Enduro Mountain Bike Racing Explained

[@TheLostCo]

Have you ever done an enduro event? If so, what was favorite part? And what was your least favorite part?

[@KrunoG]

Yup, couple of them. It is true that we are far more layed back and relaxed and it is mostly cause riders go one by one, so you kind of can imagine you are competing against yourself and not others (although you do). Kind of like that aspect where you are challenging your old time on trail instead of fighting in "xc peloton" with lot of other riders. Downhill as well in my opinion is not that much different, its just that bikes are a bit different and you can't climb up. So perfect mix of DH and XC and comradery is on far bigger level then in other bike disciplines. It's like, guys fuck the result, lets just finish alive and get wasted later, hahahhaha. :D It has far more social component then other disciplines.

[@robgoffroad]

When I was in Richfield, Utah a few months ago, I was dispersed camp just north of town, and came back from running errands to find a big event being setup where I was camped. Turns out there was a Youth Enduro race that weekend. So I volunteered to help out and it was a ton of fun!

[@adrian_veidt]

Enduro might be the most complete mtb discipline 👌👌 The technical skills of a downhill racer. Then the physical conditioning and endurance of XC racer.

[@Stories_OfTheDay]

Ohh, I just love the scene with enduro text and synth music at 1:10. So EPIC!

[@jfcbikes]

It’s so incredible to watch these races on KZbin, I can only imagine what it looks like in person. Those riders charge so hard!

[@TheLostCo]

Video hardly gives scale (both speed and size) justice. Very impressive riding!

[@wpautz]

I'd like a Part II to this video please. What are the rules around parts and repairs? You can stop and help a competitor with a mechanical? Does this actually happen? But you can't get help from a mechanic or can you?

[@KrunoG]

I can explain a bit. So, basically, riders go in intervals (like 2 mins or whatever is decided on race day). If you get mechanical, you can stop and fix it, you can carry spare parts, you can help other riders (cause even with intervals sometimes fast riders catch up on previous riders). I don't think you can get help from someone external (like your mechanic). Also, what I am saying mostly relates to smaller and amateur races, UCI enduro world cup has probably a bit stricter rules. Even if they don't, doesn't really make sense to stop and lose couple minutes on fixing, cause you waste too much time to matter anymore. Also, stopping for other riders is probably only done when they are hurt or something and most of races have their staff, so kind of no need to do that...

[@GokkunGuru]

Mike looks so different with that new hairstyle. Tor!

[@Coerced]

An enduro event contains multiple downhill races (stages) during a day. The one to collect the least amount of time on these stages wins. The only catch: racers have to cycle their way to the starting points of the races by themselves and they have a limited amount of time in which to complete all stages. This makes it a test of downhill capabilities while managing fatigue. This explanation doesn't usually confuse people.

[@Rawkus919]

I trail/xc my enduro bike everyday. Yes it has weight, but also strength and ability.

[@MichaelRei99]

I have only one question after watching this video. What is Enduro racing?

[@SudoChuckwalla]

But why male models?

[@kartoffelbauer]

Why is this steering tube so long?

[@MatTancock]

probably testing different stem positions before cutting the steerer tube down, pretty normal for dudes with new custom bikes

[@TheLostCo]

Many times we test new products and we'll share it between all of us at the shop. Some people ride XL bikes with long headtubes, so we'll cut the steerer tubes pretty long so that everyone can use the fork with their size of bike.

[@jpxc1329]

Tor u took the Hayes brakes off and replaced the fork with a onlins it looks like

[@miyui9269]

as i see it in races, enduro race is just a longer downhill race and is very far from being a cross country race. since it is a longer downhill race the tracks are not well-groomed compared to uci dh tracks and most of the times have very tight turns which are very sketchy if you use a dh bike thus dh bike dont excel in these races. the uphill and flat sections are not necessarily added unlike in xc tracks. Pretty sure if it is possible to make a very long track all downhill, it will be all downhill. flat sections and climbs are just there to make a very long track. with longer dh tracks, riders had to have high stamina or endurance (why it's called enduro). also riders must also have the mechanical skills to fix their bikes when there are mechanical problems as there will be no help readily available. aalso for very long tracks, like mega avalanche, riders also have to carry their nutrition packs with them like water and power gels. in summary, enduro is a longer downhill race. far from being xc at all.

[@TheLostCo]

Hi Mi Yui! I totally agree that an Enduro race is way more similar to a Downhill race than it is an XC race! Sometimes you'll even race the same track as a Downhill race, and it's way more common for Downhill racers to find success when transitioning to Enduro than it is for XC racers making that change. -Tor

[@Soso64bit]

That a sentinel with Ohlins? *Drool..

[@TheLostCo]

That's the sentinel's brother from another mother, the Spire!

[@superfelon6190]

Tor is diet Jeff cayley 🤣

[@MiloLife]

Love Enduro but I can’t get behind e-enduro. It doesn’t resonate with me.

[@brixsteezy4486]

E-Enduro is enduro but you dont have to be uci level fit and just need really good technical skills

[@BushmanCanuck]

I'm an old man with health issues, can still rip pointing down though. My Ebike gets me to the party 🎉

[@brixsteezy4486]

@@BushmanCanuck i get why people love e bikes, its for those casual days where you do more laps than people on normal bikes and still look fresh at the bar while drinking beer

[@BushmanCanuck]

@@brixsteezy4486 there's that I'm sure 😁 but I'm just glad to actually have the energy to descend with my mates

[@MiloLife]

I’m referring to competitive “e” racing. EWS-e specifically.

[@Velo1010]

Enduro is the best of both sports. Too bad the United States can’t overcome the popularity of the engrained sports of basketball, baseball, and of course football.

[@TheLostCo]

One day we'll be on ESPN! Until then, we'll be hiding in the shadows here on KZbin! -Tor

[@Velo1010]

@@TheLostCo Man wouldn’t that be something to be on ESPN!!! 👏🏼 👏🏼

[@Montblanc1986]

Enduro is the only MTB

[@ErichVonCartmann]

They do make great 1 quiver bikes !

[@andrewscasualmtb]

Back in my day, mountain biking was just called mountain biking.

[@ErichVonCartmann]

It still is called just Mountain Biking. We are talking about racing categories of bikes here. Since the beginning of Mtn Biking, there has always had categories of racing. XC, Dual Slolom, Downhill, etc. Now there is just more categories. Is there anything wrong with more racing categories?

[@andrewscasualmtb]

@@ErichVonCartmann It was a joke which obviously went over your head.

[@ErichVonCartmann]

@@andrewscasualmtb , my comment and question is still the same regardless if it is a joke or not, which I guess went over your head? Please discuss...

[@delaneywaltman]

He's too Bill and Ted for me.

[@porroco]

EWS on ebikes are much better

[@tac6044]

Bro change the thumbnail pic.

[@TheJaysonski]

Enduro is B.S. call it what it is, mountain biking, it's another way to sell you another bike, XC, downhill, enduro, trail, fatbike, thinbike, 29er, mullet, full sus's, hard tail, rigid, e-bike etc. It's getting stuuuuupid

[@ErichVonCartmann]

Lots of truth to your statement there. However, an Enduro Bike can do it all and makes a 1 quiver bike. Also, there is not really a hard line to define an Enduro Bike, as just about any bike can be an Enduro Bike. As long as a bike can hold up to the course and not break or flat, then it is Enduro Worthy. Besides, nothing wrong with having lots of Bikes. N +1 Baby!

[@TheJaysonski]

@@ErichVonCartmann I love the idea of a 1 quiver bike but in 30 years of riding I've still succumbed to the clever marketing, I've managed to whittle down from 5 to 4! It makes me laugh when 'another' discipline arrives and people go rushing to the bike shop! Keep riding

[@hannes6114]

I have one Enduro and I can do almost everything on it.

[@ErichVonCartmann]

@@TheJaysonski, we all succumbed to the clever marketing. However, at least it is not FALSE marketing. Today's "All Mountain Bicycles" are so much better than the All Mountain Bicycles of 40 years ago Actually 40 years ago there were guys ahead of their making gravel bikes and mtn bikes with really slack HTA, but we all laughed at them and their bikes would not sell. The Mountain Bike Industry is like any other industry, where they don't really sell to us what is good for us, they sell to us what will SELL. Most of the time it is us the Consumer that too stupid to realize what we want or need. We tend to just follow others in our purchases. Monkey See! Monkey Do! I am just amazed it took so dam long for the Mtn Bike Industry, about roughly 40 years, to get somethijg as simple as a Bike's Geomotey Correct. Speaking for myself, I have 8 awesome bicycles,, and don't ride nearly enough to justify owning even 1 bicycle much less 8. Hahah.