First Look: Vitus Rapide FS CRX

First Look

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The Vitus Rapide FS CRX mountain bike is a full carbon race-spec bike designed for today’s cross-country courses.

XC is no longer simply cyclocross with the volume turned up. With downhill lines and rock gardens more akin to Enduro and route profiles so toothy that you’ll feel a pang of lactic burn simply looking at the course map, the Rapide FS packages up razor-sharp efficiency and trail-capability in an impressively lightweight full-suspension carbon build.

Vitus Bikes
Carbon everything
100mm frame travel
Tidy routing
Remote lock-out

If you’ve ridden a modern XC course, you’ll appreciate the need for some frame travel. Whether it be a short course or an endurance event, the terrain is rough, the features are challenging, and the climbs are technical. The Vitus Rapide FS uses the same four-bar suspension as the rest of the Vitus mountain bike range for added control over pedal bob, comfort, and continued performance under braking.

Frame travel is brought by a RockShox SIDLuxe Select+ with remote lock-out, for sprinting up those climbs.

Charger Race Day Damper upgrade
100mm of lock-out-able travel

Up front we have 100mm travel RockShox SID SL Ultimate 29” forks with Charger Race Day Damper. again featuring a remote lock-out.

Reynolds TR 309/289 XC Carbon Wheelset with Reynolds TR hubs offer 36 points of engagement. These arrive tubeless ready.

Maxxis Rekon Race 29 x 2.25 front and rear will be great for some courses, and terrifying for others.

We’ve weighed our medium sized Vitus Rapide FS CRX. It comes in at 11.7kg, but we haven’t got around the setting it up tubeless yet.

There are two builds available. This Rapide FS CRX is £3,999.99, and the Rapide FS CRS is £2,799.99 with the most notable changes in spec being the Shimano SLX groupset, DT Swiss wheelset, and the SID SL Select.

Vitus Rapide FS CRX Specifications:

  • Frame // Rapide FS UD Carbon Full Suspension Frame
  • Fork // RockShox SID SL Ultimate 29”
  • Shock // RockShox SIDLuxe Select+
  • Wheelset // Reynolds TR 309/289 XC Carbon Wheelset
  • Front Rim // Reynolds TR 309 XC Carbon 29″, 30mm Inner Rim Width, Presta Valve, Tubeless Ready
  • Rear Rim // Reynolds TR 289 XC Carbon 29″, 28mm Inner Rim Width, Presta Valve, Tubeless Ready
  • Hubs // Reynolds TR MTN
  • Tyres // Maxxis Rekon Race, 29″ x 2.25″, EXO casing . Front and back, 
  • Chainset // Shimano XT M8100
  • BB // Shimano BB52, Threaded
  • Brakes // Shimano XT M8100
  • Rotors // Shimano RT76 180mm Front & Rear
  • Handlebars // Ritchey WCS Flat Bar 6061 Alloy, 5mm rise, 9° back sweep, S: 720mm wide, M: 740mm, L & XL: 760mm wide
  • Stem // Ritchey WCS C220 84D S: 70mm, M:80mm, L:90mm, XL: 100mm, 31.8mm Handlebar Clamp Diameter, +/-6° Rise
  • Shifters // Shimano XTR M9100 12 Speed, Rapidfire Plus
  • Cassette // Shimano XT M8100 12 Speed, 10-51T Range
  • Chain // Shimano XT M8100
  • Mech // Shimano XTR M9100 12 Speed
  • Headset // Acros AZX-212-CO R5
  • Grips // Vitus Lock On
  • Saddle // WTB SL8 Comp
  • Seatpost // Ritchey WCS Zero, 31.6mm x 400mm
  • Seatclamp // Vitus 34.9mm Diameter

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British Cycling National XC Series Rd 5: Woody’s Bike Park
What size mountain bike do I need?
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Amanda Wishart

Art Director

Amanda is our resident pedaller, who loves the climbs as much as the descents. No genre of biking is turned down, though she is happiest when at the top of a mountain with a wild descent ahead of her. If you ever want a chat about concussion recovery, dealing with a Womb of Doom or how best to fuel an endurance XC race, she's the one to email.

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Viewing 26 posts - 1 through 26 (of 26 total)
  • First Look: Vitus Rapide FS CRX
  • mtbfix
    Full Member

    That looks like a lot of bike for £4k!

    Posted 1 year ago
    nuke
    Full Member

    Been after the lesser CRS since the 2022 bike was added to the CRC website…. can’t recall ever seeing it in stock in any size and, when i asked about a month ago, there was no intel on when they were likely to be getting any stock

    Posted 1 year ago
    pigyn
    Free Member

    What’s your budget for a complete Nuke? I have frames ready to ship and build kits ready to go. We can’t really compete with CRC on price but could get pretty close and deliver you a more personal spec. Plus our paint job is better 😀

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CGLGj4bHo6J/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY=

    Posted 1 year ago
    pmurden
    Full Member

    That’s banging for the money.

    Posted 1 year ago
    qwerty
    Free Member

    I have one, it’s an open mound Chinese frame which I brought direct from Carbonda:

    http://www.carbonda.com/mountain/full-suspension/98.html

    Mines a small, 110mm SID 35mm fork, 100mm rear with Deluxe Ultimate.

    76.5′ seat tube, 66.5’head angle, nice reach, awesome climber & descender on XC trails.

    Posted 1 year ago
    hodge1365
    Full Member

    Rapid AF, surely?

    Posted 1 year ago
    molgrips
    Free Member

    Rapid AF, surely?

    Not with me riding it.

    Posted 1 year ago
    lightfighter762
    Free Member

    Capable even at Enduro!

    Posted 1 year ago
    minus
    Free Member

    Just watch out if you are tall and heavy. I have last year’s, and whilst generally a good bike I can’t get the sag below 30% even at max pressure on the shock. I am 83kg and 6’2” on an XL, so not crazy huge!

    The bottom bracket is very low, which combined with the long wheelbase makes it super stable on the downs also means it’s not a great choice if you want to do technical climbs without spend the whole time trying to time your pedalling to clear obstacles.

    Posted 1 year ago
    rickon
    Free Member

    Those reach numbers on an XC bike… Phew! The first XC bike I would be more than happy on a medium. Crazy times.

    Posted 1 year ago
    Markie
    Free Member

    That looks great to me!

    Posted 1 year ago
    qwerty
    Free Member

    PS: for anyone looking to “downcountry” one, the low bb allows for up to a 120mm fork without upsetting things. Standard shock is 165x40mm but you can get away with a 42.5mm stroke increasing rear end travel, any more and you’ll get tyre rub on the seat tube.

    Loads of clearance when using 2.4″ tyres.

    Loads of geekery about the frame here:
    http://chinertown.com/index.php/topic,2079.0.html

    The NS Synonym TR is the came open mould front end but with a custom rear end giving 120mm of travel.

    Posted 1 year ago
    fitnessischeating
    Free Member

    Ive been looking at the ICAN S3, and the Carbonda versions of this, trying to decide if I want to give it a go, I have had ICAN forks before and not died….
    Given you cant actually buy the NS or the Vitus, its potentially a good option, less good is the availability of parts in the UK for a build vs the availability and price from europe, and now enjoying the brexit bonus….

    Posted 1 year ago
    Kryton57
    Full Member

    Just FYI I watched Isaac Mundy cruise to victory in a local MTB event last night on one of those.

    I’ll let you Google him.

    Posted 1 year ago
    nuke
    Full Member

    I have frames ready to ship and build kits ready to go.

    So you’ve independently imported the Carbonda frames then added your own hardware and shock plus painted then up?

    Can’t see any details on your website…what sort of prices for frame only options are you offering out of curiosity?

    Posted 1 year ago
    jwh
    Free Member

    i recently got a price from carbonda for thier light XC frame – and it came to £900 + the possibility of tax once it landed in the UK

    Posted 1 year ago
    thegeneralist
    Free Member

    I have frames ready to ship and build kits ready to go. We can’t really compete with CRC on price but could get pretty close and deliver you a more personal spec. Plus our paint job is better 😀

    I’m not on the ‘Gramm, but am I right in thinking you’re Pedals bikes wot sent me a Occam chainstay yesterday?

    Posted 1 year ago
    dai1983
    Free Member

    Got the 2021 base model last year as already had a set of xc wheels, Sid delux is enough and prefer steel deore over the aluminium. Did consider getting 120mm SiD or putting the bargainous CRC pikes to 120mm before I put them on a Big Alat 140mm instead.

    Was considering getting the frame direct but the complete bike was only £2400 for a spec that would cost you over 5k from bigger brands. My large with a 125mm dropper, Hunt xc wides, tubeless and xt cranks comes in at 12kg spot on.

    Didn’t really click with it for a while but recently put a 35mm stem on it which made the steering more direct. Had an issue setting the sag as too much air made the bike too stiff. Have it spot on now at 30% and I don’t use max travel going over drops etc.

    The lockout is a blessing on fire road ascents and climbs like a monster on tech climbs with it off. My 170mm xt cranks help with ground clearance but still get pedal strikes which is part and parcel of modern bikes.

    Routing a dropper in the frame was proper hateful and currently using a gash CX/2x style dropper lever! Have a mass of cables out front and in hindsight should’ve got an axs dropper and mech to tidy it up. Would cost around a grand though 👀 but could swap them between bikes. Think a Bontrager drop lock would tidy it up a bit.

    It’s pretty solid but have a few issues with the finish where the paint around the shock bolts was too thick. It’s ended up cracking and flaking off. Think they found the upper shock bolt in an xmas cracker and its gonna round off after a few removals.

    Maybe should’ve gotten a medium at 182cm tall. The reach is OK and longer than my Big Al but the seat tube is pretty long. Calculated that I needed a 125mm dropper but could’ve put an 150mm in there.

    Posted 1 year ago
    qwerty
    Free Member

    @JWH

    the possibility of tax once it landed in the UK

    Double check with Carbonda but the price I had (less than yours a year ago) included shipping and taxes.

    Posted 1 year ago
    jwh
    Free Member

    @qwerty even without taxes its a lot for a open mold frame with no shock.

    I’ve looked at them for a while and others mentioned on chinatown forum…. I have afew hardtail / gravel bikes from the likes of iCan – but not quite pulled the trigger on a full sus from there as yet

    Posted 1 year ago
    pigyn
    Free Member

    Yes we are pedals and yes we have imported some. This was started before the Spur existed and long before Virus started using them, I guess it’s reassuring that Virus trust the frame as well. We have all sizes ready to go with SIDluxe Ultimate shocks and twistloc levers @ £1899.

    I have been loving it, great bike. Very fast and a lot of fun.

    I don’t think you need Instagram to see it, click the link and it should open in a browser if the app isn’t there

    Posted 1 year ago
    continuity
    Free Member

    I ummed and arred about one of these and then found a synonym rc1 for sale secondhand for a bit over two grand.

    Snapped it up, swapped in some xmc1200s, hope xcrs, a dash of xtr and it weighs 10kg with all the gubbins and that 125mm KS dropper.

    It’s rapid, but the large is very long. Running a 70mm -17 rsl all in one.

    I am tempted to snip the shock spacer and put a 120mm 34 on it but I feel like it would get slower and encroach on my Highlander for rides.

    Posted 1 year ago
    continuity
    Free Member

    @Amanda Wishart

    Did you find a decent bikepacking frame bag for this for the 300 then?

    Posted 1 year ago
    qwerty
    Free Member

    Was a Vitus CRX HT set up rigid that Sofiane Sehili pedaled to his win in this year’s Tour Divide Race.

    Posted 1 year ago
    amandawishart
    Full Member

    @Neuromancer I used the Ortlieb waterproof seat pack and wore a backpack. I’m new to bikepacking, so I haven’t done much in the way of loading a bike up, but I tried saddle bag with bar bag for my first trip, and tried with a backpack this time. My conclusion is that I am not a bikepacker!

    Posted 1 year ago
    thegeneralist
    Free Member

    I have frames ready to ship and build kits ready to go. We can’t really compete with CRC on price but could get pretty close and deliver you a more personal spec. Plus our paint job is better 😀

    Just to say that I’ve had excellent service from pedals bike shop on my Orbea. They dealt with some problems really well. Would recommend buying a bike from them

    Posted 1 year ago
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