Vitus Rapide CR FS

Anyone have any real world experience of these bikes as a long distance XC bike? South Downs Way kind of full day rides
Am tempted by the massive reduction on the price at CRC / Wiggle down to £1699 from £2899.

Yes, it’s a very good bike modelled on the prior Scott Spark design with some minor geometry changes to make it a little more capable.  FWIW I ride a 100 mm spark for 6-12hr events.   They are very comfortable at full suspension.
It’ll suit your need, although the trend for “everyday” or “Marathon” XC rides is a 120mm fork these days.   As always it’s about what you can afford vs  what’s current etc.   The one you are looking at has cheaper but capable groupset and brakes, the next one up has better kit and carbon wheels.

I am waiting for my crx to turn up. Couldn’t resist at that price for electronic shifting and carbon frame and wheels.
All the reviews seem positive so am hopeful.
For me the extra money was worth it for the higher end bike

Both models seem to get rave reviews, with the CRX being top pick in a lot of XC shoot outs. Only thing seems to be ‘bob’ on climbs, but it does have a lock out at both ends.
My other potential is the Trek Procaliber 9.6 which is also selling cheap ATM. No rear suspension, but a widget in the frame to take out the trail sting

I’m thinking about one of these, but the only thing stopping me is getting parts if CRC / Wiggle do actually go boom, other than buying a spare set of linkage & pivot hardware when the bike is bought that is.

It is a valid concern.
I’m taking the view that the components would cost about the same to buy as the whole bike, so if it does go pop I will just get a second game xc frame and shift everything across

The spares/warranty thing put me off. I’ve killed numerous frames being a 100kg powerhouse 😂

Ordered an equally well discounted Epic Evo, but 24hrs later got an email saying it was cancelled. Not happy and doesn’t appear to be any XL’s left anywhere. So now considering the CRX again.

Notice the red one has increased in price.

I’ve had a rapide fs crs since start of 2023. Love it, most used bike i have….spent last summer using it for general Surrey hills riding and then doing longer and longer rides including the longest off-road ride ive done and doing SDW again (10 years since the last time). Changed the contact points and added a (brandx) dropper and it was ready to go. Only gripe would be only 1 bottle mount.

I got it discounted by a decent amount but current price is crazy good.

With regard spares, I’m hoping that the fact that the frame is effectively  a Carbonda means that spare parts will continue to be available even if vitus is no more

That is good to hear, I had read somewhere that it was a standard pattern frame

OMG that CRX is a bargain with those components. I need to resist….

If I didn’t have a very much upgraded Spark, I’d buy one.  

It’s a Carbonda FM936 you can buy spares direct from Carbonda in China.

You can buy a 120mm rear end from Carbonda.

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

I have one on order to replace a 2020 one that cracked… it was second hand so no warranty. Therefore I’m a bit sceptical about the quality (particularly with the wiggle warranty looking shaky), but it’s hard to beat for the price.

Despite being only 100mm it descends really well; it has a very long wheelbase for an Xc bike making it very stable. For marathons the long reach could load or arms more than you want, but I have done all day rides without issue. The suspension is very active, this makes it plush downhill but wouldn’t be great if you like a firm platform but don’t want to use the lockout.

I as a (long legged)6’2 and 84kg, I need the shock pressure on the limit to get the sag sensible. So if you are tall and heavy, that might be an issue.

@nuke what size do you have and how tall are you?

@minus you say you’re 6’2″ what size are you on?

I’m 5’11” so effectively right between a medium and a large.

XL – I’d need to run a 200 mm dropper on a large to have enough insertion. Though I do use a very short stem.

There’s an extra 10% off the top model at the minute too – £2250 for it is bonkers.  I’ve ordered one.  I went for a L, but wwas right on the border of both at 5.11

Can’t believe they have reduced it more. Wonder if they will honour the price drop considering mine hasn’t even been despatched yet

@nuke what size do you have and how tall are you?

5′ 9″ on a medium here. Id say a large for you but they are loooong….Im runnning a shorter stem then Id expect for an XC bike

I as a (long legged)6’2 and 84kg, I need the shock pressure on the limit to get the sag sensible. So if you are tall and heavy, that might be an issue

I read something along those lines on the Carbonda forum. Doesn’t sound like a sensible option for me at 100kg. Definitely need to step away from the buy now button sadly 😞

@nuke what size stem are you running?

I’ve just done this geo compare with my current bike, it looks like it’s the Large going on seat post length and top tube length the stack is essentially the same, but as you say they are long in the reach, like 42mm longer. I fear the medium will be too short in the stack & seat tube length as I do have quite a lot of post out on the KTM.

I used that to compare with my spark: https://geometrygeeks.bike/compare/vitus-rapide-29-crx-2022-l,scott-scott-spark-rc-900-world-cup-bike-2018-l,vitus-rapide-fs-2022-l/ that’s me at 181cm

Basically it’s the more modern trail bike geo of being slightly longer, slacker and with a corresponding steeper seat tube to aid climbing.   If it wasn’t so close to my 6yo Spark I’d buy one in a heartbeat, and probably would if it had a 120mm setup.

( I’ve got my eyes fixed on a late ‘24 season Oiz though.  With a decision about continuation of racing coming after the summer I just can’t invest now anyway)

There’s me being financially astute this year. Always fancied one for a few years but resisted. Haven’t bought any new bikes for 3 years. Have a road bike and a chisel. Stick it on finance and pay it off over 24 months? 🤔

The CRX is an amazing price. What weight do they come in at for this model? Electronic shifting? 

How much is a carbonda frame on its own? 

@Kryton57 I’ve also got a Large Scale 910 which is pretty similar to the Spark, which one would you go for?

What weight do they come in at for this model?

CRX stated as 10.9kg on wiggle

You mean Spark or Vitus?   Assuming the parts CAN be had from China and bearing in mind there’d be import costs added to that, but also – for me at least – I’m not hard on my bikes if I was buying now I’d go for the Vitus – carbon wheels and AXS at that price!

With my Spark it’s had one replacement linkage / bearing kit over that time (remember my Spark is race only so it’s spared winter & fun mileage ) so I’d probably immediately order one of those from China as well to ensure it’s available when I eventually use it.  

There’s only one thing bugging me about the Vitus, and that’s the lack of the middle platform option on the lockout that you have on the Spark.  That may be user preference but having a 70mm higher compression option for racing is something I’ve enjoyed a lot.  My son has that same RS Fork on his Rapide HT so I know that sits higher better than the Fox 32SC I have, but I can’t speak for the Vitus rear end efficiency.  I haven’t read a review, probably worth doing.

With that in mind that’s why I favour the Oiz, it has the same platform as my Occam and I love the “it’s not moving” feeling at the same time of “it’s not hung up on roots” the concentric axle provides, so I’m looking to adopt that for my next race bike.

@Kryton57 – I was a bit useless there, I meant size wise, the Vitus wins all day on VFM

You know I wrote all that but am thinking £2.2k now or £5k in September…….. 🤷‍♂️

I meant size wise

Oh sorry – the Vitus.   It’s the Spark platform but more stable, and the FS becuase I’m GV now and racing is starting to hurt….

I’ve been riding my Carbonda FM936 (same frame) with 120 Pikes and 100 rear round the lakes for the past few months and it’s been great (thou a little under biked for around here). Built up with GX AXS, Pikes and LB carbon wheels.

A carbonda frame (standard paint) will be ~£600-700. Seeing as thou that Vitus CRX has AXS T-Type and carbon wheels, it would probably cost more to build a carbonda to similar spec.

It does look far nicer in black though.
I roughly priced it all up and I think you basically get the frame and stuff like bars for free on the crx

For those people with one, what dropper post lever works with the existing lock out levers? Trrying to get one sorted for when mine arrives!

Bontrager drop lock is pricey but good.

I have got a pnw with the 2x dropper lever which should fit.
I am slightly concerned about the internal routing

I’m selling my Mk1 Vyron if you want it.  It sticks down currently albeit can be pulled up easily by hand, but advice from Magura is just to undo the collar and clean it up.   It’d fix the cable routing issue….

Well, that idea is out of the window as the CRX is back up to nearly £4k in medium

If you want one, I’d be phoning them and telling them you’ll pull the trigger today if they sell you a Medium at the discounted price.

If they can afford that margin on a Large, they can afford it on the Medium.

@Kryton57 that’s a good idea, what have i got to lose.

How did it go??

Yes I’m dying to know also…. Be strong Steve_b77, act like a salesman 🙂   If needed offer something, an unrelentingly positive STW review of wiggle / the bike, a race seasons instagram posts of gratitude, a Wiggle bumper sticky on the bike mobile….   Be prepared to give as well as take.

[breninbeener]

breninbeener

Full Member

How did it go??

They didn’t want to know, said they get asked the same thing every day and their pricing strategy is fixed, might give it another go.

How did it go??