Ridley

X-Trail Force 1 Complete Bike - 2016

Unless you're a fixture on 'cross podiums every weekend in the fall, it's time to ask yourself if you really need a traditional Euro 'cross frame. A new class of bikes has been quietly emerging from the dust kicked up by adventure cycling's explosion in popularity, and they're worth your careful consideration. Better suited to weekend-long wanders through gravel, singletrack, and chip-sealed tarmac than ultra-aggressive 'cross courses, models like the 2016 Ridley X-Trail Force 1 Complete Bike promise versatility and comfort, a characteristic often overlooked by their high-strung racing counterparts.

Don't make the mistake of thinking that a focus on comfort leads to a sacrifice in snappy, responsive handling in the case of the X-Trail. Rather than being weighed down by aching shoulders, you'll be able to rail around switchbacks and throw power into the pedals leading into a climb on the X-Trail, with the carbon fiber frame reacting swiftly and effectively as you ride. A carbon construction also works to smooth road vibrations for a compliant, rather than harsh, ride, while an asymmetrical fork manages up front stiffness during winding descents.

Going out on weekend-long bikepacking tours with the X-Trail will truly let its more upright geometry and less aggressive stack and reach shine, as it orients you in a far more natural body position that shows its value during full days spent in the saddle. Ridley also blessed the X-Trail with clearance for up to 40mm wide tires, granting you access to a whole new playground of off-road terrain on some days, smooth tarmac on others. Further, you'll be shifting with the precision of SRAM's Force 1 HRD drivetrain and disc brakes, which blend the clarity of a one-by drivetrain with the confidence-inspiring functionality of hydraulic disc brakes for an impressively well-rounded ride.