I've been thinking about this seeing as Enduro is apparently the next big thing what actually constitutes a proper "Enduro bike" now, in terms of angles, lengths, travel, etc, etc. I'm not too concerned about Bike 'X' or 'Y' more interested in what people think makes a good bike for the discpline.
It might seem like a bit if wishy washey as a question, but I just wanted to know peoples thoughts...
Just to clarify I mean "Enduro" in the sense of "Gravity Enduro" an un-timed pedal up, with timed (Primarily Descending) stages - race format, NOT Endurance racing (12,24,etc hour, totting up laps, endurance type races) which is where the confusion seems to arise for many people...
Thoughts?
2010 and 2011 Superenduro series were won on a Transition Covert.... so, one of them sounds suitable 🙂 (I have one, it is lovely)
[url= http://www.vitalmtb.com/photos/features/Bike-Check-Andrea-Brunos-Transition-Covert,2944/Slideshow,0/sspomer,2 ]http://www.vitalmtb.com/photos/features/Bike-Check-Andrea-Brunos-Transition-Covert,2944/Slideshow,0/sspomer,2[/url]
Dave
edit: just re-read taht you're not interested in specific bikes - I guess the answer then is 160mm, slack angles but still pedallable. Oh, and a dropper post.
140 - 160mm travel and light enough to pedal up hills
And comfortable/light - as while the inbetweens are not timed you don't want a DH seating position nor weight.
Specialized have been making them for years 😆
THIS?
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Christ pass the eye bleach!
For me I'd say:
140 - 160mm travel and light enough to pedal up hills
Oh, and a dropper post.
These.
Bigyinn is spot on.
132mm travel, light enough to be pedalled up hills and will flatter a complete numpty like me.
Mine is the closet thing I have for a "one bike for all occasions" type machine. I've even cycled to Brighton on one.
As above + some larger brakes (203f 180r) and bolt through.
I tried going for it on a short stage that me and my bro made up. Cooked the front brake and my fork needed to be stiffer (I have a RC41 that is quite stiff ordinarily). Spose it doesn't help that my front wheel is and old f519 so on the skinny side.
Cheers for the responses,
Do you reckon you can define these things with numbers (picky I know), stuff like "Slack" where one mans slack appears to be anothers bolt upright these days; 66 deg? or full on DH bike 64 - 61 deg?
I guess I'm trying to guage specifically in numbers, what and how people will compromise climbing ability for DH use and vice-versa, the numbers seem to be the easiest way to get at this sort of thing... even if they aren't always a full reflection of a bike.
njee20 - MemberChrist pass the eye bleach!
Are you referring to the Silver Enduro or the wall?? 😡
This is what I'll be doing a couple on this year
[url= http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7142/6652479611_500c3e3842.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/neil853/6652479611/ ]glentress '11 04[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/neil853/ ]99c5faa01725362d73494aff686e3664[/url], on Flickr
Do you reckon you can define these things with numbers?
A lot of it is going to be subjective depending on someone's preferences, but for me the ideal Enduro bike has a long top tube, a lowish bottom bracket and isn't too slack.
In terms of numbers, I'd define "not too slack" as having a head angle of 69 degrees or slightly less. I find a low bottom bracket feels more stable for descending plus the long top tube gives you room to breathe.
But your mileage may vary.
Are you referring to the Silver Enduro or the wall??
Enduro. Notably the daft mudguards that I didn't think anyone actually fitted and the mahoosive bar ends.
Do you reckon you can define these things with numbers (picky I know), stuff like "Slack" where one mans slack appears to be anothers bolt upright these days; 66 deg? or full on DH bike 64 - 61 deg?I guess I'm trying to guage specifically in numbers, what and how people will compromise climbing ability for DH use and vice-versa, the numbers seem to be the easiest way to get at this sort of thing... even if they aren't always a full reflection of a bike.
No, because there isn't a 'right' bike, there will be a variety, possibly even more so in Enduro racing than XC or DH.
Those mudguards look like the ones that were shipped with 2002 model year Enduros. Where did you find them bigyinn?
I think it looks fine, the ano silver frame looks really good and that bike has clearly been shown a lot of TLC. So what if it has bar ends and mudguards?
Nothing wrong with them, I just think it looks gopping, hence the 'eye bleach' comment. I didn't comment on performance, or anything else.
They are the mudguards that shipped with the early enduros, we threw them out en mass, don't know anyone who actually fitted them!
I would say 67ish HA with 70ish SA 160mm forks about the same at the back big brakes 1X9/10. Air suspension with travel adjust and maybe lockout, very strong wheels and it shouldn't be too heavy say under 35lbs.
Well thats what an AM/Enduro bike means to me anyway.
Just because you asked us not to I am now going to show you a specific bike.
[url= http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6208/6081649003_5d1fa3fa80_z.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/29930426@N04/6081649003/ ]P1000889[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/29930426@N04/ ]i_ache[/url], on Flickr
This is turning into an Enduro-tastic thread.
Keep 'em coming...
5"-6" travel each end, wide-ish bars, short-ish stem.
Single ring (32, 34 or 36), with a guide like LG1 or G2. Either x9 or x10 out back.
(....basically my 10 year-old Patriot...)
It is in the name! lol 😉
After competing in a few it is whichever bike you are comfortable to hit steep, rough, muddy and rocky trails on flat out as well as sprint like mad on trail centre trails.
Gary Forrest is mental fast on his 5 pro at Inners which he knows well and has even won his catergory in DH on the same bike before.
Rob Cooksley is mental fast everywhere on a coiled intense SS and also a 29er.
So a bike that is efficient enough yet doesn't buck you down the rough stuff. Very personal.
PJM1974 - Member
This is turning into an Enduro-tastic thread.
Well he did want to know about Enduro bikes. Can you get more enduro than an Enduro?
The Specialized Enduro bike pre-dates the Enduro race format though (in MTBs) and the name has spanned a huge range of bikes from 100mm travel coil spring things to the monocoque style frames above to burly 6" travel bikes and lightweight offerings. Pretty meaningless!
Covers all the Enduro bases then.
Meaningless? Not here, my Enduro is great! 🙂
No, because there isn't a 'right' bike, there will be a variety, possibly even more so in Enduro racing than XC or DH.
Well Obviously
But I'm not after a definative [I]This is the RIGHT Bike[/I] type answer, just trying to guage some figures based on peoples own experiences, like I said I didn't want to prejudice the question by suggesting any specific bike or travel figures I just want STWers general ideas/experience of what works, I can't see much wrong in asking the question...
This:
http://enduronews.com/forsale.htm
Which is where I assumed the Brits got the term "enduro" racing from. Going round a closed natural offroad circuit for 4 hours or more.
before the 'gravity' meaning of enduro was explained to me, I never really got specialized naming.
Enduro - Bike for doing epic all mountain riding
Epic - Bike for doing enduro events.
eh?
Too wide a question. Every stage is different. Some events within the same series have very different characteristics. Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses.
The choice would be on which way you want to with the compromise. Do you play to your strengths or go the other way an get a bike that helps with your weaknesses(We all have them :wink:).
Mudguards were thrown in by the dealer and work really well. The rear usually comes off after the spring, the downtube one stays on there all year. Helps control my downhill speed by acting as an air brake!
Prefer to ride with bar ends, sod the fashion polis! Find one hand position too limiting / uncomfortable for general riding.
Best thing i did for it was to fit an RP3 shock. PP has made a tangable improvement in taming the climbing bob.
I'm not too concerned about Bike 'X' or 'Y'
Good, cos you need year too.
2004 Turner 5 Spot with big brakes and bolt thru front forks. Flats or big platform clipless.
Oh, and a dropper post.
Whatever happened to being satisfied with QR seat clamps?
Whatever happened to being satisfied with QR seat clamps?
It's a race, slows you down.
The choice would be on which way you want to with the compromise. Do you play to your strengths or go the other way an get a bike that helps with your weaknesses(We all have them :wink:).
I think that's sort of what I'm trying to get to (perhaps failing), a technically Strong rider without the climbing fitness ability of others may choose to go with an shorter travel, better climbing bike to save some energy getting to the top arguably compromising the bike to accomodate their weaknesses but giving them more energy for the descents, or they could opt for a longer travel, slacker machine that plays to their strengths on the way down but really wears them out on the climb...
My only real personal experience of the Discpline was the firt "Mashup" event held at Afan in 2007 (I think) to which I took an old SX trail with, what was quite frankly the "Wrong" build (For me), I got my compromises all wrong in that instance and subsequently got rid of the bike, but I still really liked the event format and would perhaps like to get back into it now it's becoming a bigger thing again.
but first I'd like to consider the whole bike choice/setup thing a bit more, and draw on others experiences where possible, hence this thread...
Whatever happened to being satisfied with QR seat clamps?
Nope We'll have none of that here thankyou very much!!
If you want to bitch about Baggies, Dropper posts and Modern Yoofs you can unearth the thread on it from the other day and moan to your heart content...
Probably a silly question, but does anyone do these events on a hardtail? I appreciate that they wouldn't be directly competetive, but is there a class system?
but does anyone do these events on a hardtail? I appreciate that they wouldn't be directly competetive
friend of mine did the brechfa gravity enduro on a hardtail and placed 20th (from memory) - sounds competitive to me.
I don't believe there's a separate HT Cat in any of the series (Correct me if I'm wrong) only Age/Gender Cat's...
It's a "Ride what ya Brung" type affair, there's bound to be people on HTs, and there's always the argument that a HT will climb well, could weight less and save your legs on the way up, thus giving some advantage in terms of fatigue on the way down...
Okaaaaay, so; What hardtail setup for an enduro then? I'll start; Kona Roast (clump) alloy frame 15.5" for a 5'8" bloke, Pike 454 air U turns, Time z control pedals. XT mechs, XTR shifters, SLX double n bash crankset, tyres dependent on conditions. Whadaya reckon?
I've just built a new chameleon with RC2s and i'll be racing that in some of the gravity enduros this year. Didn't build it with an eye to build an "enduro" bike, just a bit of a bonkers ride for a bit, then swap it about maybe go singlespeed at some point on it and swap the forks over to something else. Dunno. But it'll be great fun i reckon!
I was being facetious.
I'm doing the Enduro1 series on a Cotic Soul with 140mm Floats QR15, 28" bars, 50mm stem, 1x9 with bash and top guide, DMR Vaults, Flow/Pro2 wheels, XR4 2.2 tyres, Gravity Dropper Classic. I don't expect to be anywhere near the placings but I'll be riding as hard as I can/dare!
I sometimes wear Endura on my Enduro. 😉
Basically, you know how we all have bikes that are far too big, too slack, too burly, too long travel for the riding we actually do? That's an enduro bike.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/61787517@N03/6893925877/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/61787517@N03/6893928539/in/photostream/
this is the perfect enduro bike!
😆 @ Northwind
