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EDITORIAL
WE WANTED A BIKE TO RIDE LIKE A TRAIL BIKE AND DESCEND LIKE A DH BIKE. SO, WE LIGHTENED UP THE ENDURO, BOOSTED ITS TRAVEL TO 165MM AND MADE IT PEDAL AND CLIMB EVEN BETTER THAN BEFORE, MAKING SURE THE ENDURO KEEPS EVOLVING. IN BOTH DIRECTIONS. SEE THE FULL ENDURO RANGE AT SPECIALIZED.COM
ALSO SHREDS UP
CONTENTS
03 Editorial Enduro writes history 06 Design & Innovation Award by Enduro Mountainbike Magazine 08 Biketest Scott Genius 700 SL 22 Bye Bye Winter! The warmest, brightest, and cleverest gadgets 36 Winter Workout #1 Pump it up 50 Biketest Morewood Jabula 58 Biketest Trek Rumblesh Elite 62 Winter Workout #2 with the Cube Action Team 72 Travel Living like Kings in Spain ... 84 SuperEnduro Finale Ligure Future in the making 92 Heroes of Work We are Enduro 94 Cooperation Partners Viva ENDURO! 98 Resources This issues products 100 Masthead & Preview
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DANIEL GEIGER
(GER) PHOTOGRAPHER DESIGNER ARTIST
FABIEN BAREL
(FRA) 3-TIME WORLD CHAMP MASTERMIND LEGEND
MOUNTAINBIKE MAGAZINE
ENDURO
The Design & Innovation Award is an avantgardist prize by Enduro Mountainbike Magazine, in collaboration with a select jury consisting of well-respected, international characters of the bicycle industry awarding the best and most innovative products in the following categories: bikes, parts, accessories and equipment. More details: www.enduro-mtb.com/en/design-innovation-award
CESAR ROJO
(ESP) EX-WORLDCUP RACER ENGINEER GENIUS
ENRICO GUALA
(ITA) ORGANIZER ENDURO WORLD SERIES VISIONARY
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CONTENT
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Genius - titles call for quality, fueling high expectations. This name wants to state: Dont settle for average I am the top of the crop! With their Genius 700 SL, Scott wants to
be no less than the very best in the trail bike and all-mountain arena. For the considerable price of 7,499 Euro, it is supposed to fulll the maxim faster-lighter-bigger-better and to top all
the prior models. To achieve that, the youngest addition to the Genius family is equipped with 27.5 wheels, a carbon chassis, and a completely new frame design.
In alpine terrain or at an enduro race, what is the Scott Genius really capable of? More wanna-be or a true meantto-be? We did not spare any efforts to gure this out. >>
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PUTTING THE BIKE TO THE TEST THE SCOTT GENIUS 700 SL NEEDED TO PROVE SUCCESSFUL DURING THE RACE AS WELL AS IN HIGH ALPINE TERRAIN.
The components give a true mission statement: slim Schwalbe Nobby-Nic tires in 2.25, XX trigger shifters, carbon Syncros wheels, and other carbon parts show the clear focus of the Genius 700 SL on propulsion prowess. For this reason, the Genius hints that it can be a lot, but does not necessarily want to. Thanks to the variable geometry setup via Flip-Chip and IDS-SL dropout, there is still room for individual adjustment. The heart of the carbon chassis is the Nude 2 rear shock, developed in cooperation with DT-Swiss. Its dual air spring technology deploys two levels of rear travel with different characteristics. Via the Twinloc lever on the handlebar, the rear travel is easily reduced to 100mm by turning off the second air chamber. A more progressive spring curve and steeper seat and steering angles resulting from less sag are the desired effect. Pushing the lever another time will lock out the suspension. In general, the suspension performance is optimized for the full travel mode (150mm). The Twinloc lever also simultaneously regulates the Fox 34 TALAS Factory forks CTD (climb-trail-descend). A brilliant reference to dial in your chassis is the Scott Suspension Setup Tool available on the Scott homepage. Considering the riders weight and riding style, it offers us a good starting point: for 75kg body weight, 105 PSI is suggested. As a geometry setup via FlipChip, we chose the slack setup with a steering angle of 67.7. During the practical test, the Genius had to demonstrate its abilities on alpine trails as well as in low mountain range terrain under racing conditions. >>
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After having taken a seat on the bike it turned out to be quite compact, and for 650B newbies the general variation in length and height, compared to a 26 bike, hardly makes a difference. The rider will learn to appreciate an intense sense of wellbeing on board the Genius which doesnt come as a surprise, since you are nicely positioned in the center of the bike. At the German enduro series nal in Treuchtlingen, the Genius 700 SL had to prove its abilities under racing conditions on stages that were quite varied. Uphill: by pushing the Twinloc lever all the way down, every uphill seemed to lose its scare-factor due to the rear lockout and a fork lowered to 120 mm of travel. Without a doubt, the low rotating mass of the wheel-tire combination
contributed to the ease of climbing as well. Additionally, the steep seat angle (74) and the low front ensured an ideal pedaling position and ergonomics. On at or owing terrain, the traction mode offered an ideal compromise of grip and propulsion with its 100mm of rear travel. In combination with the Reverb Stealth from RockShox, the Twinloc lever always provided maximum performance and efciency in racing mode, although the synchronized operation requires a little bit of practice. After a long pedaling passage, riding your butt off, a sudden downhill appears. Click: full rear travel at hand. After familiarization, the ngers nd their way to the lever effortlessly. Good accessibility and operability of the lever during a race is crucial. >>
HELMET Poc Trabec GLASSES Oakley Radar XL JACKET Scott SHORTS Scott AMT PROTECTION Bluegrass Bobcat Knee pad
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THE GENIUS IS AN OUTSTANDING TRAIL ROCKET. yet FOR TOUGH ENDURO RACES, IT LACKS A LITTLE BEEF.
Downhill: on steep, tight turns that demand precise change of direction, the Genius needs a strong hand on the handlebars with its 440mm long chainstays. Smooth running and stability on the trail? This is where the 650B Genius is at home! Even the slim 2.25er Nobby Nic Evo tires with Pacestar compound surprised us in open turns and off camber trails with sufcient grip. Nevertheless, a large-volume tire would enhance the downhill performance considerably. Basically the Genius reveals a calm and neutral character which is lacking a little vitality and instinct to play. A severe disadvantage? Probably not for most riders: they benet from the clear advantages of the 27.5-concept, including better bump absorption and enhanced traction from the tires. Due to the progressive suspension and the big wheels, the Genius passed little challenges effortlessly with its very dened handling. On rougher terrain we hit some bumps: Comfort? No chance! Fast? Hell yeah! For less experienced riders (or racers), a plusher suspension action may make more sense, creating a greater feeling of safety in high speed sections. Another tiny aw: the chassis doesnt quite seem to work in harmony with-
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out some tinkering. The progressive suspension coupled with the relatively linear Fox 34 CTD up front only began working together once we lowered the air pressure in the rear shock about 5 PSI (equals the recommendedsoft set up of the Scott Suspension Setup Tools). An advantage of the soft set up: the angles are slacker, the bottom bracket lower, and the suspension plusher and thanks to the Twinloc lever, maximum efciency is guaranteed at the push of a button. Still, the acceleration is brilliant, even in fulltravel-mode.
Conclusion: altogether, the Genius offers a consistent overall performance. For most riders, its a real trail rocket: this is where the Genius will have its main target audience. For racers that desire less travel and tend to prefer a tight set up, the Genius 700 SL is an extremely fast racing machine on more moderate enduro trails. The Genius benets from fast acceleration and the often condent handling. On more challenging downhills, the Scott is missing some beef and an aggressive downhill-oriented geometry.
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PRO & CON: the light and slim tires from Schwalbe are fast-rolling but reduce the downhill performance. Furthermore, wider 27.5 tires would display better rollover qualities even more compared to the 26.
GEOMETRY SETTINGS: the Flip-Chip on the lower rear shock mount allows an adjustment of the head tube and seat angle of about 0.5, as well as the height of the bottom bracket by about 6mm.
TWINLOC LEVER SYSTEM: the Twinloc lever allows the simultaneous adjustment of the suspension elements. Three positions are possible: open, traction mode (100mm), and locked out.
LOVE FOR DETAIL: the IDS-SL dropouts offer incredible wheel compatibility: 142mm x 12mm, 135mm x 12mm, and 135mm/ quick release. We also like the well-placed post mount brake setup.
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CONTENT
www.marshguard.com 10
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www.oneal.com / 40
A tool specially designed for the winter? Almost! If a little repair should take longer than expected which is likely to happen every now and then on the way back home (this usually happens to Enduro staff member Manne) you would be well-equipped with the removable LED light of this multi- tool. Available as a 7-, 14-, and 21-piece tool.
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www.scott-sports.com 160
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www.pedros.com 44,5
FREELAP STOPWATCH-KIT.
The racing season is over and the next one only starts in a couple of months? What to do during the months in between? Racing, of course with your buddies on your home tracks. Ideally with the Freelap Stopwatch-Kit: rock-paper-scissors will determine who will have to go down to the nish line to position the transmitter to mark the goal. Every rider wears their own watch, which allows them to start with a timer function. Simple, right? Thats how you go from stage to stage puttig together easily a small race
www.freelap.ch 315
www.gopro.com 350
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PHOTO MANFRED STROMBERG
for the lonely winter days of the off-season, CG Dirt Devil stands for the downhill-icon Cedric Gracia, who has successfully specialized the game with his crazy Frenchman-character. The rules of the game are easy to explain: tilt your smartphone to navigate Cedric through a tricky downhill course. Besides the common obstacles, you need to overcome cows, wheelchair users, yetis, groupies willing to procreate (CG is obviously the master of drive-by-mating try it!) as well as grannies with rolling pins (the groupies mothers?). You can crash this seemingly resilient Frenchman three times. After that, it will be game over and you will receive a short video message from Cedric with a personalized, usually bitchy comment depending on your success. By the way, there is a high score as well. The Enduro team managed to make it to the 2196 meter mark who can do better?
www.itunes.apple.com 1,80
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www.uvex-corerange.com 500
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CONTENT
WORKOUT
FUN GUARANTEED
Whats better than mixing business with pleasure? The sudden and dramatic spread of pump tracks offers exceptional workout conditions for every ambitious enduro rider. Pump tracks not only push the fun meter all the way to the top, but also help to improve riding techniques and fitness. All of these are important aspects to make use of during an ordinary ride, as well as during a focused workout. Everything that works well on the pump track can be applied off-road. >>
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You begin with the build-up of speed which the name pump track itself already connotes you have to pump the terrain in order to gain speed. In addition, manualling and jumping improve important and useful skills that can be transferred well to deep-tread everyday life. To read the terrain and deliberately push to increase speed pays off, since this way is usually faster than dull pedaling on hazards. On top of that, it saves you a lot of energy and provides a certain ow to your sequence of movements. The im-
provement of your ability to react, due to the fast series of rollers and berms on a pump track, features another advantage that we can transfer to trail riding. This is where the entire locomotor system is being trained, especially regarding coordination. Legs and arms, as well as upper body and mind, need to be in perfect synchronicity. Sufcient practice and exercise eventually turn everything from being hard work, to automaticity and ease. You loosen up from workout to workout and are able to increase your speed. >>
PUMP TRACKS ARE EXTREMELY USEFUL, ESPECIALLY IN REGARDS TO THE PRECISION AND COORDINATION OF UPPER AND LOWER BODY. IT IS ALSO GOOD CARDIO-TRAINING BECAUSE YOURE TOTALLY OUT OF BREATH AFTER ONLY A FEW LAPS.
JEROME CLEMENTZ, TEAM CANNONDALE
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Change of direction: a pump track is not a never-ending straight line but a cohesive system with corresponding berms. The right feeling for berms is crucial. Most
people forget or simply do not manage to take advantage of the berms in order to use them as a chance to benet from momentum or even to accelerate. >>
GENERALLY SPEAKING, IT HELPS YOU WITH ANY KIND OF DISCIPLINE IN MOUNTAIN BIKING, AS IT IS ALWAYS ABOUT THE MOMENTUM, SECTIONS TO RIDE STANDING UP, AND TURNS THAT HAVE EXTREME IMPACT ON YOUR GROUND SPEED. YOUR FLOW IS OF EXTREME IMPORTANCE! YOU USUALLY KNOW THE ENDURO STAGES ONLY PARTIALLY, OR NOT AT ALL, WHICH MAKES IT EVEN MORE IMPORTANT TO RIDE SMOOTHLY AND WITH THE GOOD TEMPO THAT COMES THROUGH FLOW.
ANDRE WAGENKNECHT, CUBE ACTION TEAM
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No matter whether its a single fast round or 15 continuous laps, everything varies according to the intention of the individual. This is where the perfect combination of fun and workout becomes full circle and we forget
about the sweaty smell of monotonous gyms. It isnt surprising at all, as a refurbished greenhouse offers a pump track, and therefore rst class opportunities to enjoy long winter nights. >>
MOST OF ALL, WE RIDE PUMP TRACKS FOR FUN. THE FACT THAT IT IS A PERFECT WORKOUT AT THE SAME TIME IS A PLEASANT SIDE-EFFECT THE MOUNDS AND ROLLERS ON ENDURO TRACKS ARE DEFINABLY HANDLED FASTER BY PUMPING AND SURFING. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU PRACTICE WELL ON PUMP TRACKS.
CAROLIN & ANITA GEHRIG, TWINS MTB-RACING
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WHAT KIND OF BIKE DO I NEED TO RIDE PUMP TRACKS? There is not really a specic answer to this question, as pump tracks can basically be ridden with almost any twowheeled contraption including BMX, MTB, 20, 26, 29, aluminum, carbon, and steel. Generally, however, we may say that the majority of ambitious pump track riders go for compact 26 hardtails with suspension forks. We built up such a workout bike, of course including a gentle touch of love for detail. A light and stiff Merida alu-
minum frame (Hardy Team) serves as the basis. Yet again, this is where we apply a general rule: as much as necessary, as little as possible. An easily modulated rear brake is totally sufcient for pumping, just as you only need a single speed. Our main focus is on light, stiff, and at the same time solid wheels. Our solution: the specically designed Acros 1G single-speed hubs, combined with DT spokes, aluminum nipples, light rims, Eclipse tubes, and fast rolling Continental Speed King tires. This guarantees
acceleration, stability, and low rotating mass. The front is equipped with a rm tuned RockShox Argyle RC fork. The cockpit is completed by an Acros headset in combination with a stem by Renthal, the cult brand based in England. Weight: 9.4 kg without having to make any sacrices. Is light weight mandatory? Not necessarily. As soon as the weight fetishism is at the expense of stability and riding quality, this is where the weight negotiation stops even on pump tracks.
WHAT KIND OF EQUIPMENT DO I NEED TO RIDE PUMP TRACKS? Biking could hardly be any less complicated than on pump tracks: A helmet and bike are the only necessary tools. Other than that, maintenance of the track, as well as due respect to locals, goes without saying. As soon as you have internalized these basics, you are ready to start pumping and pulling except maybe for when its bad weather. But thats why we have a roof over our heads for now
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THE COCKPIT: Renthal Fatbar and Duo stem, Avid Elixir Carbon brakes, carbon spacer and an Acros headset. A matte black RockShox Argyle, tightly tuned, paves the way ahead. What else could you ask for?
THE WHEELS: Continental Speed King this tire delivers as promised. And as the bottom line of decadence: 59g Eclipse tubes. The Acros 1G VR hubs go without a disk brake system, providing a greater ange distance and more stability, despite the radial lacing design.
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CONTENT
S T I R I P S
P S A S R E M A SS I V E E Y E A R H D O D H O O R E W Y S T E M S A N W I L L B E T O D U CM E S AM 13 TR THE N SPENSION S NOW. 20 CTURER IN ESIGN SU FA TD EAR PIVOT R MANY Y IKE MANU SPLIT PIVO NB ED S FO TUBE TH AFRICA NG-AWAIT T. KE OU LO THE S IRST AND O THE MAR F T ES ITS
H IG
ULA B A J OOD W E R E MO H T ING T S INGLE E S T D E E NT RESE QUAR
In cooperation with kinematics guru Dave Weagle, Morewood developed the Jabula, a bike completely different from the usual designs of the company. The Jabula utilizes extensive hydro-forming, carbon ber seatstays, and split pivot design just a few of its many fundamental innovations. The split pivot design is supposed to minimize pedaling inuences during acceleration. So much for theory how does the Jabula perform in practice? Plug & play: as soon as we held the Jabula in our hands, we took it out for a spontaneous enduro race in bike park Beerfelden in southern Germany. In the end, second place marked a successful debut for the Jabula. One of the keys to its success are the high-quality components of the 5000Euro bike, including highlights like the BOS Deville fork and a Cane Creek Double Barrel Air shock which provides 170 mm of rear wheel travel. All the other features, like the DT Swiss EX 1750 wheels, light Schwalbe Hans Dampf tires, Formulas snappy The One brakes, the SRAM X0 crankset, the telescopic RockShox Reverb seatpost, and the Spank cockpit parts complete the overall package. Jabula is Zulu and basically means to be happy. It seemed like we had a little less luck with our second test ride but lets start at the beginning.
The slightly high but central seating position provides a solid feel-good factor. The balanced geometry, made up of a 66.5 head tube angle and other solid numbers, shows that the bike is designed for fun on enduro tours and in the bike park, rather than for the absolute extreme. The 433mm short chainstays equip the Jabula with sufcient agility and friskiness, but at the same time offer a solid smoothness in high-speed sections. The Jabula only requires little effort in fast curvy sections or to get onto the rear wheel. The crew had to face unexpected complications with the BOS fork and the Cane Creek suspension. In fact, the BOS Deville failed after only one day due to a defective damping unit. Thanks to the fast reaction of the German distributor Sports Nut, we were provided with an exchange fork in no time, which then managed to win us over with its familiar and particularly sensitive response characteristics. According to Sports Nut, the French BOS headquarters detected the cause of the defective damping in the inside of the fork and rectied the aws of all the affected forks. The Morewoods suspension setup proved to be quite demanding regarding its handling at the beginning of the test rides. The cause for this was the Double Barrel Air shock, which is equipped with ve external setup options, >>
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HELMET iXS Metis GOOGLE POC Iris DH JERSEY iXS Crappus BC SHORTS POC Flow PROTECTION iXS SLOPE-SERIES EVO Knee pads
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allowing the Jabula to be adjusted to any imaginable requirement. This is possible because of the high- and low-speed compression, high- and low-speed rebound, and the air spring adjustment. However, even after countless adjustment trials, the Cane Creek tuning seemed inappropriate for Jabulas kinematics: we found it was too progressive and it was not possible to take advantage of the entire travel, even with extreme levels of sag. After consultation with Cane Creek, we established that the shock was from a faulty batch and was equipped with too little air capacity. After tting a awless exchange shock, the suspension was able to fully exploit its performance. The time-consuming basic setup paid off: the rear suspension has been impressive ever since, and with its lush damping performance the rear wheel was basically glued to the ground. Despite its great downhill performance, we noticed some pedaling inuences
on the rear suspension during uphills. This was mainly noticeable in the small chainring and during out-of-saddle pedaling. While pedaling in the saddle, the bobbing was hardly noticeable. One thing is certain: the rear suspension is especially designed for ideal downhill performances, and thats why we have to lower our expectations slightly regarding pedaling Bottom line: The rather neatly equipped Jabula was not able to completely meet the high expectations of the test crew in practice. One of the reasons might have been the numerous attempts until the Morewood was able to show off its performance abilities and qualities. With its 170mm of suspension travel and masterful handling, it denitely has a focus on heading downhill. Bike park, home track, or alpine freeride trails constitute the Jabulas expertise. This is where the Jabula lives up to its name!
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BOS DEVILLE:
usually synonymous with and guaranteed for the best performances, the French forks damping failed twice during this times test runs. After exchanging the fork, everything was back to normal: top-notch!
CANE CREEK DOUBLE BARREL
AIR: a plethora of adjustments for everyone, or is this overkill? Even some of the testers thought this had too many options for enduro. In contrast to downhill, you ride so many different tracks within a really short time frame in enduro, which neither makes perfect ne tuning possible nor reasonable.
SPANK OOZY STEM: the mounting of this light all-mountain stem unfortunately did not manage to keep the handlebar reliably on track during the test. The construction, with only one screw at the steerer tube, caused concerns for some of the testers.
The split pivot rear suspension scores with nice bump absorption and hardly stiffened during braking in contrast to the classic Morewood single pivot rear ends. Complaints: the acceleration inuences in the small chainring and during out-ofsaddle pedaling. But lets be honest: the Jabula is not meant to be a mountain goat!
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CONTENT
OCTOBER 2012 IN DAVOS, THE SWISS ALPS. WE ARE ON OUR WAY WITH A SCOTT GENIUS, MOREWOOD JABULA, AND THE TREK RUMBLEFISH PRO! YOU READ CORRECTLY, WITH THE TREK RUMBLEFISH: THREE BIKES, THREE CATEGORIES, AND NOW ONE GOAL:
We were particularly excited about the Trek Rumblesh with its 29 wheels, but to be quite honest a little nervous as well. Before we even started, there was a bit of a ght over the other two bikes. Nobody wanted to go downhill in alpine terrain on a 29er with only 120mm of travel. As it turned out, after the rst turn the Trek was already lots of fun on
the primarily owing and open trails. Thats when we got excited about taking the rst more technical and steeper sections. Especially in those more challenging technical sections, the big 29 inch wheels were a plus. They created security throughout the steeper parts of the trail, and offered a bit more riding comfort and a smoother feel in rough terrain. You could have easily thought
you had another inch of rear travel at hand. This was not least because of the DRCV suspension technology built into the Trek, which ensured linear spring characteristics providing a harmonic feeling of the suspension. Dont underestimate the need for more pressure on the 29 inch front wheel to push it through tight curves. After a couple of hundred meters of downhill there was
the rst climb. With its comfortable and sporty seating position, the Rumblesh climbs very efciently. Quick acceleration, even though the suspension is fairly pedal-neutral ,seems a little dull due to the big wheels. Thanks to the more efcient roll-over characteristics of the big wheels, obstacles on climbs or rough terrain can be left behind effortlessly.
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CONCLUSION: The Trek Rumblesh Pro was a convincing trail and single-track bike with its linear suspension and balanced geometry. A telescopic seat post, as well as a shorter and wider stem/bar combo, would push the fun factor even more.
FULL FORCE: The DRCV technology combines two air chambers and therefore the advantages of a low volume rear shock while pedaling with the features of a high volume rear shock on big hits: efciency and good bump absorption in one package.
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CONTENT
TIME TO
ELIMINATE
YO U
R WEAKNESSES
WITH THE FIRST GERMAN ENDURO SEASON OVER, ALL ENDURO NEWBIES PROBABLY HAD TO FIND OUT WHERE THEIR STRENGTHS LIE AND ESPECIALLY WHERE THEY DONT. BY TAKING THE CUBE ACTION TEAM RIDERS ANDR WAGENKNECHT AND LUDWIG DHL AS EXAMPLES, WE WANT TO PROVE THAT THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A UNIVERSAL FORMULA, BUT THAT IT IS UP TO EACH INDIVIDUAL TO WORK ON HIS OR HER OWN WEAKNESSES. JUST LIKE LUDWIG AND ANDR: THE FIRST AN EX-CROSSCOUNTRY RIDER, AND THE LATTER AN EX-DOWNHILL RIDER
Ludwig Dhl Skills over endurance As I come from a cross-country background, my training during the last few years was pretty much focused on endurance. Even though I still pedaled many kilometers on a racing bike this spring, I continuously increased my units on a mountain bike as the season was approaching, usually with interval training. Generally speaking, I kind of slacked on my endurance training in order to polish my biking technique. Still, this doesnt mean that I dont do long rides anymore or that I only chill out at the bike park. In fact, it only means that my training is now a lot more multifaceted. One thing Ive changed, for example, is that I ride technical sections on singletracks several times, in order to nd the perfect line or to try to ride more uently by purposely pedaling less and trying to generate speed by pumping. Whereas I used to ride the whole trail full speed, I now take more time and try to perfect my riding style. Overall, I would say that I increasingly play with the terrain, also because an enduro bike has a lot more to offer compared to my hardtail. Nevertheless, I plan on participating in a marathon race or two during the upcoming year in order not to lose my tness.
son. I had never owned a fully before and I used to cope with the downhills in cross-country by adhering to the motto save energy and relax. In enduro, it was suddenly all about tenths of a second and not about cutting in on someone. An example par excellence for this was when Andr and I were riding the downhill track in Winterberg, Germany. Arriving at the bottom of the trail, I told him he was riding like a beginner because I had loads of space to overtake in every single turn. During our second test run, we stopped at all the elementary spots and he explained to me why he decided to ride one specic line. With every following key spot, I understood more and more what it was all about. It is not about making your way against hundreds of competitors, but about getting as much speed out of the turns as possible to master the trail as smoothly as possible.
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High-speed sections & jumps Another relic from my hardtail times is my inhibition regarding large jumps or extremely fast sections. Even though I manage to jump almost anything at a race, it always costs quite a mental effort. During workouts at home, I usually do not manage to force myself and therefore skip the jumps. When riding with team colleagues, we tend to push Line choice each other. I was facing some problems regarding Normally, Andr rides rst, because he line choice at the beginning of the sea- has the soundest riding style and >>
Open your eyes to chose the perfect line! It saves a lot of effort, it allows taking more speed through corners and reduces wear and tear on your bike!
the most practice in enduro. He can actually get me to do difcult jumps and, most of the time, I think he is less comfortable with doing that than I am myself. I want to ride more with the downhill bike next year, and I might actually compete in a downhill race or two in order to gain condence in speed and jumps. Concentration When I started racing enduro, I might have been able to ride single sections pretty fast, but I used to crash on almost every stage as well. This was partly due to the fact that I was not used to these high
speeds, and also due to a lack of concentration. Instead of completely focusing my concentration on myself and the track, I sometimes even checked out the spectators next to the track. Even though it is extremely hard to train concentration, I found a couple of ways that work for me. You simply have to nd some really difcult things that need your entire concentration to actually succeed. And by these really difcult things, I do not mean big drops or challenging trails, but rather things like juggling or slacklining. I often even combine different exercises with one another.
For instance, I juggle with three balls while I balance on a large stability ball. If I do not entirely concentrate during this exercise, I slip off the ball. This is exactly the kind of concentration I need during the start and throughout a race to complete a smooth and awless ride. Andr Wagenknecht To be honest, during my time as a downhill rider, I never used to be a workoutnerd, unfortunately. Instead, I was one of the guys who were looking for their freedom, even during biking. It was always important to me to do exactly what I felt
like. During the junior years, we already had workout timetables, but I realized eventually that I was not exactly that kind of guy and that the mind plays a big role, too. Therefore, the motto was be t and have fun somehow, the plan worked out. Changing over to enduro was a new challenge for me. The biking itself hasnt changed it is still all about time but new aspects have been added. And then there was the great BAMMMMM! Damn it! I really need to be t for only three to four minutes. I denitely imagined the shift to enduro to be a lot easier. >>
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TIME TO
ELIMINATE
WE HAVE TALKED QUITE A LOT ABOUT THE INDIVIDUALLY LAID OUT WORKOUT SESSIONS AND CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A UNIVERSAL FORMULA. EVERYONE HAS TO PURSUE THEIR PERSONAL OBJECTIVE.
Andr Wagenknecht, about specic enduro training
YO U
R WEAKNESSES
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I had always been doing just ne with my tness on short stages, but as soon as they got a little longer I was totally screwed. In my opinion, a very well trained rider with a good technique is generally faster than the best rider (technically speaking) with only moderate tness. For me, this means that I have to catch up to Ludwig, regarding tness, whereas he has to pick up some more technical skills. So in the end, we complement
each other pretty well. I havent had a good and enjoyable season like this one for a very long time, which is the result of the extremely positive atmosphere throughout the team. Ludwig and I are now looking for some motivation for the winter season. This also means getting off of the bike and onto the skis (Nordic and alpine) for once. Runners and swimming trunks will nd use, just like the half-a-liter-beer-measurements for the brain!
I WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO SUFFER THROUGH THE WINTER IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT STAGES. THE MOST DIFFICULT PART ABOUT IT IS TO CONQUER ONES WEAKER SELF.
Andr Wagenknecht, commenting on his winter workout plans
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VARYING PUSH-UPS
For this, the Blackroll is positioned under the toes. I usually start by supporting myself with my hands shoulder distance apart and then decrease the distance between my hands with each set. The closer the hands come together, the more the forearm muscle is trained.
SIT-UPS
For this exercise, I put the Blackroll underneath my butt and do simple sit-ups. I vary this exercise by turning the upper body either left or right.
Living like
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CONTENT
KINGS
SPAIN
The Spanish La Fenasosa bike park is a paradise fit for royalty. Here, the blend of cultures not only represents the owners, but also applies in a metaphorical sense. This is where German professionalism meets the Swiss love for detail, Mediterranean atmosphere, and Spanish food prepared, organized, and lived by a Belgian.
in
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THE BASE OF
PARADISE.
El Jefe of the bike park, JeanPhilippe, is a man who lives without compromises at least when it comes to the well-being of his guests. For about ve years now, the former Moto GP racer has run the park on his private property near Alicante: an estate with a small castle on 1, 000 hectares of land. The castle offers a royal accommodation to its visitors, where they can socialize and be provided with homemade specialties, house wine, and if they are lucky freshly collected mushrooms. We were lucky! Another culinary highlight is the Valencian paella for lunch. Pretty knightly and rustic like ancient times qualities you often miss nowadays. But it is still exactly what you wish
for in the postmodern era. No electricity at night, but instead dark and peaceful solitude. A country lifestyle, isolated from civilization. However, WLAN has been installed recently. This much air lets you forget about the main purpose of your stay pretty easily: biking. The property offers numerous demanding enduro trails, as well as various ways of getting uphill. The most convenient one is the shuttle to the peak, operated by former military trucks. Riders organize side by side with one another, everyone in their modern knights armor, ready to defeat the mountain. We decided to go for the real enduro, pedaling power and open face helmet although we did make use of the shuttle service every now and then. >>
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SPANISH LEGEND JACOBO SANTANA WAS A DOWNHILLER OF THE FIRST DAYS. AFTER TEN YEARS OF ABSTINENCE, HE IS BACK WITH ENDURO.
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The rst day was dedicated to settling in: the rugged rocks and larger jumps offer challenges and ideal workout conditions for enduro riders. From natural trails via north-shore bridges and wood parks up to table lines there is enough for every taste. La Fenasosa has a lot to offer. The bike park follows the same principle as its owner and operator Jean-Philippe: If you go biking, then enjoy it 100%.
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GOOD TIMES, THE FINEST MEALS & BEST POSSIBLE COMPANY INCLUDED: LA FENASOSA IS A PLACE YOUD LIKE TO COME BACK TO.
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BEST TIME FOR TRAVELING: SPRING AND FALL. CLOSED IN AUGUST, DUE TO HEAT TRACKS: MORE THAN 10 TRACKS SUITABLE FOR ENDURO ACCOMODATION: IN A 19TH CENTURY CASTLE, LOCATED DIRECTLY ON THE PREMISES. BOARD AND LODGING 115 / DAY AND PERSON OR 170 / DAY AND DOUBLE ROOM PRICE: 16 EURO / DAY FOR TERRAIN ACCESS. 15 EURO / DAY FOR SHUTTLE JOURNEY: BY PLANE TO ALICANTE, PICKUP ON REQUEST CONTACT: WWW.LAFENASOSA.COM
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IN 2012 AT THE SUPERENDURO IN FINALE LIGURE, A WINNER YET AGAIN HAD TO BE FOUND. BUT THIS YEARS CENTER OF ATTENTION WAS NOT THE RACE ITSELF, IT WAS THE YEAR 2013 AND THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION
PHOTOS MATTEO CAPPE / SUPERENDUROMTB.COM WORDS ROBIN SCHMITT TRANSLATION MICHAELA JAMMERS
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What will happen in 2013? Who is going to ride for which team? Is there going to be an enduro world series and if there is, who is going to be in charge? This years paddock was full of rumors, strategies, and (still) secret bike tech-
nologies for the upcoming year. Except for the occasional one, the whos who of the enduro scene was present. It was pretty obvious: 2013 had already started in their heads, in their planning, and also in concrete agreements. Those of
you who have followed the Italian SuperEnduro series have noticed that the technical, physical, and mental requirements have increased proportionally to the racing teams. Is this an event solely for pros now? Probably not. But still, a
strong tendency towards professionalizing everything seems to be the goal of organizer Enrico Guala. Enduro is a very serious business there are brands out there investing millions of dollars in this sector, stated Enrico >>
3 PEOPLE, 2 OPINIONS, AND 1 VISION: Chris Roberts (www.nakedracing.com) and Enrico Guala (on the picture with Franco) both wanted an enduro world series for 2013. Under the overall control of Chris Ball, Enrico Guala (SuperEnduro), Fred Glo (Coupe de France), and Darren Kinnaird (Crankworx Events Inc.)
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in a serious tone during an interview that lasted for several hours. In the entire hubbub about the alleged cancellation of the enduro world cup by the UCI, a lot has been lost in translation. Shout outs for an alternative world series were arising. Even organizers unfamiliar with the enduro scene showed great interest. Temporarily, it almost looked like there
were formations of different groups which were all working on their own world series a great risk, which could make the whole progress and credibility of this sport suffer. Once the switch has been changed and the train has passed, it will take a lot of time to get that train back on track. An immediate turn is not possible. Thats why fast reaction was crucial.
Said and done! Under the overall control of the former UCI coordinator Chris Ball, Enrico Guala (SuperEnduro), Fred Glo (Coupe de France), and Darren Kinnaird (Crankworx Events Inc.) founded the Enduro Mountain Bike Association in October, which will organize the enduro world series in 2013. The rapid development of enduro as a sport is seen in the pro riders times: three stages
were almost identical to the prior year, some even longer or slower. Nevertheless, the times of the pro riders were up to 30 seconds (!) faster than in 2011. In a nutshell: 2013 can come and, thanks to the enduro world series, is going to be even more exciting. Rapidly increasing standards, support, and interest go without saying.
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INTENSE UNTIL THE VERY END: As opposed to downhill, cross country, or marathon, you dont know where you are placed until the very end. Even better to be standing on the podium afterwards: Dan Atherton (GT), Davide Sottocornola (Ibis), and Curtis Keene (Specialized).
FULL OF RUMORS & SPECULATIONS: Extensive talks, negotiations, and discussions about enduro and the upcoming season dened the topic at the dinner table, during long nights, and any other time. No surprise, ACC (Ibis) won the womens category.
NOW OR NEVER: Enrico shows the ag for enduro and the world series. He is authentically and honestly dealing with the topic the opposite to the current Pinocchio-mascot of the UCI. Together with Chris Ball and two other organizers, Enrico is running the EMBA.
ENDURO IS NO LONGER A FOOTNOTE: Full Expo areas and more than 500 participants speak for itself. The major issue for the organizers: making everyone happy from the world elite all the way to the amateurs. Stages, time limits of the transfer stages, and the order in which to start need to be calculated precisely.
HEROES OF WORK
ROBIN SCHMITT
Currently situated in Barcelona, Robin and the creative cluster around the Blackmedia crew and Cero Design are preparing quite a lot that will impress you guys. Oh, and dont worry: silly 3D glasses are not a necessity for that
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MAX-PHILIP SCHMITT
While his dear brother is totally losing it in Spain, Max is occupied with moving, organizing, and preparing for Downtown Magazine #03. All of his leftover brain cells are dealing with the new Design & Innovation Award
DANIEL HBERLE
Pumping iron like a madman. If Daniel would spend as much time at the gym as he does on the pump track, he would probably have broader shoulders than Arnold Schwarzenegger. But he is t nonetheless: see you next year, at the races!
AARON STEINKE
A man well aware of compromises: in addition to his university studies, Aaron works full-time for Enduro hopefully with a completed degree in 2013. He unies his IT and editing knowledge with his merciless enthusiasm for bikes. Lets go!
FABIAN SCHOLZ
Master of design, mechanical engineer, god of the pump tracks, and consistent top 10 competitor at enduro races Fabis skills are undeniable. Thats why he took the Morewood for a spin and chased down the pump track with the Merida.
CHRISTIAN LMMLE
Even though this issue has just been released, Chris has (also) recently used his grey matter for something else of course for our benet. Find out more about that, shortly! Note: Its going to be awesome! WWW.LAEMMLEDESIGN.COM
FABIAN RAPP
Boooom! The one and only. Chasing down the hills with us in Davos like theres no tomorrow and still manages to pull the nest pics out of his hat excuse me camera! Helmets off! Oops, I mean hats off! WWW.FABIANRAPP.COM
OLIVER ROGGENBUCK
Indoor outdoor? Doesnt matter! Its the photos that count in the end. Like the ones in the pump track story and on the accessories pages. He brings along fresh spirit and a good eye to enrich our magazine!
WWW.ROGGENBUCK-PHOTODESIGN.DE
ANDRE WAGENKNECHT
Fast action: the charismatic Cube Action Team rider provided us with an awesome and straightforward workout story in no time: there is no such thing as a simple solution.
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RESOURCES
ACROS www.acros.de mail@acros.de BLUEGRASS www.bluegrasseagle.com bluegrass@bluegrasseagle.com CONTINENTAL www.conti-online.com 2wheel.marketing@conti.de ECLIPSE www.eclipse.ch eclipseswiss@gmail.com EVOC www.evocsports.com info@evocsports.com FREELAP www.freelap.ch contact@freelap.ch GOPRO www.gopro.com support@gopro.com
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GORE www.goreapparel.de customercare@eu.goreapparel.com LEZYNE www.lezyne.com info@lezyne.com LUPINE www.lupine2013.de info@lupine.de IXS www.hostettler.de marcel.ulrich@ixs.com MARSHGUARD www.marshguard.com marshguard@gmail.com MERIDA www.merida-bikes.com Phone: +886-4-8526171 MOREWOOD www.morewoodbikes.com info@morewoodbikes.com
OAKLEY www.oakley.com customercare-europe@oakley.com ONEAL www.oneal.com sales@oneal.com PEDROS www.pedros.com pedrosmail@pedros.com POC www.pocsports.com info@pocsports.com RENTHAL www.renthal.com mail@renthal.com ROCK SHOX www.sram.com Phone: +1-312-664-8800 SRAM www.sram.com Phone: +1-312-664-8800 SCHWALBE www.schwalbe.de info@schwalbe.com SCOTT www.scott-sports.com Phone: +41 26 460 16 16 TREK www.trekbikes.com support@trekbikes.com
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Enduro is a free digital mountainbike magazine that comes out six times per year. EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT 41 Publishing & Marketing UG Rutesheimer Strasse 40 71229 Leonberg Deutschland info@enduro-mtb.com www.enduro-mtb.com DIRECTORS Robin Schmitt & Max-Philip Schmitt EDITORS Daniel Hberle, Aaron Steinke, Fabian Scholz, Florian Storch, Fabian Arzberger, Ferdinand Brunold, Trevor Worsey, Andr Wagenknecht, Patrick Sauter DESIGN & POSTPRODUCTION Christian Lmmle (www.laemmledesign.com) PHOTOGRAPHERS Fabian Rapp, Oliver Roggenbuck, Tom Bause, Sebas Romero, Daniel Geiger, Sebastian Schieck, Irmo Keizer, Matteo Capp, Manfred Stromberg, Philip Ruopp, Hoshi Yoshida
PHOTO FABIAN RAPP
ILLUSTRATIONS Albert Escoda WEBSITE Aaron Steinke COMMUNICATION & SOCIAL MEDIA Manfred Schmitt TRANSLATION Lisa Gretemeier, Michaela Jammers REVISION John Morse, Trevor Worsey SPECIAL THANKS Johann Flickinger (www.wmcc.de) ADVERTISING Max-Philip Schmitt mpschmitt@enduro-mtb.com +49 177 5992289 2012 BY 41 PUBLISHING & MARKETING UG. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.NO PART OF THIS DOCUMENT OR THE RELATED FILES MAY BE REPRODUCED OR TRANSMITTED IN ANY FORM, BY ANY MEANS (ELECTRONIC, PHOTOCOPYING, RECORDING, OR OTHERWISE) WITHOUT THE PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE PUBLISHER.