Wilier announce new lightweight Usma SLR cross-country race bike

Wilier is an Italian road bike brand. They have, however, been dabbling in the off-road side of things for a few years, filling out their catalog with a few mountain bikes and gravel bikes.

To complement their existing Urta SLR full-suspension bike is the new Usma SLR which looks set to take its place as Wilier's best lightweight mountain bike.

The Usma SLR is a hardtail cross-country mountain bike that has some tasty specs for riders who are looking to pedal up as hard as they want to descend. Wilier has used their HUS-MOD carbon, which is also used in the brand’s lightweight road bikes, to build the frame. This results in a claimed frame weight of just 850g – although Wilier doesn’t state what size of frame they're talking about, or if that weight includes any hardware.

The stated weight puts it in the same ballpark as Canyon’s Exceed CFR and only around 100g heavier than the industry-leading Specialized S-Works Epic and Mondraker Podium, so complete builds should be very light.

Wilier has updated the geometry as well making this considerably more progressive than its full-suspension compatriot. Designed around a 100mm travel fork, the 67.75-degree head tube angle is pretty slack by XC standards and the seat tube sits at 75 degrees to balance riding position and climbing. Wilier has also dropped the bottom bracket height for a lower center of gravity. The reach is short, though, sitting at 430mm on a medium bike.

Tire clearance is maxed out with a 2.4in tire which is squeezed into the short 435mm rear end, while there is internal routing for gears, brakes, and a dropper post.

Up front, Wilier offers the same integrated handlebar and stem as the Usma SLR which can be specced as an optional extra. The Urta bar comes in 60mm, 75mm, and 90mm lengths and has a width of 760mm. Weight is claimed to be 285g but again the size isn't specified. The bar itself retails for €700 on its own.

All Usma bikes come with Fox 32 SC Float Factory forks and a Miche wheelset, starting at €5,100 for an XT and Miche 996 equipped bike. An equivalent SRAM GX build starts at €5,900. If you want your Usma with the Urta bar there are three XTR builds starting at €6,700, or SRAM Eagle XX1 AXS which retail for €8,300 up to €9,700 depending on the wheels you choose. (US and UK prices are TBC).