Within mountain biking, there are four basic types of bikes depending on the recommended use: cross country, trail, enduro, and downhill. But lately, there's been increasing talk about a new type of mountain bike, as if it were an emerging fifth category: down country, which features its own travel profiles and unique bike geometry. What is down country? What does it involve? Down country is a hybrid discipline, positioned between XC and Trail, that has emerged from the need to adapt cross country bikes to more technically demanding courses. But down country goes beyond the concept of a lightweight, aggressive XC bike. For many brands, it is positioned as the ultimate mountain bike. The most versatile ever created. We tell you everything you need to know about this new mountain bike category.
What exactly is down country?
The term down country is the result of the evolution of classic MTB or cross country bikes in recent years. The adoption of 29” wheel diameter, wider wheels and axles (Boost), and the inclusion of dropper posts in competition led, especially among Anglo-Saxon brands, to the coining of this hybrid term between 'Downhill' (descenso) and Cross Country. Thus, a down country bike is an XC with frame and build variations to be more effective on descents and technical sections. But it does not lose the main attributes of an XC: lightness, quick reactions, and climbing character.
How did down country emerge? A bit of history
Down country—sometimes called radical cross country—emerges directly from the world of competition, specifically from the XC World Cup. The UCI and organizers began to opt for circuits with more descents and obstacles around 2014 and 2015, approximately. The goal was to create visually more attractive and entertaining races than those developed in previous years, which favored rollers or climbers. There were two other factors that notably influenced the emergence of this type of bike: on the one hand, television broadcasts of the XC World Cup with new formats that encouraged more technical circuits and more descents to enhance the spectacle. On the other hand, technological advances in frames and components. Brands began to create more complete and versatile bikes with solutions coming from more downhill-oriented disciplines such as trail or enduro.
Down country arose as a result of the evolution of XC race circuits, betting on more technical courses
Thus, bicycles designed to compete on XC circuits appeared, with oversized axles, wider rims, bigger tires, and, finally, increased suspension travel. All of this while containing the weight gain that comes with including these technologies. The result is the arrival on the market of XC bikes that are increasingly versatile. These are bicycle models that are suitable both for climbing quickly and descending at full speed with improved handling and control. Currently, the main manufacturers on the market have at least one down country model in their catalog.
Down country and cross country bikes: what are the differences?
A down country bike adopts elements that already existed in the trail or enduro, combined with a cross country base or frame. The latter is still especially light, although its geometry changes to a more descent-oriented character. The head angle goes from 69º or 70º to 66º or 67º. Likewise, the reach of the frame is lengthened by between 1 cm and 1.5 cm in some cases. This results in a more stable front triangle with greater poise for descents, rocky sections, etc. Below we list some of the most notable aspects that differentiate down country bikes from traditional cross country bikes.
A down country bike is generally full suspension and between 600 and 700 grams heavier than an XC bike
Suspension: longer travel
The suspension of a down country bike has more travel, increasing from the XC standard of 100 mm to 110 mm or 120 mm on both axles. Generally, a down country will always be full suspension, although many new generation hardtails already have 110 mm forks and slacker geometry. At this point, the main suspension brands, Fox and RockShox, have evolved their XC fork models, the Fox 32 and RockShox SID, respectively. They have increased the length and diameter of the stanchions and reinforced their chassis while keeping the weight under control.
On a down country bike the brakes are more powerful, with many builds opting for 4-piston brakes
The build: wheels, brakes and components
In addition to these basic changes that define a down country bike, a third aspect that differentiates them from a conventional XC is their setup. The wheels have a wider rim, 30 mm or superior, which provides greater stiffness and can better accommodate 2.3” or 2.4" balloon tires. In cross country, the standard years ago was 2.2”. To reliably accommodate this increase in tire width, the fork and chainstay clearance has also increased. Another standout component of a down country bike, both for competition and for amateur series, is the dropper seatpost. The bike becomes more radical to descend very technical downhills in some cases. Therefore, this component helps lower the biker's center of gravity and descend with more safety and control. Manufacturers have also put effort into this point, launching short-travel models with simplified mechanisms, like the new Fox Transfer SL. A seatpost that is somewhat lighter than the options for trail or enduro. As for the brakes, down country bikes come equipped with more powerful braking systems, because they require more abrupt speed changes, acceleration, and deceleration to tackle the obstacles and technical difficulties typical of the courses in this discipline. That’s why it’s not unusual for them to feature 4-piston brakes, which are usually common in more aggressive downhill disciplines like enduro and downhill. Finally, in down country bikes, the handlebars are widened up to the 760 mm standard, a size more typical of trail and enduro. The stem is also shortened (45-50 mm) and widened to give the biker greater maneuverability. In addition, in high-end down country bikes, the installation of integrated carbon handlebars is becoming widespread, which lighten weight and maintain optimal levels of stiffness and handling.
Why buy a down country bike
Who is down country for? Is it worth buying a bike with these characteristics? Down country is more a subcategory within another mountain biking discipline, such as XC, although its bikes have their own identity and a defined space in the brands’ lineups. It’s the trendy mountain bike, very suitable for the biker who wants the latest in frames and components and rides or even competes regularly, whether in a rally circuit or in stage XC Marathon events. Put another way: if you regularly compete in races and routes, a down country bike could be an option to consider for you. It’s also an option to consider for those looking for a very versatile bike, that climbs well and descends even better, but without the level of specialization of a trail or an enduro. In terms of performance (average speed, lightness, agility), they are a notch below a 100 mm XC. But overall, it’s a bike that is less limited in terms of terrain. You can ride fast with it and also tackle high mountains, descend technical trails, overcome drops, etc.
Most outstanding down country bikes
The proliferation of down country bikes has been unstoppable over the last two seasons. It is currently the trending MTB and the big bet of many brands. These are the benchmark models we like the most right now from the 2022 catalog of the main manufacturers.
Scott Spark RC
The new 2022 generation of the Scott Spark evolves into a full-suspension with 120 mm travel on both axles, with the shock absorber fully integrated and accessible from the outside. An advanced design that gives greater stiffness to the rear triangle for flying down descents. In addition, its geometry and suspension travel are adjustable in three different positions through the practical three-lever TwinLoc remote located on the handlebar.
Canyon Lux Trail
Another major innovation, developed and tested by XC World Cup racers, is the Canyon Lux Trail. It is a model inspired by the Canyon Lux 100 mm for cross country. But this carbon frame bike has been created from scratch with a geometry different from the XC model, more aggressive, wider tire clearance for 2.40” tires, and a dropper seatpost as standard on all builds. One of the most complete mountain bikes currently available.
Cannondale Scalpel SE
This is the 120 mm version of the popular XC full-suspension from Cannondale, first launched in 2020. The Scalpel SE increases the suspension travel from 100 to 120 mm, both in the Lefty 8 Carbon fork and in the rear suspension layout. It also experiences small changes in geometry. However, the frame design remains unchanged compared to the original Scalpel. It can accommodate tires up to 2.40”.
Orbea Oiz TR
Orbea was one of the first brands to see the potential of this type of bike, launching its first specific down country model called Orbea Oiz TR around 2018. Slack head angle (68º), dropper seatpost as standard, 2.35” tires, and Fox 34 SC 120 mm fork assembly are some of the most notable features.
Specialized Epic EVO
Finally, we highlight the down country variant of another mass-market model like the Specialized Epic. The EVO model features 120 mm suspension travel in the front and 110 mm at the rear. It also has geometry modifications in the stays and head tube, as well as a dropper seatpost as standard. In addition, it dispenses with the Brain intelligent suspension management system. of the Epic of 100 mm to entrust the adjustments to conventional dials.