How to choose an enduro MTB: Buying guide

Enduro is the most popular form of mountain bike racing to take part in. While the high-octane thrills of World Cup downhill and cross-country are great to watch, for many riders the demands of these disciplines are just too high. With a focus on steady climbing at a sociable pace, or maybe even using chairlifts to get to the top, and railing the descents against the clock, enduro is simply more fun for more people.

This focus on solid climbing performance and descent-shredding fun also make enduro mountain bikes great everyday bikes for many people. If you are not sure whether an enduro bike might be right for you, then this short guide will talk you through where they come from, what makes them so special and whether one could be your perfect mountain bike.

Because the timed stages are mostly downhill, and the climbing is done at your own pace, dedicated enduro MTBs reflect this. The main focus is on having a bike that can help win time on the most challenging descents on the mountain, but can be comfortably pedalled back up again. To do this, the enduro mountain bikes have aggressive geometry, suspension focused on speed rather than comfort or fun, and they are built with burly components to resist big impacts. The trade-off compared to a trail mountain bike is that the climbing performance is aimed at long, steady climbs. This reflects the sort of climbs you find in most enduro races, and the bikes will tend to feel heavy and unresponsive on tight, technical ascents. 

Since the sport of mountain biking was born in California in the late 1970s, racing was split in two. There was cross-country, where you pedal as hard as you can up the hills, and downhill where you race from the top to the bottom as fast as you can. A generation of finely-tuned racers grew out of this and manufacturers developed bikes to suit these extremes. A cross country bike might have been light and efficient, but they were not much fun on the descents, and trying to pedal a specialist downhill bike up a mountain was a thankless task.

Many riders felt that something was missing with this. At home, what most people do is something in between - riding up and bombing back down again to put a grin on their face. In the early 2000s, enduro began to emerge in France, and then Italy, to fill this gap. This new discipline mixed untimed climbing and chairlift rides to the top, with timed racing back down to the bottom. It connected with riders in a way that neither cross country or downhill could and globally it is now the most popular discipline for people to try mountain bike racing.

Because Canyon believed so strongly in enduro racing, we were one of the first major brands to make significant investment in the discipline. In 2012, one year before there was an international series, we already had a factory team with a professional structure. At this time, there were many different races around Europe and the team travelled across the continent to race and connect with fans.

The Enduro World Series marked the start of the modern era of global enduro racing with its launch in 2013. At the first ever race in Punta Ala, Italy, Fabien Barel won aboard his prototype Strive. This was a famous victory in the history of enduro racing and a huge debut for the Strive platform. What many people do not know is that Joe Barnes and Ines Thoma also raced to top ten finishes with their Spectral trail bikes in that race. Today, Jesse Melamed flies the flag for Canyon at the elite level. The 2022 Enduro World Series champion has netted multiple race wins at Enduro World cups aboard his Strive.

We think there are a few key ingredients to a good enduro bike:

Most enduro race bikes will have between 150mm and 170mm travel on the front and rear. This is seen as the sweet spot between outright downhill performance and all-round ability. Dedicated race bikes will usually feature highly adjustable suspension to allow advanced riders to set them up for their preferences, and even the race course ahead of them.

Enduro bike geometry will tend be slacker and more aggressive than a trail bike for maximum confidence in the descents. This means that on the climbing sections they tend to be more sluggish and hard to handle. For demanding riders, dedicated enduro frames will tend to feature geometry adjustment, like the reach adjust headset featured on the Strive, to allow advanced riders to fine-tune their riding position.

For high-speed descending, powerful four-piston brakes and large discs are an absolute essential for an enduro bike.

To avoid punctures and damage, wheels and tyres are usually heavier on an enduro bike. The rim will have extra reinforcement to resist damage, which makes them a little heavier. Tyres will have both stronger sidewalls to reduce punctures, bigger tread for more grip and stickier, slower rolling compounds for maximum traction in all conditions.

For our no-compromise race mountain bike, the Strive, we decided that carbon was the only way to go. It allowed us to create the complex shapes needed to include the Shapeshifter technology with the strength to take big hits, all at a competitive weight. For a more affordable bike that is up to enduro racing, you could try either the Spectral AL or the Torque AL with their burly aluminium frames. 

For the Strive we opted for a full 29-inch setup. While the logic goes that a mullet setup is the preferred setup for out and out bike handling these days, you need to remember that an enduro is about a long day out on the bike. In testing our team riders found that the full-29 setup saved a noticeable amount of energy over that kind of length ride. If you would prefer a mixed wheel setup, then we would recommend looking at either a Spectral or a Torque.

No. As Joe and Ines proved in Punta Ala, you can do well at an enduro race on a trail bike. There are two big questions to ask yourself. Firstly, what kind of terrain are you considering racing on? If you live in the high alps, a dedicated platform like the Strive might be a more suitable option for long, challenging trails. If you live somewhere less mountainous and the trails you are likely to be racing on are less demanding, a full-blown enduro bike might be more than you need.

The second question is one of budget. How certain are you that enduro is the thing you really want to do? If you are just starting out, we would always recommend trying a local race on the bike you already have. You might want to make some modifications to do this. First and foremost would be heavy, durable tyres to resist punctures during the race stages. If it goes well, you might want to consider a longer travel fork to give you more confidence on the descents. We believe it is always best to give it a go with the bike you have before diving in head-first.

While there is nothing stopping you trying a local enduro race on your Grand Canyon hardtail or Neuron trail bike, we think these three models would be best suited to trying an enduro race:

Our dedicated enduro racing platform. Designed for the most challenging courses, the Strive and it’s e-equivalent, the Strive:ON, are proven time and again at the highest levels of competition. Developed with feedback from elite athletes, they are no-compromise machines that will withstand big hits, charge down the fall line and the head back up to do it all over again. Sharing the same ASTM 5 classification as our Sender downhill bikes, you can be confident it will go the distance.  

Using our unique Shapeshifter technology, it takes much of the compromise out of an enduro bike. With a flick of the switch you can go from an all-out descender to an efficient climber. That said, with burly suspension, strong wheels and tough, sticky tyres for competition, it will always be a lot of bike to pedal back up the mountain.  

For many people our aggressive trail bikes, the Spectral and it’s e-MTB sister, the Spectral:ON, might be ideal enduro bikes. With geometry that is focused more on the descents than the climbs, robust components and poppy suspension, it is more than enough bike for most local enduro races. Built to the ASTM 4 standard, it won’t take the same kind of long-term abuse as the Strive, but for an occasional race it is more than up to the task.

If you are aiming for a podium, then you will likely want to throw on a stronger set of tyres. The suspension is also designed for fun rather than all-out speed, so the most selective of racers might find it holds them back a little. For most people, it is all the bike they need for enduro and they will likely find it more fun more of the time than a full-blown race bike.

With long travel and sturdy components, the Torque may look like an ideal enduro bike on paper, but it is designed as a freeride bike first and foremost. Sharing the same ASTM 5 rating as the Strive, you can be certain it will have your back on the gnarliest of trails. Where it differs from an enduro bike is in the suspension design. Having a kinematic that is designed for stability paired with longer travel means it is a perfect companion for the most extreme trail situations, however stability and speed are very different things. If you are aiming for the podium then advanced riders will likely find themselves wishing for a bike with more urgency to it, both up and down the hill. The Torque:ON e-MTB is an even bigger, more extreme bike and we suspect that for many people it would be overkill at an enduro race.

Designed as a race bike, the Strive is only offered in two levels: Underdog and CFR. These are both no compromise race bikes featuring carbon frames, strong alloy wheels and high-end suspension. The Underdog is designed to be everything you need to race a full season of enduro at an attainable price, while the CFR version is more or less the same bike you will see on the World Cup circuit, week-in, week-out.  

If your idea of fun is ripping down the mountain, then pedalling back up for another lap, then an enduro bike could be perfect for you. It is all about balance - how important is the descent compared to the climb for you? If you are thinking about throwing some bikepark in the mix, then maybe the extra strength of an enduro bike might be the clincher for you.  

Still not sure that enduro bike is right for you? We have produced a series of buyers’ guides to help you find your perfect partner. The Bike Finder tool can help you work out what sort of mountain bike is right for you. If you think you have found the right bike, but are not sure which model to go for the Bike Comparison tool, can compare different levels for our mountain bike range.  

And that’s a wrap. Choose your Enduro mountain bike - and join us out on the trails.