A bike can change your life – like a crazy music festival that makes you see the world differently! Immerse yourself with us in the wild, fun and often dirty world of ENDURO! With this guide, both beginners and experts will get the inside knowledge you need to find your groove. Let’s go!
It’s like arriving at a music festival: as soon as you’ve set up your tent, you encounter relaxed faces, discover funny peculiarities and meet unique types, with all those good vibes overlaid with good music. How have you made it so far without this feeling? At ENDURO, we experience riding the same way, all year round. Regardless of which music you like and whether you prefer sleeping in a tent or hotel room – in the end, on the bike and at the festival, we all seek the moments when we go out together, celebrate and have a brilliant time! If you’ve already got a bike, we invite you to join us with open arms. There is always something going on somewhere at this festival and we know exactly where!
Have you seen the video of the festival newbie who tries to wash his hands in the urinal until someone points out to him that he’s doing it wrong? You’ll find them at every festival, but you certainly don’t want to be that person, do you? We’ll help you avoid these kinds of mistakes. Our valuable mountain biking tips will show you the ins and outs of the tech and help you discover your personal preferences, getting to know some amazing people in the process! In other words, we’ll show you the way to the stage of your favourite band so that you don’t end up wearing an Oasis shirt in the Slayer mosh pit. And that’s worth a lot, believe us!
We wrote this guide to give the newbies among us some valuable tips as they get started on their mountain bike journey. The world of ENDURO is full of exciting people who look forward to meeting you! We want to make sure that you find your feet as quickly as possible, avoid unnecessary mistakes and have a good time from the get go.
This guide also aims to give the experienced riders among you some fresh food for thought i.e. those who have already collected a dozen festival wristbands. Among other things, we’ll take a look at your bike setup, your protective gear, the style of your outfit and, of course, trail etiquette. So, unbutton your shirts and put on some sunscreen, we’re headed to the bike festival!
You will find a link under each of the following sections. These will take you to our website, continuing the party and giving you detailed information on the respective topic.
Setup 101
Have you found the right bike? Yes? Excellent! That’s the bracelet on your wrist that will get you past the festival gates. You’re in! First of all, you have to find your way around and work out everything you can do here. When it comes to riding, this is synonymous with the basic setup of your bike. Don’t expect your bike to fit perfectly off the shop floor or out of the box! The dealer can’t do that for you. You can only dial in your setup by playing around with the tire pressure, handlebar height and suspension settings and trying it out for yourself! How do you get maximum grip? How do you have to set up your cockpit to master the descents with minimal arm pump? How many clicks of compression on the fork give you just the right amount of support? Don’t waste the performance of your high-quality components with the wrong setup! Even the best bike will ride like a sack of potatoes if you don’t take the time to dial it in. That’s like staying at the campsite because you don’t know where to go, in which case even the best festival won’t be any fun!
- How to find the right amount of sag on your suspension
- How to set up your cockpit to be pain free
- How to find the correct tire pressure
- How to increase grip and reduce punctures
Flats or clipless? The choice is yours
Literally, one of the first steps in mountain biking is finding the right pedals. And it’s one that has an enormous influence on the riding experience! You can choose between flat pedals or clipless pedals. Playfulness and easy exits or efficiency and full control? This question is about as fundamental as the decision between flip-flops and rubber boots at a festival. We’ve selected some of the best models from both worlds to make the decision a little easier. And hey, you could just ride both!
Safety and protectors
Have you dialled in your bike setup? Nice! Now you can really kick things off on your bike. At the festival, this gives you full access to all the places and corners that you find the most exciting. Now you can stroll around and try whatever you like! Note: be aware that half-empty beverage cans or inflated unicorns could blindside you at any time! And even if there was no malicious intent, it can still hurt. These are good reasons to consider a few important protective measures. We’ll tell you what protection you should wear on the bike and when, how to ride away from a crash with as few injuries as possible and the fundamentals you need to know to help someone else in an emergency.
- How to find the right safety gear
- How to crash and ride away from it with a grin
- What to do after a crash
Outfit and luggage
Do you see the guy prancing around with the obligatory inflatable doll, proudly holding it up and blocking the view of those behind? To be honest, there are some supposed must-haves that no one needs, at a festival and on the bike. You really don’t have to follow every trend or wear the same things that everyone else is wearing. That said, we would like to give you certain recommendations when it comes to both your clothes and luggage. A large mountaineering backpack – the annoying inflatable doll – isn’t the way to go! Hip bags offer considerable storage space and a lot more freedom of movement. Some tools can even be stowed on or in the bike instead of a backpack.
- Don’t call it a bum bag!
- 10 things you should take on every ride
- Stow tools in your bike instead of a backpack
Navigation
Is there a trail that you just have to ride while on vacation? Or do you want to show your friends your freshly groomed home trail so that they can enjoy it too? In that case, navigation apps like Komoot can be at least as valuable for you on the bike as a map of the festival.
Upgrades and tuning
The festival crew next door has an in-built rotisserie with an electric motor and integrated beverage cooler?! Oh man, you want that too! Component upgrades and tuning are the icing on the cake for mountain bikers. With retrofitted parts, meticulously researched conversions and a lot of love, you can give your bike a personal touch and improve its performance! Since we’re all different sizes, with different riding styles and personal preferences, it can often help to replace a component to improve the riding experience over the long term! If you suffer from arm pump on the descents despite fine-tuning the cockpit, perhaps you will find relief with a set of more powerful brakes that require less finger force. If the tires squirm through every corner, upgrade to a thicker casing! The possibilities are endless and you can almost never stop thinking of improvements. And yes, that is also a warning…
- How to choose the right profile, casing and compound
- How to take your suspension to the next level
- How to get more out of your RockShox fork
- How to find the perfect dropper post length
Boost your skills
It’s difficult to assess how you measure or improve your skills as a festival goer. It’s easier on the bike: once you’ve reached a certain level, new incentives and challenges push you to the next. You can also go to the bike park to become more familiar with jumps or you can tackle your first winter season in wet and slippery conditions. How about entering a race that you prepare for specifically? Every new challenge will increase your versatility, confidence and strength on the bike!
- What you learn in slick conditions, you can do even better in the dry
- Thrills, excitement and lessons
Running out of steam
Let’s face it, there are some games you can’t hope to win. Those totally chaotic people in animal onesies who jump around uncontrollably while dancing at a festival will most likely knock you over too, at some point. The counterpart to this on the bike is a flat tire. Even if you’ve already converted to tubeless, you will have to repair a punctured tire sooner or later. To keep your spirits up, we’ll provide you with specific instructions on what you need and how to get your tubeless tire reinflated and back on the trail as easily as possible.
Interacting with others – Good vibes only
We’ve talked a lot about inflatable unicorns, animal onesies and rotisseries. However, without a doubt, the most important thing at the bike festival is the countless fun and exciting encounters you’ll have with others! The mountain bike scene is full of crazy characters, new friends and incredible stories that you will retell a hundred times. The key to all of this is respect and tolerance. The things that ensure peaceful coexistence at festivals usually work just as well on your mountain bike! Respectfully share the trails with others, support beginners, lead by example and leave no trace, be it rubbish or skid marks from locking your rear wheels. Another valuable trail etiquette tip: no shortcuts! In contrast to most festivals, you can take your four-legged friends along to most mountain bike parties! For that to work, there are a few things to consider!
Workshop love – Care and service
Do you know those guys from the neighbouring tent who invite themselves over, party with you and then leave you to collect the empty bottles? Anyone who does this too often will quickly lose their good reputation! Those who like to save themselves the trouble of servicing their bike are just as annoying, calling on the help and patience of their buddies before every ride to adjust or lube something on their dirty bike to stop it from squeaking and creaking. A well-maintained bike rides better, longer and is simply more fun! There are a few simple tasks you should make a habit after every ride if you want to keep your mountain bike running smoothly. Doing so will make your life easier, reduce unnecessary wear and tear and avoid sarcastic comments from your buddies. Sure, not everyone has enough room for a separate workshop at home. However, a few of the right tools and a cardboard mat are all you need to perform the most essential servicing at home on a simple stand in a kitchen corner. By doing so, you can care for your bike regularly while also getting to know it better and getting a feeling for what changes to your bike make a difference on the trail.
- How to lube a bike chain correctly
- Maintenance that you can do at home
- Tools that make servicing fun
Conclusion
Mountain biking is fun! We’re glad you’ve joined the party! The best way to celebrate this festival is by getting to know your equipment, passing on your knowledge and passion and being open to meeting the interesting people around you. That allows everyone to have a good time at the party, today, tomorrow and hopefully, forever! Be aware of your responsibilities, rock the trails and have fun! We’re heading off to see the next band…
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Words: Moritz Geisreiter Photos: Valentin Rühl, Robin Schmitt, Jonas Müssig, Christoph Bayer, Finlay Anderson, Trevor Worsey
