Enduro - interesting read

[Beer4Recovery]

You should probably YouTube some of these guys in action and decide for yourself how fit (or unfit) they are. It's an awesome discipline and loads of fun.

+1

[Beer4Recovery]

Guess there is no other place than KZN or the Cape where Enduro would work? Where on the plat highveld would you host an event like this?

[dirtrider]

Guess there is no other place than KZN or the Cape where Enduro would work? Where on the plat highveld would you host an event like this?

 

PLAT !!!! You don't get out a lot ?

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

PLAT !!!! You don't get out a lot ?

 

There are a lot of mineshafts out that way...

[Beer4Recovery]

PLAT !!!! You don't get out a lot ?

 

Please share, so that I don't have to do ride inside my house anymore it really pisses off my wife.

[PYGA1]

So I'm guessing I won't be able to ride Enduro on my 29er, even something like a Pyga OneTen 29er ?

[jimmy hardtail]

Actually a niner could be good in enduro, depending on geometry,travel etc. Would help on the climbs between stages, but might be slower on the dh stages where the times count. And lycra looks gay, that's why I wear baggies clint za. And they cover my kneepads

[r.hendrix]

either of the two disciplines take some serious mettle to compete at the highest level , the other is clear about that from the get go. as for the comment about no Lycra?,speeding a down hill section in tights, coming off and mangling your leg is bad. just as bad as trying to climb "the mast" in thick down hill pants with knee pads. goes both ways.

 

and I for one would like to give it a go if they organise a race here in CT.

Edited June 27, 2012 by r.hendrix

[nigelhicks]

In SA i think we should embrace the Lycra brigade as they form 80% of our target market ... although we may convert a few of them to baggy pants and knee guards ... it shouldnt be about what you wearing (i need to find a Johnny T - darth vader skin suit for the Giba Enduro) ... but about having a jol on your bike.

 

Enduro is flipping difficult as you are pinned into sections that you have never seen and would generally ride much slower if you had time to actually look at what you are riding down. So its about the rider (XC/DH/AM) skill ... and thats what makes it cool.

 

Some of the guys ride 29ers and cane it ... but i think that in the next couple of years we will see this discipline become the haunt of the 650B.

[Hairy]

In SA i think we should embrace the Lycra brigade as they form 80% of our target market ... although we may convert a few of them to baggy pants and knee guards ... it shouldnt be about what you wearing (i need to find a Johnny T - darth vader skin suit for the Giba Enduro) ... but about having a jol on your bike.

 

Enduro is flipping difficult as you are pinned into sections that you have never seen and would generally ride much slower if you had time to actually look at what you are riding down. So its about the rider (XC/DH/AM) skill ... and thats what makes it cool.

 

Some of the guys ride 29ers and cane it ... but i think that in the next couple of years we will see this discipline become the haunt of the 650B.

 

A very interesting, and more than likely, an accurate observation.

[Unclerico]

You guys need to get over the XC/DH rivalry. I rode the Karkloof and cascades events this year and they were awesome.There were downhillers, xc racers and weekend warriors. No one cared!

 

I recently read about one of the european enduro rounds that took place, it had 5 stages nothing over 2kms long. It was held over a weekend with saturday being a practice session in the morning where people could check out lines and obstacles and then a seeding run in the afternoon followed by racing on sunday.

 

If its going to work in SA it needs to cater 50/50 for downhillers and xc guys, by this I mean the trails it cant be more suited to one or the other. Because this will lead arguments about dh/xc again.

 

There is no specific dress code,its your own decision. I have seen XC pros on the pmb world cup xco track in full lycra with pads learning there lines in practice.

 

I think next year you will get guys specifically training to ride enduro as there main discipline,I think in a couple years it will be part of the World Cup circuit and our National series as a specific discipline. Its cheap to organise,easy to run and if organised correctly it will be great for spectators.

[Beer4Recovery]

So, 120mm travel would work for Enduro? Or would more travel be better?

This must have some effect on a XC bike frame taking a beating on that terrain and should see more XC bikes take a beating and possibly break? Or am I 'sitting the pot mis'?

[Unclerico]

So, 120mm travel would work for Enduro? Or would more travel be better?

This must have some effect on a XC bike frame taking a beating on that terrain and should see more XC bikes take a beating and possibly break? Or am I 'sitting the pot mis'?

Optimum would probably be a light 150mm trail/am bike. but I rode my zula which was 100mm and finished 24th at karkloof and 15th at cascades. Until the courses become more technically demanding a 120mm bike will be perfect

[nigelhicks]

So, 120mm travel would work for Enduro? Or would more travel be better?

This must have some effect on a XC bike frame taking a beating on that terrain and should see more XC bikes take a beating and possibly break? Or am I 'sitting the pot mis'?

 

The terrain on our "Enduros" (all 2 of them that KZN have had so far) is not that technically demanding on the bikes ... there are no major rock gardens to contend with etc. (well Karkloof had some good ones come to think of it - but they were still on XC trails) The trails are generally normal XC trails that you ride everyday in the classics. Now you are just racing the downhill bits and not worrying about the ups ... As Uncle says ... until the tracks become more demanding a 120mm XC bike would be fine ... i used my 150mm GT Force and it was a bit overkill on some sections. It did save my ass in some of the rock sections though!

 

All you need is your normal XC bike with the seat put down a bit.

[(Deon)]

So, 120mm travel would work for Enduro? snip

This must have some effect on a XC bike frame.. snip

 

Travel is probably not important until, as others have mentioned, the course becomes more technical but the frame and wheel build is what should concern you.

 

This is a race downhill and many frames/wheels in the 80-120mm segment will be as light as the manufacturer can offer.. These are usually marketed as XC bikes (not all, but most) and the stress on the frame by riding downhill as fast as you can could be too much for some makes.. where more travel starts to make a difference is where the 120mm reaches it's limit at speed.

 

It may be the same trail you ride on a regular basis, but in a race you will be riding it much faster.. it's the G's in corners and drops that will pile the load on the wheels and unbutted tube junctions.

 

Guess there should be a clinic for learning to land like a cat!

[Beer4Recovery]

http://www.pinkbike.com/news/French-Enduro-Cup-Round-One-Samoens-2012.html