I posted this on Pinkbike, but it’s also relevant here. Is there anywhere that reviews XC bikes these days with someone that actually races XC regularly? Riding around in baggy trousers and an enduro helmet and shoes on flat pedals, riding this thing with a stack of spacers a mile high under the stem all undermine the review and mean it’s not relevant to the people who will use the bike for what it’s meant for.
How easy is it to ride when you can barely see from effort? Does it forgive your mistakes when you’ve spent four hours riding on the rivet? How does it sprint? How easy is it to work on trackside when your full toolkit is at home (I know it’s going to be awful, but just how awful?)? That’s what the target market for this bike wants to know, and I don’t think anyone on the major sites is providing that, they’re just sending out someone who normally rides a trail or enduro bike and letting them see how it feels.