“Dropping in, it’s immediately a different experience to other bikes, with a magic-carpet-like smooth ride. The travel is obviously huge, but there is delicate sensitivity in there which belies the aggressive nature of the bike. As a rule, I like bikes with a bit of feedback through my feet, allowing me to pop and hop from features rather than slam through them. With the XQUARONE this is not this style of ride, and it’s plush compliance all the way. Voss uses the phrase ‘ground tracing device’ and this has been true with all the R3ACT bikes I have ridden, it really tries to glue you to the ground. This glue only works if the suspension is then sensitive enough to get out the way of obstacles rather than hung up. At which point, the XQUARONE can turn a badly organised boulder field into a pumptrack. The feeling is similar to the other R3ACT bikes I have ridden, and never has a 220mm bike felt so stiff and sprightly under power. Overall, we have a race-bred bike designed to go fast and then go faster. Ground tracing is a good term, and the XQUARONE sticks to the earth and accelerates like a rocket. In the right hands it can do World Cup damage, but even in my hands, gives a hugely confidence inspiring and comfortable experience. What’s more, with the pedal capabilities, if you needed to pedal anywhere or transfer between venues in the Alps or link ski lifts, you’d actually be able to do it! The R3ACT story continues and Polygon has pulled out all the stops on this bike to create the ultimate race weapon, I only hope it’s as fast for the racers without the camouflage paint job.”

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