Why Enduro is the Best Format for MtB Racing

I admit, I am trying to provoke some response here. STR is really, really sleepy right now...

The new (2nd year) Enduro World Series is fascinating. I would submit that it is the purest form of MtB racing. Competitors must meter out not only their energy levels, but the risk vs. reward of damage to their bikes, a flat or precious seconds lost from a routine fall. They take three hard-charging timed runs per day (over two days), often requiring them to ride to the top. The tracks are brutal requiring amazing bike handling skills and sometimes cover three climate zones in a single run. They must make their own repairs, and they cannot change bikes, forks, shocks, or even wheelsets for any of the six stages. They race one at a time to minimize trail congestion (but that's still an issue for some riders who end up trying to pass three or four competitors in a 7 minute run).

This to me catches the essence of modern mountain biking. Just as challenging as a full-blown DH race, with the extreme fitness of cross country, with the survivalist decision making of endurance events with the self-sufficiency inherent in trail riding.

How tough is it? Well with 300 male competitors in Round #4 in La Thuille Italy, the top three finishers were separated by 4 seconds. That's after six stages and an aggregate time of over an hour. Young guys/gals and seasoned DH vets are going toe to toe, run after run.

A common criticism of Enduro is that "there's no video coverage, so there's no way to follow it..." Really? You can't be a fan of something if you can't watch it live on TV or the interwebs? Well that's kind of sad. Most of the big mtb websites carry plenty of information, news, interviews video segments and photos to keep fans informed. Here's a sample:

http://www.pinkbike.com/news/dirt-tv-enduro-world-series-round-4-la-thuile-day-2-video-2014.html

The few remaining STR members represent various segments of the sport - newbies, XC hardcores, DH dabblers, bike park riders, endurance athletes, and off-menu (extreme) trail riders. Enduro has your interests covered.

Your thoughts? :?:

 

They should make more use of quad/hex rotor RC planes with cameras to follow these events.

Also, I respectfully disagree with Enduro being the Best format. Everyone here knows it's all about Redbull Rampage. :bang: UCI can suck it.

Since sarcasm is a bit more difficult to capture in text form... the above statement is simply a joke. Enduro is an awesome format for mtb racing; however, I believe each rider should stick with what they are good at/enjoy doing.

 

EWS (Enduro World Series) is not affiliated with UCI.

And, while I am not suggesting every rider should race Enduro, I am suggesting that most riders' interests, skills and everyday riding styles are represented in the EWS format (except big dirt jumps or cliff diving). Admittedly, Enduro is not at the extreme end of anything.

 

That just shows how little I know about actual sanctioned events. :lol:

 

Ach. I'm such a pansy. The Chequamegon 40 is my favorite format. A 2500 rider mass start followed by a zippy slog through 40 heavily wooded miles of steep short hills on the American Birkebiner ski race route, having booze shots fired at you out of cannons and ending in a beer soaked weekend of falling out of boats in the northwoods of the upper upper-midwest.

Ok yours does sound more impressive.
...mine sounds like a drunken hillbilly vacation.

 

Herz, I like the format. Hope that helps.

 

My idea of great racing is a free event that I can participate in over the weekend.
Exotic locations with Aaron Nguyen and Brian Lopez, that's cools. I'll watch a short clip or browse the websites for spy-shots of their "hogs." But much like porn or baseball, I'd rather participate than watch.

 

The lack of timed climbs ruins the whole affair for me. Also, I feel a race involves wheel-to-wheel action. Enduro is more like a rally or a time trial.

 

I'd add that it sorta matches the social (rider-to-rider) interaction I encounter on rides: When rolling, we're often not grouped together, so we're riding at our own pace and may not see much of each other. Then, regrouping periodically where the high-fives and BS flow freely.

But I would have to agree that as a racing format, it would leave me (as a spectator) wanting more. I don't care that the climbs aren't timed...they must be completed. Good enough for me. But the one-rider-at-a-time (a la time trial, as Sir Laplack points out) mode wouldn't feel like a race (again, as a spectator).

Problem is, how do you combine these aspects? Does 4x do it? I don't follow much racing, but I thought 4x used tame bmx-like tracks. Bleh.

What's the answer?

 

I've always felt that the UCI DH WC was a race, though it is in the same time trial format.

UCI experimented with the XC Eliminator a yearr or two back, and that seemed to be the best for what you're looking at.

 

I really think enduro a great format and does a great job of ranking all mounntain/trail riders. The thing is it has to be a proper enduro. The california enduro series really has been doing a great job of capturing this. Long climbing transfer stages that test your cardio and endurance. Brutal dh stages with gardens, corners, steeps, and drops. Long pedal sections to test stamina in between tech sections during a stage. It really takes a toll on you and puts you to the test.

 

Agree with Herz and Mo and others who stated it, it is a great format to judge all around mountain/trail/AM prowess of riders, choice of equipment, decision making skills on when and whether to take chances or not, being prepared for mechanicals and being able to fix them oneself. From the fan perspective, love reading about it afterward and amazed the last couple EWS had only a few seconds between top racers. Still, for me, not the really exciting, get the heart thumping kind of event. Maybe it'll get more popular and some live coverage would make it more exciting. Some like Nascar, some like F1, some like futbol, some like football. Whatever gets you going.

 

I have no opinion here. I just like to say N-durow!

edit: Oooops, my bad. I do have an opinion. I really like it that enduro racing efforts are helping to develop the all in one bike Aaah, the cross country proficient / fully dh capable / sub 30 pound bike. I think it's just around the corner.

 

Thanks all for jumping in and playing here. And before it goes too far down this road, I want to clarify that I am not talking about the spectacle of racing, or the spectator's perspective. My premise is that the EWS format captures the essence of mountain biking skills and fitness. Again, not saying it's the best thing to watch.

 

I'd rather watch Enduro than TdF. Does that help Hertz?!?

 

Just looking for MtB dialogue about great riding. Not looking for agreement, but if you DO disagree with me, my people will hunt you down and sternly correct you!

 

I see what you did there. :lol:

 

im not into anything competitive when it comes to mountain biking but i would consider it more pure mountain biking than say a DH race. I like that the guys have to maintain the bike, make the climb, and all that good stuff But how does it compare to an XC race? Why not just make it a race and combine the ups and downs together? Why make it more complex then it needs to be... unless I am not understanding it right...? Just make it a race like any other race except maybe choose more demanding courses?

 

It seems like virtually ANY race where the ups are timed the best climbers win. The amount of time that can be gained by a pure climber over an all around rider on a climb is more that can be made up on descent.

 

That's a great question. Here's my thinking. Any race that times the climbs pretty much becomes a roadie race on dirt. Skinny, light dudes in lycra with type A personalities will win. They could crawl down and still not lose as much time as they gain on the climbs. Enduro tries to capture the way most of us like to ride which is, climb for fitness and descend for fun. The skill and thrill part of the riding is what separates mountain biking from road racing on dirt. We accept the challenge of climbing and even embrace it, but we don't live for it.

On the other end of the spectrum, pure Downhill can be very extreme (lots of injuries), requires special equipment and a proper uplift. It's beyond the reach of most riders and doesn't really reflect the way mountain bikes are typically ridden and enjoyed. The advent of the highly capable 5-6" travel bike that climbs well brought a need for a race format that catered to these everyday trailbikes and the way the vast majority of riders like to ride. In return, the Enduro format will continue to make the equipment we buy that much better.

I do think the last few WC DHs have been some of the most exciting sporting events I've ever watched, and that's with pretty crappy coverage (about 45 seconds of a 4 min run per rider).