Light, efficient, simple; the aluminium hardtail platform is as much about mashing your way up those hills as it is about bombing down them.

Trails in and around Sydney are typically undulating, sprinkled with the occasional thigh killer climbs. You will thank us for spec-ing a hardtail when you put in the hard work earning the descends.

FOX SHOX is steeped in MTB racing heritage. Our bikes use FOX's 34 100mm Performance series forks to soak up bumps up front. Compression is regulated by the FLOAT air spring (easily tunable to match rider weight) and GRIP oil damper complete with rebound adjustment.

Suspension is the heart of every mountain bike, which is why we went with racing grade components here. So no excuses, just send it!

[Note: size small bikes use FOX 32 StepCast Performance instead to match stiffness to weight ratio]

If suspension is the heart of a mountain bike, then the wheelset is the soul.

Up front is a no-nonsense Shimano Deore Boost hub, rear is controlled by a DT Swiss 350 star ratchet hub for smooth torque transfer. Both wheels are laced to WTB i23 rims in a 3X 32H pattern with DT Swiss Competition 2.0/1.8/2.0 spokes.

All our wheels are handbuilt right here in Sydney.

We chose Shimano's Shadow+ clutch derailleur for minimize chain slap when running 1x up front.

Just remember to engage the clutch mechanism during your rides to stablize chain tension.

Shifting performance is more directly impacted by the shifter than it is by the derailluer, so we went one level up and spec-ed a Shimano SLX shifter. Crispy yet smooth; this is the guacamole + chips of drivetrains.

The 11-42t 10 speed cassette at the back gives you a 382% gear range when paired with 1x at the cranks.

For other gear nerds out there, here are the teeth spreads:

11-13-15-18-21-24-28-32-37-42

The standard chain ring configuration for our bikes is 34t up front. This gives a ratio spread of 3.09 to 0.81. You have the option to go up to 36t if you are feeling strong, just let us know so we can switch the chainring out for you.

Shimano Zee cranks are solid forged aluminium with steel hollowtech II axles. These were originally designed as downhill cranksets, so we picked them for the added stiffness to aid power transfer.

Shimano's Deore hydraulic brakes are powerful with great modulation. These brakes will give you the confidence to corner faster and descend with confidence.