It does sound simple, but how can I speed up on the enduro stages? I always find myself grabbing brakes and scrubbing speed off, only to finish a descent, knowing I could have been quicker. It’s a subconscious thing, grabbing the brakes, but I can’t help it.

Run crap brakes. Then it won’t matter if you panic brake.

practice
?prakt?s/Submit
noun
1.
the actual application or use of an idea, belief, or method, as opposed to theories relating to it.

I know nothing about enduro but I do know …

It’s a subconscious thing, grabbing the brakes

so be conscious of it

, but I can’t help it.

bet you can.

just ride Faster ya wuss 😆

What colourway are you sporting?
In 2014 orange, blue with a dash of black were the fastest Enduro colours but word on the trail is that yellow and green will be fasterest in 2015.

Go 29er.

And this from the biggest 29er skeptic I know…I finally bit the bullet and have never looked back.

I find practice and a bit of friendly competition on regular rides helps.

More fluorescent clothing.

Look further ahead.
Buy a more expensive bike.
Wear brighter coloured clothes.

CaptainFlashheart – Member
More fluorescent clothing.

Am I doing it right?

Get some good coaching for a day or three? I bet that would make you faster…

Enter a local dh series over winter, get your skills and confidence up over winter

And fitter the better

There’s your problem right there. That is a poor attempt at fluorescence.

GT85 on your rotors

stop covering your brakes. It made me quicker, if covering brakes I use them

Ride with someone faster and better than you, works for me, my riding has improved no end trying to catch him.

Everything on you and your bike MUST be enduro specific! Anything for XC, DH, or (gasp) road just slows you down. 😉

I hear bottle cages help.
Or how about a stem mounted chain splitter?
That’ll make you faster on teh gnartech.

Take your chain off and brake pads out.

coaching. it made me slightly less bad at enduro. and getting fitter. that helped too

Bigger wheels?

Or how about a stem mounted chain splitter?

I’ve just fitted one of those to one of my bikes. 😳

Ever so slightly bigger wheels

I don’t know, I’ve been struggling with it for ages but fitness is the simplest answer for most people I think, when I’m on good form I can waste speed all over the place but still beat more skilled riders because I can get it back quickly. And I suppose strength as well, being able to sustain a full stage or a full day without your arms dropping off is useful.

Throw more money at the issue 8)

Enduro ebike?

Are your wheels yellow and does you helmet match your shorts, gloves, shoes and ‘nduro pack? There’s at least 15 seconds per times section there

Be aged about 18 or so and know no fear.

I’ve just fitted one of those to one of my bikes.

I bet your gnarquotant has risen by 3.72 though hasn’t it. 🙂

Invest in some seriously good front tyres with acres of grip. And get lessons.

Ketamine on your cornflakes and a puppy in a basket on your bars.

Coaching, sessioning, training, falling off.

Not to forget:

More primary colours.

Eating dirt for breakfast.

I bet your gnarquotant has risen by 3.72 though hasn’t it.

I dun gott me an 5.8!

I IZ GNARRRRRRRRRRRRR!

Look at the photos. On the one I did the difference in riding position of, for example, Crawford Carrick-Anderson compared with me over the same obstacle was quite an eye-opener!

Take your chain off and brake pads out.

What this guy said, but just death grip.

Break the stage into sections.

Forget about time, try and be relaxed fluid and make a conscious effort to carry more speed concentrating on line and technique.

Repeat

You’ll be surprised at how quickly you get used to carrying the extra speed and how a few metres of that extra speed impacts on your times.

Works for me in my XC training.

Go riding with one of your mates who you trust and who’s bit faster than you but not out of sight. Follow them down the trail and try and stick to them. Don’t watch the trail, watch the rider and copy what they do. You have to trust them and copy, come what may. Choose your guide carefully!

session the hell out of each stage, forget learning how to jump and practice cornering, trust your tyres and your times will get better.
(thats what im trying to do anyhow)

Chainless DH runs.

I was dubious when a pro racer mate told me this is one of his core off season skill boosters – but having tried this against the clock, I can absolutely vouch for it being massively valuable in terms of learning how to gain free speed, flow better and stay off the brakes.

Would suggest working on strength and fitness. Lose any extra pounds your carrying, that carbon bike is a bit pointless with the extra tyre around your stomach. You should be able to deadlift at least 1.5x your body weight, as a general rule for sport. as well as kettle bell work, and general core strength improvement.

Work on cornering, mine has improved no end in the last few weeks now I’ve been consciously working on it. Ride every downhill section as if your racing, and make sure you do the ‘enduro’ lines, can save seconds per stage by taking shorter lines, rather than following the normal track. Also, something I was told recently, which makes a lot of sense is; tyres grip a lot better when not braking, so try and stay off the brakes where possible. And hit some steep loamy trails.

I would say chainless runs, if you can be arsed, help massively, i snapped my chain at the end of a ride a few weeks ago, rode the last trail chainless, and was so much quicker, as I knew I couldn’t pedal out of corners, it’s amazing how your sense of speed changes when gravity is your only method to achieve it.

And finally goggles with a normal helmet, you can’t ride enduro without it. With the full face rule coming in next year, something else may become fashionable, so keep an eye out. I’ve heard a full face with double monacle is coming in.