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Downcountry bikesIs this type of bike dead?

Laurin Lehner

 · 13.08.2024

Downcountry bikes should combine the characteristics of trail bikes and cross-country bikes. Did the plan work out? We asked three experts.
Photo: Wolfgang Watzke
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Downcountry bikes close the gap between cross-country bikes and trail bikes. In 2020, the trend was still booming, but now it has become noticeably quiet. Why is that? Is downcountry dead?

What are downcountry bikes?

They want to combine the characteristics of cross-country (XC) and trail bikes. In short: they want to be more downhill-fun XC bikes, but more efficient than trail bikes. The biggest differences to XC: more travel, slightly adapted geometry, thicker tyres and a shorter stem.

Downcountry bikes should combine the characteristics of trail bikes and cross-country bikes. Did the plan work out? We asked three experts.Photo: Wolfgang WatzkeDowncountry bikes should combine the characteristics of trail bikes and cross-country bikes. Did the plan work out? We asked three experts.

Are downcountry bikes dead? What the experts say

Downcountry is alive, only the label is dead. In the meantime, cross-country bikes have become downcountry bikes. This is good news for the customer, because for a long time XC bikes had to be ridden very precisely and hardly forgave any mistakes in rough terrain. This has changed, not least due to the increasingly wild XC World Cup routes. - Peter Denk, design engineer
For Peter Denk, bike designer, downcountry bikes are the new cross-country bikes.Photo: Laurin LehnerFor Peter Denk, bike designer, downcountry bikes are the new cross-country bikes.
No, quite the opposite. Downcountry bikes are the fun version of cross-country bikes and therefore ideal for hobby bikers. According to market analyses, this category is the future of the bike segment. Ideally, a downcountry bike should only weigh half a kilo more than an XC bike. In addition to the extra suspension travel (front and rear), the geometry should also differ. - René Krattinger, Product Manager Scott
René Krattinger, Product Manager at Scott, also sees downcountry bikes as a fun version of CC bikes.Photo: René KrattingerRené Krattinger, Product Manager at Scott, also sees downcountry bikes as a fun version of CC bikes.
Yes, because most cross-country bikes are now equipped with 120 millimetres of suspension travel anyway. As a result, there have been virtually no new bikes labelled as downcountry bikes in recent times. The label is obsolete. The development, on the other hand, is consistent, because everyone benefits from a plus in sovereignty with almost the same propulsion. - Peter Nilges, BIKE Test Manager
For Peter Nilges, test manager at BIKE, the downcountry bike label is obsolete.Photo: Georg GrieshaberFor Peter Nilges, test manager at BIKE, the downcountry bike label is obsolete.
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We have tested these downcountry bikes

Laurin Lehner

Born in South Baden, Laurin Lehner is, by his own admission, a lousy racer. Maybe that's why he is fascinated by creative, playful biking. What counts for him is not how fast you get from A to B, but what happens in between. Lehner writes reports, interviews scene celebrities and tests products and bikes - preferably those with a lot of suspension travel.

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