What are the main difference between the KH freeride and the XC?
im looking to buy one of them, as i have saved enough money for either. But am unsure of which to buy. I will most likely be doing alot of single track riding, and some technical trail riding.
Which one would be more suited for that type of riding?
thanks
-collin
The XC is (in no specific order) Lighter, cheaper , and has a bit of a smaller tire.
Freeride:
Stronger rim
Longer cranks
Fatter tire
XC:
Lighter rim
Lighter tire
Shorter cranks
Either one works fine for technical trails. I started with the XC and put longer cranks on it for Moab; I probably prefer that setup to the Freeride setup. Even with the 150mm cranks, it’s totally fine on seriously technical MUni.
If it were going to be my only off-road uni, I would get the XC. If I already had a 29er/Coker for cross-country use, I would get the Freeride.
The XC also has a skinnier tire.
My muni is the freeride with the shorter cranks so I guess its a combination of both of them. I like it better than the other 2 normal options, I like the fatter tire for muni and I hate 170mm cranks.
alright, thanks. thats about what i figured from the specs given on UDC but was wondering if there was anything more than the given. If i were to get the XC and eventually wanted to put a fatter tire on it, what would the widest tire i could use be?
im not sure. i dont think that a 3" wide tire would fit on that rim.
A 3-inch tire does fit on that rim. Amy at UDC assured me that it would fit. I have had the XC for a few days - it’s great, but I probably would like to do a 3-inch tire sometime. The XC rim is 38 mm and the Freeride is 42.2 mm - a difference, yes, but small. Since I have no mountains near where I live, the XC makes more sense. I like the 150 cranks and the 2.6 tire is surprisingly rugged. And the frame is the same as the Freeride.
The 24 x 3.0 Duro tire that comes with the Freeride would probably be a fine choice for a 3-inch tire on the XC.
Phil
awesome, thanks guys. i think im probably going to go with the XC.
-collin
the freerider is a beast and i love mine 
the difference in weight for the rim and tyre is most likely negligible, so i went for the freeride with the 150mm cranks, udc were happy to swap them for me at no extra cost. if you are thinkng of getting a 3 inch tyre at some point this is probably the best option, i havent found the 150’s too short for any sort of riding yet. and i doubt i will
i think of the freeride as a seriously hardcore muni but the xc is more of a less technicals terrain model
hmm, thanks for letting me know they will swap the cranks for the 150mm cranks…i was talking to this guy at my LBS and i was trying to talk him into ordering one of both so that i could look at them both in person…and he said that he might do it for me…
if not, then i think i have changed my mind now to getting the freeride with the 150’s…because i will more than likely be putting a 3 inch tire on the XC in the near future if i ended up getting it.
hmm.
well, time to go ride. thanks for the help guys.
-collin
If you think you are going to be putting on a 3 inch tire, definitely go with the freeride because the tire will behave better on the wider rim.
i have a stock freeride setup (which i got a few weeks back) took it to woodhill and tony couldn’t help but comment how much sweeter it was to land the jumps on than his muni.
light weight and the 165mm cranks are so nice for the technical muni (which i like to specialise in seeing as im never going to be fit enough to keep up with tony on the ‘boring’ bits) ideally i will add a set of shorter cranks to swap with them 165’s whenever i want more speed on the flat. but only after i buy my 36er and possibly a 29KH