Gravity Enduro

b_real

Thinking about the gravity enduro in Innerleithen in April this year. Would any of these bikes do the job: Norco Sight b3 (140mm fork, 67*, 650b wheels) or a Whyte T129S (120mm, 68*, 29" wheels)? Or a Transition Bandit 29 (120mm, 69*, 29 wheels).

Would not be entering competitively, just a one-off for the banter. But wouldn't want to turn up to a gun fight with a knife.

supersonic

They'd all do the job. But how hard is the course, and would a slacker, more 'gravity' oriented bike be better for you? What is your budget? I wouldn't limit just to big wheelers either.

b_real

Trying to keep it around 2k. I know that slacker gravity oriented bikes would be better but this wouldn't be my main use for the bike. Would use it more for trails / xc but I like entering the odd event here & there, of varying type... so hence I'm after a bit of a do-it-all bike.

Not keen on going back to a 26er, mainly cos I wanna try something new & different for a while (to me).

Really just wondering if I'd be totally out of depth on a gravity enduro using one of my shortlisted bikes. Not been to Inners before but from what I hear & see on the internet it looks fairly technical. Actually the Norco Range is all of a sudden coming back into contention with the gravity stuff...hmmm...

rockmonkeysc

You don't need any more than a trail bike for "Gravduro" racing. I did one at Afan on my On-One hardtail and it was more than enough. There are a large number of technically crap riders at these races so it's more about you than the bike. Just buy a bike to suit your normal riding.

mickus

RockmonkeySC wrote:

You don't need any more than a trail bike for "Gravduro" racing. I did one at Afan on my On-One hardtail and it was more than enough. There are a large number of technically crap riders at these races so it's more about you than the bike. Just buy a bike to suit your normal riding.

I rode the Enduro1 series last year on my rockhopper - never came anywhere near last. I'd go with Rockmonkey's advice ^^

EH_Rob

Innerleithen is steep, tight, rooty and rough. In my view a 29er probably wouldn't excel there. A 650b might be alright, but 26ers are the best tool for that particular job. You're not racing as you've said, you're riding for fun, so a 26er might be the best shout for that too (again, just my opinion).

As you've ruled out a 26er I'd probably go 650b, but you'll end up paying through the nose for a standard that on the face of it appears to offer very little difference.

As others have said, you won't finish last unless you're terrible, whatever bike you're on. Where else do you plan to ride the bike?

You'd be surprised at the ability of some trail bikes, and even AM bikes have when it comes to climbing.

peter413

The Gravity Enduro's vary so much it can be hard to tell what you're going to get. I was talking to my LBS owner recently and he was saying how he had been doing quite well on his Element at most of the rounds then took his new Slayer to Afan and did really badly since it was mostly just trail centre stuff with just one technical/natural trail.

You definitely never know what you're going to get at Innerleithen unless you know what the course is, there's just such a huge variety of tracks. There's obviously your typical trail centre trails with nothing too bad on them, some trail centre rock features but it never really gets steep. Then you have the natural tracks which vary wildly from track to track. Some are fairly flat with just mud and some ruts to contend with, others are still fairly flat but with long sections of rocks and roots as well as the mud and ruts, then you get the slightly steeper ones with lots of roots and rocks and then you get the really steep ones that once you start going down, you're going to get to the bottom wether you like it or not. And that can be said of just 3 different trails that start right next to each other, there's far far more on the hill that challenge even the most technically able riders. Plus the ground varies a lot as well, sometimes it's nice and grippy mud, other times nothing will grip and you're just hoping for the best, and that's in the same weather, it's obviously different in the dry but the trails just about never dry up.

So basically, I would say ride whatever you're comfortable and confident on.

b_real

Thanks for the excellent advice chaps. By the sounds of it I'll be alright on any of my shortlisted bikes, 650b better for Inners than 29er but yeah fully aware of the premium paid on these bikes. I would largely be riding it around Glentress or the Pentlands, and I'm also hoping to do the West Highland Way at some point on it, another reason to go for the larger wheel sizes. Possibly take it to Europe too for some XC / trail action.

The Whyte T129s has a super short chainstay, 43.something cm.. I took one out for a quick spin yesterday and it was very nimble indeed and it went uphill very well. It's certainly best bang for buck specwise. But the Norco really gets my dingleberries jumping for some reason.

agg25

I don't think any bike will help you as the inners round has sold out!

b_real

Ah piss. I'll spend this year training for next year then!