Need to see a man about a bike?
By Gabe Bree
Downcountry bikes could be compared to the leathermans of the bike world. When it comes to bikes such as these, they have the capability and the versatility to do whatever you want on them. They have the ability to climb the steepest most technical assents and shred the smooth flowy descents as if it was it was born to do it. Their wide range of abilities stems from the longing for a do-it-all all bike, the short 120 to 130mm travel coupled with the modern slack descending geometry makes these bikes the most adaptable singletrack machine that almost every cyclist wants in a bike.
Photo credit to https://freehub.com/reviews/trek-top-fuel-99-xx1-axs
Some experts, such as Mike Levy with Pink Bike, say that “Downcountry bikes should be pure cross-country race bikes with wider tires and handlebars and a bit more capability.” However, most in the bike world say that these bikes should be more capable than a beefed-up XC race bike. So, clearly, everyone has their own opinion on these bikes.
Well-known riders from Pink Bike did extensive testing on six downcountry bikes and one in particular came out on top of them all. The Rocky Mountain Element took slacker geometry specs from enduro bikes such as a 65-degree headtube angle and a reach of 505mm combined with the light components and short travel of the XC world and made the ultimate downcountry bike. The Rocky Mountain bike description of the Element says, “Purpose-built hit the sweet spot between lightweight cross country climbing prowess and technical precision, the Element it the best of both worlds and more… Added levels of stability on fast descents and a pseudo-aggressive seat tube angle provide surprising levels of confidence on tight single track and hairy descents. Light. Stiff. Fast. Smooth. Precise. Your now in your Element.”
With the Element airing on the side of being more descent-biased, the Santa Cruz Blur gives you the other end of the spectrum. The Blur accommodates a steeper head tube angle of 67.1 Degrees and a shorter reach of 495mm, this may not seem like a lot but it makes all the difference on those steep climbs where just that little bit of weight shift towards the front tire will make or break your no dab session.
Photo credit to https://nsmb.com/articles/blowing-minds-santa-cruz-blur/
Similar bikes to the Element and the Blur such as the Trek Top Fuel, Ninner Jet 9, and the Canyon Lux add their own bits of technicality to the game but I'll let you make your decision on which bike is ranked number one.
Versatility is the name of the game when it comes to these bikes they’ll get you where you need to go and do whatever you need them to do. Short travel and great geometry make it ideal for climbing and descending. Whether it is the whole enchilada in Moab or the smooth flow trails in Montana the Downcountry style of bike will keep you safe satisfied and happy. Who knows you might see a future trip to British Columbia’s Whistler.
Work Cited
Kazmier, MIke. “2022 Downcountry Field Test Recap.” Pink Bike, Pink Bike, 10 November 2022, https://www.pinkbike.com/news/2022-downcountry-field-test-recap.html. Accessed 21 January 2025.
Cover picture credit to https://www.singletracks.com/mtb-gear/new-2022-rocky-mountain-element-trail-bike/