Originally Posted by beng1

It does not matter what mountain-bike you use as long as you are well practiced in riding and handling it. A good rider that is used to their bike, who is in good shape and well practiced will out-ride and perform any rider who is not in shape, used to their equipment or practiced. As long as your bike is maintained and reliable then it can do anything you can do.

Periodically bicycle manufacturers have to change minor things about bicycles just so they have something new to market and can maybe sell new equipment to those who believe that the equipment makes a worthwhile difference. In any riding it is the rider that is 90% or more of the equation as long as the bike, whatever it is, is reliable. You could buy a $10,000 mountain-bike, and a pro will beat you on any course with a thirty-year old used 20" bmx bike.