Dentists Wanted: Test the Hottest XC Bikes of 2026

James Moore · 2026-09-28

You know the routine. Weekdays mean surgery lights, drills, and fillings. Weekends? Carbon frames, rooty trails, and a heart rate that won't quit. If that sounds like your life, we've got something you won't want to miss. For our big 2026 cross-country group test, we're opening up our test garage and looking for two dentists to swap the surgery for half a day of rough trails, root carpets, and the fastest XC machines of the season. ### Why we're doing this We're putting some of the year's most exciting XC bikes through their paces: SCOTT Spark, Santa Cruz Blur, Specialized S-Works Epic, Canyon Lux World Cup, and more. You'll get the unique chance to join us and test the latest kit on the trails around Stuttgart, Germany. This isn't about chasing KOMs on Strava. It's about real-world riding impressions, talking tech on equal terms, and giving us your honest feedback out on the trail. We want to find out which bike is the best XC bike of the year. Which concept works best in practice, not just on paper? And we want to know: which bike would you want to take home on the spot? Be among the first to test the year's most exciting XC bikes back to back! ### Who we're looking for We're not looking for pro racers. We're looking for two passionate riders who are hungry for trails and up for a good time. There's just one requirement for taking part in the first Dentist Bike Test: you have to work in dentistry. ### When and where The benchmarking session takes place on October 6th from 1 pm. We'll meet in 71229 Leonberg, Germany. You can apply until Wednesday, September 30th at 1 pm, and we'll get back to you that same day. We know that's a pretty tight schedule, but sometimes you've just got to send it ;) Since we're very deliberately leaning into the age-old "dentist bike" cliché, there's one firm rule: proof required! No license to practice or proof that you work in dentistry, no place on the test crew. If you're a student, proof of enrollment will do, along with your latest grades ;) Our resident dentist Kilian will of course be joining us for the benchmarking too. ### How to join us Send us a photo and a few lines about yourself, your passion for riding, and proof that you work in dentistry. We'll notify the two selected dentists on September 30, 2026. Apply now! PS: Our dentist Kilian is also looking for someone to join his bike-mad dental practice, and Annika Langvad is probably the only person who could challenge him for the dentist world championship title. If you can't make the test but fancy spending your working days drilling around in the mouths of half the editorial team, get in touch directly with Kilian / Dr. Kilian Klügel's dental practice in 71277 Rutesheim!