Vitus Rapide FS CRX Mountain Bike (2022) - £3,999.99

There’s no shying away from the intensity of XC racing and the Vitus Rapide FS CRX mountain bike is well equipped for the challenges set by modern course designers.

A bike ready to take on ever more intimidating features, steeper descents and punchier climbs, as the world of XC continues to push boundaries and demand more from both bike and rider. Whether you are stamping on the pedals from the front of the grid or jostling in the pack, the precise handling and acceleration of the Rapide FS bring poise to the breathless blur of fast racing, from start gun to finish tape.

XC is no longer simply cyclocross with the volume turned up. With downhill lines and rock gardens more akin to Enduro and route profiles so toothy that you’ll feel a pang of lactic burn simply looking at the course map, the Rapide FS packages up razor-sharp efficiency and trail-capability in an impressively lightweight full-suspension carbon build. Using the same four-bar suspension as the rest of the Vitus mountain bike range ensures proven control over pedal bob, comfort and consistent performance under braking. Whether charging up climbs or coming in hot to tight corners, the handling is reassuringly predictable. The frame is dressed for racing, be that XC, marathon, 12-hour or an all-out 24-hour challenge, with a Shimano XT/SLX groupset, Rockshox SID SL Ultimate fork, SIDLuxe Select+ rear shock and Reynolds 29” carbon wheelset. No weak links here.

Buzzing laps on dreamy dusty days or teetering through the slop of mid-winter, XC racing is a love affair. A discipline with high demands and high reward, and the satisfying hum of a good race in the legs that just keeps us coming back for more. Each course offers a unique personality and a different challenge, and yet regardless of the conditions or the obstacles along the trail, the Rapide FS brings unwavering confidence.

UD Carbon full suspension frame designed for XC/Marathon racing