Rockrider Ford Racing Team member, Joshua Dubau, slotted into 25th at yesterday’s UCI XCC Short Track World Championships. Of course, we know the french rider is capable of much more, having posted multiple top 5 results over the course of the 2023 season, so it wouldn’t be at all unexpected to see him competing for a podium finish in tomorrow’s XCO finale.
To keep weight to a minimum, Dubau’s frame has been stripped of its paint to leave a raw carbon finish. The complete bike weight, including pedals and bottle cage, comes in at just 10.19 kgs. Here, we take a closer look at the components contributing to that, including some prototype suspension from Manitou, and some prototype tires from Hutchinson.
Joshua Dubau’s World Champs Rockrider XCC/XCO Race Bike
- Rider: Joshua Dubau
- Nationality: French
- Age: 27
- Height: 175 cm
- 2023 Season Best Result: 2nd at UCI World Cup XCO, Nové Město
This season, Joshua Dubau is riding a prototype 120mm travel Rockrider XC bike, the geometry of which is still a private matter. At 175cm tall, Joshua is riding the large frame with an 80mm BikeYoke dropper seat post. Meanwhile, his team mate, Maxime Marotte who stands at 172 cm tall, is riding the medium.
Up front, we have a new 120mm travel Manitou XC fork, paired with a new Manitou Mara XC shock, both of which are still under development also. We can tell you the fork has 34mm stanchions but still goes lighter than the 32mm stanchion Manitou R7 fork, which is the brand’s current offering for cross-country riding. Joshua’s mechanic, Theo, tells us the weight is similar to that of the recently released 120mm RockShox SID.
Both the fork and shock feature a remote lockout. A 3-Position lockout is possible, but for this weekend’s racing, Joshua will run the 2-Position lockout serviced by an Orbea Squidlock remote. Team mate, Maxime Marotte, is testing a new suspension remote from Manitou.
Joshua Dubau’s Rockrider rolls on a Mavic Crossmax Ultimate SL wheelset with 30mm internal width carbon rims.
Seated onto those rims are 29″ x 2.3″ Hutchinson Skeleton tires. The team has this tread pattern with the choice of four different casings, three of which are prototypes from Hutchinson. Each of them is lighter than the 690g Hardskin casing that is currently in production. Joshua raced the Short Track event with the lightest option, with 1.4 bar in the front and rear.
The 2023 World Champs field is riddled with the SRAM XX SL AXS Eagle Transmission, and Joshua’s bike benefits from it too. He runs 175mm cranks with a 36T chainring and power meter. Speed is controlled by TRP Slate XC levers paired with the 2-piston calipers, clamping new 160mm rotors also from TRP.
In the cockpit, we have the KFX carbon riser handlebar from FSA, at 700mm wide, paired with the FSA SLK stem which has a 70mm reach and a 20° negative offset. A Fizik Argo 00 saddle sits atop the Manitou-branded BikeYoke dropper.
Look X-Track Race Carbon Ti pedals and a Van Rysel bottle cage help the build along to its final 10.19 kg weight.
All the best to Joshua Dubau, Maxime Marotte and the rest of the Rockrider Ford Racing Team this weekend!
