber(XC) (27.0 lbs, 100/60 susp)... prior to that I had/raced a Kona Hei Hei(XC) (30.5 lbs, 120/100 susp)... I traded in my Hei Hei for an Ibis Ripley SLX (trail) (30.5 lbs, 130/120 susp) mostly for some of my local trails. On more tech race courses I sometimes ride the Ripley because of some of the points you mentioned... like in a rock garden if the SuperCal gets knocked off line a bit, it is dicey, which can make you tentative... where the Ripley.. Rips right through.(surprise) Anyway.. In my experience racing, not only does the trail bike seem sluggish but I find you have to work so much more to keep them going, especially on flats/climbs. On my training loop, the trail bike is always just a bit slower per lap, and in addition my strava reletive effort is always significantly higher. I always tell myself that the Ripley was close enough to the Hei Hei that they should ride close to the same, but it's just not the case. The difference in geometry and rider position makes a huge difference, and as you mentioned, how they handle. Basically it comes down to using the right tool for the job. In my experience the faster tech and decending of the trail bike doesn't make up for the all around performance of an XC in a race scenario. But the trail bike may keep you upright/confident on tech courses. I typically just suffer through rough tech in races on the XC bike because the trade off in 'effort' to go fast on the trail bike doesn't pay dividends over an entire lap/race. Trail bikes for me.. great for tech trails, and training/fun rides... and yeah you can go fast. But only race them on the knarliest of courses. So I completely agree..for racing XC bikes for sure check more boxes in the pro column, and the cons of the trail bike make it an unlikely choice unless you are just leisurely ripping around.

[@TheRealColt]

Truly madly deeply, a full suspension bicycle isn’t anything other than downhill or enduro. What you just showed us are two enduro style trail bikes. A cross country bike in my eyes is a hard tail steep angled mountain bike which is made for speed and climbing efficiency and at the top end these bikes are carbon fibre and weigh like 8-9kg.

[@ClintGibbs]

XC bikes are much different today than they were 10 years ago. If you look at World Cup races, the courses are getting rougher and most professionals ride full suspension, and travel is getting up to about 120 mm in the front and often in the rear. And many top professionals are now using dropper posts.

[@sbbeowulf8296]

I would say from personal experience and getting into racing enduro/downhill and xc Buy the bike that you will be fastest on during that type of race i have a enduro bike and a xc bike both for each discipline of racing. However if you are not racing go with a trail bike you will have the most fun even if you arent the fastest one on the trail

[@rlopez9044]

Good vid, I am impressed seeing you taking those drops and jumps with the Spur with only 120mm.. WoW that’s bike is truly versatile .

[@believe8263]

Steeper Head Angle = Quicker more responsive cornering but can be twitchy. Slacker Head Angle = Slower to corner but more stable at speed.

[@txmale5070]

i know this video is old and you know this by now but as far as pedal strikes go thats why alot are using shorter crank arms 160mm

[@txmale5070]

man i always find your videos informing and useful.

[@jasonkroll2735]

Xc/trail xc with slack headset short stem long 200 dropper 100 120 24lbs Is the goat build for light riders to do it all.

[@sarahday2292]

Thank you for this! I live in Orlando so I ride at Santos too. I was thinking of trading my trail bike for XC but I think I'm better off just keeping my trail bike. I'm a triathlete/roadie primarily so my mtn bike skills not the greatest!! I think I am better off with my slower heavier trail bike! Thanks

[@TheNationalTrails]

Good to hear just how well either bike has it's own unique rhythm and rhyme. Very informative!

[@Jamie6029]

I have yet to find a trail or downhill run that I couldn't ride with my 11 year old Specialized Epic FSR with 100mm of travel. Although I miss my first real mountain bike, which was a Norco Nitro hardtail with an adjustable fork that could be set from 85mm-130mm. I could do fun shop rides with the fork set to 130mm and turn the knob down to 85mm for racing. I wish adjustable travel forks were still available

[@hanstubben]

As a owner of a Niner RKT9TDO with the 120 fork myself, I must say that this bike is far more traily than bikes from yesteryear. In my opinion the down country XC bikes are the bike for most of us casual riders

[@revolversntulips]

I have a DC. Suits my needs perfectly. Only thing is the fork, a Sid ultimate 120mm, is pretty xc oriented. I like it but it gets pretty stiff on steep technical descents when going fast. It would be interesting to try Pike ultimate for comparison though

[@williamcvaughan7921]

I have two "trail" type bicycles, a Cannondale Trail SE1 and a new Transition Transam. They're both hard tail 29-ers, and ride like you describe for your Spur (though being hard tails). I have an old Klein Palomino, a 2002 full suspension bicycle, which, as a 26" with a relatively short wheelbase and steeper head angles, handles quickly like I would imagine a contemporary XC bike. The Palomino handles very quickly, but is not as robustly smooth as the later trail hard tails. Even though it's 21 years old, the Palomino is in good shape and has a sweet ride on flowy trails. If I had to do it again, I wish I'd gotten an XC bike rather than the Cannondale trail bike.

[@hx20303]

Excellent deconstruction of the apects of a trail and xc bike. Like you said, the xc bike is 99% capable of what a trail bike can do but is contingent on the skill of the rider. The lightness, agility, and resulting speed is only capable with a skilled rider that knows where the lesser tread xc tire will break loose or the suspension will bottom. This is why I feel a person should be constantly forcing themselves onto lighter bikes with less tread and suspension to force the skill progression. I ride a yeti asrc 25lbs and do everything the trail bikes do and way faster

[@Y-tube_friendly]

Just got into mtb, video and comments are very informative and helped with my decision.

[@IliaDem]

I makes more sense to compare the bikes from the same manufacturer, same model year and same specs level. Preferably from the same lineup: Scott Spark RC vs Spark vs Spark ST or Canyon Lux Trail vs Lux World Cup.

[@XCRiders]

Excellent translation of what the two bikes are best for. I’ll tell you what though, giant anthem and trance a few years back 27.5 were some fast bikes!

[@GuyZoghby]

Great perspective. I live a couple counties away from you (in Pasco). I’m way older than you - haha. I love Croom and XC trails. Trying to decide on a new bike. Appreciate this video!

[@andremtb480]

My biggest issue with the Spur was the BB height. The Spur is actually on the low end of the BB height spectrum (even for long-low-slack movement). This is why I went to the new Trek Top Fuel. I can still run 175 cranks and have zero pedal strikes on the front range. Might want to qualify saying 'every' trail bike is like this - there are exceptions, and they're great bikes. Evil Offering, Pivot Trail 429, 22' Trek Top Fuel to name a few.

[@dalerobert62]

Thanks for the great video and comparison. This is super helpful for me as i contemplate my next bike purchase.

[@yengsabio5315]

Learning a lot from this video as I mentally & financially prepare myself to owning a hardtail trail MTB---specifically a Marin San Quentin 3. At the moment, I only use an Giant Talon 2 (2017). I enjoy this bike a lot! Very versatile & utilitarian. Lots'a love, cheers, & Mabuhay, from tropical Philippines! #KeepBiking

[@suspicioustumbleweed4760]

Marin makes great bikes, I have 5 hard years on my hawk hill. They have great frames

[@yengsabio5315]

@@suspicioustumbleweed4760 Thank you for sharing your experience with Marin!

[@madcapper6]

One thing I started to notice when it comes to trail vs XC geometry is that trail bikes seem to usually have a longer reach vs shorter chainstays whereas the XC bike is more often balanced between the two or often has a shorter reach and longer chainstays. Why is that? I understand trail bikes typically have the longer wheel base so it makes sense that the reach would be longer but it isn't just that. The chainstays on XC bikes tend to be longer than trail bike chainstays as well. An extreme example of this I found is the Vitus Rapide CRX, an XC hardtail, which lists for its medium frame size a tiny 402mm reach and 440mm chainstays. For whatever reason the alloy version of the bike is a bit more balanced with a 420 reach and 435 on the stays.

[@TeamCykelhold]

I'm not sure I'd call the spur a trail bike. It's definitely on the XC side of a trail bike in that case. But it's a fantastic bike no matter what we call it :)

[@ClintGibbs]

It climbs like an XC bike and feels like a trail bike on descents.

[@currentsupply]

There is this short V shaped creek crossing that I can take at any speed on my 160mm front fork trail bike. Just like you said , in corners, the shorter stiffer XC bike pumps faster.

[@FredVanAllenRealtor]

Pick the bike that matches the trail. XC bike ride on XC trails, Trail bikes ride on... Most the time my XC dual sus bike I ride with susp locked out. When I get to an area I want the cushion of susp, I engage the suspension.

[@BikeandSkiGeoff]

Great comparison/discussion on these bikes... only one pet peeve - your Timber bell is on the wrong side of your bars :)

[@JenkinsB]

Eying the Rocky Mountain Element C50. Not too bad of a spec for sub $5k and a somewhat local dealer helps.

[@htonmusic]

this is another perspective which isn't in the video. so lately gravel has been the trend but i love to mountain bike too. i found a XC bike was capable enough and light enough for me to slap some low tread rekon race and hang with gravel riders too. by doing this i consolidated my collection and sold off the gravel bike. my friend who is an absolute monster, he races. he owns a 10kg trance with a pike 140, firmly putting it as a trail bike and smokes me and all my gravel friend. at the end of the day, i dont think there's a simple answer to this question that encompasses every rider. the difficulty is knowing what to buy when you havent ridden it yet.

[@kangsterizer]

I really like the 165mm cranks on the "low trail bike" - for me that erased the strikes (had 175mm before) - as these bikes to be on the edge of "too low". it didnt really make a noticeable difference in pedaling after one ride i got used to it completely.

[@geopietro]

Really appreciate your considered thoughts. Thank you!

[@allentufts5185]

Good analysis and breakdown, thanks!

[@robertkeith9620]

I'd probably go with an xc bike with light tires in flat Florida/south trails.

[@machine7767]

It would be interesting to swap the bars and see how it corners. 800mm for the xc and 760mm for the trail bike. How do the stem lengths compare?

[@ericpeysar2593]

Bar length makes a difference. I was a little disappointed when i first rode my new Djangos slower steering. Shortened the bars to 760 and boom i felt it handled way faster.

[@ivostarmans1199]

Or a downcountry with 120/120 and 2 wheel sets. Wheels can make a big different. I have 1 lightweight with xc tires and it feels like a rally car.And 1 set that is strong with wider and more grip tires that rides like a tractor. Both are fun but change the bike massively.And you can hit almost every terrain.

[@jamesgabel7219]

what wheels would you recommend for racing? How much of the difference is the wheels, and how much is the tires? I have a 28# trail bike and would love to go a little faster in these local xc races. I just put on some racing ralph tires for race day. Considering wheels if I find some $$ burning a hole in my pocket.

[@ivostarmans1199]

@@jamesgabel7219 if you have a downcountry bike and you put something like a racing ralph on it. It would make a lot of differents whitout changing the wheels it self. Maybe rocket ron or racing ray in front and tubeless.This should be good for local xc races and cheapest way. Differents wheels is a more expensive option. You can save some weight with an extra wheelset. my xc wheelset and trailset are 2.5 lbs different in weight(wheels and tires).

[@kevin7jazz]

Not to muddy the waters, but “down country” bikes are blurring that distinction further. My Spark has 130/120 mm combo with slack geometry. My Genius is much burlier with 150/150 and 2.6” tires. The downcountry strikes me as a great balance for most..

[@plmn93]

While I love the nimbleness and responsiveness of an XC bike, my forgiving trail bike has bailed me out countless times when I inevitably did something stupid. So even though 90% of my riding is classic XC, I still prefer my trail bike.

[@zxtenn]

My 1240 gram Yishun XC wheels with the 180 EXP hubs for the Niner RDO came Today, will get the bike to the shop Monday before work to swap over. Should bring weight down to about 21.2 WITH 212 gram Xpedo mountain force XM T pedals, right now it's 21.6 with the 1426 trail wheels. I love the speed off the hardtail and the low rolling resistance tires on the right trails make climbing a breeze, beautiful paint scheme as well on it. I have the SRAM centerlock 180/160 rotors never used if you know anyone interested? I just built it with the X rotors as they are lighter

[@vasipro]

XC bike is more tactical. Faster under a good athlete. Trail is for fun. You can jump with it. More forgiving. If you want fast and participate in XC races, to meet up with buddies, to keep up with the pack, choose XC bike. If you want to play around, choose trail or enduro, depending on the terrain that you plan using it most.

[@rogertheartfuldodger]

Excellent tutorial Clint. Thanks.

[@YoramPomer]

Clint, great video from an experienced rider! I have both trail and XC, but nether noticed that the pedals on the trail are positioned lower than on XC. I never hit the ground or a rock more often on one bike vs. the other. Maybe it’s the model you are using or the sag or the tire pressure that is making you feel this way. It’s worth checking.

[@jamesmoffitt8443]

Heard people having less pedal strikes with 165 cranks on trail bikes. Haven’t tried it myself. Running 2.6 tires on my ibis and noticed less as well so didn’t need to change the cranks

[@ClintGibbs]

That is true and I actually forgot to mention that in the video. I had a specialized stump jumper trail bike a few years ago and it had 170s which helped for that.

[@kmunson007]

Definitely helpful - thanks for posting.

[@64maxpower]

For real question. Why all the hubbub if you kid is keeping pace on a hardtail? For me I like simple. Did you document laps on the two bikes? Your fights are pretty trick looking

[@rubioe3067]

I ordered a downcountry mtb and yesterday i sended a email to reorder the cart becasuse i was wrong about my intentions with the bike. I hope for tomorrow that all of that situation finish in a good way. I chossed a Epic Evo and i'm going to order Stumpi C Alloy. I like my bike for a funny week day around my local hills. And today i'm watching videos of all of that only to try to understand my brain 😊. Thanks ❤for your patience

[@saddleweary5760]

I've been considering building a full carbon, ridgid, lightweight xc but so far I've only found a frame with forks at 70 degree head angle. I'm after the weight but I'm afraid the angle will hold me back in the corners, most trails I ride are similar to yours. If you get the opportunity to try a ridgid bike, please review it. I'm a year away from doing this and am very much on the fence. Great comparison video Clint. Thanks.

[@arandomJohn]

PivotLES has a 68.5 degree head tube angle and is super light weight. Climbs like crazy and with the right wheels won't beat you up on the downhill. For 95% of the trails I ride it is as much bike as I need.

[@timking2822]

You, your terrain, and riding should guide the bike type. With the handling, it's not just geometry. Tires play a big role. Trail bikes have more aggressive tires, providing better traction in all situations.

[@akaraikiriakatsuki3157]

If you're not going to trail and doesn't want a gravel or roadbike for economical reason. XC is the way. You can get a cheap hardtail, service it properly and it's good to go.

[@groengm2012]

I sure do enjoy my 29er 130 front and rear trail BMC

[@allensheppard8470]

The spur is kind of between a cross country bike and a trail bike.

[@patwang]

Down country bike 😂😂

[@biggysmalls3626]

This is more a comparison between a modern geometry XC bike and an ancient geometry XC bike. And that super smooth flat trail would be best on a hardtail.

[@ClintGibbs]

Lots of rolling hills and roots on that trail that are hard to see in the video. I've done plenty of time trial test between a hard tail and full suspension on those trails and I'm always faster on full suspension. The Niner geometry is a little steep on the head angle, but I definitely wouldn't call the bike ancient! Sram XO, Fox factory suspension and stands carbon podium rims... still a sweet bike.

[@brandonhindmarsh4353]

XC bikes should come with a warning ⚠️ for Christmas and Easter casual riders. I've had multiple spills on my beautiful Cannondale caffeine hardtail because I didn't respect the built in instability that gives the bike its fast rotation. Until this video I blamed mainly the head tube angle. Am I going to sell it at this point? Nah. But I try to respect my limitations more. Where on a more stable frame I could possibly ride a little closer to the edge of my abilities.

[@magicunicorn6535]

Trek Procaliber 27.5 wheel hardtail XC bike. Like night and day between it and my trail bike. It suits my type of riding and trails to a T. I'm going to sell the trail bike.