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Fit a shorter stem with more rise, a dropper seatpost, and a fatter, grippier front tyre and your "pure" XC racebike is a trailbike. Amazing thing is that for most riders most of the time, it will probably be faster than the the bum-up, head-down race bike.
I always figured that a "pure XC" bike would have a headtube angle of at least 70 degrees. That Vitus looks to be slack enough to be considered as XC-Trail, maybe even Pure Trail. Much slacker and it'll be trespassing on All Mountain.
Old definitions and boundaries are blurring so much these days, you could pick a wide variety of frames and with component choice, achieve a good "average" bike.
Another benefit of a dropper is for starting off on steep uphill bits.
Drop the saddle a little so you can get your bum on it. You can then get your weight over the rear tyre for grip when you stab the pedal down. Pop it up to climbing height once you are clipped in.
I’ve had 125mm Brand-x dropper on my race HT on / off for the last year (125mm is waaaay to much for XC). On / off mainly because I’m a weight weenie and 100% of the XC racing down here in the Eastern region doesn’t need one. However, for recreational riding it’s much more fun and makes the race bike much more versatile for all the reasons already listed in this thread. The only negative I have is one of comfort. I had been using a Chinese knock off of the Canyon carbon leaf spring seat post (VCLS?) which really helped dull impacts coming through the rear triangle. The dropper post has no give whatsoever. However, I have decided to MTFU, ride out the saddle more and bought some XTR bits to offset the weight gain (the bike’s not mine!)
On / off mainly because I’m a weight weenie and 100% of the XC racing down here in the Eastern region doesn’t need one.
I'm going to say if there's ANY windy singletrack on your XC race courses, you should get a benefit if you know how to work with it.
Oh do shut up! Plenty folk can ride twisty singletrack fast without the need for a dropper. Especially if they're clipped in.
I didn't say you couldn't ride it fast without one. I said you would probably find it quicker with one. And you'd probably gain more speed than you'd lose by weighing 250g more.
All in my estimation.
I’d say 95% of my local trails (QECP, Kingley Vale, Lordswood etc...) I’m either no slower or actually faster with the rigid post on my xc race bike, according to Strava data.
The other 5%, mainly the steeper stuff with big drops & jumps in, I’m absolutely slower and can tell when I ride them that I’m not in as good a place on the bike.
I guess then, it depends on where you ride and what the trails are like. Like so many things in life although generally it’s abgood thing to have a dropper it’s not always the life changing thing it can be made out to be.
My Di2 battery is in the seatpost though so I’m reluctant to change on that bike.
I am currently rebuilding my old Parkwood frame up as a winter/play bike though & that is getting the dropper put on it for sure.
I was an early adopter too; Maverick Speedball way back in the day was my first dropper, before CB bought the license for them...