XC World Cup tech: Fresh builds, prototypes, and unreleased bikes

Dominic Geoghegan

The 2026 Mountain Bike World Cup got underway in Mona YongPyong, South Korea, over the weekend. I was there working as a mechanic for the Unno Factory XC team but in between wrenching duties, I managed to get about the pits to check out some of the tech that teams brought to the opening round.

Within this gallery you'll find new bikes from a number of brands, prototype tyres, and a closer look at Scott’s new suspension system. Keep reading until the end for some insights on what it was like in the rain-soaked tech zone during a controversial day of XCO racing.

Haley Batten’s S-Works Epic 9

Just last week , Specialized released its new Epic 9 . The new bike borrows the headset routing and rear shock nestled in the top tube of the Epic World Cup, while the geometry and 120 mm front and rear suspension is more closely aligned with the Epic 8. Shaving weight was the key goal for the new bike, with the end result being a solid cut by over 200 grams to produce what's now the lightest full-suspension frame on the circuit.

This team-issue bike belongs to American athlete Haley Batten, featuring a build that you can more or less purchase straight from Specialized. It's equipped with Rockshox Flight Attendant suspension, SRAM's XX SL Transmission, and matching Motive Ultimate brakes. While the cranks feature simpler branding, Batten’s mechanic informed me there is nothing special going on there, and they are the standard XX SL crank with team-issue SRAM logos (something also seen with SRAM-sponsored WorldTour road teams).

One thing that does stand out is the S-Works Airtrak tyres. According to the team mechanic, these are a completely new casing as part of their Project Black prototype tyre program, with something special in the works. The new tyres are a 2.4" – a smidge smaller than the 2.5s the team was running last year.

This post is for subscribers only

Become a member to get access to all content

Subscribe now