Editorial Issue #32 – Bring it on!

Waiting sucks! And it gets more annoying, the longer you wait. Be it the mailman, who’s never got the package you’ve been waiting for, or your buddy who arrives at the agreed meeting place an hour late, again. But there isn’t much that mountain bikers wait as impatiently for as the long-awaited spring!

Of course, there are a select few who are fortunate enough to live somewhere in the south and get to ride their bike wearing a t-shirt all year round. But for most of us in Europe, winter has us in a stranglehold: like a wrestler, he’s got us pinned beneath his armpit. But whining about it won’t help! There isn’t even a refresh button we can push, and no matter how many times you hit the F5 key on your keyboard, unfortunately, we can’t speed up the changing of the seasons.

So all we’re left with is making the most of it! For us riders, this means preparing ourselves for the 2018 season. In this issue, we’ll give you tips on how to get yourself and your bike in top shape – without any soul-destroying sessions on an indoor trainer.

And if once again you go shopping out of sheer frustration, be careful not to buy any unnecessary junk. For the past 6 years, the Design & Innovation Award has served as a seal of approval for the most innovative products of outstanding quality. They are the only awards based on real product reviews, holistic assessments and critically substantiated statements. In this issue, we take a look behind the scenes of the Design and Innovation Award 2018 and present to you the best bikes and parts of the upcoming season.

Here at ENDURO gave winter the cold shoulder for two weeks and travelled to the sun-drenched south of France to ride and rate the most exciting high-end enduro bikes of 2018. We not only explored the finest trails around Sospel and found out how ugly and overrated Monaco is, but also put nine brilliant enduro bikes through their paces.

It is now mid-February – if we’re lucky, the wait will soon come to an end. Until then, to help the time pass, reading this edition will hopefully ease your suffering. And last but not least, as my PE teachers used to tell us in school: “There is no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothing.” So get out there in the mud and make some unforgettable memories with your friends!

Have fun reading!

Cheers

Christoph

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