XDS OCTANE 3.0 (2022) – BLUE/ORANGE

XDS’ new dual suspension mountain bike is aimed precisely at the beginner mountain biker. The rider who is just starting out on their journey and wants to learn the fundamental skills without spending multiple thousands of dollars.

In this preview we’re going to cover who should consider buying the Octane and key components.

THE FRAME

XDS is an engineering company not a marketing company. So, most likely, you won’t have heard of them before. But everything they make is durable, reliable and thoughtfully designed.

They are experts at creating some of the best aluminum and carbon frames in the industry.

Yeah, they’re that good.

The Octane uses XDS’ X6 grade aluminum (the good stuff). The frame uses internal cable routing for the rear derailleur, which cleans the look of the bike up.

And uses a tapered head tube too.

The bottom of the head tube is 1.5”. It then tapers to 1.125”.

The point?

It gives the Octane way more strength. It doesn’t flex over the terrain. This always means better handling for mountain biking – especially in corners and straight lining it over rocks and tree roots.

WHO IS IT FOR?

XDS’ Octane is going to suit the rider who is currently riding a hardtail (front suspension only) mountain bike. Your hardtail has basic gears and brakes too. And it’s feeling clunky and worn out.

Or:

You want to start mountain biking and prefer to do it on a dual-suspension (dually) mountain bike, AND you don’t want to spend the big bucks just yet.

SUSPENSION

The front of the Octane 3.0 is supported by XDS’ own suspension fork on 130mm of suspension travel. This amount of suspension is perfect for riding places like Lysterfield Park and the You Yangs (Kurrajong side).

Trails in both these locations have really good flow. They are relatively smooth with obstacles that are easy to navigate.

The point is though, you won’t have less suspension than you need. The Octane will have better high speed stability and control than a 100mm or 120mm travel bike, for example.

A blue lever on the right hand side locks the suspension (make it stiff) for riding on bike paths. However, for mountain biking, you want this to stay open (soft) almost all the time.

The rear shock is a Rock Shox Monarch RL.

“R” means rebound (the red dial) and “L” means lockout (the blue lever).

It’s also an air shock. This means you can increase or decrease the amount of air inside the rear shock, and this depends ENTIRELY on how much you weigh. Heavier riders will need more pressure. Lighter riders will need less.

We set this up at time of purchase.

Rebound is how fast the suspension moves.

So, if you’re riding terrain that’s rocky and technical, the suspension needs to move faster to cope with so many impacts.

But, if you’re riding smooth trails it doesn’t need to be as fast.

BRAKES

XDS has built the Octane 3.0 with hydraulic (hydro) disc brakes.

Tektro have been dominating entry to mid-range hydraulic disc brakes, so it’s not surprising that XDS has gone in this direction.

This 2-piston model runs on mineral oil (good), is super easy to service and, most importantly, reliable.

Riders who have not used a hydro brake before will notice how smooth the lever feel is; there’s much less effort required compared to mechanical brakes.

For better ergonomics, the levers can be adjusted to suit different hand sizes/finger lengths. A must for smaller hands.

THE GEARS

microSHIFT has been making bicycle components for the last 23 years.

Shimano has had massive supply issues over the last couple of years. So bike brands had to use another component manufacturer – microSHIFT.

And it was kinda a blessing in disguise. It turns out microSHIFT is very, very good at what they do.

And on the Octane 3.0, you’ll see microSHIFT’s Advent component family.

Advent is mid-range. It’s not too over-the-top BUT neither are these basic recreational level components. It’s aimed at serious recreational riders.

The Advent rear derailleur also has a clutch. When you’re riding over bumps on your current hardtail, have you ever noticed the chain coming off or hitting the frame?

A clutch stops (or at least significantly minimises) those things from happening. When the clutch is turned on, it stiffens the derailleur and this means the chain can’t move around as much; keeping the Octane quiet over rough terrain.

A single front chainring (called a 1x or 1 “by” drivetrain), keeps the gears simple. There’s no front derailleur, front gear shifter and gear cable which means less maintenance because there’s less moving parts.

THE DROPPER POST

The dropper seat post is a must have on any new dual-suspension mountain bike.

A portion of the seat post goes down (lowering the bike seat with it). This makes it easier for riders to get on and off the bike.

And, because you can now “lower” yourself into the bike, descending on the Octane also becomes much easier (and safer). There’s no bike seat in the way, stopping you from shifting your body weight back and forth on the bike.

So that makes jumping and cornering a LOT more enjoyable.