Almost 10 years have gone by since the birth of the ENDURO magazine. Needless to say, we’re looking forward to celebrating the 50th issue together with you – our readers!
It’s been 10 mind-boggling trips around the sun with countless sleepless nights, heated discussions and plenty of struggles. The work wasn’t always easy, but it sure was exciting, fun and incredibly satisfying. If you want to experience the world in all its diversity and take advantage of its countless possibilities to make your dream come true, you have to step out of your comfort zone and, well, just do things! However, without our loyal and new readers, we wouldn’t be where we are today and for that we are incredibly grateful.
We also want to thank more than 20,000 readers who took part in our huge reader survey. By participating you’re not just influencing the work and editorial direction at ENDURO, but actively helping shape the future of the entire mountain biking industry. Among other things, you told us that enduro bikes are still your number 1 trail companion, which was reason enough for us to search for the best enduro bike of 2022. With 11 of the hottest bikes of the year in the back of our van, we headed to the Basque Country and put the bikes through the wringer while enjoying the fresh ocean breeze and warm sunshine of the Spanish Indian Summer. While we were at it, we took a hard look at the latest and hottest tech trends of the season, from high pivot suspension systems to mullet wheel setups and RockShox’s electronic Flight Attendant suspension. Of course, we crowned a test winner and Best Buy tip, but also found other exciting alternatives for you – and we also picked a massive lemon!
Unfortunately, many things also happened last year that shouldn’t have happened, both on the trail and in our ENDURO editorial team. During our tests, perfectly functioning bikes and components left us with plenty of impressions, but also a heap of non-recyclable waste in our backyard. So it was time for us to take a critical look at the bike industry and ask ourselves whether it’s really worth (and sustainable) to sacrifice the durability of products and materials for ultimate performance, which, at the end of the day, only really makes a difference when you’re battling it out between the tapes. We also took the opportunity to ask you how you perceive the evolution of the bike world and what the problems you have with it are. Let’s take a look at the past together and learn the lessons that will help us shape a better future.
Speaking of which, in our groundbreaking “A little history of enduro sport” article you’ll find out how the enduro sport will evolve, what the future has in store for the bike industry and which megatrends you’ll be hearing about over the next 10 years. The future is our business, so let’s make the best of it together!
Cheers to another successful and fun year on the bike!
The highlights of this issue
- The best enduro bike of 2022 – 11 of the most exciting bikes of the year in our big group test
- A brief history of enduro mountain biking – Our roots. Our future. Our legacy. Our history.
- The 2021 ENDURO reader survey – Over 21,000 readers from around the world answered our questions
- Innovation sucks – A plea for a new approach to bike development and long-lasting trail fun
- The Lab – We pronounce our verdict about 4 products after months of strenuous deployment
- Which wheel size is best? – 27.5″ vs mullet vs 29″
The latest issue is available now in our free magazine app. If you haven’t installed our app yet, now’s your chance to download it for free in the App Store (iPhone/iPad) or in the Play Store (Android smartphones & tablets).
All the bikes in this issue
Cannondale Jekyll 1 2022 | Canyon Spectral 27.5 CF 8 2022 | Canyon Spectral Mullet CF 8 CLLCTV 2022 | Canyon Spectral 29 CFR 2022 | Canyon Torque CF 8 2022 | GT Force Carbon PRO LE 2022 | Nukeproof Giga 290 Carbon Factory 2021 | Orbea Rallon M-Team 2022 | Pivot Firebird Pro XT/XTR – Air 2022 | Rocky Mountain Altitude C90 Rally Edition 2021 | Santa Cruz Bronson CC X01 AXS 2022 | SIMPLON Rapcon 170/165 2022 | Specialized S-Works Turbo Kenevo SL 2022 | YT CAPRA UNCAGED 6 2022
Below, we’ve put together a small selection of articles that you will find in the current issue.
Several new enduro bikes have been introduced over the past year. Needless to say, we didn’t hold back and tested 11 of the most exciting models for you. Whether it’s high pivot suspension designs, mixed wheel sizes or RockShox’s electronic Flight Attendant suspension system, our big group test features all the latest and hottest tech trends. We’ll tell you which ones are here to stay and which ones you should steer clear of!
9 years and 50 issues of ENDURO magazine – the perfect occasion for us to take a look back at the big trends, flops and milestones that have shaped the last decade and to see what the near future holds for us bikers! We’ll tell you what you can expect to happen in the bike world over the next 10 years and what will probably never change. Curtain up for the most exciting (tech)trends and future visions!
The bike industry is experiencing turbulent times, that’s for sure. But what about you guys? What does the typical ENDURO reader look like in 2021 and will we all soon be riding mullet bikes? Over 21,000 readers from around the world answered our questions. Below you’ll find our summary of the most important developments in the mountain bike world.
Innovation sucks! Whether mountain bikes, eMTBs or road bikes, the guys and girls from marketing and development still try to trump each other with superlatives. It’s all about marginal improvements and seemingly never-ending performance gains. But do we actually need that? What is it that makes riders happy and leads to long-lasting trail fun?
Small, big or both? When asked about the right wheel size, you must choose between 27.5″ and 29″ wheels or a mullet setup featuring both. But what exactly is a mullet setup and which is the best wheel size? We found out for you with three brand new 2022 Canyon Spectrals.
Excited? These (and many more) stories are just a few clicks away. If you’ve already installed our free app, simply open it and download the latest issue right now. If not, first download the free app from the App Store (iPhone / iPad) or the Play Store (Android smartphones & tablets) and then download the latest issue in the app. All you’ve got to do then is sit back and enjoy (ideally with a cold beer or a delicious cup of coffee)! #qualitytime
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Words & Photos: Peter Walker
