[Closed] How miserable would a trail bike be racing XCO?

Give it a try and see.. only you can decide how miserable it is!

It'll definitely be a bit of a handicap but that doesn't mean it won't be enjoyable still - at our local level races there were people turning up on pretty much anything and everything.

It'll be miserable if you're expecting to win.  But it'll be fun if you're expecting to ride your bike while trying to combine riding smoothly through technical stuff with breathing through your ears.

Basically, as long as ambitions for glory aren't your motivation you'll have fun!  Good luck 🙂

Just change the tyres, and maybe the shock settings.

Don't take the dropper off unless it's a really flat course. You will miss it, and possibly crash.

I’d just up the air pressure front and rear and swap the tyres and go for it!!!!! 😎😎😎

"Don’t take the dropper off unless it’s a really flat course. You will miss it, and possibly crash."

what if he doesnt have a dropper fitted already - he doesnt mention it  - will he crash if he doesnt fit one ?

Fast people are fast on what ever bike, ive seen people on trail bikes disappear up the road in 10 hour events - ok they were scottish national champion at XCO at the time mind and waiting on their new XCO bike arriving. .

Slow trail rider on an XCO bike will not be fast.

Fast XCO rider on a trail bike will still be fast.

I fairly regularly race XCO and 2 hour+ XC races on my 160/150 bike. I change tyres and add loads of low speed compression to the suspension.

I still really enjoy it, I'm never going to bother the podium whatever bike I'm on so just treat it as a fun race trying to keep up with as many people as I can.

he doesnt mention it

He's edited his post to remove the suggestion that he take his dropper off. Not sure why.

Just cos the post got a bit long.

I am reasonably competitive so we'd have to see.

What kind of gear ratios would you expect to want? 32t * 10-40 do fine?

I think with a few tweaks 25-6lbs is doable.

I raced this year on my Trek Fuel Ex on a reasonably hilly grass course, not very technical at all...My fuel is about 15kgs, most of the contenders where on uber light weight small travel 29ers. I had a dropper, wasn't needed. Majority of top riders didn't have a dropper.

I didn't not enjoy it, but I was completely over biked. I wouldn't do it again on a trail bike.

It's what i race on when i do XC racing, you can shove your lightweight HT where the sun don't shine.

If i were riding a bike that Nino used and the best HT from the planet i still wouldn't win... but i may finish 1 place higher... Or i may finish 1 place lower... .the odds are.... i'd be just where i am now 🙂

I'm doing a cyclocross race tomorrow. Can't decide weather to ride my single speed rigid 29er or really blow their minds with the Lapierre Zesty. Reckon you'll be more competitive than me OP. 😁

If I were in your position OP, I'd just do the race and see how it goes before making too many changes - that bike wouldn't put me off. I would likewise swap the tyres but stick with something I had some vague familiarity of - sounds like that may be the RoRo's for you but personally I always got on better with the racier Bontrager tyres as they flatted on me less. "Riding light and smooth" isn't something I'm great at when I'm tired and being competitive 😂

Isn’t N+1 the answer here?

Wven something like a second hand boardman pro 29er or cube reaction 29er would do fine

I came 2nd in an xc race on an enduro bike with a magic Mary front and a hans dampf rear. A lot of the competition were Lycra racing snakes on lightweight xc bikes. At the time I had snapped my xc frame and had already entered the race. I made loads of time up on the downs but lost out on the ups but I had enough fitness to hold my own. It was hard work but doable.

I seem to remember reading somewhere that Andy Barlow of Dirtschool won a round of the sxc on his Bronson a few year ago.

Lighter tyres and give it a go....

The other alternative (which a friend and I have considered) is to just propose our own round of the XC series, and stick it as something like 10 laps of Stainburn forests' red.

Though I'm not sure this is so much in the spirit of the competition.

Iirc there used to be elites riding for mojo on orange 5s. It is possible.

“If I took my 140/130 Spider 29C with a dbair and pikes and swapped the Shorty/DHRII for a pair of like, rocket rons.”

It’s an efficient pedalling carbon 29er and you’re planning to put XC tyres on it. Run the suspension a bit firmer, more pressure and/or low speed damping and it should be great.