I think my XC riding days are over. After moving to Chicago I had pretty much given up on mountain biking, simply because I didn’t know where the real trails were. Most people would point me toward the forest preserves, which are PAVED. Not exactly what I was looking for when it comes to riding a mountain bike.

Thanks to a friend of mine who rides, I’ve now rediscovered the joys of mountain biking and have had a great season. I’m a little beat up and bruised, but it’s been great nonetheless. What else I discovered is that I’m not really an XC Rider. XC is short for Cross Country, which is basically just road racing in the dirt with a few bumps. That’s just not my style. After much research, i’ve decided to sideline my 2003 Rockhopper Comp FSR XC and build a new bike. This bike will be set up for All Mountain riding and hopefully will survive a season without me having to replace tons of parts on it.

Without further ado, here’s a picture of the frame i’ve chosen, it’s the 08 KHS XCT 555 and will be built out using a custom component grouping and design for an All Mountain / Freeride style as opposed to a racing style.

KHS XCT 555 Full Build

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