If you’ve ridden up in British Columbia, then you know. Their definition of cross country is a little different than most of that in North America. Often jokingly referred to as ‘Canadian Cross Country,’ nowhere is that more evident than in the incredibly challenging BC Bike Race. That makes bike selection even more important as you need something that will hold up to the challenging terrain of the BC trails, but still something that is efficient enough to get you through the grueling 7 day stage race. Or as Andreas Hestler puts it, “you pick the wrong weapon for a tough race like the BC Bike Race, you’re gonna find some holes in the program.”
This year, Rocky Mountain had two secret weapons to take on the race – local racer Quinn Moberg, and the new Element XC Race bike…
Similar to what we’ve seen from brands like Kona who are also based in British Columbia, the new Element adds a playful spin on XC racing with a 120mm travel fork and 100mm suspension platform for the frame. As Tyler discovered recently, the new frame with 29″ wheels, RIDE-9 adjustable geometry, boost spacing with single sided pivots at the rear for heel clearance, and a light weight carbon build adds up to a more capable rig that is still XC efficient. Though you don’t have to take our word for it – the new frame was good enough for Quinn Moberg to take the victory on BCBR stages 3 and 6, and fourth overall, just over 10 minutes back from Cory Wallace in first.
Starting at $3,499 for the Element 930 RSL with a 2×11 drivetrain, Elements range up to the top end 999 RSL at $9,399 which was the same model raced by Quinn Moberg. Available in S-XL complete builds and a 999 RSL T.O. frame, head over to Bikes.com for more info.
