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EDITORIAL

You dont actually have to be a fortunete

predict the future. Instead, you need to mcurrent trends and developments. Or simply your own bedroom to determine that you cannwith-out a smartphone, iPad, or Facebook. Digis on the increase even here. So be preLets just mention this in advance: IT comessooner than you might expect.

Nevertheless, in order to get your desires totrue, you should not only consider them thorobut also act eventually. And thats what wVoil. Mag41 becomes Enduro, representingression, solidarity, and uture. In the end, nodiscipline is growing as rapidly, is more sociaable to embody the initial idea o a mountain biknicely than enduro does. However, the topics wbe limited to categories like all-mountain, endreeride. Thats because we consider un andtion more important than being able to cateit and thats what its all about, right!? N

racing, o course! So be inspired by the variding enduro and by this new magazine.

Enjoy the reading, learning, and discovering!

Robin SchmittDIRECTOR ENDURO MOUNTAINBIKE MAGAZINE

THE FUTURE ISCLOSER THAN YOU

MIGHT THINK.

The besT parT is The downhill.and The way There, Too.pure enduro Canyon sTrive.

C cc mfct f ct ffg xct f m. C t mt mt k t Gm-kg ccg t f Tour, biKe, roadbiKe, MounTainbiKe mgz.C bcc Gmh | f@c.cm | scct +49 (0) 261 40 4000 | .c.cm

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CONTENT

05 EditorialOur aim: to make you go out riding

08 La Dolce VitaItalian team Lifecycle

18 BiketestRocky Mountain Altitude 650B

24 Evolution? Revolution?SRAM XX1

26 RacingSuperEnduro Sauze d'Oulx

38 EssayEight comments on enduro44 Company portrait

The fusion of UMF & Merida52 Interview

with Canyon's chief developer Lutz Scheffer58 Biketest

Canyon Strive ESX 9.0 LTD64 "More than enduro"

Cube Action Team70 Heroes o work

We are ENDURO72 Cooperation partners

Viva ENDURO!76 Masthead & preview

ISSUE 01

26

32

58

44

08

64

18

06

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LADOL

CEVITAItalian enduro riders knowhow to live lie.TextDaniel Hberle Photo Matteo Ganora

Translation Michaela Jammers

08

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DOLCEAQUA

ENDUROGONEASTRAY?

ManuelDucciLeader Life Cycle

Over the years, the Ligurian coast has blos-

somed into one of the most famous moun-

tain bike spots in Italy and has been much

talked about world-wide. Some even call

it European California. The ideal and con-

stant conditions found there throughout

the year can hardly be found anywhere

else. With the Mediterranean Sea always

in the background, the nearby mountains

offer an enormous variety of trails. Unsur-

prisingly, it is the hatchery of Italian topracers.

Manuel Ducci is one o these top racers hat-ched on the Ligurian coast. He lives in SanRemo, close to the historic race track o SanRomolo. San Romolo is a village lled withhistory where racers rom all over the world

travel to in order to train and ridetrails embellish the sight o the Mgnone. On the one side is hectic uwhile on the other is the abled Iciability and the contrasting solitucountryside. Trails en masse: tightwide-open, curvy, rocky, jumpy like there is nothing they cant wonder that Manuel ound enduhis master discipline some time

him, enduro mountain biking is thperection. Extremely t and possmassive skillset, Ducci is pressinMojo HD, seemingly without any sort, over the sandy trails spiked wAlways on the roll, with a massivedust trailing his rear wheel. >>

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CITY LIFE ANDIDYLLIC COUNTRSIDE, THAT IS

ENDURO!

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DOESENDUROALWAYS

HAVE TO BE

ON TRAILSAND IN THEFOREST?

Semi-slick tire and 160-mm disc at the rearwheel? Absolutely Manuels gusto. SignoreDucci has wanted to make the philosophyo enduro and its liestyle more accessibleto the public or a long time now. Foundinghis own team was merely a conclusion

which oers him the perect opportunity tounite the adrenaline o racing with the unand joy o riding. His team, including JamesMcKnight, Simone Lanteri, Alessandro Sad-daiu, Ducci himsel, and girlriend ValentinaMacheda, is competing in the majority ocurrent international races. Every single

rider is a potential winner. With thproessionalism, everyone is openhelpul, and oers riders that arroad with their own material, thenity to ride under the Lie CyclesMercenary Army? Not even close. Mo

Cycles is a group that represents thhighly-developed sport o enduro sion and wants to increase the pubo awareness in Italy. Preserving lois as important as helping to orgSuperEnduro race in San Remo.together is as un as the racing itse

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Dolce Vita good ood, red wine, and onescorresponding happiness are all necessary!Ater all, Liguria oers great cuisine.A trip to Dolceaqua is just right or a littlerelaxation. Close to the French border, thesmall town oers variety and trails o a spe-cial kind. Beyond the culinary highlights andsociability, there is the perect Italian fair

that seems to be omnipresent here.Narrow alleys between the urban canyonsare the perect playgrounds. Ducci and histeam dont hesitate or a second and acceptthe challenge. The tires bite into the pave-ment; steps replace elds o stone and areused or jumps under the skeptical looks

o the locals. The ull-ace helmets almostseem alien-like in between the peaceul ur-ban scenery. But why?Does enduro always need to be on trails andin the orest? Is enduro rowned upon in ci-ty-lie, or simply unamiliar? And is enduroover with as soon as you take your helmeto? No, not at all.

The day in Dolceaqua is mainly meant orrelaxation and un. For that god help me there is no measurement. This is exactlywhat enduro is all about! I you are there,you should seize the opportunity to drink aew glasses o the abulous wine they oer.So long! Alla salute!

HELMET OFF.ENDUROOVER?NO ENDURO IS A

LIFESTYLE.

ONE. AND O

SRAM XX1 was built with a dedicated

1X drivetrain philosophymaking it simpler,

lighter and more durable than any other.No matter where you ride, no matter what

youre up against: SRAM XX1.

UNSTOPPABLE

JRME CLEMENTZWINNER OF MOUNTAIN OF HELL ON XX1

Distribution in the UK:

Fisher Outdoor Leisure LTD, www.fisheroutdoor.co.uk

SRAM.COM/XX1

S

RAML

LC

2012

PHOTO:SVENM

ARTIN

016

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The gossip usually begins when some

thing new is released on the market.

This occurred with 24wheeled bikesand is occurring again now: the current

subjects o discussion are 26, 27.5, or

29. Which one is the best to go with?

Most bike magazines try to empirically

prove or disprove the truth with the help

o pseudoanalyses and laboratory tests.

However, they sometimes ail to see the

essential point: there is no absolute

truth. Each system has its benefts

and drawbacks. Its not the size o the

wheels thats important, but rather theirunctionality.

FIRSTRIDE

ROCKYMOUNTAINALTITUDE

TextRobin Schmitt Photo Dennis StratmannTranslation Lisa Gretemeier

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End o discussion! Right? At the bike presentation in a small village in Austria, wewere able to give the aluminum version othe Altitude 750 a rst try.Apart rom stateotheart technology

such as a 142 mm rear throughaxle,internally routed cables (including theStealth solution or Rock Shox Reverb),ISCG05 mount, and seat clamp protection, the Ride9System at the orwardshock mount seems to be its highlight.

Nine dierent settings via a duarrangement allow riders to admetry and suspension spring cthe 150 mm o travel accordingown riding style and weight. This

ul adjustment you would usualonce during basic setup, becausbe too elaborate to change on Unortunately, there is no mark nation on the rame.Uphill, the steep seat angle is ev

HANDLEBAR,725 mm OK or mtrail riders, but we want more: 750would do!

TELESCOPIC SEATPOST,this ceninnovation, but we are missing out Why?

RIDE-9-SYSTEM,nine dierent geand chassis settings or adjusting style and weight. Make use o it!

DRIVE TRAIN, 2x without chain guOK or trail riders not or us thouWed rather have a bashguard or gcome stock.

150 MM5 MODELS

WWW.BIKES.COM650B WHEELSIZE

Thats why we dont raise the question

o whether the Rocky Mountains 650B

wheels ride well, but rather whether

the (entire) bike excels on the terrain or

which it is designed.

Thus we have a subjective bike test,exclusively concentrating on the unctions without ocusing on single parametersor geometry data without context. Whatreally counts is the bike. Not the size othe wheel as part o an overall concept!

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Allrounder: Fabian Schthrough any kind o terra

new Altitude eve

We ound ourselves positioned quite closeto the ront, oering an ecient pedalingposition while climbing. At the same time,this position brings more pressure to thehandlebar, which eectively prevents theront wheel rom liting on steep climbs.The grip thanks to the sizeable contactpatch o the tires is great even on gravel or loose suraces. Having reached the

top, we prepared or the downhill.

The centered position above the bikeprovides condence rom the beginning.Despite the 650B wheels, you eel insidethe bike. Thanks to very short chain stays(428 mm), the Rocky seems pretty agileand is easy to get onto its back wheel. Itis also easy to turn and handle in curves there are denitely some less agile 26bikes out there. Another advantage is thegreat rolling on squareedged terrain.

The rear suspension eels very rm at thebeginning o the travel and there is onlyminimal bobbing while pedaling. The midstroke, on the other hand, is pretty plush,providing some good bump absorption.The only drawback is the resulting undened compression eeling you sometimes

get the mushy sensation o havtire. On the other hand, we lovegressive endstroke.We missed having a heightaseatpost (which is standard on tmodels) and a chain guide (whicadded easily).

Bottom line: All in all, Rocky m

to design the new Altitude a

convincing trail bike clearing

doubts about 650B. H owever, yo

be prepared to customize it de

on your purposes.

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EVOLUTION? REVOLUTION? THE NEW SRAM XX1.

In Italy, we met Blackbox rider Jerome

Clementz. We didnt hesitate to swing

ourselves onto his XX1 racing bike for

a short test ride.

Until now, 1x10 was due to its sim-

plicity our rst choice or racing.However, not only was the gearing too

limited on steep downhills, but chain

line issues and the increased riction

due to the chain guide were also pro-

blematic. In theory, the XX1 drivetrain

remedies the mentioned problems.

With the gradation o the 10-42t wide

range cassette, as well as light and

exchangeable chain rings (28t-38t) in the

ront, there is sucient transmission

range available or a broad range ouse. The chainring provides a precise

tooth prole with alternating widths o

the teeth which are perectly adapted

to the chains inner and outer links

to allow precise guidance. This brings

along a great advantage: thanks to the

chain management with special X-Sync

chain rings, a chain guide is needless

or most situations.

As a matter o act, Jeromes racing

bike is not equipped with a chain guide

and it works just ne. No bouncingand (almost) no rattling: the chain only

hits the chainstays every now and then

when set to the smallest cog, a result

o the chain length. The shiting occurs

precisely and ast. It remains question-

able how the perormance drops when

a cog is bent or other smaller damages

occur, because an 11x gradation de-

nitely needs more precision than a 9x

rear derailleur. Overall, we are euphoric

ater having had our rst rides and areeagerly waiting or some extensive tests

on regular production XX1. The only

potential drawback or many prospec-

tive buyers might be the price o the

drivetrain: 1,299 Euro

www.sram.com

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026

SUPERENDURO

Riding.

Racing.Relaxing.

We are riding towards Sauze dOulx, a place we only

know from hearsay, with excitement. Our expecta-

tions are high. The only thing separating us from the

high mountain village in the Italian Alps is eight

hours in a car. By now, it is 3am. The windshield wi-

pers push aside the rain. We are pushing aside ourextreme tiredness. Silence at our arrival. Everything

and everyone is asleep; we are without a clue, but

awake. Not a single soul to be found.

Sauze dOulx

TextDaniel Hberle Photo Matteo CappTranslation Michaela Jammers

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028

a short night with only three hours osleep, we enjoy the rereshing eects o acaeinated breakast. Well-known aceslike Remy Absalon, Enrico Guala (organi-zer and Enduro prophet), Manuel Ducci,and Anka Martin greet our sleepy and stillhal-asleep aces.We enjoy short moment o refection in themorning beore the lit transports us up tothe mountaintop in no time. Six stages withover 3000 meters o downhill are waitingor an estimated 300 SuperEnduro racers.With up to 15 minutes o riding, these sta-ges demand a great deal o strength andconcentration. >>

A

Up and down, again and again,shredding along the mountain scenery

of Sauze dOulx.

"Sauze is not just a mindless bike park race on articially created obstacl

but rather a maximum ow from the top of the mountain down to the valleIn addition to that, if you take time for the breathtaking panoramas, youll

have the best day of your life."

fter

Daniel Hberle, racer & ENDURO-editor

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030

participants have to race again on Sunday.At that point, they will have to nish o thelast two stages (plus a mass start race orthe top 100) as well as possible.Competing will be the crme de la crme o

enduro royalty: Vouilloz, Clementz, Bruno,Lau, Absalon, Ducci, Atherton, and Barnesare only a small group o many listed topracers that have gathered here. Ater all,in Sauze it will be about the race o nationsas well. Each nation will be represented by

three chosen racers. The later the time o day, the dustier the trails become, deralizing the riders. Meanwhile, the eld o racers is still on top o each other. Therankings in the race are a battle between the big names. Sometimes its Jerome mentz, sometimes Nicolas Lau, or Remy Absalon. Every single one o them hasthe potential to win this because the addition o all race times is going into the

valuation. In the end, the time total adds up to orty-ve minutes!Dan Atherton was able to turn the mass start on Sunday to his advantage. HoweJerome Clementz won the overall score. Over the course o the weekend, he wasmost constant and astest rider, ahead o Vouilloz and Nicolas Lau. France, an enro-pioneering country, is leading the way. Organizer Enrico Guala, who screamedthe microphone like a virtuoso, was talking or a perceived time o 48 hours. >>

The

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032

Jerome Clementz pushes hard and takesspeed wherever he can. The reward waswaiting for him at the nish line.

Strong female power: Anka Martin from South Africamade sure she was going to win again. With herspeed, even some guys need to watch out.

Being on the bike yourself is better than

just watching and wishing.

Said and done. We make good use out o the

next two days by extensively exploring thealready-mentioned trails. Every minute isused and squeezed o lie. As i in a trance,we run towards the lit, enjoying one ride

ater another. We realize that theo the Alpi Bike Resort know exathe ambitious modern rider dema

to wide-ranging terrain, the massdisperses airly quickly. In other wre are no lines at the lit, and no tron the trails. >>

all racing aside in Sauze, everyone will be gettingtheir moneys worth. Real ree-time-millionairesare oered a seemingly never-ending variety o trailsin this region. Thanks to gondola and lits, youll bein the neighboring valleys in no time.Together they orm the Alpi Bike Resort. Flowing,curvy, rugged, ast, ull o jumps, and technicallychallenging this area oers it all, or beginners to

pros.

Mass start is war on two wheels.

Elbows out and from the very beginnin

on the Edge.

But

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034

A free-time-millionaires devotion to life: Sauze, Bardonecchia, Cesana, Sestriere, Prali, Pragelato

Chiomonte everyone wanting to explore the area of Alpi Bike Resort should bring plenty of time.

Lucain

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036

percentage o the trails here run along-side untouched terrain, and that is part owhat gives all o this the quintessence ofow. Only a ew modications, a ew arti-cial obstacles, or wooden elements are in-stalled or desired. We havent seen a bikepark like it.Beore a trail is created, its path is precise-ly planned. First, youll see a slight trail cutinto the lush green grass by a lawn mowerno additional work is needed. This may beone o the reasons why riding a mountainbike in this region is so special. Also, you

can count on the hospitality o locals. Dueto high-requency tourism in the winter,everyone knows how to treat guests well.Comortable lodging, the nest Italian cui-sine, and hospitality are virtues over here.Ater a total o our days, our horizon hasbeen broadened immensely.Sauz dOulx is not only a station o the Su-perEnduro series, but also an absolutemust on the bucket list o every biker.Thank you very much, Enrico & Luca rom4Guimp, or guiding us and or these greatdays we had! Sauze dOulx any time!

Ahigh

Good times in the Alpi Bike Resort.Sunset ride, beer, friends and thenest cuisine. That's how life and

biking should always be.

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ANDNOW?

SOME LOOK AT ENDURO AS A MOUNTAIN BIKE LIFE-

STYLE THAT INCLUDES UP- AND DOWNHILL JUST AS

NATURALLY AS A COLD BEER FOLLOWS THE RIDE.

OTHERS THINK THAT ENDURO IS A DISCIPLINEWITHOUT COMPROMISES THAT COMBINES THE

STAMINA OF A MARATHON RACER, THE TACTICS OF

XC, AND THE SUPERLATIVE TECHNIQUE OF

THE BEST DH RIDERS.

ESSAY

commentsto the

collective

perceptionof

enduro

038

TextRobin Schmitt & Daniel HberleTranslation Michaela Jammers

able to adapt to the local conditions dierent solution There is n

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Enduro is a term, originating from

the word endurance, describing the

following performance character-

istics: a mixture of technique,

diversity, and stamina.

To a certain degree, transerred toa mountain bike, this stands or theoriginal idea o mountain biking particularly getting up and downthe hills under your own power.Is enduro a discipline? Discipline

derives rom disciplina (Latin: trai-ning, discipline) and stands or acertain classication with rules orsel-regulation and specialization the best examples are disciplineslike XC and DH that have specialized

over the years, narrowing in oneverything rom race terrain toclothing styles and bike technology.However, enduro is still counting onpolyvalence, diversity, and variabili-ty. And here it comes

IS ENDURO EVENA DISCIPLINE?

THE ENLIGHTENMENTEnduro is not the same as enduro. It cannot be put into a simple denition.Riders, race organizers and institutions have dierent perspectives andopinions on it and will continue to have them, because

THERE IS NOT

'THE' PERFECTSOLUTION

This is not because theoretically

there couldnt be a possible consent,

but rather because of the diverse,

global topographies with regional

differences.

While you possibly take the 130-mm travel twenty-niner to Slick-rock in Utah, in alpine terrain youmight preer 170 mm o rear traveland other bike specications to be

able to adapt to the local conditions.Thereore, every terrain (dependingon your own preerences) demands a

dierent solution. There is nwrong in that case. The probnding a solution, because

THE JOURNEY IS THEDESTINATION

While some worry about the unbelievable amounts o

solutions and categorizations, they lose track of

really important the reason why we ride enduro in

place because its fun!

Technique gimmicks and categorizations, seeminglyby the authority o the media landscape, seem to beup every single day. For every millimeter o rear travebetter term seems to be needed. The superlatives exhausted. Riding will soon be an UltraEnduro witrear travel? Nonsense! What really counts is the attwhat I want to do with my bike. At that point, it doesni it is a 160-mm ull-suspension with telescopic sea hardtail. In the end, what really matters is the eexperience! In the long run, you want to be able to dowith one and the same bike starting an adventureand ending i t. Thereore, strict enorcement o standcategorizations are the wrong aim. The journey and iexperience are whats most important! Thats whereto apply

DIVERSITY AS AMAXIM

Trails and racing series are different

these days and by all means

should stay that way.

Diversity calls or excitemen

and adventure. I you are none ormat, you can stay awthe event, even though othmight love it. Or you just taenduro credo, which shoulapply to bikes >>

040

THE ART OF ADAPTATION2

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THE ART OF ADAPTATION

In this context, variability does not only stand for the technical ability of

your bike to adjust to each and every trail. Whether it is adjustable reartravel, height-adjustable seatpost, suspension platorm systems, or adierent choice o tires, variability is good. Oten, however, somethingsubstantial is being overlooked

NOT EVERYTHING ISBETTER SOMEWHEREELSE

Enduro riders come to races with expectations

and experiences that are based on the trails back

home.

People training in the fatter areas o the low moun-tain ranges may be overwhelmed with the steepand long uphills and downhills o the Alps, becausethis terrain demands a dierent approach. Thevariability we expect rom our enduro bikes is notenough. Instead, enduro asks us to be more fe-xible and train our adaptability towards the givencircumstances, because

SIMPLE WOULDBE UNINSPIRING

Enduro does not limit itself to an

adjustable bike, but rather requires

an open mind towards new things,

being adventurous, and having the

needed stamina.

That is the only way to have un on

every trail and be truly ree on yourbike. Absolutely independent: nogondolas, cars, or other technicalsupport. Enduro requires you to doeverything not just adequately, butas well as possible. These are a lot orequirements technically, as wellas physically and psychologically. Butsimply simple would be too easy.Enduro there is a reason or theduro in it. Spanish or hard.

IMPROVE CONTROL

FOR ANY CATEGORY

Mondraker presents a new geometry concept with a clear emphasis on longer top

tubes compensated by extremely short stems with a key focus to obtain a more

advanced posion of the front wheel axle. The new Forward Geometry oers new

sensaons for just any category. It enhances the overall control and provides more

stability, reacvity and condence allowing you to carry more speed. You can nd the

Forward Geometry concept on the new Factor XR, Foxy XR and Dune XR.

Just try it out at one of your nearest Mondraker stores. Youll be amazed!

042

4

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IN CONVERSATION WITH MERIDAABOUT LIFE BEING A NEVER-ENDING

PROCESS OF LEARNING ANDCHANGE, AS WELL AS

CORRECT TIMING.

044

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http://www.specialized.com/

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WE WANTED A BIKE TO RIDE LIKE A TRAIL BIKE AND DESCEND

LIKE A DH BIKE. SO, WE LIGHTENED UP THE ENDURO, BOOSTED ITS

TRAVEL TO 165MM AND MADE IT PEDAL AND CLIMB EVEN BETTER THAN

BEFORE, MAKING SURE THE ENDURO KEEPS EVOLVING. IN BOTH

DIRECTIONS. SEE THE FULL ENDURO RANGE AT SPECIALIZED.COM

ALS

SHREDU

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ENDURO: Lutz, where do you begin when produces ever-new impressions 5

2

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developing a new bike? When does it makesense to adapt a new design?First o all, it is important to see the sin-gle model in context with the evolutionarygrowth o a model range. The models orma sort o ecosystem. And as soon as an eco-niche opens up within the system, thatswhen a new model will be introduced.

Who takes up the mentor role or the desi-gner during development?It all starts with the desire or a new unc-tion or a better adaptation to the mutatedenvironment o the rider, even beore theactual idea rises. The environment is de-

ned by lines, the trails one is riding on.My ideas arise when I am riding my bike.Biking is perectly suitable or this men-tor character, because you are in a kind ostate o fow, which means every thoughtis possible! The surrounding landscape

reore creates a new setting. Thimakes it possible to considerthoughts, rather than being tied single one.As a matter o act, just like nature gthousands o mutations o a singple, the technical world oers processes and ways to a solution

This also means that despite thethere are many very good solutiois not a unique best solution.Due to the triangle o high Downormance stability versatility,

enduro bikes claim high demandsthe development department. Whgreatest development potential loIts located in leaving out all the unnToo many options let the biker grrom the enduro-thought o ormi

INTERVIEW WITH CANYON'S CHIEF DEVELOPER, LUTZ SCHEFFER,

ABOUT DEFINING A DISCIPLINE, SUCCESS, CREATIVITY,

AND THE FINEST SOLUTION.

Enduro races are the supreme discipline in mountain biking. There is noother discipline that requires an even more extreme balancing act betweenup- and downhill perormance. In enduro, extreme downhill stress is just ascommon as steep climbs. At the same time, the bikes need to be as versa-tile, light, and sturdy as possible. More than any other bike category, endurois the one or technical renements: telescopic seatposts, suspensionplatorm systems, and adjustable spring rates guarantee superior riding

enjoyment, and a quick rate o advancement.Some additional aspects are tuning by weight, sophisticated kinematics,

and a well-balanced geometry.

What current enduros have to offer is what we elaborated on the trails,riding the Canyon Strive. But before we get to that, heres an interview

with Canyons chief-developer, Lutz Scheffer.

TextFlorian Storch Photo CanyonTranslation Lisa Gretemeier

05

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unied whole with the bike and eelingcomortable in every riding discipline.

Is there an ideal amount o rear travel orenduro?The rear suspensions characteristic cur-ve and adjustment will always be a com-promise between uphill, trail, and downhillqualities. It is crucial to get the best benetrom the lowest amount o travel. I think anideally usable 160 mm is better suitable orenduro than too progressive 180 mm.

Large 29-wheels or Enduro is this aserious option?Large wheels actually do roll astonishinglywell over tough hazards, even though thedrawbacks o more weight and less sti-

ness will always remain. However, long-travel 29er-bikes only eel really great ithey are trimmed to be extremely light. Arather irrespective acet: the higher thewheel axle is located, the harder it is tocreate a dynamic wheel-load distribution.Also, due to its high pivot, the 29er is har-der to mount to the back wheel, which isalso partly due to the longer chain stays.My advice: The 27.5 wheel intermediatesize will gain more and more importancewithin the 120 to 160 mm travel range.

Alternatively, a combination o dierentwheel sizes is pretty exciting in enduro.Do you think the enduro sector needs moremarket division with upcoming all-moun-tain 29ers?

26 enduros and 29 All-Mountains with aspring rate o 140 mm have, no doubt aboutit, an overlapping area. However, I think theupcoming 27,5 bikes will push the 29 All-Mountains back to a CC core area o 100mm. In the uture, there will be extremelylight and expensive 29er AMs or proessi-onals.

Which part o the Strive chassis has takenup most o the time?The sti ormation o the chain stay-ork

and the bearing o the knucklebox.

What does a Strive have to withstand in a testlaboratory beore being released or sale?All the common external standard assess-ments, like or instance the EN one (EN =

European standard, added by autditionally, we assess the internawhich takes place ater successupassed the ocial tests. With alike the Strive, extremely high strjumps and cradle steps are comm

With the Strive, you go or a carbowhy not simply an entire carbon cThe seating-strut-ork is only thning. Carbon is going to spread ththe enduro sector, as it is a vers

terial. Synthetic material enhancarbon ber reduces the weight, same time it also reduces the umass, including the rear swing aquantity requests increase, I amentire carbon chassis will come o

0

What do you consider a success?0

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design?A bike is successul, i it has beestood and doesnt act destrucwards itsel, its rider, and the enviThereore, philosophy and argumbehind the product need to have consent. In addition, it has to be ininto ethics. Which still needs to bor enduro.

Who gets the nal say in the dedepartment? Designer, engineerketing manager?The most important decision lthereore owner o the nal sboard o management. Other ta good company is marked o rewards dierent opinions, also criticism. A long-lasting and suproduct unctions the same waDesigners as it does among eng

marketing personnel.

Creatives are said to be kind o ouwith reality is that a must?I out o touch with reality dsome kind o shelter, then I agrecourage new products, there is two things: sensitivity and indthinking.

FOR A SUCCESSFUL BIKE

THE PHILOSOPHY AND DEBATEBEHIND THE PRODUCT NEED TO BE

IN AGREEMENT.

0

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Test Report Canyon

Strive ESX 9.0 LTDTextRobin Schmitt Photo Christoph Laue

Translation Lisa Gretemeier

0

160 mm of front and rear tra-

vel thats what clearly makes060

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vel that s what clearly makes

the Strive a representative of

enduro. Its weight, however,

is not as standard as the travel with its

light weight, it tops the bill of its compa-

nions by far. The terrain doesnt care, for

sure, enduro stays enduro. So, how can

the Strive stand out?

The climb to the trail turns out to be qui-te relaxing. Thanks to a travel-adjustableork in the ront, the low overall weight,and light, ast-spinning wheels, the Striveaccelerates eciently, almost playully. Toachieve an ecient pedaling position, wemoved the seat a little to the ront to cen-ter our weight better. When the Propedalis on, the bike seems keen on the uphilland even with the suspension open, therear bobs only marginally.Reaching the downhill, only a push o thebutton is needed to lower the Reverb te-

lescopic seatpost. The trail is steep, ullo turns, partly ast and rough just whataggressive enduro is like. Among otherthings, thanks to the short chain stays (425mm), the Strive manages turns brilliantlyand eels very maneuverable. The rider ispositioned centrally above the bike, crea-ting a eeling o having everything undercontrol. The only drawbacks aecting thedownhill un are the Formula Oval brakes.

Even though they provide fawless braking

power, the leverage isnt ergonomic; despi-te our average-sized hands, we couldnt getthe reach close enough to the handlebarto be truly comortable. The chassis works

sensibly and harmoniously with the terrain.

On roots we elt that the Canyon is a littleless plush than some o its competitors, andthat more bump absorption on rough ter-rain would be desirable. However, the Strive

does provide sucient cushion or r

stakes. The Shadow Plus rear deraidenitely wound up to a high tensiocombination with the dual-ring chawe were able to speed ree rom

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Suspension system: 270 Box, linkage-dri

gle-pivot

With its ecient and progressive spring curStrives single pivot with linkage oers greaor trail-riding. However, we wanted better absorption on aggressive trails.

Gold and silver, as far as the eye can see

Only the best o the best whether it is XTRwheels by DT Swiss, or the top-shel Fox suon with Kashima coating and more settingsaverage customer can make use o.

Bottom line:

All in all, the ESX 9.0 LTD oers a consistent and well-thought-out concept. It is not THEultimate racing bike, but it does its job perectly on less-extreme trails. Thanks to its out-standing light weight, it is also perectly suitable or all types o trail-riding and all that ata current sale price o only 4,199 Euro (instead o 4,999)!

Canyon Strive ESX 9.0 LTD WEIGHT: 12,7 Kg PRICE: 4199 EUR INFO: www.canyon.com

OPEN YOUR MIND MORE064

http://www.canyon.com/http://www.canyon.com/

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TextDaniel Hberle Photo RonTranslation Michaela Jam

OPEN YOUR MIND: MORE

THAN ENDUROTHE CUBE

ACTION TEAM

The Cube Action Team, initiated in the beginning of 2012, is already

able to list several triumphs as their own. Unlike other teams, the Ac-tion Team combines unbelievable diversity with different types of ridersand is especially active in the enduro division.

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FLTR: Julia Homann, Laura Brethauer, Valerie PriemSchandene, AndrWagenknecht, Nicolas Lau, Ludwig Dhl

The Cube Action Team couldnt be more

diverse. Instead of one homogenous mass,

as we know it from many other teams,

every Cube rider originally competed in a

different discipline. Four-crosser, down-

hiller, XC-racer, or just a talent in movingaround Stick to your roots! I you throweverything together, youll end up with ateam o six, ocused mainly on enduro rac-ing. Nevertheless, none o them has losttouch with their original discipline.

In the end, the idea o mountain biking isexactly what keeps us strong and togeth-er!, claims (ex-) downhiller Andr Wagen-knecht.Another striking and positive aspect o the

team is the percentage o emales: 50%.Cube is leading the way here as well, andthey lled team roster with Valerie Priem,Laura Brethauer, and Julia Homann nextto the gentlemen Wagenknecht, Lau, andDhl. Just like that? >>

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O course we see a rapidly growing mar-ket with the women on our team. Lets behonest though, men are deeply impressedi women are riding aster downhill thanthem, no? says Claus Wachsmann (Mar-keting & Team Manager).That Cube sees a lot o potential in endurois also very apparent through the merchan-dizing o the whole concept. Beginning withadvertisements in magazines promotingthe team, over to uniorm team sponsors,right up to stellar race support with theirown truck, they are proessional rom theinside out! Claus Wachsmann is condentand draws a balance among his goals.

Not only does success in racing make himhappy, but also the eedback and advertis-ing eect that the Action Team receives.More importantly, the riders eedback in-fuences the products. The most recentbaby is the new Stereo with 160 mm o reartravel, developed in close cooperation withthe team riders.By the way, the teams success has beenso convincing that Cube is thinking aboutadding another two international riders tothe team. We can all be curious about whatthe team o 2013 will look like.Good luck rom our side may enduro keepfourishing!

SEBASTIANSCHIECK(1)

HEROES OF WORK070

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ROBIN SCHMITT

Lots o plans & ideas that have to be schemed

and carried out thats not how you win

races. Next stop: Barcelona. A lot is going tohappen with the creative cluster around the

Blackmedia Crew and Cero Design this win-

ter! Stay tuned!

HEROES OF WORK

MAX-PHILIP SCHMITT

The organizing and planning brain o

Downtown and Enduro is going to be

busy this all. Two exhibitions, countlessshootings and negotiations hes going to

have his hands ull.

CHRISTIAN LMML

For our graphic designer Chris

would have to nd a new supermotivated. He creates the n

outs in no time and makes post

tion look like no hustle at all!

WWW.LAEMMLEDESIGN.COM

DANIEL HBERLE

Daniel is one o the all-rounde

to ride ast, is not araid o any

and you better get out o his wahill. The same applies to his du

editorial oce: creating layout

storming texts, & doing researc

why he loves enduro?

JORDAN BAUMANN

The ast Frenchman rom the Alsace isalso known as Jrgen Baumarkt since

our SuperEnduro Sauze trip. At the

sunset shooting, he got shooed around

by Robin to get the preect shot. And

again and again

AARON STEINKE

Our online specialist is irreplaceable.

Apart rom his editorial work he doesall the nerd-stu, like programming our

website and making new plans or the

uture. Great job!

FLORIAN STORCH

New job, new home, but the same smile.

Flo, aka Storchi, is hopeully going tokeep treating us with his awesome sto-

ries.

MATTEO GANORA

Without a doubt, the Italian phpher has got an eye or the extr

With his lens he caught the ne

fair with the Liecycle Team a

Ducci. We like!

CHRISTOPH LAUE

Christoph doesnt make excuses. Hedoesnt preer summer and sunshine or

his shoots. For the Canyon story, he got

right down and dirty.

WANT TO BECOME A COOPERATION PARTNER? MAIL US: MPSCHMITT@ENDUMAP OF COOPERATION PARTNERS ENDURO

http://-/?-http://-/?-mailto:cooperation%40mag41.com?subject=Partnership%20with%20Mag41mailto:cooperation%40mag41.com?subject=Partnership%20with%20Mag41mailto:mpschmitt%40enduro-mtb.com?subject=Cooperation%20Partnermailto:mpschmitt%40enduro-mtb.com?subject=Cooperation%20Partnermailto:cooperation%40mag41.com?subject=Partnership%20with%20Mag41

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SPECIAL

THANKS TO:

BASTIAN DIETZ

MAP OF COOPERATION PARTNERS ENDURO WANT TO BECOME A COOPERATION PARTNER? MAIL US: MPSCHMITT@ENDU

mailto:cooperation%40mag41.com?subject=Partnership%20with%20Mag41mailto:cooperation%40mag41.com?subject=Partnership%20with%20Mag41mailto:mpschmitt%40enduro-mtb.com?subject=Cooperation%20Partnermailto:mpschmitt%40enduro-mtb.com?subject=Cooperation%20Partnermailto:cooperation%40mag41.com?subject=Partnership%20with%20Mag41

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MASTHEAD

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Enduro is a free digital mountainbike magazine whichcomes out six times per year.

EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT

41 Publishing & Marketing UGRutesheimer Strasse 40

71229 LeonbergDeutschlandino@enduro-mtb.comwww.enduro-mtb.com

DIRECTORSRobin Schmitt & Max-Philip Schmitt

EDITORSRobin Schmitt, Daniel Hberle, Florian Storch,Aaron Steinke, Fabian Arzberger, Ferdinand BrunoldDESIGN & POSTPRODUCTIONChristian Lmmle (www.laemmledesign.com ),Daniel Hberle

PHOTOGRAPHERSSven Martin, Christoph Laue, Matteo Ganora,

Matteo Capp, Ronny Kiaulehn, Sebastian Schieck,

Sebas Romero

WEBSITE

Aaron Steinke, Daniel Adams (www.bowstreet.de)

SOCIAL MEDIA

Manred Schmitt

TRANSLATION

Lisa Gretemeier, Michaela Jammers

REVISION

John Morse

SPECIAL THANKSJohann Flickinger (www.wmcc.de)

ADVERTISINGMax-Philip Schmittmpschmitt@enduro-mtb.com+49 177 5992289

2012 BY 41 PUBLISHING &MARKETING UG. ALL RIGHTSRESERVED.NO PART OF THIS

DOCUMENT OR THE RELATEDFILES MAY BE REPRODUCED OR

TRANSMITTED IN ANY FORM,BY ANY MEANS (ELECTRONIC,

PHOTOCOPYING, RECORDING, OROTHERWISE) WITHOUT THE PRIOR

WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THEPUBLISHER.

WE BRING LIGHT INTO THE DARthe most interesting & unky products o 2013, racing reports,

and more enduro stories.

www.enduro-mtb.com

Enduro #002 will come out in November 2012

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