Trek + Gary Fisher 2011 Lineup Preview

Continuing across the 2011 line is a series of tweaks and upgrades to existing successful and strong-performing bikes. The Fuel EX 9.9 and the Remedy 9.9 get the full SRAM XX package. Scratch Air gets a custom-tuned Fox RP23, which is lighter than last year’s DHX Air Shock, and a rubber pad to protect the carbon in the downtube from rock strikes. Gary Fisher's entire lineup is now part of Trek's "Gary Fisher Collection." Gary Fisher models include a number of carbon and aluminum 29ers, such as the Superfly, Rumblefish and Paragon.(www.bicycling.com)

SRAM XO

Designed for World Cup performance and everyday durability, the XO group switches to a 2x10 or 3x10 drivetrain. Technology from the XX group has trickled down into the XO group, with shifting becoming almost instantaneous thanks to smart engineering by SRAM. An XO-branded carbon crankset weighs 788 grams and is claimed to be 10 to 15 percent stiffer than XX, but weighing only 60 grams more. Over three days of testing, the components worked flawlessly, shifting crisply and consistently, regardless of conditions or gearing.(www.bicycling.com)

Giant 2011 Lineup Preview

Giant introduced its new Anthem X 29er and three redesigned bikes: the Anthem X, Trance X and Reign. Trance X gets a tapered headtube that has been relaxed by half a degree to 69 degrees. The Anthem X 29er is Giant's first full-suspension 29er, which features a stiff front end and 4 inches of rear travel. Reign features a lighter 3D forged rocker link, a tapered head tube and a press-fit bottom bracket.(www.bicycling.com)

Santa Cruz V-10 Carbon, $2,999 (carbon frame)

Santa Cruz managed to get its 10-inch travel DH bike down to 9.1 pounds (with shock) by replacing bulky aluminum with carbon in the front triangle. The lower weight has a huge difference when riding, making the bike reactive and stable on drops, corners and anywhere else on the trail. The bike is race-proven: Steve Peat, Greg Minnaar and the rest of the Syndicate team have ridden the bike since the start of the 2010 season with multiple wins to show for it.(www.bicycling.com)

Orbea Rallon, $3,000 to $5,500 (frame)

Orbea, a brand known for their high-end road bikes and carbon hardtails, spent three years designing and prototyping the Rallon. The result is a 150mm rear-wheel travel enduro/all-mountain bike with a stiff ride and a consistent feel throughout the full length of travel. The frame, with Fox RP23 shock, comes in at a claimed 7.1 pounds. Short 17.2-inch chainstays keep the bike nimble. The Rallon comes in three models.(www.bicycling.com)

Norco Range, $6,950 (Range 1, full build)

With six inches of travel, the all-mountain Norco Range employs the company's new Advanced Ride Technology, ART, which lets the rear wheel move backward, allowing it to better absorb square-edge hits. Norco claims ART also reduces pedal bob and improves suspension performance during braking. A one-piece link arm creates a stiffer, more stable rear end.(www.bicycling.com)

Felt 2011 Lineup Preview

For the Felt Edict LTD, the company switched to a single-pivot design that relies on flexing carbon stays, which offer strong lateral stiffness. Cutting out the extra pivot and its associated pivot hardware brought the bike down to 5.5 pounds. In Felt's Virtue line, they’re offering cost-friendly aluminum models and a new all-carbon model with a frameset weight of 5.5 pounds. The 29er line also gets updated with a 4.1-pound aluminum frame and a three-pound carbon model.(www.bicycling.com)

Scott's Genius LT

Scott's Genius LT, $6799 (full build)

The all-mountain Genius LT, with 185 mm of rear travel and a claimed frame weight of just 6.2 pounds, claims one of the top travel-to-weight ratios, but the bike delivers in many more ways. A handlebar-mounted Twinloc lever can select between three modes: a lockout mode that simultaneously controls the fork and the rear, a traction mode offering 20 percent rear sag, and a full-open mode offering 30 percent rear sag. The bike's engineers have flipped the orientation of DT Swiss-made pull shock so the shock body doesn't move with the rear end, allowing the wheel to respond without the added weight.(www.bicycling.com)

Cannondale Jekyll

Cannondale Jekyll, $5,349 (Carbon 1 full build)

One of the central features of the redesigned Jekyll 90/150mm travel trail bike is its all-new Fox DYAD-RT2 shock that switches between two modes using a handelbar-mounted switch. “Elevate” mode makes climbs quick and efficient, reducing sag by 40 percent for a more efficient climb. “Flow” mode turns the bike into a plush and capable descender by lowering bottom bracket height. Using military-regulated BallisTec carbon, Specialized reduced the frame weight to 2,060 grams, with promises of much greater durability than conventional carbon. Aluminum models come in at a claimed weight of 150 to 200 grams heavier than the carbon models.(www.bicycling.com)

25th Anniversary Yeti 575

25th Anniversary Yeti 575, $2,999 (frame kit)

Yeti overhauled its 575 trail bike for its 25th anniversary. Besides the retro yellow-turquoise paint job, Yeti modified the 5.75-inch rear-travel frame so that it could accommodate longer-travel forks while not changing the overall nimble feel and ride of the bike. Yeti opted for beefier chainstays, which have slightly increased the weight of the frame to over seven pounds. The main pivot area is stiffer, with more clearance, but these changes mean riders need a direct mount for the front derailleur. The frame updates aren't limited to the anniversary edition; the changes have been made across the entire 575 line. (www.bicycling.com)