Getting back to the trails every spring and summer is always a blast for me, but this year has been more fun than normal thanks to the BH Ultimate RC. This carbon hardtail 29er has greatly improved my riding experience and enabled me to climb faster and descend more confidently. Granted, it was a huge upgrade from my 35lbs lug that I rode the last few years, but the BH is still a fantastic bike.

I’m on the largest frame available and it still weighs just under 25lbs with all stock parts. I’m on the XT version, but that still comes with an XTR rear derailleur that allows me to lock the cage to reduce chain slap. Climbing is much easier for me now, but that probably has more to do with the weight than the bike itself. The stiffness of the frame though does help when I need to put down power to get out of a tough situation. And since I can easily lock out the front fork when I hit pavement or long climbs I know I’m not losing power when I need it most.

My descending confidence has also soared as I’ve gotten more and more used to this bike. I’m able to keep up with other riders now who easily pulled away from me on my previous frame. Despite being a huge bike, I’m able to deftly handle banking turns and the in’s-and-out’s of many of the descents. My previous ride seemed to think about moving before it actually moved, where the BH Ultimate RC responds immediately to my directions. For Missoula’s long climb, long descent, relatively smooth type trails, this bike is perfect.

I brought the Ultimate RC down to Flagstaff, AZ for a few days of riding to test it out in more technical terrain. It still passed with flying colors, thanks in large part to the work done by the Fox fork, but overall the bike seems happier on smoother trails. If I were to be riding on more technical terrain daily, I would definitely go with knobbier tires to provide better traction on loose and rocky/rooty climbs. I noticed the wheels slipping a bit no matter where I shifted my weight on some steep sections. Descending through large boulders, which deserved a full suspension bike, I couldn’t have been happier with the fork. It handled fairly sizable hard landings and kept rolling. Despite how well it did in the technical terrain, the bike seems to respond the best at higher speeds. It’s made to go fast and isn’t made for having to pick lines through rocks.

The BH Ultimate RC is the perfect mountain bike for any rider who wants a cross country style bike ready for steep climbs and flowing descents. With a few modifications (tires) it would also be ready for more technical type climbs and miles of looser, rocky terrain.