$4600
30 pounds
5-inch rear wheel travel
Maxi test: January 2008 Click here to purchase the issue

Highlights: Many boutique builders are contracting the production of their best-selling brands to high-quality Taiwan-based manufacturers. Chumba Racing has done exactly that with their five-inch-stroke XCL frame. For Chumba, offshore production means they can sell the XCL for a more competitive price. Better still, accomplished trail riders won't have to wait to acquire a sturdy, mistake-proof handler with a firm feel at the crankset that once was a rare prize, experienced by only a handful of satisfied Chumba customers.

Best quote: "For those who have the patience to climb in low gears, the XCL will reward the effort with extremely enjoyable handling--when pounding down rock faces or tooling down a twisty trail in the middle ring. The Chumba feels balanced and remains light at the controls. Take it out for an hour and you'll begin to relax your grip and let the XCL work its magic."

Bottom line: Who is a Chumba XCL rider? Experienced bike handlers who have grown tired of wearing out wannabe long-travel trailbikes that possess the look and the parts, but fall short on know-how and reliability. At 30 pounds, the XCL won't be lining up for many cross-country races. The reason to ride an XCL, however, is that it is designed to take you into trouble--and bring you back. Chumba began life making trailbikes for on-the-edge mountain riders, and the XCL represents the culmination of their experience. Offshore production has not diminished Chumba's quality or performance--but it has put a sweet-riding trailbike within reach of a lot of cyclists who would previously have to settle for less.