Group Test: Nine 2015 Enduro Bikes in Comparison

There seems to be an almost endless amount of categories these days, but everyone is talking about enduro bikes. So what exactly is an ‘enduro’ bike? Some would say it’s a race bike, but how many of us who buy ‘enduro’ bikes actually race? Even those that do spend more time riding with buddies than against the clock. So when we talk about enduro bikes, why do most people focus only on ‘how fast’ it is. It’s a valid question for sure, but most of us rarely stray between the tapes. So if we are not buying an enduro bike as a ‘race only’ weapon, what are we buying them for?

Update August 2016: This group test is from 2015, don’t miss our 2016 Enduro Shootout!

An enduro bike is much more than a race bike…it’s a passport to adventure.

Most of us want a bike that can handle everything we throw at it, from sessioning DH tracks with buddies, to racing the odd enduro and wringing the life out of it on the weekend ‘big ride.’ Most of us care more about beating our buddies down the local technical trail than shaving a millisecond off a stage time. Some bikes are built for uncompromising speed, with bottom brackets that skim the earth and top tubes that stretch to the horizon, but what are these anorexic downhill bikes like to live with day-to-day?

Does a super-aggressive geometry make for a comfortable companion for an all-day all-mountain epic, or is something that’s more of an all-rounder the thinking rider’s choice? These were all questions that our experienced test team – ten international riders, including top-ten EWS racers, World Cup DH riders, and regular riders like many of us – were keen to answer. We wanted to find the ultimate enduro bike, so we tested nine of the best, not just against the clock, but also on big-mountain epics and over some of the UK’s most rugged backcountry terrain.

Rather than preselect bikes, we invited all the leading brands to submit the bike they thought best for the test. Brands were briefed to supply a bike that could do everything, capable of big mountain epics, enjoyable for day long rides and able to be raced at weekends by the keen amateur; the kind of riding that we all do! Interestingly, they all sent 27.5” models. We applied no limits on price but made it clear that value for money was a very important quality. Cannondale sent their EWS-winning Jekyll Team Carbon, a lightweight and efficient shredder. Canyon sent us their stretched Canyon Strive CF 9.0 with the extra-long race geometry. Knowing that value for money was a factor, Giant sent their cheapest Reign 2, long, low and mean, but with a bargain-basement price. Trek managed to find a hugely popular Slash 9.0 to send us, and Rose sent over their Uncle Jimbo 3 with a great build for the money. It was no surprise to see that Santa Cruz wanted to include the Nomad, offering their cheaper C frame (using lower modulus carbon than the flagship CC to keep the cost down) in the XO1 build. Yeti supplied the mega-desirable but mega-expensive SB6c: would the new Switch Infinity prove worthy of the high price? We were also pleased to get hold of a YT Capra, a popular bike that rarely features in group tests. Focus, Radon, and Specialized also wanted to participate, but, unfortunately, they could not get bikes to us in time. But, like all competitions, you have to be in it to win it.

The ideal proving ground

When it came to high performance in rugged terrain, one test location stood out above the rest: Scotland, or more precisely the Scottish Highlands. This rugged land, the knuckle-end of the UK, specializes in tough and challenging terrain. From the technical Enduro World Series stages of the Tweed Valley to the bleak and remote mountains of Torridon, our nine bikes were tested in every way. After over 500 hours of testing, our huge test team pushed the bikes to their limits on legendary trails like Kinlochleven, the Ciaran Path, Coire Lair, and the brutal Fort William Downhill track. Weaknesses were exposed, tyres were torn, and punctures were common. Suffering multiple gondola uplifts, and through long eight-hour pedals in remote mountains, each bike battled on bravely. After lengthy discussion and endless feedback from the test team we had our winner, the ultimate do-it-all enduro bike.

Tops

Flops

Conclusion

So which enduro bike is best? It’s a more difficult question than at first you may think. Riding these bikes over diverse and challenging terrain exposed each bike’s strengths and weaknesses, but also their very different characters. We wanted to award value for money too, so the very expensive bikes would have to be exceptional to command their premium.

The Cannondale Jekyll was the bike that piqued the most interest with its unique approach. It was the best climber in the test, but on rough downhills it felt out of place. The Vitus Sommet had potential, but we just could not get the Marzocchi NCR 350 fork to match the supportive feel of the rear suspension, and were left with a bike that felt unbalanced.
The Trek Slash was a popular bike when a climb was mentioned and had one of the best rear suspension actions in the group. However, despite its ‘rock and roll’ name it felt overwhelmed in the burliest terrain. The Giant Reign was the cheapest bike in our group test by a large margin, holding up well throughout testing. It’s a true monster of a bike when it comes to descending, but, unfortunately, proved a monster to pedal uphill too – but what a bargain!

The testers really liked the Rose Uncle Jimbo and all agreed it was a really fun bike. However, the shorter reach stopped us from fully exploiting the bike’s performance. That left four bikes, and the test team were divided. All four bikes were exceptional and more fun than an explosion in a fireworks factory, but each had very different personalities and very different prices.

When it came to outright performance, quality, and desirability the Yeti SB6c was the top dog. The Switch Infinity provided unrivalled traction and control through the rough sections, always remaining composed, agile, and fast through chatter. However, looking at the price tag, it was almost twice the price of some of the competition but was not twice the bike. The Santa Cruz Nomad proved equally explosive in the descents. Despite being the “cheaper carbon” C version, the Santa Cruz was highly desirable, impressing the testers in every way – but compared to others in the test should a brand name demand a € 3000 premium? Not for us!

Es kann nur einen Sieger geben – das Canyon Strive CF 9.0 Race gewinnt beide Preise!

So that left two bikes. The YT was a test team favourite, but despite being blisteringly fast downhill, it proved to be a little more lethargic uphill. At € 4399 it’s certainly a bargain, and if you are a rider who climbs hills simply to descend then the YT is incredible.
In the end, the amazing adaptability brought about by the Shape Shifter and the impressively balanced ride make the Canyon Strive CF 9.0 Race the Best in Test enduro bike. As an all round package, the Shape Shifter is a game changer and the technology won the prestigious Gold Award in the Design & Innovation Award 2015. With an impressive build kit and € 4299 price tag it also takes the Best Value award too: the winner takes it all! It smashed through the toughest downhill trails, and with a flick of a switch deftly climbed back to the top. If you are looking for an enduro bike that can do it all, the Canyon Strive reigns supreme.

All bikes in test: Cannondale Jekyll Carbon 1 | Canyon Strive CF 9.0 Race | Giant Reign 2 | Rose Uncle Jimbo 3 | Santa Cruz Nomad C X01 | Trek Slash 9 | Vitus Sommet VRX | Yeti SB6C X01 | YT Capra CF Pro Race.

Update August 2016: This group test is from 2015, don’t miss our 2016 Enduro Shootout!

Words & Photos: Trevor Worsey

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