MTB Enduro
Fancy getting between the tape and on to the stages for some enduro race action this year? Here's the best machinery to do it on.
The best enduro mountain bikes are light enough to pedal around a long day’s ride yet strong and dynamic enough to take on the toughest, fastest natural and man-made trails thinkable. They are built to be pedalled up, thrashed back down and relied upon – the perfect go-anywhere, do-anything bike for modern mountain biking.
As a result, they are also a handy rig to have in your collection if you're considering taking up racing. Of course, you could just jump on any regular mountain bike to race between tape. But what if you fancied getting serious about competing? And money was no issue?
Fortunately, you're in the right place. We have highlighted eight of the best enduro MTBs on the market in 2022, based on their reliability, pedigree and versatility.
Want to see what it takes to compete at the highest level of enduro racing? Watch Irish star Greg Callaghan battle it out in the Enduro World Series in the latest series of On Track:
1. Marin Alpine Trail 7
Marin’s Alpine Trail range offers fantastic value packages built around a sturdy frame with modern geometry (including a 63.5º head tube angle and 78º seat tube angle), putting the rider in a comfortable pedalling position for grinding up the hills and a confident descending position for fun on the way back down. The Alpine Trail 7’s 160mm-travel RockShox Yari RC fork and 2.6-inch Vee Tire Flow Snap tyres on 29-inch wheels are fit for monster trucking through the roughest terrain.
2. Commencal Meta SX Ride
Commencal is an Andorran-based brand that makes bikes to cope with the harsh terrain on its doorstep, and that is clearly visible its Meta range. The Meta, available in several guises, has progressed over the years into a bike that fears no terrain or scenario, as proved by its many podiums in the Enduro World Series.
The latest development is this Meta SX version, which uses a 29” front wheel and a 27.5” rear wheel to achieve, Commencal says, a perfect blend of grip (with the big front wheel) and manoeuvrability (thanks to the smaller rear wheel). The bike’s geometry has been updated for this ‘mullet’ version, with 10mm longer chainstays, revised 63.6º head angle (in the ‘low’ setting) and 10mm shorter reach than the 29er Meta AM.
3. Pivot Firebird
Pivot’s latest version of its Firebird has already tallied numerous podiums and wins at Enduro World Series level. Taking geometry inspiration from the previous Firebird (low top tube, slack head angle, steep seat angle, short rear end) but updating the suspension layout, it seems the new Firebird is set to be just as popular as the original. As with all Pivots, the only catch is the price – they are some of the most expensive mountain bikes out there. If you’re going big, you might as well go really big, so buy a frame (which comes complete with a Fox Performance Elite Float X shock) and build your dream bike around it.
4. Nukeproof Mega Carbon 290 Elite
The Mega’s name – derived from Alpe d’Huez’s renowned Megavalanche mass-start race – pretty much states the bikes intentions. It is built for full-on enduro riding and racing, with long, low and slack geometry and a plethora of neat technical features. Sam Hill secured the 2019 Enduro World Series title on the last version of the Mega 290; the bike has morphed into a new shape, but Nukeproof promises it retains the best bits of the 2019-20 bike and builds on its performance. The Carbon Elite model is uses the same chassis as all the carbon models, but is surely one of the most affordable carbon enduro bikes on the market.
5. Rocky Mountain Altitude Alloy 70 Coil
6. Specialized Enduro Comp
7. Forbidden Druid SLX
And now for something quite different. Forbidden Bike labels its Druid as a short-travel trail bike, but it is such a capable machine that it deserves a place among enduro ranks. This is a bike that pushes build quality to a high level while employing the most modern geometry (the steep seat tube angle for easy pedalling is adapted across the range of sizes, as is the chainstay length, for example). Of course, the Druid’s most notable feature is its high pivot and idler pulley. The former gives the bike a rearward axle path, the latter counters excessive pedal feedback the design incurs. You’ll notice similar on many World Cup downhill rigs of recent times and this is yet another reminder the Druid is a lot more bike than its 130mm travel suggests. The SLX model is the lowest-priced version, but it still features a range of solid components.
8. Yeti SB 150 T3 Turq
Richie Rude is one of the most powerful forces in enduro racing right now. The two-time World Champion requires a bike to match his speed, and Yeti’s SB 150 appears wholly capable. In 2021, Rude rode his SB 150 to three Enduro World Series race wins and contested the overall series title throughout the season. Don’t be fooled by the SB’s 150mm rear travel: its 29” wheels and 170mm-travel fork firmly place it as a machine ready to smooth out the worst of terrain. Sleek looks conceal Yeti’s highest-grade carbon fibre. As with the Pivot Firebird, when you’re spending Yeti-level money, you’ll probably want to go for the top-spec SB 150 T3 model. Then go hit an EWS race.
