Manufacturer Team sponsorships

[dwt]

I am ignorant a to which companies, if any, sponsor Enduro Teams. Saw this article about Trek dropping XC but still sponsoring gravity team.

Trek World Racing Drops Cross-Country Team | Bicycling Magazine

Since Enduro seems to represent "true" mountain biking, are bike companies jumping on the bandwagon sponsoring riders and teams? Seems like a no brainer

[NoahColorado]

This seems to be the trend, yes.

Most companies I deal with are creating new enduro team programs or at least adding enduro specialist to their teams.

Trek didn't really "drop XC", Trek World Racing did - they've chosen to focus on gravity. Trek will have a separate XC program.

[dwt]

Makes sense in that there will be a UCI Tour in 2013. Hope that will be a good thing for the sport. Hope the regional events will remain, and that baggy pants & hairy legs will trump lycra & shaved legs, both in actual fact and terms of terrain and race format, if you get my drift.


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[NoahColorado]

Makes sense in that there will be a UCI Tour in 2013. Hope that will be a good thing for the sport. Hope the regional events will remain, and that baggy pants & hairy legs will trump lycra & shaved legs, both in actual fact and terms of terrain and race format, if you get my drift.


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No UCI series in 2013, that deal fell apart.

But, there will be a lot more enduro races across the country (an globe, I'd imagine).

[danielsilva]

There are a few, Cannondale does it, somewhat, with their "over mountain" stuff. They also have their own Enduro series in Spain. Specialized sponsors the german Enduro series and i believe Ibis have a few bikers attending every European series ( at least the bigger ones ).
Berg ( a national brand ) also have one rider doing all the Euro stuff, Ghost ( Germany ) also have a few as does Cube ( again, German ).

[Verttii]

Commencal has quite strong enduro team(Absalon, Quere), then some not as directly "teams" Lapierre(Vuilloz), Transition(Bruno), Orange(Barnes, Joe and Hannah)... Oh, and lets not forget GT...

Probably quite many of the "euro brands" are going to have some kind of enduro teams next summer...

[viciousdher]

The Eastern States Cup will have a 4-6 race enduro seriesin New England and NY.

[69erEverything]

I can think of a only a few teams that hired enduro specialists

Yeti - Mike West
Giant - Josh Carlson

I would think that other teams are considering the same. It should help keep 30 - 40 yr old racers employed, haha!

[NoahColorado]

I can think of a only a few teams that hired enduro specialists

Yeti - Mike West
Giant - Josh Carlson

I would think that other teams are considering the same. It should help keep 30 - 40 yr old racers employed, haha!

Giant also has Decker and Craig.

GT has Dan Atherton.

Santa Cruz has "The Nomads".

I think Trek World Racing will pick someone big up. Trek already has Schnell and Wildhaber.

Kona has Karim Amor and Matt Slaven.

Specialized has Keene.

[69erEverything]

Some of those guys where hired as xc jocks...just saying. They can shred but i think the risk taking style of a dher can be an attribute as well.

That is the best thing about the discipline, it requires an all round trail eating biker!

[8valvegrowl]

Kona has had a decent presence in Enduro over the past few years, Matt Slaven in the US, Karim Amour and Alex Stock in Europe.

I think Barry Wicks won the Highland OverMountain Enduro in it's first year too, despite his XC roots.

[danielsilva]

Some of those guys where hired as xc jocks...just saying. They can shred but i think the risk taking style of a dher can be an attribute as well.

Remember this is Enduro and as such being able to "shred" isn't everything, quite the opposite really. In a recent Euro event you could find Fontana and Naef racing and they finished quite well placed, Fontana even came 2nd in a couple stages. Being "XC jocks" isn't a disadvantage.

[NoahColorado]

Remember this is Enduro and as such being able to "shred" isn't everything, quite the opposite really. In a recent Euro event you could find Fontana and Naef racing and they finished quite well placed, Fontana even came 2nd in a couple stages. Being "XC jocks" isn't a disadvantage.

True. That's why I'm focusing on fitness this offseason and putting in miles. I sold my DH bike and picked up a carbon hardtail 29er - I'm actually really enjoying it! I'm hoping the benefits will be two-fold: improved fitness and improved bike handling (riding smoother).

[dwt]

True. That's why I'm focusing on fitness this offseason and putting in miles. I sold my DH bike and picked up a carbon hardtail 29er - I'm actually really enjoying it! I'm hoping the benefits will be two-fold: improved fitness and improved bike handling (riding smoother).

Juilien and Remy Absalon!


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[69erEverything]

Being "XC jocks" isn't a disadvantage.

Yeah i would never say that.

Being an xc jock doesn't guarantee victory either

[smellurfingers]

Yeah i would never say that.

Being an xc jock doesn't guarantee victory either

That's for sure. Walking their bikes down the technical sections isn't going to win any races.

[danielsilva]

That's for sure. Walking their bikes down the technical sections isn't going to win any races.

That would give you an -rep if i wasn't so damn nice

An spanish Orbea also just created a enduro team for the 2013 season.

[Lelandjt]

Enduro racer for hire here! As another 30+ DH/XCer I'm pretty stoked on the growth in this segment. Too bad my sponsors (aCOS/Marzocchi) are more into DH.

[dwt]

Norco Enduro Team

http://www.norco.com/news/8562/norco...d-enduro-team/


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