Gravity enduro on a HT

casion3

How's it going. Thinking of doing a round later in the year, prob ballyhoura. Many do them on a hard tail or will I be completely blown out of it.

Not really up for upgrading to a full sus.

Tenzor07

Cotic Soul or BFe are great hardtails for trail/enduro riding...

rizzodun

I think you'd probably be better off with a full suss, enduro bikes are usually 140mm travel, you haven't mentioned the fork travel on the hardtail but I'm gonna guess it's not that much, saying that, I read somewhere that all the jumps are usually rollable, or have a way around them, which will help.

Maybe the best option would be to hop down to Ballyhoura and try out the trails they use in advance, see how you fare. I suppose in terms of the gravity enduro it's a race, so if you want to actually compete you'll be tackling the trails harder and faster than you would normally, by that I mean you could probably use a hardtail on the course, trying to set a decent time would be a lot harder.

Never seen a round though so there very will may be guys tearing it up on hardtails, but like you I'd love to try a round, I have a hardtail myself, but I think I'll upgrade before considering it, for now there's a couple of xc events and sportives coming up I might use to scratch my itch.


Not sure where you're based and very short notice but the last round of the biking blitz is in Wicklow tomorrow, you can sign up on the day, it's more of an xc race well suited to beginners.

http://www.bikingblitz.ie/index.php/events/wicklow-blitz

Also, outsider did an article on the gravity enduro, dug it up here

http://www.outsider.ie/Features/May/The-ups-and-downs-of-Gravity-Enduro

JBokeh

You could definitely do it on a hard tail,but I wouldn't recommend it on your average hard tail with 100mm forks and entry level brakes.

Have a look at these things
http://www.adverts.ie/mountain-bikes/kona-cowan-hardtail-enduro-mtb-500euro/7586529

http://www.adverts.ie/mountain-bikes/new-ns-bikes-eccentric-cromo-2015/7606418

They've slacker head angles, bigger travel,they're stronger. If you simply put bigger forks on a normal hard tail,you'll put unreal strain on the head tube. You'll feel like you've been beaten up after doing a few downhills on a hard tail,but I find it really good fun,it feels way faster than on a full susser

GTDolanator

Of course you can,at the end of the day its rider skillz that count having a fancy full suss just makes it more comfortable!

Very few times ive actually come down a track and said hmmm i need a bigger bike!and i ride a hardtail on one with a 120mm fork

Yanu

Have a 650b hard tail with 100mm forks and never had any problems in Ballyhoura. No need of full suspension, you'll actually be better off on the uphill sections.
Do it and enjoy it!!

easygoing39

@ Yanu,there are no uphill sections in an Enduro event. Also the Enduro event in Ballyhoura will use bits of the official trails,but a lot of it isn't run on them.So to do well a full sus bike is needed.If you just want to ride the event,then a hardtail will do,but you wont be competitive.

gnarbarian

easygoing39 wrote: »

@ Yanu,there are no uphill sections in an Enduro event.

Enduro is a form of Mountain bike racing in which there is a greater proportion of downhill sections, which are timed, to uphill and cross country sections. This aims to test rider’s technical bike handling skills as well as providing endurance and climbing.
Enduro events usually have Untimed uphill and timed downhill sections.
I have seen many guys and gals using hardtails at enduro events, they never did as well as the guys on the full sussers but at the end of the day its all about getting out there and giving it your best within your own and your bikes limits,
get out there and just have fun! B-)

Yanu

Didn't know all the particulars of an endure race, thanks for clarifications. So Casion3, you might need to upgrade after all if you want to win….

casion3

Yanu wrote: »

Didn't know all the particulars of an endure race, thanks for clarifications. So Casion3, you might need to upgrade after all if you want to win….

I just wanna a do a few and finish last. I think if I had the best bike I'm not gonna have the skills to win

rizzodun

casion3 wrote: »

I just wanna a do a few and finish last. I think if I had the best bike I'm not gonna have the skills to win

In that case enter into an event to try it. Knock yourself out! Er.... Not literally of course..

I use my hardtail on local trails here, some which would be suited to a longer travel bike, nowhere near as fast as some of the other club members but still enjoy tearing it up.

C3PO

A 100mm travel hardtail would really not be suitable for an Enduro! It would be like doing a road race on a Hybrid!

rizzodun

C3PO wrote: »

A 100mm travel hardtail would really not be suitable for an Enduro! It would be like doing a road race on a Hybrid!

True, but op has already said he just wants to enter a round, not really compete, so while it wouldn't be any way quick, you could still do the course.

easygoing39

gnarbarian wrote: »

Enduro is a form of Mountain bike racing in which there is a greater proportion of downhill sections, which are timed, to uphill and cross country sections. This aims to test rider’s technical bike handling skills as well as providing endurance and climbing.
Enduro events usually have Untimed uphill and timed downhill sections.

Enduro doesn't test or provide any rider endurance or climbing strength due to the very long time provided for a rider to complete the course.You could nearly walk between each section,go as fast as you can on the timed downhill sections an still win your class.The Gravity Enduro events here are mostly ridden by unfit riders who just love the buzz of the downhill,ask them to ride uphill at a decent pace and they'd die a 1000 deaths.

Tenzor07

easygoing39 wrote: »

Enduro doesn't test or provide any rider endurance or climbing strength due to the very long time provided for a rider to complete the course.You could nearly walk between each section,go as fast as you can on the timed downhill sections an still win your class.The Gravity Enduro events here are mostly ridden by unfit riders who just love the buzz of the downhill,ask them to ride uphill at a decent pace and they'd die a 1000 deaths.

I heard that for the EWS in Carrick there will be limited time to get to each of the stages, and the whole day will be long, 45km total distance and 1700mtrs of climbing so a lot of people will struggle

A nice light carbon Enduro bike would definitely be a big help! Canyon

rab!dmonkey

It's not out of the question to do an enduro on a hardtail. If you ride regularly with people who compete and you're on a par with them, go for it. If you think you're hot shizzle because you can get around the Coillte trails without putting a foot down, you'd be best advised to widen your horizons a bit first. Take a look at some of the Gravity Enduro stages on Youtube and see what you think.

Our national series is something of an outlier in its lax attitude to transition times. Many other series require competitors to start each stage according to a schedule. Tighter schedules put more emphasis on all-day fitness. Even so, it's not true to say that climbing skills are worthless within the special stages. An (good) enduro will never reward you for being the fastest from the bottom of the valley to the peak, but there are definitely a few seconds on offer for those who can sprint up brief rises or keep their momentum up short, steep, technical climbs.

benneca1

Ive been mountain biking for years seen all the fads come and go. IMHO the bike is about 10% of the equation marketing guys want us to think it is 90% but it is not. If you put the good guys on my granddaughters barbie bike they'd still win. My advice is buy the best bike you can afford - it won't make you any better but you'll be happy until you have enough money for a new bike with more shiny bits. To justify the spend you will convince yourself that you are going faster. One thing is true though if you race enduro on a hard tail you will get better as you will have no choice but to read the terrain and pick your lines. On a full suss you get a bit lazy and clatter through everything.