I'm a recent convert to Wax chains. For anyone who is running Waxed chains on their XC MTB, bonus points for southeast or dusty conditions, what is your method for re-waxing the chain and not contaminating the wax pot with dust / mud?

I've seen a couple methods where people are using a kettle of hot water to pour over the chain to clean it, or soak in boiling water, but that seems like it would remove a lot of wax in the rollers.

Also, anything different when washing your bike? I'm reading that water is the enemy for wax and I'm curious if people remove their chain for washing, or lightly spray around the drivetrain and it's not a big deal to get a little wet (then drip wax).

Passes Tom Pidcock with an awesome jump.

I just bought a set of hunt proven xc race wheels, how do people that have them like them? I was considering some zipp wheels but wasn't a huge fan of only having 24 spokes.

While I wouldn’t normally consider 2.5 years (or half a model cycle) to be a negative, there’s been quite a few awesome bikes that have been released since the ASR debuted. This has me wondering where the ASR would stack up today.

I’ll try to demo one soon, but I thought I’d ask this group. Thanks for the feedback!

Hi All,

I'm looking to buy an upgrade to my current self-built budget hardtail.

I'll be doing mostly XC but some heavy trail/downhill occasionally.

I've come to the conclusion that the new 2027 Orbea Oiz H10 is probably best for me. It's for sale in the UK for £2700 and I wouldn't want to spend more than that (obviously would spend less on anything that will be better)

Does anyone have any experience with this bike and is it any good/can anyone think of anything better?

I'm also struggling with sizing, I'm exactly 185cm tall and Orbea sizing says a large goes up to 185 but XL starts at 185.

Any help/advice is massively appreciated!

I had to climb with a bike, lol. Track is called 100 KM TAKAS APLINK VILNIŲ

Hey guys, I'm wondering what the best kind of tires would be for fall and winter riding and/or racing? Also is it different from riding in wet conditions during summer?
Should you just go for the most grip or is rolling resistance still such a big topic?
And if you could give me an opinion on the Maxxis Forekaster Gen 2 I'd higly appreciate that.
Have a great weekend and fun rides!

Hello!

I'm from Baguio City, Philippines.

I'm looking here for some Tips, Guide, Help regarding Training plans, Workouts etc. to help me get back on the saddle.

I stopped riding my MTB 3 years ago due to being really busy and losing the spark of cycling. I used to ride competitively, joining races in my city and in nearby towns.

Now I want to get back into cycling. And to get back to a healthier lifestyle and maybe to get back to joining XC races.

Thanks!

Some backstory... 43M, dad of 3, used to ride 3-4x a week on local trails DE/MD/SEPA and do the MASS race series (mid pack sport)... definitely not trying to be the fastest guy out there. Trying to get back into riding more now that my youngest is pushing out of the crazy young toddler stage.

My 12yr old Niner Jet 9 Carbon XT has seen much better days and is looking long in the tooth with alot of things needing to be serviced or replaced. Been keeping an eye out for a good option for a new bke and keep floating back and forth between FS and HT.

6'0, 225lbs... have riden SS and Rigid SS in the past and always loved it. I tend to seem to keep rear shock locked out primarily bc i prefer to hammer uphills and dont have remote lockout.

I know FS is the bling and cool and comfy... but it feels to me a light HT would do me good.

Am i thinking about it wrong? I'm sure the FS as i get older probably isnt a bad idea, but the cost savings for lighter and better components seems like a better call. Not trying to spend a ton of money. And am def looking at used options too.

I've been dragging my feet on a new XC bike but seeing the 9 told me I need to find an 8. Struggling to find any in stock, no surprise there.

Suggestions? thanks!

Pros and Cons to shorter/longer stems?

Are folks all over (I'm in Oregon, USA) seeing more and more popular Schwalbe tires out of stock, with replenishment dates continuously being pushed out?

I'm only curious because I'm pretty set on the tire combo for an upcoming high desert, soft/loose, etc race at the end of September - Rocket Ron 2.35 in front, Racing Ralph 2.35 in rear.

The following tires (in various sizes) have been out since mid-July with their replenishment dates now pushed into September: Rocket Ron, Racing Ray, Thunder Burt, Rick XC Pro, and other trail tires.

Hmmmm...

I’m in a bit of a dilemma.

I’ve rode gravel bikes for 4 years and been using Clipless. I’ve recently got back into mountain biking and prefer the XC biking and have got myself an XC bike. I’m loving it.

However…

On steep and technical terrain I lose all confidence while being clipped in as I can’t dab a foot. And moving slow and trying to get over roots and rocks makes me nervous as I can’t just quickly dab a foot.

I do however love the efficiency I feel I get while being clipped in. Also it’s how I’ve rode for the last 4 years so I feel completely used to it.

I tried flats and I had a lot more confident knowing I could dab a foot at anytime in the technical and steep stuff, but then I lose my pedalling efficiency for all the other parts of the ride.

The steep and technical stuff is about 5-10% of most my rides, but I already have fallen twice as the bikes slipped on a root and I haven’t been able to clip out in time, where I’m sure I could have quickly dabbed a foot and stopped the fall if I was on flats.

Any help or suggestions? I’m only wanting to stick with one type of pedal.

Thank You.

Just threw these on my Neuhaus hummingbird and compared to the vittoria syerras, these things fly. Absolutely phenomenal ride quality and what I felt to be a super solid balance between grip and speed. I was tempted to go with the continental dubnitals but I had ridden these before, and after today’s ride, I’m pretty happy. Maybe dubnitals next time.

What say you all?!

Anybody here riding Dakota Five 0 next weekend and have support? Looking to give someone a small drop bag for the mid Aid Station. I rode it unsupported last year and it’s such a fun community vibe I figured it wouldn’t hurt to ask. Im a slow/mid pack, shooting for sub 6hr

Hello guys. My name is Filip, and I'm a 41-year-old amateur cross-triathlete. I would like to buy my first full-suspension XC bike for myself. I'm 180cm tall (82cm inseam), 82kg.

My budget is 3500€-4000€. I did some research and picked these 4 bikes:

Specialized Chisel Comp (2025) 3299€
Cannondale Scalpel Carbon 3 3349€
Orbea Oiz M30 (2027) 3799€
Lux World Cup CF 9 (latest) 4149€

What are your thoughts? What would you pick based on your experience? I probably like Oiz the most, but it's more about looks than anything.

Any suggestions on developing a hybrid training plan? I generally ride 5-6 hours a week but also train BJJ twice a week. I would like to begin racing some 100k endurance races in 2027. I’m trying to develop an efficient training plan where I don’t give up BJJ. My current plan roughly looks like this.

Monday - BJJ
Tuesday- 90 minute Hard ride
Wednesday - recovery - maybe easy yoga
Thursday - 90 minutes Zone 2
Friday - BJJ
Saturday - 2-3 longer ride
Sunday - recovery - maybe easy yoga or ride

Thoughts ?
I’ve been training BJJ for 20 years and don’t want to give it up.

I’m not a racer but all my rides are XC. Mixture of tarmac, gravel, woodlands, fields etc etc.

I’m looking to buy a new handlebar. Just wondering what size bar is good for this kind of riding? I have a trail bike with 800mm bar but couldn’t really imagine riding XC and road sections on a 800mm bar?

Any suggestions and what do you run?

I'm considering ditching my road bike because I don't really enjoy riding it. It was an affordable but really nicely set-up bike I bought when poor weather kept all of the MTB trails closed. The problem is, it never really fit me correctly. I could invest in a better one or spend money to try and get my fit better, but I don't like spending money on my road bike - it takes away from funds I can use for my MTB.

So, I'm considering selling it and buying a really nice set of carbon wheels for my XC bike. I'd use the old alloy wheels to ride on the road for more structured training and the carbon wheels for the trails.

The question is this: is it a bad idea to use my XC bike for structured training rides on roads and greenways? I'm starting to race a lot, so I want my training to be productive.

I’m looking for some recommendations for an online training platform/coach for 2027.
I’m 53 and just finished Leadville in 7:20. Next year I’d like to move toward longer XC and gravel events, while also getting myself in better shape for the start of race season in February.

Current FTP is 248W. My main goals are to improve endurance and durability, and ideally bump FTP by around 5% without losing the ability to ride long. Love long days in the saddle and don’t really want a low volume masters plan that FastCat has and considering Trainer Road but have heard mixed reviews about their recent changes. I have had a coach in the past but my current coach is stepping into another role next year and will be fully committed with the team he works for.

I’d like something that takes age, recovery and the demands of longer events into account.
For those of you doing XC/gravel and using an online training platform or coach:

*What are you using?
*What have you liked/disliked about it?
*Has it helped with long-distance durability as well as FTP?

Anything you’d particularly recommend for someone in their 50s (or does it even matter?)

Happy to pay for something good if it’s actually worth it. Just trying to avoid signing up for another generic plan that doesn’t really fit the goal.
Thanks

I'm basically a roadie on a mountain bike with mountain biking skills, doing most of my riding up in the Marin area.

A couple of years ago I picked up an Epic World Cup Pro. I’ve put a dropper post on it and I’m about to put a fork-only Flight Attendant setup upfront (keeping the travel at 110mm). I generally treat and use this as a "gravel bike plus" type of bike for fast fire roads, steep climbs, and moderate singletrack.

For those who have experience on both platforms: how much of a difference would jumping to an Epic 8 or another similar 120/120 bike actually make for this style of riding? Is the added rear compliance and traction worth it, or is the World Cup with a dropper and FA already the sweet spot for Marin terrain? I do find the world cup can be a bit "harsh" at times and normally run it at half gulp in the back.

Has anybody done this XC race? No more races are available this year where I live, so I'm thinking of traveling to Hot Springs, AR for this one. I'm not looking for a crazy hard tech challenge just some nice XC singletrack for an old guy. Thinking Cat 2 - maybe Cat 1 if it is a faster course. Seeking more of a season-ending fun event...

Everyone told me I’d regret racing the Leadville 100 MTB on a Reeb Steel Short Travel (SST). I got a lot of this 'advice' this past year, having never raced the LV100 before. But it mostly just made me want to do it even more. And I aimed to get the big buckle on my first attempt on this bike.

[Of course, this 'screw you, I ride what I want' mentality might not work for everyone.]

Me: Male, 6'2", and just under 200lbs.

Finish time: 8 hours and 1 minute. (Note the 2026 LV100 MTB did not include Sugarloaf or Powerline, and the Big Buckle cutoff time was 8 hours and 15 minutes.)

Build (28.6 lbs):

• Reeb SST, size L (2023)
• Fox 34 SL (130 mm)
• Manitou Mara Inline (120 mm)
• SRAM AXS 12-speed w/ 10–52 GX cassette, 34T chainring
• Sigeyi MTB power meter
• 160 mm BikeYoke Revive dropper
• Shimano XTR XC pedals
• Shimano XTR M9120 brakes. 200 mm front rotor. 160 mm rear rotor.
• Front tire: Maxxis Rekon Race 2.4
• Rear tire: Maxxis Aspen ST 2.4, CushCore XC insert
• Nextie Carbon wheels
• Carbon bars, stem, PNW grips.
• Spurcycle bell

Congrats to all the LV100 MTB riders last week; those conditions were amazing! I hope y'all's day was as good as mine.

I raced this year with First Descents, a fantastic charity. Quick S/O to them.

No, I am not affiliated with Reeb in any way whatsoever. I just like their bikes. Clean ride. Clean lines. Reliable.

The question is in the title. I am a new FS XC owner who just figured out that my top-loading cages don't work. So I am looking for recommendations for side-loaders. I have a strong preference for metal cages (stainless or titanium) but happy for recommendations in any material.

Anyone rocking 165mm cranks on their MTB? Pros/Cons???