Here at Singletrack Magazine we’re proud to be the media partner for the 661 Gravity Enduro, the race series that reflects how modern mountain biker rides.
Following the rise of bigger bikes, better trails and better riders to go with them, the UK-wide series of races is designed to reward those with technical riding skills as well as fitness.
If downhill racing has left you cold as you waited for uplifts for a minimal number of runs and classic cross country racing has failed to provide the thrills that you’ve earnt on the ups, then the 661 Gravity Enduro is the format for you.
There will be five events across England, Wales and Scotland, taking place from May to September and we’re looking forward to both supporting, attending and taking part in the events. If you can hustle the downs as well as you can sweat it out on the climbs and you fancy getting real value for money from a race along with an epic, fun, day out then this is the race series you need to be part of.
Entry costs £60 per round and for that you will get two full days of riding your bike. At each race, Saturday will be taken up by open practice on the race route followed by a seeding run to get riders in order for race day. On Sunday there will be five, timed, competitive stages of varying lengths. The linking climbs must be completed within a set amount of time, much like a car rallying event. The final stage at all rounds will come into a DH type finish arena, where friends, family and fans can stay and cheer riders in.
While previous Enduro events in the UK have suffered due to poor timing, this series promises to get it right, with all stages being electronically timed and manually backed up. An enduro event has never been timed to the level in the UK before. Organisers include ex British Downhill Series organiser Steve Parr, so the team have plenty of experience in running well timed, fun and highly organised events.
The Gravity Enduro website has gone live and entries are now open, so get moving while there are still places…
www.661gravityenduro.co.uk
Round 1 will be at Ae forest Dumfries, 7-8 May
Round 2 will be at Kielder, Northumberland, 11-12 June
Round 3 will be at Innerleithen, Peebleshire, 16-17 July
Round 4 will be at Eastridge, just outside Shrewsbury, 6-7 August
Round 5, the final, will be at Bryn Betws 4x track in Afan South Wales, 10-11 September
The series has taken nearly a year of planning and is something new and exciting for riders to get their teeth into to, so spread the word.
As well as ourselves, the series sponsor is 661 Armour and each category also has a sponsor and some spot prizes are on offer also. Here’s a full list of the series sponsors:
Leisure Lakes – Mountain bike chain of shops
O’Neal – Clothing company
Maxxis/Sunline – Tyres and components
Troy Lee – Clothing company
Ticket 2 Ride – Whistler bike holidays
Zelusi Nutrition
Continental – MTB Tyres
BOS Suspension – The Dog’s dangly bits of bike suspension
Riviera Freeride – Italian DH or Enduro Holidays
Wrench Monkey – Onsite Spannering
SRAM Tech centre – Will be onsite sorting all your gearing
TF Tuned – Support from probably the best suspension tuners in the business
Ae 7 – Ae’s bike shop
Campbell Coaching – follow their website and the short videos they are producing
Athleat Nutrition – will be offering invaluable insight into fueling your engine
