The perfect enduro mountain bike should combine the ability to handle steep descents with sufficient lightness for comfortable all-day riding. Enduro as a discipline combines the endurance of cross-country with the technical elements of downhill, excluding extreme jumps. This riding style originated in the French Alps, where riders developed the concept of all-day races focused on descents without using lifts.
What Are Enduro Bikes?
The mountain bike industry is constantly evolving. As a result of this process, trail bikes are becoming more versatile, and enduro bikes are becoming more efficient. Traditional parameters such as suspension travel or wheel diameter are no longer the only indicators of a bike’s purpose.
Nevertheless, there is a fundamental difference between trail and enduro bikes. Simply put, trail bikes are all-rounders, equally well-suited for climbs and descents on various types of surfaces. Enduro bikes, in turn, are even better adapted for descents. They can absorb strong impacts and allow you to easily overcome the most challenging terrain. Even the most technically difficult downhill tracks are not a problem for them.
Compared to trail bikes, enduro bikes are significantly faster and more confident on difficult terrain. However, on smooth and flowing trails, such bikes may seem excessively bulky and prone to excessive use of suspension travel. Climbs are not an insurmountable obstacle for enduro bikes, but they are usually climbed either outside of competitions or only to enjoy the descent afterwards.
Best Enduro Mountain Bikes
YETI SB150
Frame Type: Carbon | Travel: 150 mm | Sizes: S, M, L, XL | Weight: 13.5 kg | Wheel Options: 29 inches
The Colorado brand Yeti dominated the Enduro World Series races in 2015 and 2016 when Richie Rude and Jared Graves won overall titles on the SB160 bike. Building on the success of this model and adding the advantages of 29-inch wheels, Yeti presents the SB150. The bike’s frame is impressively light, which is expected for a bike in this price range, and the total weight of the enduro bike is only 13.5 kg.
Geometric indicators such as head tube angle and wheelbase length are only slightly inferior to specialized downhill bikes. The latest version of Yeti’s famous Switch Infinity suspension system provides the SB150 with high efficiency on climbs without compromising downhill performance.
The drawbacks include the high cost of the bike and somewhat limited rear tire clearance for those who like to ride on tires wider than 2.4 inches, especially in muddy conditions.
SPECIALIZED S-WORKS ENDURO
Frame Type: Carbon | Travel: 170 mm | Sizes: S2, S3, S4, S5 | Weight: 14.6 kg | Wheel Options: 29 inches
The Enduro model was developed based on Specialized’s Demo downhill bike series, so many technological solutions in suspension were transferred to the enduro format. Equipped with 170mm suspension, the S-Works Enduro is ready for the most demanding trails, and for most riders, this bike will happily handle downhill tracks as well. A switchable chip in the shock mount allows you to change the bike’s characteristics from a lively enduro to a gravity-craving machine, which is ideal for bike park days or lift-accessed riding.
Despite its outstanding downhill capabilities, the Enduro doesn’t lag behind on climbs either. While it may not be a record-setter in climbing, the suspension is well-controlled to minimize pedal bob and provide good rear wheel traction. The geometry, unsurprisingly, is at the limit of the “long, low, and slack” categories to provide maximum stability when using all 170 mm of suspension travel.
Specialized has abandoned traditional small, medium, and large sizes, instead opting for a sizing scheme based on height. This provides more flexibility in size selection: if you usually choose a medium size, you can opt for S3 for more maneuverable riding or S4 for greater stability.
The S-Works model components are, as expected, top-of-the-line: SRAM AXS drivetrain and brakes combined with Fox suspension. For those not ready to spend a five-figure sum, Specialized offers Comp, Elite, and Expert builds.
PIVOT SWITCHBLADE XTR
Frame Type: Carbon | Travel: 142 mm | Sizes: XS, SM, MD, LG | Weight: 13.62 kg | Wheel Options: 29 inches, 27.5+
There’s no getting away from the Switchblade’s high price. But once you hit the trail, everything becomes justified. Its ability to turn any section of the trail into a playground with incredible precision, where it can jump, maneuver, and plow through with force, is unmatched and possibly surpasses any other bike we’ve ridden.
Although the rear travel of 142 mm may seem insufficient, the quality of suspension work and clear pedaling response are exceptional. The seemingly unbalanced travel of the fork (160 mm) and rear shock (142 mm) is actually perfectly synchronized, and although these are not the most extreme numbers, the geometry is ideal for the vast majority of real rides.
This is also one of the few bikes where you can install plus-size wheels if that’s to your liking. But for most riders, it’s the Switchblade’s delightful detailing and dynamic speed that make it special.
Pivot offers the Switchblade in several build options to satisfy Shimano or SRAM fans’ preferences and various budget constraints, although even the “budget” XT build requires significant investment.
How to Choose an Enduro Bike?
Frame
To achieve minimum weight, many manufacturers choose carbon as the frame material, as such a frame provides excellent characteristics when climbing. A more affordable option is an aluminum alloy frame. This is an inexpensive material that is easily processed and has high stiffness, but is less durable than carbon or chromoly steel. Due to its advantages, various types of aluminum alloys are widely used in the bike industry.
The wheelbase of an enduro bike should be long enough, which contributes to greater stability and steadiness of the bike on the trail. It is recommended to choose a bike with a not too steep head tube angle to avoid collisions with rocks, roots, and other obstacles. On the other hand, too slack an angle can worsen maneuverability and rolling.
An indicator of a quality frame is the use of butting – a technology that allows reducing frame weight without losing strength. Butted frame tubes have varying wall thicknesses in different parts of the bike. In areas of greatest load, the wall thickness increases, improving frame strength. Conversely, in areas of minimal loads, the tubes are thinned to reduce weight. Butting can be single, double, or triple, depending on the number of different thicknesses used in one tube.
Suspension
Enduro requires quality suspension. Short-travel forks and rear shocks (up to 100 mm) are not recommended as they do not effectively handle trail irregularities. Long-travel systems (160 mm and more) excellently dampen vibrations but can sway strongly when pedaling, requiring more effort for fast riding on flat surfaces and uphill. Therefore, the optimal choice for enduro is considered to be 110-150 mm travel for both the fork and rear shock.
Drivetrain
Precise gear shifting is extremely important in enduro. It’s necessary to quickly switch from a low gear on a climb to a middle gear after it and back. A rear derailleur with a long cage provides better operation but risks hitting the trail terrain and getting damaged. Therefore, the most successful choice is considered to be a derailleur with a medium cage, providing the necessary precision for enduro and not interfering when riding on difficult terrain.
The overall level of the drivetrain is no less important. For Shimano components, it is recommended to choose derailleurs with Shadow or Shadow + technology. Their advantage lies in the presence of a special clutch that provides better chain tension. This technology prevents the derailleur cage from oscillating forward, maintaining constant chain tension during intense pedaling. Thanks to this, the chain does not hit the chainring guard and the lower chainstay and is less likely to come off the front chainring on rocks, bumps, tree roots, and other difficult sections of the trail.
Bottom Bracket
A quality bottom bracket ensures comfortable riding, so special attention should be paid to it. There are bottom brackets on loose ball bearings and on sealed bearings. Loose ball bearings require constant maintenance and are easily contaminated. Bottom brackets on sealed bearings are more reliable and do not require frequent maintenance.
The most suitable option for enduro is a bottom bracket on sealed bearings with external cups. This design provides a greater distance between the bearings, which increases the strength and rigidity of the bottom bracket.
Wheels
For better traction with the surface, aggressive tires are installed on enduro bikes. Experienced riders often use a more grippy tire in front than in the rear. There are several reasons for this:
- The rear wheel bears more load and resists the rider’s efforts more strongly. Installing a less aggressive tread in the rear reduces rolling resistance and improves coasting.
- Handling is improved due to better front wheel traction with the surface.
- The front brake is the main one on the bike, so a more grippy tire in front improves braking efficiency.
Brakes
For enduro, it is categorically not recommended to use mechanical disc or rim brakes. Safety comes first, so it is necessary to use hydraulic disc brakes. Powerful four-piston brakes, usually used in extreme disciplines like freeride and downhill, are excessive for enduro. The best choice for our direction will be a two-piston hydraulic brake.
It has already been mentioned that the main brake is the front one. That’s why you can put a larger rotor on the front wheel than on the rear. In any case, for enduro, it should not be smaller than 180 mm. Small rotors (140 mm, 160 mm) simply won’t handle the load, and the brakes won’t work effectively.
The larger the rotor diameter, the greater the load on the fork during braking, which can cause its destruction. Therefore, you should not put a rotor larger than required for your weight and riding style.
Handlebar
A wide handlebar improves maneuverability. The longer the lever, the easier it is to control the bike. However, with such a handlebar, it’s more difficult to ride between trees, and during strong impacts when riding over large rocks, it’s much easier to fall, and the handlebar has to be held tighter. Therefore, with a wide handlebar, it’s necessary to more carefully plan the trajectory of movement.
As you may have noticed, enduro is a discipline that requires a versatile bike. It’s a bike that can quickly climb uphill and descend from it, easily avoid obstacles and dampen various kinds of trail irregularities, grip any road surface, and brake sharply, precisely shift gears without chain drop or breakage!
29 Inches vs 27.5 Inches
Initially, 27.5-inch wheels (or 650B) were the default option, providing a balance between the old 26-inch standard and the fast but bulkier 29er cross-country bikes. Much has changed, and as geometry has evolved, 29-inch wheels have become no less popular and have proven successful on race tracks.
While some will argue that the advantages of each are significant, if you’re not racing, the difference is likely to be less noticeable thanks to advances in geometry and better components. Due to the larger diameter of 29-inch wheels, they roll better over rough terrain and also maintain momentum better. On the other hand, 27.5-inch wheels allow for a shorter chainstay length, which improves cornering on narrow sections.
It can also be argued that 27.5-inch wheels are lighter and stronger due to their smaller size.
