The Virtue One feels like a cross-country racer. The bike is slim and compact between your legs, and the Maxxis Ignitor tires look smaller than their 2.1-inch width from the riderÃ

Under power: It is obvious right away that the Equilink is not a gimmick. Even our big-gear mashers were surprised at the absence of pedaling-induced suspension bob. It took nothing less than bouncing on the saddle to overcome the EquilinkÃ

Climbing: "The rear suspension looks great," commented an envious MBA wrecking crewer who was following the Virtue rider. "I can see it reacting to the stuff you're hitting, but I don't detect any bobbing." The Virtue rider just smiled, grabbed another gear and motored. The Virtue One excels on the climbs, and it doesn't really matter what type of climb you're on. It worked equally well on tough, short, technical climbs and silky smooth fire road death marches. The only tip is to keep your weight forward as the trail turns steep, or the Virtue's front end will wander or wheelie. Dropping to the fork's 3.9-inch-travel mode worked great in these situations.

Descending: Five inches of rear wheel travel makes the Virtue look like a trailbike (on paper), but it has an unmistakable cross-country bike personality, both climbing and descending. It loves flying down a singletrack and offers a far larger range of forgiveness than a three- or four-inch-travel cross-country bike. Still, it doesnÃ

Cornering: Best cornering results come from running the fork in the middle travel position (4.7 inches) and keeping your weight forward. A rider was more likely to oversteer the front end with the fork at full extension, and running it in the shortest position encouraged understeering.

Pull and push: The Equilink (the red strut behind the seat tube) is the key element to eliminating pedaling-induced suspension movement. It is nice to have the ProPedal features of the Fox RP23 shock, even if the Equilink reduces the need to flip any switches.

Braking: The new Avid Juicy brakes have proven grabby. Combine that with a seven-inch rotor up front and you've got overkill. This is a 26-pound bike that feels even lighter on its feet. We found ourselves locking the rear brake on both hardpack and soft surfaces. The brakes (both front and rear) require a light touch.

CHANGES AND PEEVES

We'd swap the seven-inch front brake rotor for a six-inch rotor (standard in the rear). This would balance out the braking performance and make applying the brakes more intuitive. The way it is now, a rider has to consciously monitor his touch on the brakes.

The Selle Italia SLR saddle is all about light weight, with little concern for rider comfort. We'd swap the great-for-a-racer saddle for something with more long-ride comfort, like a WTB Speed V.

We never warmed up to the new Easton Monkey Lite SL riser bar. Finding a comfortable hand position after the two-hour point of a ride was impossible. Easton reinforced the stem and brake lever clamping zone of this bar, and that may be the problem. We'd swap it for a Race Face Next Low Riser XC bar.

Finally, Felt tunes flex into their stays as an alternative to bearings or bushings. That is a tricky business, and we couldnÃ

THE BIKE IN-BETWEEN

DonÃ

The Virtue rider isn't interested in hucking, bombing or stunts. This rider wants climbing performance, small and big bump absorption and drop-the-hammer speed that will shock his riding partners. The Virtue One delivers it all.

Power rager: While the Virtue One does everything well, it is on the climbs that you hit paydirt. The light bike and active-yet-firm suspension will have you trimming time on the longest climbs.

FELT VIRTUE ONE SPECS

Price: $6199

Country of origin: Taiwan

Weight: 26.2 pounds

Hotline (949) 452-9050

Frame tested: 17.5" (medium)

Bottom bracket height: 13.5"

Chainstay length: 17"

Top tube length: 24"

Head angle 69.8Á

Seat tube angle: 73.5Á

Standover height: 29.5"

Wheelbase: 43"

Suspension travel (front): 5.5/4.7/3.9"

Suspension travel (rear): 5.1"

Frame material: Aluminum

Fork Fox Talas RLC

Shock: Fox Float RP23

Rims: Mavic CrossMax SL Disc

Tires: Maxxis Ignitor UST (2.1")

Hub: Mavic CrossMax SL

Brakes: Avid Juicy Ultimate Carbon

Brake levers: Avid Juicy Ultimate Carbon

Crankset: Shimano XTR

Shifters: Shimano XTR RapidFire

Front derailleur : Shimano XTR

Rear derailleur: Shimano XTR

Chainrings: Shimano (44/32/22)

Cassette: Shimano, 9-speed (11-32)

Pedals: NA (Tested with Shimano 959)