We tested these cross-country bikes:
The routes of the Cross-Country World Cup are miniature worlds of the big, colourful mountain bike cosmos. Over a length of three, sometimes four kilometres, they offer everything that bikers can encounter in the wild. Brutal climbs. Steep descents. Jumps. Plus the whole range of terrain types, from normal to nasty. Roots, mud, floating gravel, sand, meadow, rock. Sometimes dusty, sometimes slippery. All together a single challenge that becomes a martyrdom with a pulse of 180. For the rider. But also for the bike.
Cross-country bikes are the supreme discipline for MTB engineers. A huge development effort is required to raise the already optimised models to a new level. The frame of the recently presented Epic World Cup from Specializedwhich is currently one of the lightest, weighs just 1893 grams. Including shock absorber. And that with very good stiffness. However, the fact that race fullys are also the first choice for many touring and marathon bikers presents the developers with a further challenge. Ideally, the frame must offer space for two bottle cages, and the geometry should also allow for long days in the saddle. But clever details such as smart tools, puncture-proof tyres and flipchips also offer added value for the average rider. The engineers are fully challenged to realise maximum range of use and minimum weight with full race track suitability. Every adjustment screw is turned. With special carbon fibre, innovative frame construction and cleverly composed equipment, every superfluous gram is fought for. Modern geometries and sophisticated chassis improve pedalling efficiency and downhill performance.
The three brand new cross-country bikes in our test show just how similar and yet different the concepts are. We tested them at the Heavy 24 and in the wild. Unfortunately, we didn't have the necessary professional licence to race in the Cross-Country World Cup.
BH Lynx Race LT 9.5 - Special equipment
You can see the Lynx Race's World Cup genes from afar. The brand new version is styled and optimised to the max. And that is its only shortcoming.
Similar to the bikes from MMR, those from BH are also considered rather exotic in the local scene. Which is surprising, because the Spanish brand has been around for more than a hundred years. Originating from an arms factory founded in 1909, the brand has increasingly specialised in high-quality bicycles over the years. BH bikes have also been at the forefront of the World Cup for years. The star of the BH Colona team is David Valero. He won his bronze medal at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo on an MMR from his sponsor at the time. The fact that his new team bike is also a racing machine of the finest calibre can be seen from his current World Cup successes. Valero even led the overall standings at times.
The brand new BH Lynx Race looks classy. The red-brown paintwork is contrasted by sparkling metallic red and bright blue lettering. Even the silhouette of the full-suspension bike emphasises its race character. The top tube, shock and seat stays form a visual line. The many lovingly crafted details of the bike show that this is certainly no coincidence. There is no doubt that everyone involved in the development of the Lynx has contributed with fetishistic dedication.
To list everything would go beyond the scope of these pages. So here are just a few examples: The headset with its tricky clamp and integrated cable routing is a special design and forms a single unit with the stem, in which an optional multi-tool can be accommodated. The seat post clamp integrated into the seat tube is also attractive and undoubtedly extra streamlined. The rear triangle was designed as a split pivot, which is intended to decouple pedalling and braking forces from the chassis in the best possible way. Ultimately, this should take care of buffering bumps on the trail and providing traction. The built-in bearings are self-centring. Unlike its predecessor, the new BH Lynx offers space for two bottle cages in the frame triangle. This requires an adapter, which is supplied with the bike. And if individualism is important to you, you can order the bike in the colour of your choice using the Unique configurator.
The expectations of the riding character are enormous in view of this wealth of detail. This time, the test terrain is the border triangle at Lake Reschen with high Alpine peaks, long descents and furious descents. Because we had requested the LT, but it was not yet available, BH converted the classic Lynx version (100 mm) with a 120 mm fork and a dropper post into an LT version for the test. The riding position feels sporty, the reach is longer than on the MMR and the stem is shorter. This gives you a pleasantly stretched ride towards the clouds, while the suspension does its job discreetly. Only when pedalling out of the saddle does the rear bob with every turn of the pedals. Pressing the lockout lever stiffens the suspension. Locking and unlocking is routine for racers anyway.
Uphill, the Lynx convinces all along the line. On long gravel paths. And even on technical, steep terrain, you always stay in control. Relaxed full throttle. This is the best way to describe the forward thrust of the Lynx. At least as long as it's dry. The Pirelli Scorpion tyres, which roll excellently and grip well in normal conditions, quickly reach their limit in mud.
It was with great excitement that we finally set off on the descent; a trail almost 900 metres in length that combines fast, flowing sections with rough, rocky ones. For a race bike, the Lynx is responsive and easy to control even on demanding terrain. The suspension does a great job. Only the bike-yoke support, which can only be lowered by 80 millimetres, limits the downhill fun on steep, rocky sections or jumps. The BH Lynx is an excellent race bike that has been thought through down to the smallest detail. Surprisingly, the only points of criticism result from this quest for perfection. The hidden post clamp is difficult or impossible to reach with the mini-tool (depending on the model). We also only managed to readjust the headset, which had loosened massively, with the help of the explanatory video on YouTube. The common term is "tweaking". Sometimes simple, classic solutions are simply the best.
Conclusion from Henri Lesewitz, BIKE editor-in-chief
The previous version of the BH Lynx, which we used with the MMR on the Heavy 24, was already a thoroughbred, stylish race fully. One drawback was the lack of a second bottle cage. The brand new Lynx has been optimised down to the smallest detail. In practice, however, some of the special solutions are annoying. Nevertheless: a top fully that also scored points in the test with its high-quality equipment.
Technical data and notes on the BH Lynx Race LT 9.5
Manufacturer information
- Price: 8799 Euro
- Available from specialised dealers
- Frame material: Carbon
- Frame size: S, M,L, XL(tested in size L, 45.5 cm)
Measured values
- Weight without pedals: 11.1 kg
- Frame weight without shock absorber: 2351 g
- Weight of wheels: 3984 g
- Acceleration of running wheels: 3153 kg x cm²
- Handlebar width: 760 mm
- Frame rigidity (absolute): 43 N/mm
Equipment
- Wheels: BH Evo Carbon 30
- Tyres: Pirelli Scorpion XC 29 x 2.40
- Fork: Fox Float Factory SC
- Shock: Fox Float Factory
- Front/rear suspension travel: 120/110 mm
- Brakes: Shimano XTR 180/160 mm
- Gear system: Shimano XTR
- Gear ratio / bandwidth: 34; 10-51 / 510 %
- Tele-St. / stroke / Ø: Bike Yoke / 80 mm / 31.6 mm
Valuation
- Driving behaviour uphill: 27 from 30
- Chassis efficiency: 20 out of 25
- Rolling resistance: 13.5 out of 15
- Weight: 17.5 from 20
- Inertia impellers: 10.5 out of 15
- Bottle cage: 9.5 out of 10
- Driving behaviour downhill: 25.5 from 30
- Front suspension: 10 out of 10
- Rear suspension: 12.75 out of 15
- Saddle retractability:: 10 out of 10
- Brakes: 9 out of 10
- Tyre grip: 9.75 out of 15
- Driving stability: 3 out of 10
TOTAL UPHILL: 98 OUT OF 120
TOTAL DOWNHILL: 78 OUT OF 100
- Other: 24.5 out of 30
- Ease of maintenance: weak
BIKE test rating²: very good - 200.5 out of 250 points
Test report on the XC-Fully MMR Kenta SXC
The bikes from MMR have exotic status in this country. Yet the race models have already won international honours. You can see this in the MMR Kenta despite its twelve kilos.
Only insiders are likely to know what is behind the still relatively unknown MMR brand. This is because the brand name is emblazoned on the frame as an abbreviation. Written out in full, it leaves no question unanswered: Machines Made for Racing. Compared to the World Cup top dogs such as Scott or Specialized, the Spanish brand founded in 2008 is more of a young company. Nevertheless, its ambitions are huge. The bikes are designed to conquer the podiums of this world. Olympic bronze (Rio) and a European Championship gold medal have already been won on MMR bikes. Since 2016, the company has even been running its own cycling academy to promote talent. It goes without saying that no compromises are made in the development of the bikes. Apart from those that are necessary due to the price range.
The MMR Kenta SXC is a cross country fully with a high-end frame and mid-range spec, which is available with wireless shifting for a fair price of € 5499. This is roughly what you get for the same price from Canyon. Even the first glance at the frame gives you an idea of how much attention to detail has gone into the Kenta. The elegant metallic paint sparkles in the light and alternates between golden brown and olive green. The shock mount on the main frame has a 3D design. This reveals the engineers' enthusiastic fight against every superfluous gram and at the same time gives the Kenta a characteristic look. The rear triangle with flexing seat stays saves the additional weight of Horst link bearings. Nevertheless, the frame does not set any records. 2125 grams for the naked chassis is good. However, some competitors have shown that it is possible to go lighter and stay well below the two-kilo mark. But as we all know, bare figures only provide limited information about the riding characteristics.
What is immediately noticeable after getting on the bike is that the MMR doesn't pull the rider into a nasty stretched position, but allows a relatively comfortable riding position with its short reach. That's good, because the Heavy 24 in Chemnitz is a demanding test environment. The course is a tough mix of root passages, short climbs and fast, winding descents. The acceleration is decent. The suspension is unimpressed by the pedalling. The power from the legs is converted into propulsion pretty much without loss. Even more so when seated than when pedalling.
In uphill passages on gravel or when bolting along on smooth surfaces, the suspension can be locked in no time at all with the Rockshox twist grip and reactivated when required. This is maximally effective. The moment of activation is always a demonstration of how sensitively the suspension works. It's marvellous when the Kenta, stiffened to the hilt, transforms into a floating cushion from one second to the next. Even the treacherous root fields, which make the majority of riders jump around like rodeo cowboys, can't harm the MMR. The rider races over the wooden gears at almost the same speed and is impressed.
A small but important feature also comes into its own during sweaty racing: The frame of the MMR offers space for two large water bottles, which is not a matter of course for race fullys. This makes the bike interesting for long distances. Whether it's a marathon or a leisurely tour. In this application, the weight of twelve and a half kilos is not as noticeable as when racing on the 24-hour circuit, where the team riders take turns and every second counts.
But well, the fair price requires compromises in terms of equipment. Not everything is possible. This has an effect on the weight, thanks to the skilful hand in putting together the parts, but none on the function. The Hutchinson Kraken tyres roll fast and claw hungrily into the ground when leaning. The Sram GX AXS shifts the chain quickly and precisely to the desired sprocket thanks to the radio-controlled micromotor. On steep descents, the Rockshox Reverb ducks far enough away to provide sufficient freedom of movement for shifting the centre of gravity. Also good: the tiny but effective chain guide.
Conclusion from Alexander Müller, BIKE test rider
You see an MMR at marathons from time to time. I've never ridden one. I was pleasantly surprised by the Kenta. It's exactly what I think a race fully should be. Sporty, but comfortable. With lockout, space for two large bottles and a retractable seat post. It's a shame that the Kenta can't realise its full potential due to its weight. But the price is fair.
Technical data and notes MMR Kenta SXC
Manufacturer information
- Price: 5400 Euro
- Available from specialised dealers
- Frame material: Carbon
- Frame size: S, M,L, XL(tested in size L, 50.5 cm)
Measured values
- Weight without pedals: 12.3 kg
- Frame weight without shock: 2125 g
- Weight of wheels: 4516 g
- Acceleration of running wheels: 3374 kg x cm²
- Handlebar width: 760 mm
- Frame rigidity (absolute): 47 N/mm
Equipment
- Wheels: DT Swiss X1900 Spline
- Tyres: Hutchinson Kraken 29 x 2.30
- Fork: Rockshox SID Ultimate
- Shock: Rockshox Luxe Ultimate
- Front/rear suspension travel: 117/114 mm
- Brakes: Shimano MT 500 (180/160)
- Gear system: Sram GX AXS
- Gear ratio / bandwidth: 34; 10-52 / 520 %
- Tele-St. / stroke / Ø: Reverb / 125 mm / 30.9 mm
Valuation
- Driving behaviour uphill: 27 from 30
- Chassis efficiency: 22.5 out of 25
- Rolling resistance: 11.25 out of 15
- Weight: 12.5 from 20
- Inertia impellers: 6 of 15
- Bottle cage: 10 out of 10
- Driving behaviour downhill: 24 from 30
- Front suspension: 9.5 out of 10
- Rear suspension: 12.75 out of 15
- Saddle retractability: 10 out of 10
- Brakes: 8.5 out of 10
- Tyre grip: 11.25 out of 15
- Driving stability: 4 out of 10
TOTAL UPHILL: 92.25 OUT OF 120
TOTAL DOWNHILL: 80 OUT OF 100
- Other: 21.75 out of 30
- Ease of maintenance: weak
BIKE test rating*: very good - 194 out of 250 points
How the Pivot Mach 4 SL Team XX performs in our XC bike test
In 2019, the lightning-fast Pivot Mach 4 SL whirled across the marathon parquet for the first time. The latest version of the sporty trail bike is lighter, more versatile and has even more downhill potential.
Pivot has always been known for its exclusive image at exclusive prices. Even the first version of the Mach 4 SL came with a price tag that made most of us gulp. And with the newly presented update, the US company is once again setting prices that hardly any other manufacturer can beat. Our test bike, the high-end Team XX SL Eagle Transmission version, costs a whopping 12,599 euros. But there are also cheaper options: If you can live with a mix of Shimano XT and SLX as well as Fox Performance suspension elements, you can be happy with the newcomer for just € 6799.
The key data of the Pivot Mach 4: 119 millimetres of travel at the rear, 122 millimetres at the front and 29-inch wheels with 2.4 tyres. The bike therefore fulfils all the basic requirements for a successful down-country bike. If you plan to ride your Mach 4 SL exclusively on fast marathon trails, Pivot also has model variants with 100-millimetre suspension in its range.
According to founder and CEO Chris Cocalis, the development goal of the new edition was quickly outlined: uncompromising off-road performance with a race-ready weight. The developers laid the foundation for this endeavour with the DW-Link rear triangle with virtual pivot point (VPP). In typical Pivot fashion, the one-piece rear triangle is suspended from the main frame with two intermediate links. Although this design is not very lightweight, it enables better suspension performance than the single-pivot rear suspension with flexing seat stays or chainstays on some lighter race bikes. And yet: Despite the elaborate frame construction, the naked frame weighs in at 1845 grams in size M. For comparison: The MMR and BH chassis in size L land well above the 2-kilo mark. Paired with elegant Reynolds carbon wheels, Fox Factory suspension and Sram's Eagle Transmission gears, our test bike weighs just 11.05 kilos without pedals.
In order to make the Pivot Mach 4 SL accessible to the widest possible range of rider sizes, the bike is available in sizes XS to XL and should therefore fit riders between 1.47 and 2.00 metres tall. Lighter riders in sizes XS and S will receive a specially adapted shock set-up. Thanks to the size-specific composition of the carbon fibres, Pivot also guarantees optimum riding characteristics for every frame size.
On the trail, the rear suspension performance dominates the riding impression on the Pivot Mach 4 SL. By race-fully standards, the rear end not only responds extremely well, but also creates an amazingly plush ride feel even on rough trails. The Float Factory damper also reliably smoothes out bumps on climbs under chain tension and is very powerful in terms of traction. The only drawback: the rear suspension pumps noticeably when pedalling out of the saddle. As a result, you'll be happy to reach for the twist grip to stabilise the suspension on climbs. However, the lockout only controls the rear. This means you have to take your hand off the handlebars to tighten the fork manually. Otherwise, the fork bends with every pedal stroke, while the shock remains stable in its travel.
In terms of geometry, the developers have put together a really fun package. While some manufacturers nowadays also give their race fullys particularly long and flat geometries, the US Americans are modern, but avoid extremes. The steering angle (66.9 degrees) is pleasantly slack. This value gives the Pivot a noticeably direct steering behaviour without sacrificing too much smoothness. In combination with the plush suspension, the bike stays safely on track even at higher speeds. Thanks to the short chainstays, the luxury runabout also masters fast cornering and tight bends with flying colours. The steep seat angle positions the rider in the bike, focussing on propulsion and distributing a lot of weight over the front wheel. This keeps the front end on the ground, even on steep ramps, without you having to actively fight against the rising cockpit. The riding position is immediately pleasing, is not too stretched out and centres the rider nicely in the middle of the bike. Perfect for many kilometres of trail.
Conclusion from Max Fuchs, BIKE test editor
The new Pivot Mach 4 SL is the perfect choice for anyone who wants to put a stylish down-country bike in their garage instead of a small car. The very confident suspension is a rarity in this bike category and gives the bike trail bike ambitions. The mixture of low weight and fun geometry makes the candidate the perfect companion for pedalling-intensive trail tours. However, there are more efficient bikes for racing.
Technical data and grades Pivot Mach 4 SL Team XX
Manufacturer information
- Price: 12599 Euro
- Available from specialised dealers
- Frame material: Carbon
- Frame size: XS, S,M, L, XL(tested in size M, 42 cm)
Measured values
- Weight without pedals: 11.05 kg
- Frame weight without shock absorber: 1845 g
- Weight of wheels: 3943 g
- Acceleration wheels: 3113 kg x cm²
- Handlebar width: 760 mm
- Frame rigidity (absolute): 37 N/mm
Equipment
- Wheels: Reynolds Blacklabel
- Tyres: Maxxis Recon Race; Exo Protection TR 29 x 2.40
- Fork: Fox 34 Float Factory SC
- Shock: Fox Float Factory
- Front/rear suspension travel: 122/119 mm
- Brakes: Sram Level ULT / 160/160 mm
- Gear system: Sram XX SL Eagle AXS Transm. 1x12
- Gear ratio / bandwidth: 34; 10-52 / 520 %
- Tele post / stroke / Ø: Rockshox Reverb Stealth AXS / 125 mm / 31.6 mm
Valuation
- Driving behaviour uphill: 27 from 30
- Chassis efficiency: 18.75 out of 25
- Rolling resistance: 13.5 out of 15
- Weight: 17.5 from 25
- Inertia impellers: 10.5 out of 15
- Bottle cage: 8 out of 10
- Driving behaviour downhill: 27 from 30
- Front suspension: 9.5 out of 10
- Rear suspension: 15 out of 15
- Saddle retractability: 10 out of 10
- Brakes: 6.5 out of 10
- Tyre grip: 10.5 out of 15
- Driving stability: 2 out of 10
TOTAL UPHILL: 95.25 OUT OF 120
TOTAL DOWNHILL: 80.5 OUT OF 100
- Other: 27.25 out of 30
- Ease of maintenance: weak
BIKE test rating*: very good - 203 out of 250 points
Top 10: The lightest MTBs 2023 & 2024 - frame weights in comparison
Cross-country bikes are the supreme discipline for MTB engineers. A huge amount of development work is required to continually raise the supposedly optimised models to a new level.
In order to achieve maximum range of use and minimum weight with full race track suitability, special carbon fibre, innovative frame construction and cleverly composed equipment are used to combat every superfluous gram.
The basis for a super light mountain bike is a super light frame. Filigree damper linkages and the elimination of everything that is not really necessary will enable frame weights of well under 2000 grams in 2024. Including the shock, mind you. And with very good stiffness.
These are currently probably the lightest and most expensive mountain bikes we have tested - the top stars will be competing with them in the 2024 Olympic year. The bare figures.
Overview: The 10 lightest MTB frames 2023/2024 - weighed & tested by BIKE
- Arc8 Evolve FS (size L): 1536 g
- Trek Supercaliber (size L): 1672 g
- Canyon Lux CFR (size L): 1675 g
- Specialised S-Works Epic 8 FACT 12M (size L): 1682 g
- Cannondale Scalpel Series 0 (size M): 1775 g (on test: Series 1, size L, 2052 g )
- Scott Spark RC World Cup (size L): 1780 g (in the test: Scott Spark RC Pro for 6799 euros)
- Pivot Mach 4 SL (size M): 1845 g
- Specialised Epic EVO 8 FACT 11M (size L): 1872 g
- Simplon Cirex 120 (size L): 1880 g
- MMR Kenta SXC (size L): 2125 g
Close behind:
Without integration, as without BIKE test & without BIKE measurement
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