Race Line – Everything on one line – The new ENDURO Issue #065 is here!

Inside or outside line? Safety or glory? Would you rather go full flow or take serious risks for maximum reward? In fractions of a second we make decisions, as the trail dissolves into a blur with rising speed. Time to hit rewind and play back our ride consciously, in slow motion.

In this issue, we look where the hundredths are hiding: in the setup, the mindset, the details – and sometimes in letting go. We tackle full-on bike-park sessions, endless tech talks, and the modern art of simultaneity in the search for the perfect line.

It’s not only on the trail or the race track that we measure and optimise – we ourselves are constantly under scrutiny. Our lives, our bodies, our minds are scheduled and optimised down to the last minute and cell. We read, listen, track, measure. Between biohacking and burnout, we try to be the best version of ourselves: balanced, healthy, successful. The art of it? To tolerate ambivalence, allow pauses, and understand the simultaneity of things not as stress but as freedom. Because everything is there. Nothing is missing.

Park laps on endless repeat, six very different bikes – from DH race rigs to burly e-bikes – and a test track that mercilessly exposes character. We explain what makes the perfect park bike, why setup beats spec, and how to find a bike that’s equally fun on flow lines, big jumps, and DH tracks.

Upside-down forks have long been a niche. Now FOX are bringing them onto the big stage with their new Podium. But what are the pros and cons, which problems are you bolting onto your bike, and what do industry experts say? We dug deep, explained the tech, and conducted countless interviews. Is FOX overturning convention – and will we soon see a new “right way up”?

Between track limits and the grandstand, coaches, marshals, media crews and officials are busy reading lines, ensuring safety, feeding the livestream – and deciding whether hundredths fall or fly. Our behind-the-scenes look at the World Cup in Les Gets shows why downhill has long been a team sport and why the B-zone is so crucial for a fast race line.

From the race track to the trail: Brembo bring racing DNA to MTB handlebars – together with the Specialized Gravity Team. The legendary brand still guards many secrets, but our exclusive visit to their Italian HQ offers fascinating insights, the challenges their engineers face, and explains why MTB brakes aren’t simply miniaturised motorcycle brakes.

Heavier means faster? In the World Cup, grams are deliberately moved deep into the bike – Orbea have even made it stock with the Rallon. Inertia calms lines and lowers the centre of gravity, but it also has its drawbacks. We explain the theory behind the trend and test on the trail whether – and how – these effects translate into practice.

You’ll also find exciting tests for your next bike trip, a weekend in the bike park, or as a guide for your next adventure in this issue. So the next time you’re blasting down the trail, remember that the fastest line isn’t always the most direct, that sometimes fewer thoughts are more, and that a spontaneous burst of courage can be exactly right. So take the line that moves you.

Enjoy the issue.

Cheers
Peter

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Words & Photos: Peter Walker