Why You Shouldn't Set Your Bike Up Like An XC PRO
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 25 ก.พ. 2023
- Professional cross-country racers set their bikes up on the extreme end of the bike fit spectrum with speed preferred over comfort! In this video, Anna Cipullo explains the setup choices that XC pros make that you shouldn't
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How do you set up your bike? Let us know 👇
Someone needs to smash your audio tech with a frying pan.
Slam stem and wide riser bars with flats, rock shock, Judy’s
with a very low positin on the bike, stiff suspension and wide(ish) bars
one of my bike allready has a -10 stem
Racing xc and others for years with a dropperpost. The activation becomes as natural as other activations like braking and gear changes. The technique of the dropper in a race isn't a squat. If you are getting good at it, you are already on the seat, using your weight to drop the seat just before you use it (down and corners = seat down). Also, raising the seat is reversed as you are already out of the seat, you magically bring it back up to your butt. So intuitive after a while and just as flowing as the trail.
Very accurate. As I look for a new bike this year, I wonder if a lockout would become muscle-mind memory the same way or if I’d just leave it mostly in open position. Seems beneficial, yet almost too complicated to take full advantage of
I went 120 FS and glad I did. Admittedly I don't need it in races - but when I'm trail riding with friends on their 130/140 trail bikes, I can still keep up with them. Works great as an all rounder for racing and trail riding.
Thank you for doing XC content!
No worries! We love XC! 👍
I can't imagine having as much fun on my XC hardtail without the added dropper post and 120mm fork upgrade from 100mm. The added weight is a non issue for me since I ride for health and fun.
I'm completely with you on that one. The dropper I bought for my hardtail XC was the best decision. I could go way steeper descents, way faster.
I just ride for fun and health too and want to improve my technical skills. Buying a trail bike doesn't make any sense where I live, mostly cross country terrain.
I’ve just bought an XC bike. For a change… And I’m loving-it! It defo needs the right trail/place. But once you know where to ride it, they’re brilliant. Just bought a carbon rigid post too. I’m going old-school!
After several years experiencing back / knee pain when riding, I can thoroughly recommend spending £!00 on a Retul bike fit and forget about 'fashion' components and use whatever fits your body and riding style.
Thanks for sharing! That's a great thing to do if you're looking for the perfect setup. 👍
1:37 not from level, its from your head tube angle.
So a 63° HTA with a -17° stem = level with the ground
yea, you are right. from level varies depending on the bike. so level would be the steerer tube straight up, but that's not how it iss on the bike.
Your maths is bad, but your point is 100% on the money.
Reciently, I realized I had barely used my dropper during races this last semester, so off it went! I'll keep it around if the course requires it. Also narrowed my bars and have progressively lengthened the stem. These last changes were definitely inspired by CFR's setup for this season, and also a desire to replicate the body position and handling of my previous hardtail.
Sounds like some well thought out adjustments there Nicolas! Good luck for the upcoming semester :)
I recently upgrade my cranks and downgrade the length. Was 175 now 165mm. Best upgrade ever! Would be nice to see more about cranks sizes in this wonderful show.
few years back i shattered my right leg twice in a year and i don't even need 165mm cranks. 170mm is fine for me. 175mm is a no go though. My leg no longer bends far enough.
@@M3PH11 is that leg shorter now? Do you run shoe spacers?
Tbh I've tried that and it was bad. More stress on the knees as the push happens with leg being a bit more behind then with longer crank arm, and less efficient pedalling. No wonder *ALL* XC pros ride 175 (including even short riders with less leg reach), and no wonder all bike fitting doctors recommend crank arm length based on measurements, and no wonder manufacturer recommended crank arm lengths are like they are. 175 fits huge majority of people, for shorter ones 170mm might be OK but that's about it. Research has already been done, it's not randomly that most bikes and most cranksets come with such lengths.
@@NiohNiohYT everything you just said is plain wrong in so many ways. I dont even know where to begin.
@@Gufolicious It's actually not. Hence standard sized by all the big companies after doing incredible amount of research, as well as suggestion by pretty much any doctor physiatrist that does bike fit. I am yet to see a single person recommended on bike fit idk 160 crankset or god forbid less.
You must be one of those guys that love oval chainrings, and rigid fork on mtb as well.
And yeah, dont begin :)
Awesome video. Back/hip flexibility is rarely discussed but really plays into how us older folks need to set up our bikes. Thanks for discussing it!
Spring you say? I Wish :D Looking out of the window, just coming inside from shoveling the 50cm layer of snow on my yard, I can only dream of spring and cycling in the forest :D But, still watching the video, extra tips are always welcome...
Sorry to tease! Racing has started here in the uk and World Cups test event are just about to kick off in Europe! 😊
The G in gmbn stands for GreatBritain
@@janeblogs324 isn't that Global?
@@augustlandmesser1520 I think you missed the joke
Hey, Reivn! Sounds like you've got a bit of time left before you can get back to shredding the trails. 😬 Thank you for watching! 👊
Just bought an Exceed and I love it! Coming from a 120 mm FS Neuron AL (2018) I barely notice the absence of the rear shock when out of the saddle on rough sections, but the pedaling efficiency and climbing performance gained is nothing short of amazing!
I didn’t run a dropper post the first year I raced and i found that it would help significantly to do the tech areas so I bought one last year and it helped a ton
I'm riding a pro setup on my ORBEA Oiz. I tried many setups, always with discomfort and even pain in my neck. Now I'm riding a 90mm stem instead of a 70mm and with -20° with a 5mm spacer above the headset and to me it feels perfect. I wouldn't recommend this setup blind to anyone else.
Quite weird. Neck pain happens when you get longer and more negative degree stem, not the other way around. So it should be exact opposite of what you said. It probably looks cool to you and you feel better based on placebo. If you went to actual bike fitting doctor and understood the source of neck pain, you would probably change the setup. Too low handlebar = neck and wrist pain. Too high handlebar / too low seat = back and hip pain. Extremely low setup (like yours, 90mm -20 lol) is *ONLY* good for climbing efficiency for racing/competition purposes and NOT for ergonomics. And that's why the pros use it. As you can see, bikes are never shipped like that to regular people - for very good reasons.
Same by me, I also eliminated all sorts of pain by going lower with my bars. Now I have pretty much the same position on my XC bike as on my roadie.
I ride a 100mm hardtail XC 27.5 mountain bike. Since I swapped my handlebar to a 50mm riser bar (680mm width) I feel much more comfortable, in control and can ride for longer. I am 5'8 on a small frame. 60mm stem +6 degrees
Some very good points. Made me think. Thanks
Can i ask where did you bought the garmin holder? I am looking for it every where. Thanks
Anna: It's spring! Me: looks out the window at the 30cm of snow on the ground.
It's nearly spring! 😬😂
I run a 120 up from a stock 100 so i tossed a -17 70mm to make up the difference in reach and stack height. Works great.
Super sensible video....thanks👍
what is the exact size of the tyres front and rear?
Great info!
I tried setting my XC race bike up exactly like Nino's including air pressures, damping settings & volume tokens. Result? I didn't like any of it. Why? Because I'm not Nino! I used his setup as a baseline and after a month of tweaks I was/am extremely happy with the bike!
Nice video! My 120/110mm full suspension bike, is more capable, comfortable and just faster than my 100mm hardtail. They are similarly spec'ed component wise and both have droppers. While I still enjoy my hardtail, I generally only use it now for gravel or flowy, non-technical trails. People can go on and on how about how hardtails are lighter and more efficient climbing, blah blah blah, but at the end of the day, the full suspension bike is faster, particularly for longer rides where the bike soaks up trail noise and other abuse that drains your energy.
What is the tool strap on the seat tube? I need one
Solid info Rich, it may seem obvious but sometimes the basic stuff is overlooked!
After being on 100mm hardtails with fix seat post for the past 10 years I've been racing, this year I finally made a switch to a full sus with a dropper post. Coincidentally, it also offers 120mm of travel (though with 2016-ish geometry, so not that radical). The stem I'm now running is 90mm -17° slammed down, but that's to maintain the bike fit I'm used to with slightly taller new one.
what's that stem valve in the tube? Can you please share? 🙂
After a 10 year gap in xc hardtail mountain biking I just got a specialized Rockhopper expert & its perfect except I'm cramped & weird with the 60mm 6° rise stem. I'm going to try a 90mm & make it -6°. I'm not a pro but I mean it also came with flat pedals where in days back i used spd clip ins. The kid who sold me the bike had this attitude as if I was clueless & far past my best & i know I'm just @ that level. The frame is perfect for but the stem cramps me up & I can't really go fast at all. Anyways tks good video & we'll see if I prefer the 90mm slammed stem
Spot on check list for a new rider to sort out the best answer for their needs. Not a lot of straight talk out there.
Thanks Philip! Glad you found it useful 👍
I suspect that without the special cable-thru headset cups, the stack height could be much lower and a normal 0 degree stem could perhaps have been used?
i ride only 100 mm xc hardtails have some some racing whit both i ride mostly fun fitness and speed don´t have pro setups on my but i have one whit a single piece syncross carbon handlebar whit no dropperpost both my xc hardtais have been setup whit a proper bikefit.
Slammed stem discussion should cover the likelihood of damage to your top tube in a crash, due to the shifters coming around lower and impacting it. I wish I'd figured this out before learning the hard way.
Dropped stem, ok, that's interesting. Mine is slightly up tilt maybe 7.5deg. A fav climb of mine I'm trying to get weight over the front just to steer. I might just inert it and give it a try, Thx.
Hi, great vid. I have a 2022 Orbea Alma and would like to get into racing. Have you got any tips on how to sign up or what website (s) to go on. Thanks 👍
Go to your national governing body, e.g, here we use British Cycling, and they have all xc events listed from local, regional to national point-scoring events 👍
Good luck with your racing Leo!
I think the best thing to do is find out what works for you! If your ideal setup is a slammed stem with a negative angle, do it, if it's a neutral stem halfway up the steerer, do it. If you think a dropper will help you have one! I'm I'm currently riding a 100mm hardtail, front end slammed with a 90mm stem -20°, and no dropper, next week I'm ordering a new race bike, and I'll be adding a dropper, personally I like being able to get my weight further back but know lots of people who are happy without a dropper. The stem will also be slammed as that's my ideal fit, but maybe a colleague or friend it might not be, everything is personal to the rider, go out and figure out yourself what you need.
Excellent video.
Very flash and looks very fast.. Best of luck in the races. I will be racing soon on my Scott Spark
Oh im in love with my hardtail xc BMC bike :) no more i can ask from the bike :).
having just gotten an e-mtb...i'm now thinking of a diy light xc bike build, as light as possible on a budget...didn't start yet so maybe some videos on that topic would be nice :D
I've got a Specialized Chisel. Currently running a carbon fork and some Hunt XC wheels. It's cost me less than £2k; and it's sub 10kg.
PFP just won the XCO world championship on a hardtail.
Interesting! I changed my set up over a year ago to 120mm, dropper and slammed. I’m racing 50km ish courses with some really tech sections, some fast downhills and fire tracks. The new set up is way better for me. I think Anna is talking about a setup for less aggressive riding and courses. I wouldn’t go back!
Didn't realize that Anna used to race world cup! So cool!
i flipped my stem so i gained some height at the front...im 180cm and my frame is M/L I felt for the riding that I do which is steep hill near my home and rocks etc...by having my seat lower I feel I can control the bike better when going up. If I had to lean forward too much I would not be comfortable.
I switched from hardtail to FS many years ago because with my poor MTB skill I was bouncing too much pedalling over rocks and tree roots. It was ok for a few minutes but after an hour I was sore in all the wrong places.😂
With FS, I could just pedal and pedal and thus faster overall even though it is heavier by a kilogram.
I loved that Pauline ferrand,won the world's,and Tom pidcock the Euros,both on hardtails .
Almost all of the 32mm xc forks out there now have 80-100-120mm adjustment, so it's not that different than trying a lower handlebar. Although I do have say that raising my Axon Werx f to 120mm made it feel more sloppy and steeper timed runs were actually worse.
I actually prefer a dropped stem combined with shorter handle bars. Almost every bike these days comes with 50cm or longer bars which just feel rediculous to me as I have a shoulder with (center to center) of 38mm, but long arms. So for me, lower stem and 45'ish cm wide bars give me a lot more comfort, stability and control then a regular stem on 50cm bars.
Good video. im xc guy. no slammed stem for me. I dont know how Nino does that.. And i dont have a dropper on my bike.
Great summary of the stuff you see at XC races. I’ve seen inverted rise bars to also ‘get lower. For me, a 225 lbs 42 y/o Clydesdale, I started hating my hardtail about 30 mins into most races, so, I built up a dream bike xx1 epic evo s works with fox 34 stepcast and love every minute of the races now. I would vote downcountry any day if you are upper mid pack or lower rider. It doesn’t have to be the crazy spec but the comfort to power and speed ratio is really nice in the 120 front/100 rear bikes.
I run -20 and 80 mm stem and it has workshop fine for me but a got very long arms so that probably has something to do whit it
I have a Salsa Mukluk hard tail fat bike with 4 wheel sets.
27.5 and 26 fat with 80mm rims, 27.5 x 50mm rims and 27.5 with 35mm rims.
I run many kinds of tyres from 4.8 inch to 2.25 inch.
It’s fun mixing and matching too. 2.25 Racing Ralph rear with a 4.5 Gnarwhal up front is hilarious
3:16 isn't Your sadle too low? Just curious
we gotta change XC bikes quite a bit if we want a neutral position starting point for bikes in XL. I can't even get a neutral position on a enduro bike with 35mm rise and 40mm spacers
Well my xc hardtail setup is almost on the pro xc setup which is also looks good
Um just about to go shovel ~16" of snow that just fell in Canada 🇨🇦, so yes nice spring weather... 🤣
I don't really agree with dropper post. I have Scott Scale 920 hardtail and I found myself hitting my saddle or I was far behind saddle when steep downhill part came. That were moment I wish I had dropper, which now I have. Yes, I gain like 300 grams, maybe 400. But I balanced that with 600g lighter wheelset and few other upgrades.
Hard tail ❤👍🏻👍🏻
I have a carbon XC hardtail with XTR and carbon everything. It's light, it's fast, it beats you up on daily rides. I don't ride it as much for fun, but when I do ride it, it moves.
I just bought a 120mm fork suspension because is the trend not because as I need it, just learned that with this video.
What seat post is that? It looks like it provides some mild suspension?
From Canyon. Dont know the name. But you will find it with google. Works well, has a little flex to it.
Weight of Fox 32 SC 29" 100 mm is ~1360 gr, vs RS SID Ultimate Raceday 35 120 mm is ~1520 gr. That is 160 gr difference and certainly for hard riding and heavier riders very much worth it. I enjoy every day the benefits of accurate steering and supergood bump absorption. For lighter (female) persons such upgrade is perhaps not needed at all.
It was a very interesting video. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot wins the 2023 World Championship XCO and XCC aboard the PINARELLO DOGMA XC HARDTAIL. The course in Glasgow was very technical. Tom Pidcock, on the other hand, opts for the full suspension of the same bike. I think professionals weigh the pros and cons and decide which one is more advantageous for them before choosing a bike. By the way, I will not go to the World Cup, nor to the Olympics, so a hardtail with a suspension of 100 mm travel will do. You don't even need a dropper seatpost.
A -20 degree stem is -20 degrees from perpendicular with the steerer. Not -20 from "level" (because the stem doesn't know what bike /head angle it is going on...).
I was winning XC races on a 100mm full suspension S works epic in 2011. Not much has changed except the wheel size! 26 to 29.
Let's see the #gmbn hairy legs contest. Richies gotta gone full on smooth baby , by now ..
Loving the content guys ,keep it up 🤘🤘🦖 oxford S/S 🇬🇧
😂😂😂 no chance
Maybe crossing from road bike to mountain. But seriously slammed, long reach, head down push. I honestly believe, what feels comfortable to you go for it. Don't believe the fashion..
Is her bike's saddle height adjusted via a bolt inside the main triangle at the junction of the top and seat tubes? 😳
If people are gonna spend this much on an XC MTB, then they better get a quality bike fit.
I don't race, but being 6'7" with a XXL bike, the dropper is an absolute must, it had saved me from falling and hitting many times, I don't think I could live without one.
The frame looks a bit short for you, but I guess at your height it’s difficult to get something low enough that’s long enough?
And bars level with saddle? Something I’ve never encountered with a 35” inside leg 😂
i will set my seatpost and then use a level from stemcap, nose and back of the saddle
but that is just for measurements, imagine riding like that :P
I also want to try a "full saucer".
Well, my bike is set to ride 6 hours with comfort, not for racing, so my handlebar is 5cm above my saddle, which is set according my measurements, also i got hernias on my neck, impossible to ride with low handlebars
I’m guessing many GMBN viewers are amateurs who just want a “do it all” bike for XC or intermediate downhill trails. I think the answer is never an XC focused bike, but a somewhat lightweight general trail bike. Like a 140mm or 130mm travel in the front with more progressive geo that you can still lock out the suspension on and do a lot of miles with if you want
Well said pointing out average riders' physical conditions as compared to a pro . I can't ride low bars and long stems like I did in the early 90s . Racers and their equipment will always fuel desires and market trends .
It seems to me that Anna's saddle is a bit too low..
Yeah just a little maybe, might help with descending or injuries though?
Defo looks too low, lots of knee angle as pedal at lowest point... But each to their own... If she likes it then who's to say
3:12 yeah but how good do those 32" rims look? Can't wait till they hit the market
My Saddle is the right height, but I think I’ve lost a bit of flexibility in my ankles and I am tight in the calfs from time off the bike. You can see I don’t push my heels right down through the stroke, so I’m on tip toes a bit! I’ll be working on that before the season starts 😅
@@AnnaOnTheBike I'd love to see you on a trainer test with watts VS cadence with 5+ different seat heights +an exhausted test.
Its a game changer finding what's most efficient while ignoring if you're pointing toes and just look at watts VS cadence
Do we have this kind of vids on Enduro bikes?
Awesome insight and the knowledge you have wow 👌🏾
Makes sense
What about the added rigidity of the hardtail over its fullsus equivalent ? I believe the same pedal stroke would bring you much further on the hardtail.
Great Video, Nice Job!!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the support! 👊
What do you think of BMC's autodrop seat Anna? No more pushing the seat down manually!
Hard tail team, thanks a lot!
What would be a best position and agle for stem for a 1.90m guy with if we keep in mind that my saddle is high - over my stem and handdle bar... now my angle for stem is with rise of 17° and 7cm long but would wanna go with a shorter set for 5cm long and 5° rise only to decrease my to high position on bike
Awesome cool epik beautiful bike ❤❤❤👍🤘
We agree! 😉 Thanks for watching! 👊🔥
Yeah, XC setups are just uncomfortable AF if you don't have the fitness. Wouldn't recommend for weekend riders.
Mmm nothing to do with fitness, you just need to be flexible
I race on a hardtail with 120mm Fox 34 SC and am much quicker than I was on my old full sus 100mm rig. Same brand of bike and components just about £1000 cheaper and more fun too!
i hav😶 either an exceed and a lux
please make compare video about xc tires all pros using..
More XC content please
Spring?
It's still February in Alberta...... :(
i could not stand a lower stem like that i already have back pain
Why would we kill hardtails? There will always be nonrocky, nontechnical trails where you wouldn't need one.
I have been running slammed for over 10 years -17
Someone should design adjustable bars so you can be over them on climbs and lift them downhill 🤷🏽♂️
XC racing isn’t for everyone. This video and the “recommendations” proves it.
Dropper post is the best thing ever..no brainer..without or you hit your balls or you go over the bar..
😳😬😂
There are quick release clamps. Old droppers. Still use. No need for dropper for me
95% or maybe higher mtb's rider here in Malaysia ride an xc hardtail bike
Same here in Philippines bro
yep, most of us Malaysian ride hardtails. I own both, both are fun at different trails.
If XC racing were this tough, they should’ve made those at the recent Commonwealth Games run the whole red route rather than the softer blue route
I say ride it the way you like. Low. High. Whatever feels right. It takes time and mileage to get your proper fit.
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