Beginners Guide to Enduro: What the hell is it?

Jun 25, 2012
by Matt Wragg  
Downhill racing is awesome. We love nothing more than watching the top guys smash it down World Cup tracks at speeds that would scare the living piss out of most of us. If we’re honest, top-level XC is pretty gnarly too, what those guys put their bodies through is nothing less than hardcore. The thing is, most of us are, well, average. That’s the point of elite athletes, for a living they do things that most of us can’t or won’t do, if they didn’t they’d be average too. At that level the bikes are pretty specialist, you can’t pedal a DH race bike up a mountain and you wouldn’t want to ride a World Cup downhill track on an XC race bike.

Dan Atherton in practice on PS3.
  Dan Atherton has moved over to race enduro this year.

As mountain biking has progressed through the years those disciplines have become more and more extreme, yet what about those of us in the middle? What if you just want to ride some great trails, are happy to pedal to the top if you need to and mainly want to have fun on your bike, but still fancy doing a bit of racing? What if you can only afford one bike in the garage and can’t justify having a specialist race bike? That’s where enduro fits.

Al Stock hucking.
  Al Stock, hucking.

Originating from France in 2003, the format is based on motorbike enduro and anyone who has followed car rallying should find it instantly familiar. The most basic definition is timed downhills and untimed uphills. Racing is over a series of special stages and whoever has the fastest combined time after those stages wins. Riders need to get between the stages, often for a set start time. Originally the Tribe enduro races in France were over ten timed stages, the Italian Superenduro PRO races are over four or five, the Gravity Enduro races in the UK are also over five, but three stages seems to be more common among smaller, slightly easier races.

Accessibility is an important aspect too – expect to be racing on the same tracks at the same time as the top guys, there’s no separate elite category or insane pro-lines on the tracks, it’s all about a race that everyone in the field can enjoy riding. While everyone should be able to have fun on the stages, don’t think that doesn’t mean the top guys aren’t absolutely smashing it though – it was while riding enduro that Fabien Barel had his horrific 70km/h crash a few years back...

The dry river crossing on stage two.
  Italian champion, Andrea Bruno.

The word downhill is an important one: if the timed stages aren’t mostly downhill, it ain’t enduro. The UCI are looking into becoming involved with the format and it is their gravity section who are looking at it, that’s the same people who look after downhill. With the original Tribe enduro races in France they aimed for no more than 10-15% uphill in a stage. That is just a rough figure, you won’t catch them out on the hill with a trundlewheel checking the precise ratio of downhill millimetres of versus uphill millimetres of trail – it was all about how the trail felt when you rode it. If a race has skills' sections or climbing stages in, sure they might be fun races, but they aren’t enduro and shouldn’t be called enduro. Same goes for the long-distance XC races that called themselves enduro, if they don’t have the timed stages and untimed liaisons format, it isn’t enduro.

Why is this detail important? If you show up to a race with a 160mm, 30lb+ enduro race bike, kitted out with big, dual-ply tyres and someone tells you that the race you’ve paid to enter is a 100km slog around a flat field, you’re going to feel burnt, right? The same goes the other way, if you show up to a real enduro race on a 20lb carbon XC race bike, there’s a good chance that something is going to get broken, whether it’s you or the bike. More importantly, it’s not going to be fun for you. As enduro is a relatively new format in many countries there is still some confusion as the format settles down into something stable, but race organisers need to describe their races in a way that riders understand to avoid that kind of confusion. Hopefully the long history of motorbike enduro will help make this easier.

Manuel on the gas.
  Just because it's a downhill discipline doesn't mean you're not going to need to get on the pedals. Italian pro, Manuel Ducci giving her some.

And as for Super D? As far as we're concerned that's more of an XC race, the low-fat, vegan-friendly version of enduro. Lycra has no place in a real enduro race, nor does racing up the climbs. Generally you should expect to bring at least a good set of kneepads and, here in Europe, your full-face helmet. In the UK full-face helmets aren't compulsory (yet), but in Italy and France they are very necessary for the terrain.

Some riders are just easy to snap somehow I ended up with three good snaps of Leo today.
  Leoluca Scuria, in between the trees.

Getting to the top is the one area where there isn’t a set rule – it depends on where you are and who’s the running the race. When they ran the first Tribe enduros in France, they used the ski lifts to get to the top of the hill and the physical element came in the ten descents. As the format spread to areas outside the high Alps where enduro began, people began pedalling to the top. You might also find some races with a combination of the two. There isn’t a right or wrong version, the only thing that matters is that it’s supposed to be enjoyable, while you can cover long distances and have hard days, it shouldn’t be lung-burning climbing for hours on end.

Antennaes. Superenduro PRO1 2012 Golfo Diano Marino.
  This definitely isn't XC.

So, that’s a very brief guide to enduro. If that sounds like something you’d like to have a go at, here’s a few series you could think about doing:

Tribe Events (France): www.tribe-events.com
Superenduro (Italy): www.superenduromtb.com
Gravity Enduro (UK): www.ukgravityenduro.com
Gravity Enduro (Ireland): www.gravityenduro.ie
Enduro (Germany): www.enduroseries.net
Oregon Enduro (USA): www.oregonenduro.com

In the next article in this series, we’ll have a look at setting your bike up to go enduro racing.

Author Info:
mattwragg avatar

Member since Oct 29, 2006
753 articles

163 Comments
  • 62 2
 WAKIdesigns the whole point of enduro and all mountain style riding is to have one bike that does it all. I love the format i think it is real mountain biking.
Yeah the racers should defiantly give a good description on what they mean by enduro, I turned up to an xc event that was called an enduro according to there webs site the the description was something like:
This track is so much fun with more descents then climbs and single track that will blow your mind. when i arrived it was very different 29'ers, lycra, energy gels, shaved legs and 3 to 4 inch travels bikes.
There i was with my 5inch travel bike, shorts, wide bars and single front chain ring.
Was not fun.
  • 12 1
 do you reckon i could get away with riding my downhill bike in an enduro, i know the uphill wolud be hard but would it just be overkill?
  • 7 1
 Yeah, Enduro racing in in Australia means 4+ hour XC races. I always get excited when i see 'endruo' on event posters at my LBS but then find out they are for lycra jockeys. They are starting a few SuperD's up my way now.
  • 7 1
 Australia is so slow and backwards. It drives me crazy how they promote "Enduro" here... It is just an endurance race that already has a name, it's called Cross Country Racing!! As this article shows, "Enduro" is a different format. I have nearly been caught out a few times over here. Now, I don't even bother looking.
  • 2 0
 I know the DH bikes die in the Super D. Oregon is doing enduro this year.
  • 2 0
 @taletotell: The DH bikes get killed in Super D's in this part of the country (South East) too.
  • 1 0
 ive been racing this style of enduro for about a year now and i love it!
but i agree with erlier comments about races advertising as enduro that turn out to be xc, i think that there should be a clear difference to people out side of the sport about their differences or maybea name change...but thats just me anyway!
Big Grin
  • 10 26
flag CFOxtrot (Jun 25, 2012 at 9:28) (Below Threshold)
 DarcyDay, if as you say the point is to do it all on one bike, why are you complaining that your competitors were on 29er hardtails or 3" or 4" travel 29ers and you were on a 5" travel 26er? Why should that matter at all? Ride what you prefer. Ride what gives you a good vibe. It's not about choosing the right bike. At worst it's about choosing the right tires. At worst.

While you suggest it's about just one bike, you actually argue that you feel you need a quiver. Ride what you have. My riding buddies are 85% 29er hardtail, 10% 29er FS, and 5% 26er FS. I ride 26er FS. I don't get caught up in whether my bike is the same as theirs, or in what ways my bike is different. It's my bike, so it's the right one for me. Dig?
  • 12 0
 you miss the point. A true enduro trail would make an xc bike or 29er a slower option. You could ride a 29er hardtail in worldcup DH, but if you come in first the track was too pedally. The same is true of enduro. There is a reason the pros rock 5-6 inches. Not that they like them better or that it is the only bike they have. It is because they need the best bike for the job, an all rounder. If a 29er hard tail is the best bike for the job then it was an xc race, not enduro.
Interestingly, an all rounder means 85%-90% DH and 10-15% climbing. Any more climbing and it becomes xc with a technical descent section.
  • 2 0
 Here in Nebraska we ride mostly XC, however I race quite a bit of DH and actual enduro in Wyoming and Colorado etc. Anyway, the 4+ hour XC races here are known as XC marathon. I didn't realize that people were calling XC marathon (as I suppose it should be called) enduro, now I know to look out for falsely advertised marathon races Smile
  • 4 15
flag John1304 (Jun 25, 2012 at 13:36) (Below Threshold)
 taletotell, how can you have more uphill than downhill that makes no sense, basic physics will prove that haha
  • 10 24
flag CFOxtrot (Jun 25, 2012 at 13:40) (Below Threshold)
 taletotell, I didn't miss ANY points. Have you read what I typed?

I'm talking about Darcy's concern over having the wrong bike. Compared to a 29er with 4" travel I do just fine on a trail bike with 5.5" travel, and Darcy can probably do just as well. XC racers will most often ride the bike they're fastest on and if the race is Enduro or Super D they'll likely race that on the race bike.

Good riders are fast on multiple bikes.

(thanks for the neg reps, doods. next time just skip thinking entirely!)
  • 17 0
 I dont think DarcyDay was saying he couldn't ride an XC race on a 5inch bike, I think he was saying it was not the type of racing he was looking for
  • 9 0
 John1304, you mean more down than up? I said 85-90% down and 10-15% up. that is more down. And that is easy. Just shuttle.

CFOxtrot, I meant it looks like you think it is about the bike. I am saying it is about the trail. The race determines the bike setup right? It a guy is winning on an xc rig then it is not enduro. He was looking for a race type that made all-mountain rigs optimal. He isn't saying everyone should have to ride them, but that the trail is wrong for what the race claims to be. Who cares what other people ride. But if Gwin or Hart, or Hill showed up to the world cup race with his DH sled and found it was a marathon and he would be pissed. They wouldn't wine that Lance Armstrong showed up on his 29er and won it, but they would use his win to illustrate what was wrong with the thing. False advertising can ruin the race for the rider who showed up expecting it be what the event claimed.

You got negative props because you either didn't take the time to read my response or you still have failed to make your point clear.
  • 4 0
 CFOxtrot i came 3rd in my devision on my 5 inch travel bike. When i siad there was 29er i was just stating it was a XC race not a true enduro.
  • 7 20
flag WAKIdesigns (Jun 26, 2012 at 2:34) (Below Threshold)
 It's in the head and body, the bike does not matter, it will adapt if proven insufficient - don't make a sport basing on use of specific bike - the tracks and podium will sort that out who got it right.

I'm done here I don't give a fk, do it as a format of XC for DHillers and in less than 5 years time XCers will develop their DH for XCers on 4-5" bikes and niners - it will all be jolly good with divisions and people keeping on hating on each other who's the real mountain biker. Keep those huge, gravity taming, fearless, balls out - proove to the world that Dhers can pedal and XCers suck on downhills. Pump that dick with ego until it blows the baggy pants

P.S. I ride everything from XC/Trail to DH tracks on 6" Nomad with 2.5 minions DHF, 750 bars and flat pedals - (oh and I haven't found any steep tough shit that I couldn't ride on HT with 100mm fork that I could ride with DH bike) just if anyone thinks that I am biased... and I ride in this way long before AM was considered cool, you all sort of jump on the wagon I'm on from 6+ years - glad that mainstream is catching up with us
  • 4 5
 taletotell, I am saying it looks to me, from the majority of comments in this thread, that OTHERS are making it about the bike. I don't think the race format is fleshed out enough for me to have an opinion on Enduro Racing yet. That's why I keep asking what Enduro is trying to test. I understand the anxiety one might feel getting to a so-called "Enduro" and imagining it would be gravity emphasis but finding everyone's on 19 lbs XC race bikes. Big deal! Go on and race anyway! When I was racing XC I didn't care what bikes others were on because I wasn't racing their bikes. I was racing them, the riders. It would be the same if I entered an Enduro, Super D or other semi-gravity pedaling race.

WAKI nails it again -- it's in the head & body, bike doesn't matter!

Darcy, I dig the 3d place on the 5" travel bike. Do you think not getting 2d or 1st was about the bike? Do you think those who finished 4th through last place were imagining they did poorer than you because you had 5" travel?
  • 8 0
 WAKI, the wanna be know it all of pinkbike. disapproves of almost every post I've seen, with a half page rage answer. if you have balls, you can send it down the steeps on a xc, if you are stupid strong, you can pedal up with a dh rig. enduro is the fastest up and down. every track will favour one type over the other. if you really need a good reference, look at wades excellent adventure race.
  • 2 5
 SHARK, maybe you're reading WAKI's posts from the wrong perspective. Near as I can tell, most every person posting comments in a thread at PB imagines him or herself some kind of "know it all" about something. Everyone thinks they know everything about a poster without any personal knowledge at all! I don't know boo about WAKI other than I get the humor in WAKI's posts while most everyone else seems to think WAKI is on a mission to personally insult everyone. Maybe this is the Internet Rookie Syndrome playing out. The Internet is NOT reality, SHARK. It never was. It is a theatre where people pretend to be what they wish they were but are not.

The near absence of humility is what WAKI seems to be mocking. I find it funny. You and others will probably hold that against me. Oh well. But let's get back to the subject at hand.

I just bought a Mojo HD because the salesman says it's an ideal Super D - Enduro - All Mountain bike. I don't have any cycling experience but AM looks exciting to me. I'm not much of an athlete, but it's time to start. I don't have any climbing fitness or descending skill. I need a race where I can put my hot new Mojo HD to the test! What do you recommend?
  • 2 0
 lol, dont worry, i get humor, I dont see any in his posts. and clearly this isnt reality. everyone is a bit of a "know it all" in there own respect because everyone has an opinion, thats what makes PB so great. Waki just is... insulting, not humility. hes been in full bore post arguments with admins and pros. I find those cute because they try to level with him and get a real answer, and he still goes off on them. but hey, maybe it is above my comprehension.

As for enduro - AM, depends. Lopes has been shredding everything on his Mojo, and has even won air DH in whistler on it. Im a Scott Bikes guy, so im kinda biased towards them, I have a Gambler, Genius Lt, Spark 29r. The Genius LT is an enduro/am machine! one of the most fun bike (overall) Ive ever ridden, you can lock it out and climb like a hardtail, unlock to 4inch for flat trails, and open it up to 7inches for DH and bike park fun.

If you want to get better, just ride. If you want to excel, do a bit of training 2 times a week as well as ride every week. simple stuff makes a huge difference in controlling your bike and increase your speed and skill of the bike, especially when your pushing it in a race. I dont know anything about your local race sence, but im sure your local shop can point you in the right direction.
  • 1 1
 No dude -- not above your comprehension. Might be a different flavor of humor? For example, lots of my friends find Will Ferrell funny. Or hilarious. To me he's just annoying, stupid, and the opposite of funny. He comes on the screen and I want to leave the theatre or turn off the TV. But he's loved by many as a very funny man!

My brother and I are 2 yrs apart, grew up as decent enough friends, same household, etc. We have entirely different senses of what's funny vs what's offensive. Same genetics, same relative intelligence. Two different perspectives.

I think WAKI is doing some fine satire. I think most people don't see it. That's because to most people, satire is nothing but insult. They don't see what's funny about it. They prefer a very bland satire, one that really lacks all satiric angles. Like Will Ferrell.

Neither view is all bad or all good. They're different ways of seeing the world and different communication styles. The audience for one is small, for the other much larger.

PS: my last paragraph above, talking about the Mojo HD -- that was a sort of satire. I've been riding bikes since I was 6 and haven't ever owned an Ibis of any kind. I haven't raced bikes since 2005 but I am doing a Super D series this summer. Thanks for the suggestions, I bet others will find them very useful.
  • 1 4
 Mah Shark 555 is right - I btch waaay to much, time to get some fresh air - and sense of humour? I don't dig Simpsons... Yea I take it as B Connolly: only some people take it seriously and some people should be insulted on regular basis - if you put 5 Go Pro mounts and 5+ cables on your bicycle you should get woken up every half of an hour by being banged in the head, accompanied by a bunch of people in Victorian costumes, standing at the foot of the bed laughing histericaly, pointing at you and shouting: SHEEP! POZER! BIEBER!
  • 2 0
 Yeh with the 29er part I was just trying to show it was a hard core XC race not a true enduro. But i agree it should have to do with the bike but what really matters is the body and the mind. I have friends that are little bitches if they have the wrong bike for the day. But my five inch bike is a hard tail that i regularly ride XC on and have ridden some technical decants and that makes me believe it has nothing to do with the bike.
  • 2 0
 @ John1304 of course you can have more up hill than down hill same as you can have more down than up. its not physics....its geography!!!
  • 4 0
 You can't clearly time all uphills on enduro race, and you can't do timed uphill(s) too long. You don't need to be either physicist nor geographer to understand that you can make a 15 min gap on a guy with DH tyres by using 1lbs XC/marathon tyres and then loose less than 5 mins on him on Downhill. In Polish Enduro series it is usualy one uphill that is timed, there are also categories so there can be winners in downhills, uphills and overall. Setting a tight time on transition stages between DH stages is also a ways of separating men from boys. But setting up a timed uphill stage is a friendly and welcoming hand out to XC guys.
  • 1 0
 I quote the late Freddie, "just get on your bikes and ride!"
  • 1 0
 Hey. Where is good enduro track in wy. Or downhill. Or I guess single track
  • 24 2
 "What if you can only afford one bike in the garage and can’t justify having a specialist race bike? That’s where enduro fits."
What if you don't know where to put pics of your enduro bike because it doesn't fit Freeride/DH Bikes as well as XC Bikes?
  • 1 0
 Know what you mean, my LBS keeps telling me the s-works enduro is just for DH and doesnt have lock out because DH bikes are just for downs not XC or ups
  • 1 0
 you for real? I ride my Sworks Enduro everywhere on everything. It has climb mode (propedal) and it kills with it on or off on the ascents and it descends like a champ. Can't believe your LBS thats nuts! But again what category do I put this bike under!
  • 1 0
 @ukal: so true ahah
  • 22 1
 It would be a shame if the UCI would get involved.
  • 12 0
 Enduro is the discipline of the future..
  • 7 0
 With very few lift access hills in Australia, we would have to pedal the untimed sections. I think hylo's 'limited' time to pedal to the top could work nicely. And, be this good or bad, the word 'enduro' here means a long-distance XC race. If it wasn't for Pinkbike I would never have heard the word 'enduro' used for a lifted or untimed ascent. Personally, I think this is a format that could really suit older guys like me whose fitness is not quite up to par as the young guys, but point us into a technical descent and the playing field levels out, so to speak.
  • 3 0
 Here in the UK our series is Gravity Enduro which helps to separate it clearer, also the limited time to pedal to the top works well although the organisers are still trying to work out just how much time to give. First round was 5 runs down innerleithen and the pedals back up (usually an uplift for DH Races) were apparently pretty damn tight.
I rode the second round which turned out to be the fitness round, think of the enduro version of PMB in DH... Although all the routes went down they weren't exactly DH and the pedalling killed me off.
Also interesting you mention the "could really suit older guys like me" the masters class in the UK series is always well attended and its definitely the older crowd who race rather than the young guns who are doing pure DH.
  • 7 1
 Hi everybody, is now 4 years that i'm doing Superenduro races, i've started in 2009 after a brake of 17 years from my last XC competition, and I can say i'll never stop doing it !!!!
The Italian Championship is getting bigger and bigger, and the skill level of the top 20 riders is amazing (try to believe it !!), and more and more International riders comes here to compete.
That's (IMHO) the real essence of MTB,
ciao,
Luca.
  • 1 0
 Good for you! Smile
  • 3 0
 I race the 1001 series in france, which is attended by Barel, Vouilloz, Amour, Giordanengo, Bruni... The level is incredible, but what's even scarier is that there are young 16-18 year old enduro specialists beating the old guard and pro top-20 world cup DHers by considerable margins!

I have to disagree on one point tho: a 3 stage race is harder than a 5 stage race. Here, nearly all races are 3 stages which typically means 1200m positive climbing (up to 1600m) and 30km total. This means up to an hour long continuous pedalling on the uphills (x3) with a 30lbs bike, full face and armour. And the descents take anywhere from 6 to 15 minutes for the top guys.

One thing the author failed to mention is the fun factor of different formats: single starts, 3 man starts, groups of 20+...

For pictures of the races, check out this blog: enduroazur.blogspot.com
  • 7 1
 i think uphills should be timed too...why do we insist on finding new ways to race without pedaling up any hills and now they dont time the uphills...bikers are getting lazier every year...if you have twig legs and cant pedal more than 100 yards at a time buy a motorcycle..I wish that someone would start a real bike race series. no fire roads, all singletrack, equal amounts of climbing and descending. I would even make a couple super tech climbs that are mandatory and if you put a foot down you are penalized time..that would weed out the spandex crowd...I cant be the only person that actually rides his bike still..I once entered a norba pro xc race on a 54# dh bike just to mess with people..got my butt kicked obviously but rode all 26 miles and finished about 15 minutes behind the winner..funny thing was I was the only person to pedal up the steepest section...
  • 3 0
 Great points.

You might be interested to see the changes in technical difficulty at World Cup XC races now, versus 5 years ago. Dirt sidewalks no more. Interesting inversion going on -- DH is getting smoother and more groomed (slopestyled), XC is getting rougher and less groomed. Runs contrary to the enduring myth of XC being 100% fitness 0% skill. Fun to watch the world's best XC racers descending chunky ledgy stuff (see MSA course last weekend) on 20 lbs spindly bikes with a seat raised all the way to the roof, and descending quickly. Wait. How's that happening? They're not on 6"/6" bikes!

I wouldn't be rushing to "weed out" people based on spandex. Among all the riders I know and ride with, the fastest and most skilled descenders usually ride in what many pinkbike readers would call Disco Lycra XC Racer Kit. The ones wearing body armor and TLD full face? Well, they look the part at least.
  • 1 1
 you are right that the word cup races are getting more technical..watched the latest one on pinkbike and had a wet knarly rocky section and some nasty climbs... too bad alot of races here in US involve fire roads...The spandex comment was because so many people bitching about them at enduros. Personally I dont care what people wear, but still cant see any benefits to shaving or lycra..there is no possible way that full spandex will make you faster..except road racing..and there just isnt any way around the fact that they look like a total fag smugglin grapes .doesnt mean i wont ride with someone in spandex but ill tease the shit out of them. same can be said for the person with full on moto gear that thinks a 4 foot drop is the most extreme thing ever..
  • 1 5
flag ParkCityPlush (Jun 26, 2012 at 16:55) (Below Threshold)
 you should probably post a couple pics before commenting so much so people know you own a bike
  • 3 0
 What, I have to "prove" I know how to ride a bike? Seriously? Why is that? A photo of a bike proves I have skill and knowledge about riding bikes? That is kinda my point here at PB isn't it? That people think owning a certain kind of bike means they are a certain kind of rider? Like if I just started learning how to ride a bike, but bought a Carbon V-10, that would "prove" I am a DH racer? Really? I'm sure you realize that posting a photo of a bike proves nothing more than the ability to google a photo of a bike. It has no bearing on the poster's actual bike ownership, skill at riding that bike, or any other bicycling related fact.

People who know me know what I know, what bike I ride, what bikes I have ridden, and how long I've been riding. I'm not clear on why I have to prove those things here on pinkbike. I don't believe in projecting my personality on pinkbike. I use it for entertainment, and to offer thoughts on the state of the so-called "industry" and the people who write about it. People are free to believe I am a 98-year-old grandmother in a nursing home for all I care.

Lycra shorts are the only things worth wearing if you spend time in the saddle. Whether you are too modest to wear them alone is up to you. It's easy to wear a shell over them. Most of my friends who wear lycra do it because it's more comfortable, less drag on the legs when pedaling, cooler. It's not about showing one's twig & berries to the world. They're worn on bikes. Not when hanging around and not riding bikes. I wear lycra shorts without a shell about 15% of the time, usually when it's above 85deg.
  • 1 11
flag ParkCityPlush (Jun 26, 2012 at 18:51) (Below Threshold)
 i ride up to 80 miles of singletrack in a day i never needed spandex..you dont have to prove anything to me i already know you are a terd...I pass your type everyday on the trails...and i meant pics of you riding a bike..or doing anything cool but we know those pics dont exist
  • 7 0
 Groovy imagination on you, dude. Keep playing that tune! Good luck with the monkey butt and chafe!

I'm sure you pass me all the time. Sucks when the alarm clock wakes you from those dreams though, eh?
  • 1 14
flag ParkCityPlush (Jun 26, 2012 at 23:08) (Below Threshold)
 dont know what monkey butt is but am I the only one who thinks the butt pad in spandex cycling shorts looks like a huge maxi pad?? I understand that u bleed down there but you should switch to tampons
  • 5 0
 Referencing a number of comments above: At the Ashland Enduro this weekend, while none of the cat 2/3 racers were in Lycra. the Pro start line looked like the start of a XC race with matching lycra kits on half the riders. Almost no one in full face, whcih I thought was stupid, as it was colder than hell and the speeds on the race sections were big-ring spun out all the way.

The ONE person I saw on a DH bike was riding it becasue that was what he had and probably worked harder than anyone else all weekend to get seventh in his class, so yes you can do it, but not competively.

It IS like moto enduro, bacause you roll easy in the transfer sections, bs with your fellow competitors at the check ins and do your best to haul ass in the tests. Doesn't matter whether you have a throttle or not, the format is the same.

Ashland was great and well organized for a first effort at enduro, the only thing better would have been if the cat 2/3 could have raced the Horn Gap, as it was the funnest thing I rode all weekend.

California needs an enduro series!!!
  • 13 0
 Good perspective. I think there are a lot of folks who seem to think the lycra types are only faster on the uphills, and if it there were less of those, then the baggy shorts weekenders could win. It really doesn't work that way--enduro (or Super-D) is like a 5-25 minute time trial where you really need to get on the pedals everywhere to stay competitive. Look at how much the guys pedal in world cup DH--basically anywhere where it isn't insane rocks/roots. Everywhere is like that in an enduro course. The guys who train really hard and put in their time on the XC and road bikes are the ones who can make the pedalling happen throughout, stay on top of the bike, and not get tired. They wear lycra because its far more comfortable to pedal all out in over a long period of time. And, those top pros are sick bike handlers as well. I think its just hard for the DH/Freeride crowd to admit it sometimes. But if you spend time with XC racers, they have the same silly stereo types for the DHers thinking that its just easy to pin it on the DH and not realizing how much strength energy and concentration it takes.

Bottom Line - There is simply no way to rig a timed race so that the weekend warriers in baggys will win. Its racing and its won by the fittest, hardest working guys and girls on the course. What makes Enduro absolutely awesome is that its the type of trails that a weekend warrier can have an absolute blast racing on. That's what separates it from upper level DH and XC.
  • 1 0
 Best post in the whole thread right there, katmai.
  • 4 0
 Just to clarify,since there's some confusion: in italian superenduro races you have a time limit for the uphill part:if you arrive later it is added time to your timed descend stage. Also, stages have got some little,even if tough,climbs,to mix it up and see who's fit and who's not.
I think that's a good compromise
  • 3 2
 Deaaammm right, it should be that way!
  • 3 0
 Gotta love enduro and the concept. There has been popping up enduro races in Norway too, which is awesome. It also is a discipline that more people could be attracted to since the format is more versatile and not as limited as downhill is. You don't have to have an uplift or a shuttle to get going. And it's cheaper here too, not by much, but just enough to make a difference. And one of the many things that need restrictions or guidelines are bikes that can be used. I use 140 mm for enduro riding, even though friends and people I meet think I'm bonkers that I don't have more travel. Some people like less travel, some like more. As for WAKIdesigns comment, I agree. If the enduro format wants to evolve it should be taken into consideration that the weekend warriors are going to lose substantial amounts of time going uphill and downhill and there should be a time frame that has to be met going uphill. Maybe not insanely tight, but tight enough to make people sweat and push a bit. You can also eliminate the problem with catching up by sending the fastest first. My five cents.
  • 1 0
 Interesting, do you have some more info about these enduro races in Norway?

We have a 6 race enduro cup ongoing in Finland(www.mtb-enduro.net), but it would be nice to try races in other Scandinavian countries too, since you have some amazing terrain and actually have real mountains where to ride... Smile


- Samuli
  • 1 0
 Let's see here. 80twentyenduro.wordpress.com/category/races Here you have some races. There's also some local races going on. Don't know much about them, though.

Will post more later. Have to go have some beers in Oslo now. :-D

Lars
  • 4 1
 This article doesn't touch on the time keeping aspect of traditional enduro in America. That being "motorbike" enduro, as they call it. Until recently, dirtbike enduros had a time keeping aspect (and some still do). Time keeping, meaning pace, was very important. If you got to a certain point of the track too early you were penalized by having points added to your score. Other portions of the trail you couldn't get to too early, that's where the race was (race sections vs. transfer sections - both were timed) Time keeping added an aspect totally unique to enduro - it made it a thinking mans game.

Anyway, if you want to learn how others do it you should research time keeping enduros in America. The time keeping aspect would make it 100% different than what is described above and I think it would work really well in MTB.
  • 4 1
 My father is heavily involved in Enduro's here on the East coast, and I cant agree more that this aspect would be very interesting to include in this format. I think there is a cut off time where a penalty is added for arriving too late even tho it wasnt discussed here but i think ive read that elsewhere. The only issue i see with this is now u introduce a regulation where a fancy electic device can help alot. I know for moto enduro's my dads got a computer on his bike that he is able to plug in the pace needed and it helps keep track of that along with him watching the clock.

The great thing about adding this to the event would be that it really helps level the field, just because you cant absoultely rip it down the timed sections doesnt mean you cant get a good result, if ur spot on in ur pace outside of the special stages u still have a good chance barring the fact that faster guy ahead of ur muck up pace and end up getting points added.

I like the idea but i think this discipline is still young and evolving, so many ppl are still i guess "figuring" it out
  • 3 0
 I found the Super D several years ago and found that this race suited my style of riding. I thought this race was a good test for the regular AM trail rider, mostly DH with technical challenges and a sprinkle of climbs to further test the rider. The key was mostly DH!
I had trouble finding Super D events on the east coast (along with others) and found that most race organizers didn't like to put on the events because they couldn't
get enough riders to show because it was a unique event. That was 3yrs ago. Since then Harlan Price and I started the East Coast Super D group on Facebook to gather event dates for east coast riders looking for Super D and enduro events. It also shows the amount of people interested in these events, the list keeps growing which is great.

I agree with the story in that enduro is supposed to be mostly DH but some race organizers putting on new enduros don't get this or are influenced by XC when they set up events here in the US. It's my guess that this will change as this category grows with popularity here in the US...especially on the east coast.
  • 2 0
 In my country there's a lot of trail\all mountian riders,
unfortunately all the places that you can ride is not that proffisional and we have just all mountian plus DH contest...
I wish to improve my all mountian skills at that competition in italy ^
  • 2 3
 How can you tell a trail rider from an XC rider? How can you tell an "all mountain" rider from a "freeride" rider? What if someone rides long alpine technical trails on a 19-lbs carbon XC race bike, and does it with speed and fluidity?
  • 2 0
 We had our first Enduro in Ohio this past May. Super fun! There will be more in the future. The main difficulty is the logistics of putting on an event with so much timing involved. You need loads of volunteers, or loads of money to buy a sophisticated RF timing system. Anyway, here's a report: ohiodownhill.wordpress.com/2012/05/30/2012-mayhem-enduro
  • 2 0
 I rode the Super D series here in Oregon last year and used a hardtail and a 6" sled. Taking this year off and hitting the new Enduro next year. Having said that I will not be using a hardtail next year. The Enduro events are AWESOME! Lots of comrodery like when your on the trail with the tools. The best way to summerize for anyone who has been out here to Oregon, it is just like riding the trails here with your buddies and they time you on the downhill. If you have not been to Oregon to ride YET, the best way to summerize is 5 to 6" single crown, single or double micro drive WITH A BASHRING, 9 or ten speed, ride what ya brung. There truly is something for everyone on an Enduro race. It is the essence of Mountain Biking and why we all started to ride in the first place, Please check it out and support Enduro.
  • 3 1
 Just one question to Matt (and a non important one!). Why the hell english speaking media (here in PB, or in Dirt Magazine) report the french enduro series as "Tribe enduro"? Yes the organizers are Tribe Events, part of Tribe Sports Group formerly known as FMF (France). But in France no one ever called it like that. It's called enduro series from the first days I think and is since last year the series used for the French cup (officially backed by the cycling federation). I know it's pointless, but couldn't help writing it!
  • 1 0
 Because in France there are a few series you can race, but the Tribe races have their own format and if you don't follow the French race scene it hopefully keeps it clear as to which series I'm talking about. Fred doesn't mind me calling them the Tribe enduros...
  • 1 0
 Are they muliti day races?
  • 1 0
 Enduro Series (or Tribe Wink ) are always 2 days races. And you're pretty run down on sunday!
The smaller series or individual races are in most cases 1 day race.
  • 2 0
 Sounds like Combi would be a better name for it, or Super Combined. Enduro means Endurance, and that is more what I picture in extra long cross-country or tour style races. Just a confusing name, really. Nevertheless, sounds epic, and if I were going to get into racing, this would be where I would want to go! Can't wait to see some awesome videos come out of this!
  • 2 1
 Actually I own a Mondraker Summum for Downhill and a Nukeproof Snap for Street, 4X and DJ. Both are great Bikes for their purpose but I often wish, having a bike that covers a wide variety of use. Luckily there are already great bikes like the SC Nomad or Alutech Fanes which do very well! My next bike will be a enduro for sure. In my opinion the enduro series and enduro in general will get way more attention of the community and non-riders in the future.
  • 1 0
 just put a crack in my pivot mach 4 frame, hoping to get a mach 5.7 outa the warranty and build that up for the overmountain enduro at highland!

ive been wanting a more all around trail bike as im much more inclined to the tech stuff hopefully the 5.7 is wat i need Big Grin
  • 1 0
 I love the fact that this style is becoming more popular because it can definitely be more widespread than dh simply because it doesn't need pure mountains, you could use bluffs and smaller terrain that can be found within an hour or so of almost anywhere, of course this is an opinion speaking from the midwest
  • 1 0
 So I just recently got into mountain biking about a year or so ago, mainly XC riding. But gradually wanted to do more DH riding and such as I'm moving out west. I purchased a brand new tr250 that has yet to be ridden and I'm starting to realize I should bought an enduro oriented bike as i still love pedaling up the trail and through the flats. Can't wait for the Ike setup article and maybe Ill I can do some magic haha
  • 1 0
 If any of you is interested in a non serious Enduro racing weekend in Europe, 3 days on brilliant trails with good food and nice accommodation, check out The Blast.

www.ridewiththelocals.com/theblast

Next weekend is planned for 13 - 16 September, and will be held on a secret location in Wallis, Switzerland
  • 1 0
 one time as a downhill rider ( nothing too serious eh) I decide to try superenduro with my xc bike.... I had fan and I was happy even if I crashed few times, pumped by the result I decide to partecipate using a proper enduro bike and I died ! litterally die in the uphills! no crashes in the special stages but I was so tired... Enduro needs a hell of a lot of training in order to be done good in the up as in the down part of the trails! This week end I will try racing Supermountain and...maybe I will not die eheheheh. cheers !
  • 1 0
 For anyone who has been to Bend to ride, The Super D and now the Enduro race is run on part of the old Storm King Trail and what is called the Funner Trail. Fast and tight, you bet, some light free ride, check, some downhill that you have to have your seat post slammed on, check. A 4.6 foot to flat, yes, 8 foot to transition, berm to log ride with a triple avenue, you know it. Single track to smoke, Yep. To help everyone out we just call it ALL MOUNTAIN RACING. ENDURO ROCKS!
  • 1 0
 enduro?....xc?......marathon?.......dh?.........its all a matter of how someone defines a type of activity and its contents....its meaning by the use of one word.
enduro for xc marathon is simply the word ENDURANCE shortened
ENDURO is ENDURO!!! its not short for endurance its another word with another meaning.
  • 1 0
 Hi i may be missing the point but if there are no clear requirements to what can be ridden in an Enduro type event then to me your performance will based on whatever type of machine you enter on and your ability obviously someone entering on a lite weight bike that wins should be well aware that they have probably tipped the scales in there favour somewhat and vice versa if someone is on a heavier less nimble ? machinethey should be proud of there efforts ? I must admit for me personally i dont care what other riders wear i mean what does it matter last time i looked shorts were prone to getting caught on the bloody saddle usually at the wost possible time and the other stuff makes my private parts sweaty still either way the grin is the same at the bottom of the run ,well thats my two pennyworth of input hope fully this event may get to be run at one of my locals sounds like a go ! Regards Chris
  • 1 0
 I'd like to try some races next year. Being new to the sport, my enthusiasm far exceeds my skill and I don't have enough fear holding me back. Having said that, I am scared of having a big crash. So I'm wondering what kind of protection I should be looking at. Knees and elbows are a given, but what about chest, back and shoulders? I'd expect to get hot, but do the UK races warrant that much protection?
  • 1 0
 what i find is enduro keeps me more fit then dh. and its not that i dont have the money for DH, but i find enduro just more interesting> you can ride some nice single tracks, and then you be going down a huge hill, or pedalling a kilometer up a huge hill. anyone got any suggestions for a very lightweight helmet?
  • 1 0
 I went to a super d expecting enduro a few weeks back. 3 of the top 5 had 3-4" travel xc rigs. The winner had 5.5 but it was an Ibis Mojo carbon that weighed nothing and he was a hard core xc rider who placed in the xc event earlier. #5 had a 6" and I was # 6 with a 6.5". Now I know the difference between super d and enduro. Super D is a light core xc with some descents.

According to this description a race down the 5 easiest trails at the bike park would be enduro. I pictured it longer than that, but locally we have nothing longer.
  • 3 0
 A) The Alabama Bump 'n Grind Super D had a pretty tough track that didn't really suit the XC guys at all. The problem is that it's mostly XC guys that show up. Furthermore, it seems it's only in those circles that it's talked of and therefore the events are organized. I think that's an important thing to consider. It may only be this part of the country like that however as the Oregon Super D series 'IS FRACKIN ROCKIN!!!!'

B) Most of the stuff and chatter I've seen describing Super D put's it as a DH event that's supposed to have some amount (less then 15%) of climbing. But even in the non-climbing sections on some tracks, you need to be on the pedals if you really want to kick a$$.

Some observations: A fit DH'er will absolutely KILL IT in Super D. The problem is that most DH'ers aren't fit to the level of XC guys, which shouldn't be a big deal for a Super D event as you shouldn't have to go for more then 15 to 20 minutes. But most DH'ers I know don't train for that kind of thing.

A fit DH'er on an AM rig that trains to go as fast as he can for 30 minute shots would be an a$$ kicker in Super D races.

At the Super D events in this part of the world, most guys are there on trail bikes. They looked at my bike (A Khyber Elite) as if it were a DH or FR rig.

Just like the Oregon guys have set up, a good Super D will be fast. It will have jumps. It will have technical. It's exactly the kind of thing a DH'er should kick a$$ at if only he or she were fit enough to do it.

I think we need to change how it's perceived. I think the Oregon Super D stuff is a step in the right direction for that.
  • 5 0
 Oregon doesn't do super d anymore. they switched to enduro this year to try to knock some spandex off the podiums.
  • 2 0
 Duh on me! What I mean to say is that a Super D should be like the fast or dh stages in their Enduros.
  • 3 0
 Every Super D I have been in was won on the climbs and a 40lb DH bike didn't stand a chance against a rigid 29er. Enduros sound like much more fun.
  • 3 0
 @Kitejumping: "Every Super D I have been in was won on the climbs..."

Precisely the problem!
  • 1 0
 blah blah blah
  • 3 1
 BDKR, If your local DH race scene contains people who couldn't win a Super D then I'd say your local scene isn't very competitive. Pedaling is part of bicycling. Lots of people who imagine themselves DH honches like to imagine that XC racers are 100% fitness, 0% skill. In my area, the XC racers are often faster in DH and general descending than the self-proclaimed DH riders. Every rider benefits from improved fitness. Even lift-riding shuttle monkeys.

It's a bruise to the ego to build yourself into a burly DH racer/fast descender image, and then encounter a serious XC racer who kicks your azz on a descent. I guess the natural response is to blame XC racers for being lycra geeks who are 100% fitness, 0% skill, and the only reason they're faster than you is because they're on an XC race bike while you're on a 30 lbs "all mountain" (or whatever) bike.

The more people obsess over their bike choice and the image it provides them, the further they get from understanding how to structure a race to test a given set of skills.
  • 2 0
 that much is true. Like I said, the guy who won was an excellent all around, which is what enduro ought to be about.
  • 2 0
 @taletotell: I agree with you. All we need to do is find the right balance at the track so that one or another (XC or DH) isn't favored.
  • 1 0
 Wow! Come back to find things got deleted. LOL I guess someone got pissed?

Anyway, I really don't care what some individuals think, in spite of actually just trying to be plain and clear earlier. There was no intent to piss anyone off.
  • 1 0
 I haven't raced one of these events yet, but these are my thoughts: Fitness matters a lot in enduro races, but it's not the kind of fitness that favours cross country racers. Basically, the most important is the ability to sprint and this requires a lot of strength. Even if there are uphills, if these are short they can be overcome through strength alone, basically by just smashing the pedals through them. It's not the granny-spinning type of endurance, but the kind of fitness that any top downhiller needs to have and which will benefit him on any course, even the most technical. And for this reason a fit downhiller may be in advantage over a cross country racer on a enduro race, even if they are both riding short travel bikes and the track is not very demanding technically. But ideally, enduro race tracks should be technically demanding even if they don't require bikes with a lot of travel. They should highlight the technical skills of bikers from all backgrounds.
  • 1 0
 Definitely a nice new addition to the cycling sport. I still don't quite get why they would choose to call it Enduro, if all cycling sports has some endurance but this one in particular I wouldn't say endurance is it's primary factor. When I think of endurance I think of something with a crazy amount of km's where a immense portion of the discipline is in energy management. I can see why the sport comes mixed up with events calling themself enduro that consist of long circuit (like 24hr ride, century etc...)
On another note, I think an exciting new sport could be a cycling only triathlon, DH, XC and Road in one race. (Obviously 3 types of bikes would be needed but most serious cyclist will usually have more than a single discipline bike)... If this type of event already exist, please care to share I'd be very interested to find out more
  • 3 0
 tl:dr but "originating in France in 2003" is hilarious! There were Enduro races in the early 20th century...!
  • 2 1
 personally i think the mega avalanche is a fair comparison as 2 how `enduro` should be classed. maybe not quite aslong but maybe a shorter condensed version. perfect for 6" bikes. Smile
  • 3 0
 don't forget aboout polish series ENDURO TROPHY (endurotrophy.pl - only in polish for now) - we have started in 2009!
  • 3 0
 I hope this Enduro coming to Malaysia soon.
  • 2 0
 I always considered 'the butcher' @ downieville an Enduro track. Maybe we should ask Weir what he thinks.
  • 1 0
 well... whatever you call it I hope it's divided into classes, I dont think I would be able to keep up with "average" riders like Dan Atherton. lmao
  • 1 0
 next year ill be old enough to race in the irish enduro(16 minimum)cant wait,it killed me that i couldnt do it this year when i saw the preview
  • 2 0
 Cheers for that Matt Wragg, documenting and encouraging the progression of the sport. Bring on Enduro!
  • 1 0
 It will continue to explode in growth and format 'standards' will develop and solidify. One thing is for sure, it is the future of our sport.
  • 2 0
 Gimme a New Zealand Enduro Series noooww..!! Be loose
  • 1 0
 Yeow
  • 1 0
 we call it super d here maybe thats different?
  • 5 0
 yeah. Super D doesn't have stages and it does have climbs. In order for a 6" bike to win a super D the descents have to be too gnarly for the 4" guys so that they can't make up the time on the climbs. XC racers win super D too often. Enduro tries to find ways to keep that from happening.
  • 3 0
 This is what a Super D should be like.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQ7wwt0QapY&feature=player_embedded
  • 2 0
 Oregon, our little Europe. I can't wait to move there
  • 5 0
 @DBKR I agree. You should get points or time deducted if you show up in lycra. Nobody riding in their underwear, this is mountain biking not road biking off-road. (sarcasm).
  • 6 7
 Enduro means endurance, not a stage race race. Next they'll be having rest stops in the Marathon at the Olympics. And what happened to riding up-hill, are people born without muscles in their legs these days?
  • 4 0
 Enduro doesnt mean endurance, the word is borrowed from the moto Enduro discipline. take a look at the WEC website to see y their are stages and where the idea came from www.enduro-abc.com

also many of these enduros do have up-hill riding, thats how u get to the start of the next stage, that portion of the race is simply not timed but often there is a cutoff time where if u arrive late u will be penalized. Its something new and exciting for alot of guys who are more into the technical aspect of the sport and not just hammerhead roadies pretending to be mountain bikers Big Grin

edit: also ive seen they have changed WEC to Enduro World Championship, cuz the FIA does the World Endurance Championship... thats kinda funny
  • 1 0
 enduro racing has been around long before people started using "enduro" as short for endurance. In America at least around where I live motorcycle enduro racing is still alive but the name has changed to Hare scrambles and oddly enough Cross Country motocross or XC-motocross.
  • 1 0
 hair scarmbles are different then enduro cuz in a hair scramble u have all the bikes go off at once and its lap based, enduro is a combination of timed stages and untimed checkpoints where pace is imporatant otherwise u get points added to your score. or its just a matter of different locations clal things differently which is entirely possible, but here on the east coast its what i discribed above.
  • 2 5
 Moto enduro is not even remotely comparable.

Since when did a mountain bike have a throttle you can twist to go uphill?
  • 2 0
 the comparison is in the format of the race..... timed special stages with sections in between that are not timed, the major comparison breakdown is that for mtb enduro there is no "pace" that u need to follow, just a cut off time to reach the start of the next stage before u get a time penalty. Matter of fact this style format for dirtbikes is extremely popular in europe and i wouldnt be surprised that the french/italians got the idea for its cross to mtb from it.
  • 1 3
 That makes sense in some ways. But you can't follow much of the moto enduro format for MTB because nothing in moto resembles the work required to pedal your bike uphill.

Seems to me it's sorta like the ISDT in the sense of having daily requirements (stages) but actually is a lot more like (for example) the Tour de France. Different stage each day, overall category/class winners.
  • 1 0
 its not like the TdF cuz the entirety of the tour is timed...yes some are multiple days but they do not have to be.. also u can follow the moto enduro format and essentially the mtb version is a carbon copy of the moto one. yes the terrain might be different because as u said the power generated by a motor is much greater then that of human legs and it can get u up some serious climbs however the format is still extremely similar. u have special timed stages linked with untimed portions of trail that u need to complete within a certain time frame or risk penalty, this is where fitness still plays a part in this type of racing. if you dont have the legs and lungs to get you to the start of the next timed stage lands u a penalty ... idk wats so hard to understand about this....
  • 1 0
 trot is lost
  • 2 0
 Yes. It's most like ISDT qualifiers. Done in a single day. Transfer sections that you ride at a chill pace (but fast enough to make the cutoff or suffer time penalties) and time trials where you race all out. In the case of MTB enduro the time trials are on mostly downhill, technical sections. Three to five time trials with cumulative time for those trials plus any penalties for arriving late at transfer section check points determining the winner.

Very cool format. I'm really glad to see it finally catching on here in the U.S. Our local club has been putting on the Fears Tears and Beers MTB Enduro in Ely, NV since 2005 and as far as I know we were one of (if not the) first to put on a race with this format here in the States.

Here's a link to a thread with some reports from this year's race.

forums.mtbr.com/all-mountain/best-enduro-race-usa-795037.html
  • 1 0
 Your format is the best I've read about, KRob. Wish I had the road trip $$.
  • 1 0
 motoman:

"idk wats so hard to understand about this.."

How am I supposed to read your mind or have the experience of a race I've never entered? Your description wasn't clear and sounded like what I described, and the best you can do is pretend I'm too stupid to get it? Maybe you should note that I was correct in the ISDT analogy and start from there.

Communication skills are important. Pretending you're superior? Not so much.
  • 3 0
 so its like XC/FR?
  • 1 0
 Very good article, informative and helpful, can't wait for the rest of them
  • 2 0
 The thing is, most of us are, well, average.
  • 1 0
 For the best and only Enduro races down here in South America!! visit.. www.montenbaikenduro.com
  • 2 1
 This article is great but don't you EVER compare vegans to xc riders again.
  • 1 0
 So it doesn't matter how long it takes to get to the top, then when your ready you just go down?
  • 1 0
 After that article i started to think about what exactly do I ride Big Grin It turned out it was a bicycle XD
  • 2 0
 Don't forget the Capitol Forest enduro in Washington!!!
  • 2 0
 Anybody doing the Oregon Enduro? How does it measure up?
  • 1 0
 I'm not doing it this year but I did do the Hood River and Bend stops last year when it was still a super d format. This year it looks as though a lot of it is on the same trails regardless of the new format so my experience there may be still relevant. I'd say they were the best courses I've ever raced. There's great variety on the courses from fast and open pinned sections to steep, tight and tech rocky sections that made a lot of Utah's dh race series courses look whimpy. It's worth doing and its probably the most legit enduro race series here in the U.S.

Here's a quick, self-filmed edit I made of part of the top section of the Hood River course that kind of gives you an idea of some of the riding there. www.pinkbike.com/video/261567
  • 1 0
 I love post canyon. I gotta get back
  • 1 0
 So far the 2 races for the Oregon Enduro were more multi stage Super-D than Enduro, IMO. I won the one in Bend and took second in Ashland against Kelli Emmet on a 29er. I rode my Blur TrC at both. Hopefully the upcoming races will be more technical.
  • 2 0
 Maybe we will all find out that big balls and a short travel quick roller is the real way to win in the end. I hop not. I do love my AM rig and I'd like to race on it.
  • 4 0
 I think you are totally right. When a 4" travel 29er and skin suit is winning its getting a bit far from the enduro concept. I thought in Ashland if they had split the second stage on Sunday into two pieces to take out the 2+ minute pedal fes, then it would have been a day of rad stages. As it was I don't think there was enough technical riding for the more gravity crowd to put any time into the more pedal crowd. It was a super fun race, but I think if we want them to be a little more true to the enduro concept we need to politely suggest that they make a few minor changes.
  • 1 0
 I have never raced mtb race and would love to start riding these races. Any advice on getting started?
  • 2 1
 I've never seen so many long comments...gwin doesnt get that. Smile
  • 2 0
 to be fair...gwin can be summarized in a few words. pure speed and steeze.
  • 1 0
 Don't forget the mass-start enduro races like Megaavalanch.
  • 1 0
 That's not considered here as an enduro, that's something else. Call it Downhill Mass-start or Downhill Marathon as it's called in France (where the Mega takes place)
  • 1 0
 虽然不知道在说什么,但是看着好像很厉害的样子...
  • 1 0
 Enduro: The hair metal of MTB.
  • 1 0
 so well explained, excellent. Thanks!
  • 1 0
 Really good article.
  • 2 4
 Enduro: It's the new 29er
  • 2 1
 Are you f*cking serious....?? I've got barely anything to say to that, it's not funny. Get the f*ck out..
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