Classic XC guy here who started MTB biking 1996. Love the long climbs in the Swiss alps where I live and the enjoyment going down afterwards . This is what MTB is all about.
If you are in a good form, you can pedal up on 5% uphills. But it is not that much fun. DH bikes have really short seat tube, and you can't find the ideal position for pedaling. If the seatpost is too long it makes downhills worse, if it is too short it makes uphills worse. I think every XC rider should try a downhill bike. It sucks up everything! Riding on an enduro trail feels like paved road.
You should do the same test but switching the bikes! That would be interesting.. Anyway, the modern XC allows you to explore and do much more things than a DH that is basically limited to the bike park area... Nice video!
Always had an Xc bike, it’s by far the most versatile machine you can have, I can’t see the point in having more that 100/120mm travel. I guess it’s down to where you ride. 👍
why doesn't gmbn have a test track and all presenters set times. then guests could also set time. it could be called stars on a reasonably priced bike. Could be opened up to channel members
Or an enduro if you want a slightly more technical ride down. And don't forget the most important thing: an enduro bike looks "cooler" to your friends than "some trailbike". "It doesn't even sound cool... TraIlBIke" (a friend of mine with hella rich parents driving a santa v10 on the most easy trails)
A 5 inch freeride bike would be much more useful than a cross country,. It could do cross country, enduro, and moderate DH. But for serious DH riding, you can't beat a dedicated DH bike, they give a real sense of confidence, and safety that no other bike can match.
I disagree! I think you first need the burning leg sensation from going up, to make the way down even more fun! So the equation actually looks like this: XC=DH+Pain(UH)=TOF
Asking people which bike they rather have at a bike park is not exactly a fair comparison. XC bike with 120mm suspension is a lot more usable on most trails.
I ride my Enduro bike daily... But often think a lighter, more efficient bike would be nice. Perhaps a trail or very capable XC bike would be better in general. Ultimately, it depends on where and how you ride 🤷🏻♂️
I wouldn’t know which to choose. I love riding xc for fitness, but I love downhill for pure fun. Though I have fun on my xc, just put a set of magic Mary’s on it and it’s fun all day.
Well, I think that XC is more for climbing up the mountain, enjoy the beautiful view and then take a fun ride down the hill. So not really for that speed and "action". A DH bike is not for looking down the mountain, but for riding it down. With speed and "action" and fun. So obviously completely different things. Well, if you want both of it, go get an enduro bike. It climbs, it jumps, it flies. The best out of both, yet it would struggle in the steepest climbs or downhills. But that would be rarely the case.
I started as a BMX flatland guy, but been riding XC since, I'm 50 now and still love my XC bike, it's the best do it all kinda bike. I'm in Central Canada, so anyone riding a Dowhill bike around here is more considered odd. It's a useless bike in the Prairies. See some endurance bikes, but mostly XC and road bikes.
@@lechprotean I live 20km from Schoorl, which is our highest elevation gain/loss loop. A whole whooping 700 feet or something... in total, in a ~22km loop. You don't want a DH bike around here, there is way to much pedaling required. While features are increasingly requiring more suspension because of our trail builders building more challenging stuff, the natural environment just dictates that you can't have long downhill sections. Even a trail bike is really overkill, though less ridiculous then a DH bike.
@@KevinT3141 I have no use for a DH bike, I live in pancake flat country even the XC bike is actually overkill everything around me is rideable on my Giant Talon hardtail. That's my point, I had a chance to ride someone's trail bike on our tracks and it just isn't making it more fun ( for me at least ). Let alone a DH bike. I would be in heaven with a 100/120mm xc bike, which is light enough to pedal around our loops. Don't think I would enjoy pedaling around a heavier bike just for those short 'down slope' sections we get over here. I seen some pretty sick wraps, but they aint as durable as proper paint + lacquer still sadly.
nah Trail bike with 27.5+ size wheels, aggressive hard tail on flats - all the way. XC is too light, less robust and less reliable DH bike is too heavy, and not for long distances all day ride,lack of gears and weight make riding it terrible on adventure\trail ride with various climbing and hours of pedaling.
wider tires - soft compound - aggressive profile - long geometry - makes 2 seconds on the flow trail - and sovereign handling - everyone else rides a folding bike or bmx - on the uphill i push my bike - enjoy the silence of the forest 🌳🌻🌳
You should XC race with a DH bike. Upgrade the cassette/gearing only to XC adaptations as a handicap. Or go full DH. Would be interesting! Have all four presenters do it too!
Well an XC bike can go down hill, but I would not have any of the experience that I would want to have. If I wanted to pedal pedal pedal, I’d get a road bike. Still wouldn’t want to pedal a DH bike though. So for me out of the two bikes I’m picking neither!! Give me an aggressive trail bike or an enduro hardtail.
Would you prefer to own an XC machine or a Downhill weapon? Let us know 👇
DH ❤
Downhill
Has to be Dh all day long . But that's coz I own 1 😂😂😂
XC For Life !
absolutely xc, dont need a dh anywhere exept a dh sector😵
Classic XC guy here who started MTB biking 1996. Love the long climbs in the Swiss alps where I live and the enjoyment going down afterwards . This is what MTB is all about.
And the point of this is an XC is best for XC and a DH is better for DH. I’m glad you guys sorted that out as I was expecting the answer to be 42! 😎
I love that there are 42 likes on your comment
the xc bike can go downhill, the dh bike can't climb. So for me with only one bike the xc is the only option
If you are in a good form, you can pedal up on 5% uphills. But it is not that much fun. DH bikes have really short seat tube, and you can't find the ideal position for pedaling. If the seatpost is too long it makes downhills worse, if it is too short it makes uphills worse. I think every XC rider should try a downhill bike. It sucks up everything! Riding on an enduro trail feels like paved road.
Or grab an Enduro. 80% as good as xc on climbs and 80% as good as dh on decents
With that logic I pick Orbea WILD hahaha not pedaling thx!
Just get an Enduro Bike that will do both
can get some capable DH hybrid bike like 2023-25 Giant Reign SX.
Would be happy to have either of those bikes on test, but xc more usable everyday
You should do the same test but switching the bikes! That would be interesting..
Anyway, the modern XC allows you to explore and do much more things than a DH that is basically limited to the bike park area...
Nice video!
That Orbea is pretty sweet.
It's a gorgeous bike for sure! Rich will have some big days on it planned for next year
11:40 I’m dead 😂
11:55 - I wonder if the result had something to do with the fact that you were sampling people in a bike park :D
That was noticeable in the video. The results would likely be different in another location.
One of the best vids GMBN has done for a while 😂😂🤷🏼♂️
Always had an Xc bike, it’s by far the most versatile machine you can have, I can’t see the point in having more that 100/120mm travel. I guess it’s down to where you ride. 👍
why doesn't gmbn have a test track and all presenters set times. then guests could also set time. it could be called stars on a reasonably priced bike. Could be opened up to channel members
Who / should / would there be a designated Stig?
@@AliasHSWstig? Steve Peat or Rob Warner
We've definitely discussed it! The problem is finding a location to build and then the insurance etc
@@gmbn cant you just do it at Dyfi or bpw
Once again, a trail bike wouldve been the best choice
Or an enduro if you want a slightly more technical ride down. And don't forget the most important thing: an enduro bike looks "cooler" to your friends than "some trailbike". "It doesn't even sound cool... TraIlBIke" (a friend of mine with hella rich parents driving a santa v10 on the most easy trails)
Good entertainment - enjoyed the vid. XC for me, I need the cardio and I'm not going down anything DH bike worthy.
Of course XC 120/120 for long days in the saddle. This bike can do it all.
Sick video
Love Gmbn
The bike you ride is the best bike
In my cause Rockrider St530s coil shock and fork
Nice climb but that's about it, the fun begins where you stopped Mr.XC bike 😂
Would be good to repeat this with both on downhill bikes
An XC can do all that I enjoy. Climbing is also fun.
I like both bikes thats why the best way to go is a Trail bike. You want to go down fast but also climb easily.
The Canyon with a 10-52 cassette (and Neil on some Red Bull) would win all challenges🤙🏾😂
i have a dh norco an it is the best decission ive made i can fly through any tech its so good
A 5 inch freeride bike would be much more useful than a cross country,. It could do cross country, enduro, and moderate DH. But for serious DH riding, you can't beat a dedicated DH bike, they give a real sense of confidence, and safety that no other bike can match.
i saw Neil the other day at my local pumptrack
Downhill=Crosscountry-uphills+ton of FUN!
I disagree! I think you first need the burning leg sensation from going up, to make the way down even more fun!
So the equation actually looks like this: XC=DH+Pain(UH)=TOF
Asking people which bike they rather have at a bike park is not exactly a fair comparison. XC bike with 120mm suspension is a lot more usable on most trails.
In my opinion the beast mtb is the middle one i mean 150/160 mm of travel. Its a sweet spot
I remember Neil you racing a hard tail gt avalanche with Judy dh customer forks. I raced a few times against you in junior on your avalanche.
I would be happy if I was as fast as Neil is in slow motion.
Enduro for life. Best of both bikes.
Enduros are a mediocre compromise for both bikes.......
Please do a video on a warranty claim. Ill see you next year 😂😂😂😂😂😂
I Iove my Oiz, but anything above red trials is out of my reach on it. Blue are the best for it.
I ride my Enduro bike daily... But often think a lighter, more efficient bike would be nice. Perhaps a trail or very capable XC bike would be better in general. Ultimately, it depends on where and how you ride 🤷🏻♂️
Why not Enduro vs Downcoutry or All Mountain or something less "night and day"?
I wouldn’t know which to choose. I love riding xc for fitness, but I love downhill for pure fun. Though I have fun on my xc, just put a set of magic Mary’s on it and it’s fun all day.
This is a good point. Optimizing wheels and tires for the riding you want to do can transform just about any bike.
It seems that these two actually don't like one another, the friction makes the watch way better. I want more competition between these 2
I want what your smoking 😊
I like both I love racing cross country but I love doing downhill on my free time
Me who rides a downcountry hard tail: surprised Pikachu face
I think it depends a lot on where you live. I’m a flat lander, XC for me.
Beast of burden is a nice 15min ebike route 👌🏻👌🏻
If u have a downhill for more than 3 years and you do npt olny ride at parks, doing distances is the key. I do 30km rides on my DH so i am trained.
30km on a downhill bike is Impressive! 💪
@@gmbn with some urban riding in the town it's a hard day but a fun day. Love your work keep it up
Canyon Dh🤟🤟🤟🤟
which is exactly why i have an AM bike. 14kg 160f-140r travel.
I thik that was more interesting a challenge between xc bike and all mountain bike.
Rich wins calorie burn easil! I love climbing and flowing downhill trails and mega chunk, would go with a trail bike config for the best of both.
A great point! If you're riding for fitness then that's a big tick in the XC box
Well, I think that XC is more for climbing up the mountain, enjoy the beautiful view and then take a fun ride down the hill. So not really for that speed and "action". A DH bike is not for looking down the mountain, but for riding it down. With speed and "action" and fun. So obviously completely different things. Well, if you want both of it, go get an enduro bike. It climbs, it jumps, it flies. The best out of both, yet it would struggle in the steepest climbs or downhills. But that would be rarely the case.
I started as a BMX flatland guy, but been riding XC since, I'm 50 now and still love my XC bike, it's the best do it all kinda bike. I'm in Central Canada, so anyone riding a Dowhill bike around here is more considered odd. It's a useless bike in the Prairies. See some endurance bikes, but mostly XC and road bikes.
Is it really only 240m of elevation? I always thought bpw was much more.
Anyway i would choose the dons canyon torque:on dh ebike.
Going downhill it may not feel that but 240m up, is not something you can just ignore
Trail bike for the win.
I live in The Netherlands wth would I do with a DH bike 😂😂😂😂
I heard there is one hill you could use it on...
Fair point
@@lechprotean I live 20km from Schoorl, which is our highest elevation gain/loss loop.
A whole whooping 700 feet or something... in total, in a ~22km loop.
You don't want a DH bike around here, there is way to much pedaling required. While features are increasingly requiring more suspension because of our trail builders building more challenging stuff, the natural environment just dictates that you can't have long downhill sections.
Even a trail bike is really overkill, though less ridiculous then a DH bike.
@@gmbn thats why NL bikes have mostly one gear :D , flat surfaces you have there.
XC all day every day.
I'm waiting for someone to comment that an MTB is best.
Downhill for the win. I hate climbing LOL. If I need to do a lot of climbing, I will take out my enduro dirt bike.
If I owned a DH bike it would be running 27.5 front and back. I’m not sold on mixed wheel sizes.
Each to their own!
Downhill too here!
An Enduro bike wins obviously. Probably an AM would win against the DH bike…
The gmbn new idea generator must be broken😢
cross country
3 min bike vs 1 week bike. I know which I'm taking on the Yak Attack.
Why not have a DH racer use an XC bike and XC racer use a DH bike to race.
Was Hank on the bus?
trail or enduro
Just go and test ride them at a bike shop .an e bike whould be these 2 combined
Nah, I would prefer XC because I would like to have gear ratios designed for climbing 😊
DH for sure. Rich got a point for powering up the hill but we all know Neil was the real winner on that one.
DH bikes will forever be the coolest! 🤣
XC
The climb at start should have been ridden by DH, the XC is definetly best allrounder DH one trick pony
We thought that question would answer itself, but it was interesting to see if Rich could beat the uplift.
I would rather push my downhill to the trailhead than peddle an xc bike.
Pedal vs peddle.
downhill bike every time.
Laufey > Oiz
im the only one who thinks the dh bikes looks like choppers;🤔
Who ever goes to a downhill bike park and opts to climb up instead of shuttling/ chair lift is maaaaad
It's more affordable but your legs won't be very happy 😂
I want to choose the XC bike because it's the one I'd ride day in, day out, but that Canyon is just waaaay better looking...
..but is it better suited for what you're riding?
Looks get old quick if the bike isn't fun to ride.
@@MarvinWestmaas Fair point, I can vinyl wrap the frame and swap out the tan-walls.
@@KevinT3141 I have no use for a DH bike, I live in pancake flat country even the XC bike is actually overkill everything around me is rideable on my Giant Talon hardtail.
That's my point, I had a chance to ride someone's trail bike on our tracks and it just isn't making it more fun ( for me at least ). Let alone a DH bike.
I would be in heaven with a 100/120mm xc bike, which is light enough to pedal around our loops. Don't think I would enjoy pedaling around a heavier bike just for those short 'down slope' sections we get over here.
I seen some pretty sick wraps, but they aint as durable as proper paint + lacquer still sadly.
True! They also come in MyO so can be fully colour customised which is a cool touch
Maybe repeat with an eEnduro in between? Perfect mix of both worlds IMHO :)
Please tell me the van is electric and not pumping out diesel fumes all day.
These mini-buses from the 90s are not electric no 😅 A lot of uplift tracks in the UK require Land Rovers if we're honest.
nah
Trail bike with 27.5+ size wheels, aggressive hard tail on flats - all the way.
XC is too light, less robust and less reliable
DH bike is too heavy, and not for long distances all day ride,lack of gears and weight make riding it terrible on adventure\trail ride with various climbing and hours of pedaling.
Trail bike
wider tires - soft compound - aggressive profile - long geometry - makes 2 seconds on the flow trail - and sovereign handling - everyone else rides a folding bike or bmx - on the uphill i push my bike - enjoy the silence of the forest 🌳🌻🌳
Didn't realise DH riders were so lazy.
downhill makes more dirty clothes.
You should XC race with a DH bike. Upgrade the cassette/gearing only to XC adaptations as a handicap. Or go full DH. Would be interesting! Have all four presenters do it too!
Yall chose the an ugly xc bike color imo anyways
Vmvrjc
Well an XC bike can go down hill, but I would not have any of the experience that I would want to have. If I wanted to pedal pedal pedal, I’d get a road bike. Still wouldn’t want to pedal a DH bike though. So for me out of the two bikes I’m picking neither!! Give me an aggressive trail bike or an enduro hardtail.
cross country better
Gay
Must be boring doing the same videos over and over . Dh vs xc its juat rediculous
This re-match has been 3+ years in the making 🤘
Stay away from bikeparks with your xc bike and lycra. This test proves nothing else than what the people at the end say. Downhill...
pointless from the start ,you do not ride a bike in a van ,any bike is no faster than the transporter it is in no need to watch more
We're trying to replicate the real world uses of each bike 🤘
The orbea all the way
It's a beautiful bike!
Sick video
Love Gmbn