This article originally appeared on BikeRadar
Enduro and trail bikes may have stolen the spotlight in recent years, but make no mistake, cross-country racing is alive and well.
Cross-country courses are getting faster as well as more technical. To meet these demands, the latest XC race bikes are longer and slacker than their predecessors.
Many of these new models blur the line between cross-country and trail with more suspension travel, stiffer suspension forks and dropper seatposts.
Another trend we're glad to see is an emphasis on designing full suspension frames with the ability to hold two water bottles inside the main triangle — a feature that endurance racers are sure to appreciate.
Watch the video for the complete run-down of five of the most promising cross-country race bikes for 2017.