Over the last year, I’ve been riding more cross-country than I have for many, many years in a bid to test some of the latest and greatest components that appeared on the market.
I’ve not just been testing kit, I’ve been testing myself as well. Having spent so many years racing downhill, then dabbling in enduro briefly, I was keen for a new challenge and decided to give cross-country racing a go… again.
On top of this, I had a crack at my first gravel event, the Dirty Reiver.
As many will know, riding long distances or competing in races that go uphill as well as down is really hard work.
My choices below reflect the bits of kit that helped me enjoy all of this suffering a little bit more.
Or should that be the suffering wasn’t as bad as it could have been thanks to these products? I’m not totally sure…
Evoc Hydro Pro 3+ pack
- £105
While I’m all for ditching riding packs and cramming all my essentials onto the bike, that isn’t always possible on every ride. Especially long ones.
I’ve found packs such as the Evoc Hyrdo Pro 3+ incredibly useful for those bigger days out when you need a bit more kit.
Sure, you’ll still get a sweaty back and people may scoff at the fact you’re wearing a bag, but having enough kit or the right tools to complete a ride will always be my preference over looking cool on the bike.
The broad shoulder straps offer some easy-to-access pockets so you can stash essentials such as energy gels, multi-tools or even tubeless repair plugs well within reach.
A compact 1.5-litre bladder is stored inside the main pocket with enough space to get a waterproof jacket, spare gloves, tools and even more snacks inside.
Although that sounds like quite a lot of kit, which might well weigh you down or, worse, flap about uncontrollably as you bounce through the bumps, the Hydro Pro 3+ is incredibly stable.
Even with only the two chest straps to tether the shoulder straps in place, it’s surprising just how steadfast this little pack feels while ducking and diving in and out of the trees.
RockShox SID Ultimate fork
- £1,069 (excluding TwistLoc remote)
I’ve had to include the new SID Ultimate fork from RockShox here because it’s the first fork I’ve ever given a five-star review to. Quite simply, it’s brilliant.
While I liked the previous version, this feels that bit more capable and comfortable, and irons out bumps more like a trail fork. And it’s still light.
I wasn’t totally sure I’d be into the TwistLoc remote and the three-position damping, but after a lot of miles, I came to really appreciate being able to tweak the feel of the fork on the fly.
For the most part, I’ve not been locking the fork out fully, but using the middle ‘pedal’ mode (shifting the SIDLuxe shock into this mode at the same time), which helps to make things far more efficient.
It firms the fork and shock up enough to make you feel like a hero when winding on the power, but ensures there’s still enough comfort when climbing rough ascents.
Overall, though, it’s how supple and smooth the fork is that has won me over.
This new fork isn’t quite as progressive as its predecessor, which means using all the travel is that bit easier. However, it's supple, tracks the trail well and still feels supportive when you need it to be.
Troy Lee Designs Drift shorts
- £119.99
If you like to dabble with high-mileage trail riding or cross-country racing, but don’t like skin-tight Lycra, finding well-fitted kit that remains baggy enough to avoid that spray-on look isn’t always easy.
Troy Lee Designs’ Drift kit is nicely tailored and manages to balance the loose, comfortable fit you’d want from mountain bike kit. However, it remains figure-hugging enough that it doesn't flap about in the wind when the speed picks up.
The Drift shorts are my personal highlight. There’s enough length and broad enough legs to ensure trail-style knee pads will work with these should you wish to get a little wilder, though thanks to the cut, they work and look just fine without pads, too.
The older shorts, like the ones pictured here, have a zipped pocket at the rear of the waistband, which is handy for stowing a car key or card.
Newer Drift shorts also feature a larger rearward-facing pocket on the thigh, which is slightly bigger and more useful.
While the Drift shorts aren’t cheap (the price listed here is for the outer short only, with no padded liner included), they are incredibly comfortable and work brilliantly on the bike.
And, after a serious number of miles and plenty of visits to the washing machine, mine are still looking fresh.
Maxxis Forekaster 3C MaxxTerra EXO tyres
- £64.99
If you live somewhere such as the UK, where it likes to rain, a low-profile cross-country (XC) tyre won’t cut it for a good chunk of the year.
That’s because the tyre tread isn’t deep enough to cut into the soft dirt beneath it, leaving it unable to meaningfully dig into anything and generate any kind of grip.
The same can be said for loam and dust, too.
That’s where the Maxxis Forekaster comes in. Maxxis says this tyre fills the void between speedier XC tyres with their shallow treads and firm rubber compounds, and its chunkier offerings aimed at trail and enduro riding. Here, the treads are taller and more aggressive, as well as stickier and slower-rolling.
Sure, compared to a fast-rolling XC tyre, the Forekaster feels a little more laboured on tarmac or hardpack sections of trail, but as soon as things are a little softer under-tyre, the Forekaster really comes into its own.
There’s enough tread to bite into mud or sink into dust and loam, and generate traction when you most need it.
Tall shoulder treads help to boost corner grip and confidence when descending, while the square tread blocks dig in nicely when you do hit the brakes and need to slow down.
When the mud does get thicker, the Forekasters manage to shed mud relatively quickly, too.
All things considered, rolling speed isn’t that bad and I’d rather take that extra resistance for improved traction when the conditions take a turn for the worse.
While it might be great to be able to zip along with next to no effort on a shallow-treaded XC race tyre, if you can’t make it around the next turn, is it really worth it? Give me the extra grip any day of the week!
