Juliana Joplin CC X01 RSV Is the 29er of Your Dreams
Takeaway: The updated Juliana Joplin is as fast as ever, and ready to take on rowdier trails. We’re here for it.
10mm more travel than before(120mm rear, 130mm front) for tackling rowdier trails.
The 29” carbon wheels want to roll over anything and everything.
The trail bike of your dreams (if you dream of crushing both flowy and rocky trails).
Price: $8,199
Weight: 27.3lbs
If I could only ride one bike for the rest of my life, it would be this one. Riding the new Juliana Joplin CC is the most fun I’ve had on a bike in a while. It has 10mm more travel than the previous version and updated geometry to accommodate that. This tweak takes it from a marathon-racing-style bike to more of a traditional trail bike, so it sails up and down chunkier trails better than it could before. Without compromising any speed or agility, the added suspension broadens the range of trails you can comfortably crush.
“We added a tad more travel because riders these days are riding more aggressive trails,” a representative from the Juliana product team stated in a email. “So adding a bit more travel and longer and slacker geo allows riders to do exactly that.”
The top-of-the-line Sram X01 Eagle 1x12 drivetrain and carbon 29” wheels are so. freaking. fast. It’s light, nimble, and so incredibly well-balanced, I was able to ride it over obstacles and sections that I previously considered above my skill level. This bike made me a better rider.
Juliana Joplin CC X01 29 RSV Details
Frame Carbon
Travel: 120mm
Shock FOX Float Performance Elite DPS
Fork RockShox Pike Select+, 130mm
Drivetrain SRAM X01 Eagle
Cassette 10-50t
Tires Maxxis Minion II, 29”x2.3”
Rims Santa Cruz Reserve 27
Brakes SRAM G2 RSC (180mm rotors front and rear)
Crankset SRAM X1 Eagle DUB, 30t - 170mm (XS-S),175mm (M-XXL)
Stem: Race Face Aeffect R
Handlebar: Santa Cruz AM Carbon
Saddle Juliana Primiero Saddle
Seatpost RockShox Reverb Stealth
The New-and-Improved Joplin Family
The new Joplin lineup has six different models, two with aluminum frames, two with their C-level carbon frame, and two with the top of the line CC carbon frames. At the most affordable end of the line is the Joplin A D (A for aluminum) for $2,699 and the Joplin A R for $3,399. These two models are outfitted with a FOX Float Performance DPS shock, but the D has a RockShox Recon RL fork and the R has a FOX Rhythm 34 fork. The D has a SRAM SX Eagle drivetrain and SRAM Level brakes, while the R has SRAM NX Eagle shifting and SRAM Guide T brakes. These two aluminum versions don’t have the adjustable chainstay like the carbon versions.
Moving up into the carbon category, there is a “C” version and a “CC” version. The gorgeous and badass carbon frame is a large part of what makes this bike so magic. CC frames use the higher grade materials and are more expensive. C frames are still carbon, but use lower grade materials to control costs.
“We build C carbon frames so we can lower the entry cost for complete bikes,” said Katie Zaffke, Juliana Bicycles brand manager. “Our C carbon frames are built in the same factory as our CC frames, by the same employees, using the very same tooling, but with lower grade carbon fiber, and more of it. C carbon frames are typically around 1/3lb heavier than CC versions.”
The Joplin C R is available for $4,199 and the C S is $4,999. Again, both models employ a FOX Float Performance DPS shock. The C R has all the same components as the A R, while the C S takes things up a notch with a Fox Float Performance fork, SRAM GX Eagle shifting, SRAM Guide R brakes, and lighter rims and dropper post.
In the high-end carbon category is the CC X01 ($6,999) and CC X01 RSV ($8,199). Both of these have a FOX Float Performance Elite DPS shock, a RockShox Pike Select+ fork, SRAM X01 Eagle shifting, and SRAM G2 RSC brakes. They’ve got all the lightest possible options almost everywhere. But the CC X01 comes with the same aluminum rims as the CS29, while the CC X02 RSV employs the Santa Cruz Reserve carbon rims. These upper-four carbon versions are now available in size XS, which is new for the line.
Geometry
Juliana product managers made some tweaks to the geometry in order to accommodate the added 10mm of travel in the fork and shock. The overall longer geometry of the new design add a bit more stability, so every part on the bike is ready to rock and roll over a bit more chunky stuff. Looking specifically as the measurements on a size S (the one I test-rode), the new Joplin has a 20mm longer reach, 9mm higher stack, slacker head tube angle (68 degrees to 65.5 degrees across the line), a longer wheelbase (40mm), shorter seat tube, and a steeper seat tube angle (73 degrees to 76 degrees). Also new is a size XS in the carbon frame.
Adding a steeper seat tube angle (as well as the 50t cog in the back) helped me climb a lot more efficiently. I was able to ride up a steep grassy ski slope after taking a wrong turn on the trails, while everyone I was riding with had to hop off and walk. Bonus: Every size bike in this line can fit a water bottle in the main triangle, even the XS, which is excellent news to us shorties.
Ride impressions
The Joplin CC X01 29 RSV is the crown jewel of this line, so obviously the most expensive. If ripping down the trail is the best part of your day, and pretty much all you think about when you’re anywhere else, this is your bike. Seriously, totally, 100 percent worth the splurge. When I was riding this bike I couldn’t stop smiling, and the range of obstacles I could successfully take on was making me even more giddy. In addition to the rolling-queen 29-inch wheels, it’s incredibly light, so getting the front wheel up and over big rocks and logs was easier than ever.
The slightly longer travel allows you to push the limits just a bit more down chunky, droppy trails, and any stiffness that happened to be sacrificed in the way of agility is unnoticeable because it so light and agile it just flies uphill.
When you catch a wave, or schuss through some excellent powder, you’re not struggling with your equipment or even really riding on it—it becomes a seamless connection between your body and the earth element you’re playing on. That’s what riding the Joplin x01 RSV is like. Both climbing and descending, the bike responded so intuitively to where I wanted to go and what I wanted to do, it almost disappeared beneath me. Totally dreamy, and so much fun.
You Might Also Like
