IF I COULD ride only one bike for the rest of my life, it
would be the Joplin CC X01 RSV. I’ve had more fun
on this bike than I’ve had on any other in a while.
With 130mm of travel up front and 120mm in the
rear (10mm more at both ends than the previous
generation), the 2020 Joplin sails up and down
chunkier trails even better than the former—and
beloved—version of itself. “Riders these days are
riding more aggressive trails,” said Juliana product
manager Josh Kissner. “So adding a bit more travel
and longer and slacker geometry allows riders to
do exactly that.”
Bikes with 120mm of rear travel could behave,
based on their geometry, more like a trail bike than
a cross-country one—or vice versa. The Joplin’s
longer and slacker geometry—65.7-degree head-
tube angle, 425mm reach, and 430mm chainstay
length on the size small—teases out just a bit more
trail-like performance than a typical cross-country
bike. Without compromising speed or agility, the
increased travel broadens the range of trails you
can comfortably crush.
Juliana went all out on the components for this
model, too: The SR AM X01 Eagle shifting is one step
down from the company’s top mechanical drivetrain
(XX1) and is super precise and lightweight. The
RockShox Reverb dropper is smooth and reactive,
and the chunky Maxxis Minion tires keep you firmly
planted on the trail, despite how light the bike is.
A Fox Float Performance shock and RockShox
Pike fork let you pop over medium-sized obstacleswithout sacrificing momentum. Don’t worry. If the
$8,199 carbon X01 RSV is too steep for your budget,
you can get the lowest-cost carbon Joplin R for
nearly half that. And it, too, comes with respect-
able components like a Fox Float Performance
DPS shock, Fox Rhythm 34 fork, SRAM NX Eagle
shifting, and the same Maxxis tires.
When I was riding the Joplin CC X01 RSV, I
couldn’t stop smiling. And the range of obstacles
I could successfully take on was making me even
more giddy. Both climbing and descending, the bike
responded so intuitively to where I wanted to go and
what I wanted to do, it became a part of me. It’s light,
nimble, and so incredibly well-balanced, I was able
to ride it over technical stuff and through challeng-
ing sections that I previously considered above my
skill level. This bike made me a better rider.—R.M.JULIANA JOPLIN CC X 0 1 RSV
PRICE: $8,199 / WEIGHT: 27.3 LB (S)
Santa Cruz
Reserve 27 Carbon
Rims
The RSV in this
model’s name means
it comes with Santa
Cruz’s optional
Reserve 27 carbon
rims. This $1,200
upgrade saves about
a third of a pound
(claimed) compared
to the X01 build with
aluminum rims. The
Reserve 27 rims weigh
455 grams each and
are backed by a life-
time warranty.
Bikes
90 BICYCLING.COM • ISSUE 1 | 2020