In recent years cross-country has been dominated with mega spendy, featherweight carbon frames rocking Flight Attendant goodness. That's all resulted in a high entry point to cross-country racing but with the new Chisel FS, Specialized is hoping to buck the trend.

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Claiming it's the highest-performance alloy XC bike ever, the new Chisel FS borrows a lot from its cutting-edge sibling, the Epic 8. However, it's built around an alloy frame that uses the D'Aluisio Smartweld tech introduced on the Crux DWS late last week. Like the Crux, Specialized states it's the lightest alloy XC bike. Its frameset tips the scale at 2,720g, according to the brand.

2024 specialized chisel weld.jpg, by Liam Mercer

The Chisel FS uses single-piece sections but rather than the downtube and bottom bracket, it's the seat tube and BB that's one-piece. This reduces the amount of material required thanks to a single hydroformed tube that integrates with the upper pivot and BB. With that, strength hasn't been a compromise as Spesh claims that D'Aluisio Smartweld provides high strength and low weight by hydroforming the tube junctions and moving the joints away from high-stress areas.

Each tube is manipulated to feature varied wall thicknesses to boost stiffness where needed, further shaving weight and introducing compliance.

2024 specialized chisel seatstays.jpg, by Liam Mercer

The Chisel FS gets- modern XC staples, including a flex-stay suspension platform that ditches any pivots in the chain stay or seat stay, reducing the need for maintenance and the overall weight. There are 29-inch wheels at both ends and 120mm of suspension at the front, combined with 110mm at the rear.

2024 specialized chisel chainstay 1.jpg, by Liam Mercer

Specialized says the geometry is primed for modern XC and even downcountry. With that, a medium frame gets a 66.5-degree head tube, a 445mm reach, a 75.5-degree seat tube angle, and a 438mm chainstay. There's a 336mm bottom bracket height.

2024 specialized chisel fork.jpg, by Liam Mercer

The Specialized Chisel FS is available in three builds, including a frame-only. Both come equipped with Shimano brakes and drivetrains and sprung by RockShox suspension, with a SID at the front and a Deluxe shock. The rest of the finishing kit comes from Specialized including its Shimano-hubbed wheels shod with a Specialized Ground Control tyre at the front and a FastTrak at the rear.

Prices are very sensible with a frame setting you back £1,400, the Base Shimano build costing £2,000 and the Comp Shimano tops the range at £2,700.

• www.specialized.com

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