MTB Enduro
Which mechanical movements will make their presence felt over the next twelve months and which will flop.
No-one can predict the future of course but one thing is virtually certain in mountain biking is that bikes are continually evolving. Tech trends can be fickle things and only time will determine whether or not they’ll stick around or flop.
It’s important to remember that mountain biking is still a relatively young sport and as such, it’s not surprising that there isn’t a one-bike-fits-all solution. Likewise, it’s a sport that depends massively on the environments which we all ride that can differ massively even within a couple of miles.
Excuses duly made then, here are what we’re predicting will be 2019’s big trends:
High pivots
Although perhaps far from aesthetically pleasing in looks, the advantages of the high suspension pivot/idler/longer chain school of thought have become dominant in downhill. At the solutions core is the idea that the wheel becomes far less affected by chain tension and more capable of dispersing chatter as a result.
Commencal had perhaps the best year in terms of various riders on their bikes being on Mercedes-Benz UCI World Cup podiums although Norco, GT and (to an extent) Scott have all experimented or gone into production. The perceived increase drag created by that long a chain may stifle the designs application into enduro/trail markets but may well spawn some interesting machines over the next twelve months.
Nibbling
What do we mean by ‘nibbling’? Well, it feels like on the whole, bike and component (even clothing) design has slowly topped out over the last few years and that the focus has tightened more on trimming it all down.
Shaving grams here or there, simplifying adjustments whatever form it takes, the trend looks set to continue. Bikes are getting lighter and simpler in terms of design and suspension products festooned with adjusters have shifted to being the preserve of more artisanal companies whilst the big names focus on straight forward clickers and lighter weights. In terms of riding kit, we’re seeing clothing moving to a more fitted, less baggy moto-inspired neon look. This looks set to continue into 2019.
The unstoppable electrical march
E-bikes have arrived in terms of consumer rides and are flying out of both online and high street shop doors. But there’s no getting around the fact that when compared to ‘normal’ mountain bikes they’re still heavy, relatively clunky things still attempting to come up with several key answers when the modern enduro/trail bike is oh so accomplished.
The missing link so far may well be racing and it's ability to better the breed. There are several high-level international races scheduled for e-bikes in 2019 but a lot of questions remain over how they tackle the technical issues inherent therein. Depending on how seriously the industry takes these races may be key in terms of turbo-charging development. Alternatively big brands may just leave things on trickle charge...
Bluetooth shifting
Nino Schurter arrived in Stellenbosch at the start of the 2018 season with a bike equipped with a prototype SRAM bluetooth groupset. He ran it on and off throughout the year and that along with the fact that the road version (RED eTap) is commercially available would suggest that a consumer version won’t be far off.
The big sell is obviously that unlike Shimano’s Di2 system, no cables are required. The downside is again the ever-creeping need to charge your bike… yawn.
The slow death of 27.5+
Although it’s too early to say that the love child of fat bikes and regular MTB’s is ‘dead’ as such it is fairly safe to say that it’s coughing quite a lot and that no-one wants to sit beside it on the bus.
Increasingly we’re seeing manufacturers ranges feature 29ers with ’27.5+ compatible’ bullet pointed below. They’re turning out to be a bit more specific than what we were originally lead to believe with racers not particularly caring for their slightly vague handling and thin sidewalls. At the same time, ever-widening regular rim widths and tyre combos are beginning to offer up their headline strengths without the need for constant balloon jibes out on the trails.
“Can I get that custom?”
Customisation is no new thing to mountain biking (anyone else remember Santa Cruz’s long dead custom paint program?) but it’s gone from being the reserve of smaller brands or brands looking to flog supposedly pro-level limited runs to becoming more and more mainstream again.
Orbea’s new ‘My O’ program offers up apparently ‘over a million’ options in terms of kit and paint available on their Rallon enduro machine. As online direct sales have grown, so too have companies flexibility and 2019 looks to see even more brands adopting similar models.
