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Bianchi Nitron floats new privateer’s light carbon XC race hardtail

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In a world of growing travel trail bikes, Bianchi has refocused on the basics with a new affordable carbon XC hardtail 29er to complement their elite Methanol race bike. The new Nitron means to deliver much of the same performance for amateur cross-country and marathon racers at a more attainable pricepoint.

Bianchi Nitron carbon 29er XC race hardtail

The new Nitron looks somewhat similar to the Methanol hardtail, with a more boxy carbon frame, but actually updates that bike with more trail ridability and modern geo paired with 100mm Boost forks with fork lockouts at every spec level. Based on feed back from Bianchi’s pro mountain bikers, the new carbon hardtail now features internal dropper post routing, although it sticks with a 27.2mm post and complete bikes won’t spec a dropper.

Trail-adapted Race Geometry

Its fit also delivers a much more capable trail-ready ride, adopting modern trail geometry adapted for XCO & XCM racing. For an XC racer, the Nitron is relatively slack with a 69.5° head angle. It also gets 1.4cm more of reach and a steep effective seattube to make the new bike both more stable on rough tracks and more planted when climbing. The new 29er still gets properly short 429mm chainstays in what should be a solid all-rounder.

Tech Details

The Nitro uses a full monocoque frame construction with carbon dropouts and a fixed high direct mount front derailleur tab (with Sideswing-only routing).

It is said to utilize Bianchi’s expertise in optimizing carbon layup like found on their most expensive bikes. But it does drop their premium vibration-eating Countervail tech to keep production costs down. The bike features a tapered headtube, Boost 148 spacing, and a BB92 bottom bracket.

The new carbon 29er hardtail comes in the same four sizes (S-XL) as the elite bike. It is available in three finishes – team edition celeste, black with celeste & red with black – including color matched RockShox forks & WTB wheels. It will be offered in a number of 1x and 2x complete bike builds, including a SRAM GX Eagle 1×12, Shimano XT mix 2×11, and Deore 2×10 to hit all budgets. No finalized pricing or set availability has been announced.

 

Bianchi.com

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Maus Haus
Maus Haus
5 years ago

If the frame had a 68º and 30.9 post, it would be excellent. Light weight, dropper ready w/ nice angles. Put a 34~36mm stanchion, 100mm fork. Sweet… The DB Sync’r fits this spec but w/ 140mm travel & 66º HT on a lite weight carbon frame. All these old companies are stuck on world cup old skool geometries. The new world w/ slightly relaxed geometry, low travel w/ dropper compatibility gets you a frame that works for lightweight trail (dropper) and XC racing builds (rigid post). Everyone is missing the boat here on light trail/XC slightly relaxed geom HT frames. Make them 27 x 2.6/29 x 2.35″ compatible and it’s a party. You are now seeing FS frames like this but the XC/Trail HT frames are still outdated… lame. Again DB is on track here w/ the Sync’r (66º is not for XC, trail only). Would be cool to see the Sync’r w/ adjustable sets ups for different axle to crown forks (110mm or 140mm) keeping 66º HT only. Just change the fork and rear axle position for either wheel size and fork travel (27″ w/ 140mm fork, 29″ w/ 110mm fork). Trek Stache from 2015 can do this but only in alloy. Their carbon frames are stuck on 29+ w/ no 27″ wheel option in carbon. Now all their frames are 29+ only and can not be switched out to 27+ which is too bad. They missed the boat on 29+ only on current frames. Specialized seems to have hit the mark w/ the Fuse! And on that note I’m going on a ride on my 140mm travel alloy HT, 27 x 2.8 w/ all carbon parts w/ Saint brakes w/ 203mm FT rotor, wide bars @ 26lbs… perfect on less boulder-y but steep trails w/ less severe drops… aka trail.

JDM
JDM
5 years ago
Reply to  Maus Haus

Sorry, do you understand the concept of light XC race bike?

Maus Haus
Maus Haus
5 years ago
Reply to  JDM

Sure… just bashing XC racing old geometry.

Eric
Eric
5 years ago
Reply to  Maus Haus

Santa Cruz Chameleon, Kona Honzo…

Maus Haus
Maus Haus
5 years ago
Reply to  Eric

Sweet bikes for sure. Love the Honzo… Kona crew kills it.

Technician
Technician
5 years ago
Reply to  Maus Haus

Drug abuse is bad.

Maus Haus
Maus Haus
5 years ago
Reply to  Technician

Don’t worry, you’ll get the help you need.

teddyallen
teddyallen
5 years ago

how can you report on an attainable price point with zero information about price?

AE
AE
5 years ago

People calling for a 30.9 seat post have no clue of XC Racing… Buy a trail bike… the 27 seat post is lighter more comfortable and the trails these bikes are used very rarely will have the opportunity to use a dropper so it doesn’t make sense to give it the 30.9 post measurement…

Zach
Zach
5 years ago

Old school XC geo is over 70deg for the headtube. This is modern XC.

Daniele Piras
Daniele Piras
5 years ago

Waiting for my nitron 9.4 Eagle V12, currently under construction. Should be in my hands begining of november 🙂

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