Gallery: Pro Bike: Carl Decker’s Giant XtC Composite 29er - BikeRadar

Pro bike: Carl Decker’s Giant XtC Composite 29er

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  Carl Decker shows off his prototype Giant carbon XtC 29er at the team’s training camp in Santa Barbara

  © Zach White/BikeRadar

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  Decker will add the new Giant XtC Composite 29er to his current Anthem X 29 and Reign X for this season's races

  © Zach White/BikeRadar

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  bike was fitted with a RockShox Reba XX 29 when we caught up with him at the team training camp but he's likely on a new SID 29 by now

  © Zach White/BikeRadar

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  A production sample of the new Giant XtC Composite (left) as compared to Decker’s prototype

  © Zach White/BikeRadar

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  Decker likes a 685mm-wide riser bar on his cross-country race rig

  © Zach White/BikeRadar

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  Giant's new XtC Composite 29 will feature a press-fit bottom bracket shell

  © Zach White/BikeRadar

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  The enormous, rectangular-profile, asymmetrical down tube suggests excellent front triangle and bottom bracket stiffness. And as a bonus, it looks like it’ll make for a great built-in front mudguard, too

  © Zach White/BikeRadar

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  Giant prefer to use aluminum rather than carbon dropouts, even on their top-end race bikes

  © Zach White/BikeRadar

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  : Opting for a little less weight than a lock-on style grip, Decker runs ODI Ruffian grips with the flanges removed and moto-style wires to keep them tight

  © Zach White/BikeRadar

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  The down tube is so wide that it’s asymmetrically shaped around the drivetrain, which causes an otherwise centered water bottle cage to appear offset

  © Zach White/BikeRadar

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  Shaping on the tapered head tube is similar to Giant's TCR road range

  © Zach White/BikeRadar

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  A non-drive side overview of Decker’s Giant carbon XtC 29er prototype

  © Zach White/BikeRadar

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  noticeable change from the prototype to the production sample is a slight reduction in chainstay asymmetry

  © Zach White/BikeRadar

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  A bottom view of the asymmetrical chainstays

  © Zach White/BikeRadar

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  Decker likes to run a saddle designed for triathlons, which allows him more comfort on the nose when shifting forward on steep climbs

  © Zach White/BikeRadar

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  Though the bent seat tube appears as if it’d be tough to mount a cage to, Decker says it works fine

  © Zach White/BikeRadar

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  A side view of Decker’s bottom bracket area shows the intricacy of the frame’s carbon layers

  © Zach White/BikeRadar

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  Giant’s PR guy, Andrew Juskaitis, says both Decker’s prototype and the production version of the carbon XtC 29er will provide plenty of mud clearance, as seen here with a 2.25in Schwalbe Rocket Ron

  © Zach White/BikeRadar

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  Decker runs his new Schwalbe tires tubeless

  © Zach White/BikeRadar