Is Enduro Making A Comeback? + Introducing The New GMBN Presenter! | Dirt Shed Show 531

Welcome, everybody. We're going to be talking all things enduro and its potential comeback. Plus, I'll be revealing our new presenter. We've got all the regulars as usual coming up today on the Dirt Shed Show. Hello, all. It is, of course, myself, Rich Payne, and I am joined by our brand new presenter. Mystery presenter, reveal yourself. Ferg, welcome to the show. Fergus Ryan, everybody. How are you doing, dude? Really, really good, thanks. Ferg, obviously, for the uninitiated, tell us a little bit about yourself. Give them a bit of a background. I started off in downhill racing on the European circuit, raced some IXS Cups, some Crankworx World Series before moving on to the Enduro World Series. Keep it low, keep it low. Oh, Ferg, you all right? Where I raced for a number of years and met yourself. Yes, we got history. We have got history. Good history. We got history. We go back a way, don't we? Yes, you are obviously a passionate enduro racer much like myself. Obviously, with the first round of the Enduro World Cup having just happened in Pietra Ligure at the weekend, there's a chat out there that enduro was a bit dead. Yes, there was. But it ain't, I don't think. No, I don't. I think that it was getting maybe a little stagnant. Lost. Yes, a little bit lost. I think it's back to its roots now. We've got the multi-day practice, multi-day race. That we do. We're back to no shuttling. For those who maybe aren't aware, enduro went for a bit of a phase where it was a one-day race. You had one day of practice before, but there would often be shuttling, ski lifts, and it felt like it had gone away from its roots. The riders were aware of this. When I finished racing, I remember it was like double days, monstrous amounts of pedaling. Yes, it was really, really good. I think you and I, I started out probably a little bit after you. You were a few years behind, weren't you? Yes, a little bit before I saw the light, and then I came over to enduro. Yes, we had a good couple of years of the two-day racing before it started to transition more towards, I guess, shorter days, but slightly higher intensity. I think it lost that real enduro adventure style racing that we know and love. I feel like it went through an experimental phase in its life. We've all been there. It's back. It's back to its roots. The riders have answered. Sorry. We had nearly 200 kilometers of riding over the four days. I'm not sure how much climbing, but it was a lot. Yes, and I think they had to be self-sufficient as well. They weren't allowed any tech zones. They weren't allowed any outside assistance. I think it leveled the playing field for a lot of the privateers versus the professional teams as well. I think that's really, really good. It really is a case of how self-sufficient and smooth those riders can be over those four days. Bike management, right? Bike and body management, in fact, because that was a thing, wasn't it? You've got to be fit enough to make it through. That was always something I've tried to work on was the fitness side, but also, you can't just hammer the crap out of your bike because that bike's got to get through all the stages. You've got to be smooth as well. We saw Jesse Melamed actually got a puncture, was it? I think someone else got a puncture and folded a chainring on stage one, which obviously, again, has a knock-on effect throughout the race. They did an incredible job of getting their bikes back working and made it through that second day. Well, not just the second day, they made it through the first day as well. That's the challenge and that's what we love about Enduro and it's cool to see it back. It throws up surprises. We had Dan Booker. Dan Booker, Aussie, won the men's. Do you know what? I saw a great comment from Ryan Gilchrist on this. Dan Booker, I wouldn't have said an unknown rider, but Ryan Gilchrist commented something like, such a sleeper build that the UCI don't even have a picture on file for you, went for the winner's picture kind of thing. He was just like, come on. Which is cool, right? So cool. Picked out by Sam Hill, one of the greats out there, picked up by him back in the CRC days. He has transitioned between downhill and Enduro. We saw at the hardline earlier in the year. He's come out swinging and putting a result. His stocks have just gone way up. Also, in the women's, of course, Hattie Harnden, last year's World Cup overall winner, not racing much Enduro this year, but she raced the first round on a gearboxed, belt-driven, electronically shifted bike, which if you want to see it more, actually, I did a bike check over on tech, so head over there if you want to know more about it, but a belt drive is already winning. Sam Hill-All the chat. Yes, exactly. It's all the hype right now. Conor Dunne Just buzzwords everywhere. Sam Hill-Yes, exactly. I was really excited to see how she got on with the Enduro bike. I know she hasn't had a huge amount of time on the bike. It's awesome to see that she can put in those results in Enduro before, especially in the run-up to this World Cup next weekend. Conor Dunne I know because she is obviously switching over to focus on downhill. Back to me and you, Ferg. We love a bit of Enduro. We've just waffled on a little bit about it. Fondest memory from racing Enduro, other than when I blitzed it past you in Maduro. You knew it was coming. Let's not bring in the results. We'll get a race and rain out of it. We won't get those up. Fondest memory, obviously, just meeting so many cool people. I know you know yourself, but love Finale Ligure, such a cool place. Just getting to ride some of the most incredible trails and places that you would never go had there not been a bike race there. Much ice cream, right? So much ice cream. Love the ice cream. It's basically the Gelato World Series. It really was. I got to admit, the people that we met, the places that we got to go. I think that is one of the great things. If you think about it, we are racing all the same tracks, pros, amateurs, under-21s, the whole lot, male, female, you name it. Everyone's on the same track, doing the same thing. I think that open and inclusivity is what makes Enduro pretty flipping good. I think that's what made it so approachable for everyone. The public loved to see it and they could, if they wanted to, go and give it a go and see just how fast all those pros are going on those tracks and see how technical the tracks really can get. I think all of those things combined is what makes Enduro so special. Agreed, agreed. Let us know what you think down below. When it comes to Enduro racing, was Enduro dead? Is it becoming great again? What kind of format of racing do you like to see? The multi-day stuff? I know we're fond of that stuff. Were you more fond of the single kind of one-day out-and-out racing? Bear in mind that Dan Booker, after 43 minutes of racing, still only won by half a second. Super tight. Over 43 minutes. Let us know in the comments down below. Before we crack on with the show, Ferg, we've got an Enduro-based question for our lovely viewers. What is it? Yes. Where was the first ever World Enduro Series race held? Was it, A, Finale di Giro in Italy? Was it, B, Whistler in Canada? Or was it, C, Punta Ala in Italy? Drop your answers in the comments below. On to you, Rich. Yes. We will announce the winner next week. This week's sickest thing has to be this new video part from Billy Spurway and Ripton. That bomb drop double drop into the flat-out hill bomb was so crazy. Dude's so free ride. This edit has such a good mix of stylish riding and fast and loose craziness. My favorite clip has to be that toboggan one-foot whip table, but the one hand is so steezy, and that gap into the right-hand drift, and the left-handed drift gapping into that chute. Anyway, the whole thing's sick, so it's definitely worth checking this one out. Right, that's my sickest thing this week. Time to go back to the shed. With hacks and bodges, I shan't sing. I'm going to spare you this week, this time. Now, for your chance to win a race top, don't forget to send in your hacks and bodges to the uploader linked in the description down below. First up, we've got Dustin from Denver who has sent in what looks like a homemade kid's seat. What are we thinking here, Ferg? Pretty high danger. I admire the DIY approach, but I'm not sure I'd want my child sat in the front of one of those. Dustin's written here, he's been through three kids now and still going strong. What has happened to the previous ones? Dustin, where have they gone? It's a bodge or a hack? I mean, surely a bodge. We're calling it a bodge. Next up, we have Lee Walker who has sent in, Lee Walker, what have you sent in? After washing my bike, I used to use a dry cloth. However, I recently purchased a cheap leaf blower. Oh, there's little battery ones, yes. He just blasts it all off. That's actually quite a good hack. I quite like that. Yes, definitely a hack. Always bouncing the bike off the floor and cheaper than a compressor. Way cheaper and looks cooler as well. I used to carry a compressor out to the races in the back of the camper and stuff. Yes, leaf blower, sorted. Why didn't I think of that? Last, but by no means least, Joe Tebb. You have sent in, basically trying to get my bike secure in the car, I take the front wheel off, fold the chairs over and put the dust mats over them, and basically seat belts them in place. Safety first, no rattling. We all want to keep our bikes safe, don't we, and treat them like our children. Yes, that is quite a good hack, I would say. It's a little hack, right? Yes, it's a hack. A little travel hack. Yes, travel hack. We want to be able to carry our bikes in safety and not be smashed around in the back of the car. Yes, very true. Who are you going to pick as a winner, though, buddy? We've got Dustin's deathtrap, we've got Lee's blower, or we've got Joe's belt. For me, it's got to be Lee's blower. Lee's blower? Yes. Congratulations. That's one that I want. Yes, fair enough. Well done, you've won yourself a GMBN race top. Don't forget, email us through your details so you can claim your prize. Okay, it is now time for some things that we liked this week. Now, Martin quite often picks these out, so I feel like there could be a Martin influence in there. There's some really cool things happening out in the world. In fact, Bex Barone has just been racing out in Sri Lanka. Yes, that's pretty cool, and she's got what looks to be one of the coolest trophies out there. I like that a lot. You don't see really out there trophies anymore, and that is definitely one. Plus, I had a look at some of the clips from the race, and it looked banging out there. A place that's now on the to-go list. Definitely, definitely a race to do. Next up, Martin has been here. Martin has definitely been here. More one-wheel action. Owen Farmdog on Instagram. What's he doing? I just don't get it. Hopping down rocks on a unicycle. Personally, for me, it's two wheels, not one. I get the skill. That looks terrifying. Yes. Two wheels down there would be pretty scary, let alone one and balancing. Yes, unbelievable skill, but not for me. That's making my back want surgery, just watching it again. That just makes me want to have the surgeon on speed dial watching that. Yes. Yes, not cool, but this last one is actually a banger. Yes, the skills. This is a good clip, right? Yes. Is that Lucas Smith? Big fan. Flip to stoppie landing. Yes. He holds that stoppie for a while. Yes, and straight into the turns as well. No, yes, one-clip wonder for sure, but I wish I had those kind of techers. Oh my God, yes, that's quite cool. Yes, fair play. Good work, good work. Yes, those are some cool things we liked. Time for the caption contest. Last week, we were greeted with this wondrous picture of Steve Jones. He is pretty special. He is, yes. We got some great captions, actually. First up, we have from Esok Cycles. Jonesy couldn't believe his eyes when he was presented with the Golden Wellies Award for services to Wales. So many things he would like about that, Steve. Yes, wellies for sure. He loves those. Wales, services to Wales. Yes, he's a patriotic guy. Who have we got next, buddy? We've got Lance Watson. The look you give after the dropper post has just been serviced. Wow. Wow. I mean, it's a look. It's a look. Then I appear to have commented without knowing it. Penner rides bikes. I promise it's not me. Someone told Steve he's got to ride a regular bike again. I mean, I have said that to him though, in person. Yes, and I bet he's got that kind of face in the reaction. Yes, that's exactly what you get. Yes, some good captions. Who's going to win? Because actually, hold on. They win a stunt mug, Ferg. Hopefully, in better condition than that one. This is the stuntiest of mugs. Who's going to win? You've got to pick a caption. I mean, it's got to be Penner rides bikes, hasn't it? For me, I mean, I can't not choose that. You've been at your comments again. Are you going to give it to yourself? No. It's on the way to them. Don't forget, captions for this picture, put them in the comments down below, and you too could win a stunt mug. Stunt mug. Oh, we are singing? Yes. Stunt mug. Stunt mug. Stunt mug. Stunt mug. That's just gone mental. Stunt mug. Stunt mug. Stunt mug. Stunt mug. Stunt mug. Stunt mug. We're so out of tune. Yes. Moving on. Coming up on the channel this week, we've got a couple of banging videos, kicking things off, and what you might be getting wrong about clipless pedals. Now, whether you're first time using them or you've been using them for a long time, you just can't quite get on with them, I've got a few tips and tricks to help you along the way. What have you got, buddy? Later on in the week, we have Blake Sampson catching up with Tom Eystead after his first appearance at Red Bull Rampage last year. Blake is going down to his house with Tom to see what he's been getting up to and what his plans are for this year. Yes, no doubt some mad, crazy stunts because that guy likes to go big and upside down. Yes, and he's one loose bloke. He is. He's wild. Time for the bike vault. Now, we don't have a bike vault, we just freestyle. Where's the bell gone? Here we go. Your very first bike vault. I'm going to let you be in charge. Can I shake it before? Go on, give it a whirl. Yes. It's not bad, is it? It's pretty privileged. I'm excited. Kicking things off, we've got a Rose Uncle Jimbo from Lancelot. I don't know much about Rose bikes, I'll be honest with you. Big in Europe, aren't they? German brand? German brand. This one is in Varna, Bulgaria. In terms of destination, that's pretty cool. Parked outside a cafe. Not bad. He says he's actually got the bike up for sale, people, because he's after something a bit bigger. He's 189 centimeters tall. Big guy. That is a big guy. Nice or super nice? You're cool, this one. I mean, it's got bombers. I'm a big fan of bombers. Are you making friends? Yes, super nice. Go on, please. Next up, it's an Orbea Laufey, kind of a rowdy hardtail. You'll find out soon enough. Where is this? This is Peak District, exploring trails on my Laufey. It's lovely. It looks good. It looks like a good spot. Solid hardtail. What are we giving it, Ferg? I reckon it's super nice. Oh, my God. Go on. You're a madman. I can see how this is going to go. Who have we got next, then, buddy? Next up, we have- Look at that. It looks good. We have Spencer Carmen with a Canyon Sender from ex-FMD Oliver Zwar. Gold 40s on there. Gold 40s, big fan of a set of gold 40s. The yellow D maxes. Of course, it's a downhill bike, so for me, it gets the super nice. I agree. It's got the first ride prototype on the back as well, look. Extra special. Extra super. Good lad. Good lad. Well done, Spencer. Next up, we have, where is it? An adult balance bike, this says. Oh, yes. Do you know what? There's no cranks. This is chaos. What's going on here? It's got triple clamps. It's like old-school head wheels and no cranks. No derailleur cassette. No need, I suppose. I don't know what to say. I can't say super nice. You've got to be pedaling, haven't you? Do you remember? You're probably just a bit too young. RST high fives, dual crown forks. A bit before my time. Yes, I know. I thought it might be sadly. Fake head wheels, it says here as well, actually. Sometimes riding in Norway is not for me. Sometimes, if you start making balance bikes for yourself. That's quite cool. It's just like, do you know what? I believe the balance bike is the single most important invention for bikes. It's after, actually, me and Martin spoke last week about balance bikes for kids being good, but I feel like he's not a kid. For kids, very, very cool when they can't pedal. Nice? Yes, nice. All right, guys. Nice. Okay. Next up is a Ragley Marley. The heck is that backdrop? Yes. From Chris Kidd. Yes, pretty cool. We've been lucky with the weather this week, haven't we? Cornish Coast, between Perenporth and Holywell Bay. I've never ridden down Cornwall much. I used to do some four-cross races down there way back. Yes, I've done a lot. Single track stuff. Yes, I've not done a huge amount of riding over there, but it certainly looks nice. They've got the little pony in the background. So what are we giving it? Super nice. All right. Go, ring the bell. Oh, my Lord. This guy's giving them away. Next up, we have Gabriel Thomas'. Oh, my goodness. I mean, this is a throwback. Oh, freeride machine. Ain't dead. A 2013 Cube Hands with that big totem on there as well. Come on. Yes. Remember those? Yes. They were a blast in the past. As a kid, that's all I wanted was a set of totems. For me, that instantly looks super nice. Yes, go on. Go on, then. With the white hoses. They have a 1.5-inch straight steer as well. Real stiff. Yes, just chunky forks. Flipping heck. Fair enough, though. Last but by no means least, obviously, more balanced bikes. This is from Mohammed Al-Aradi. Ever saw one of those kids balance bike 12 years ago by the beach in Wollongong? I just knew it's the best thing any kid can have, and it makes super sense. He bought his sister's twins their second birthday gift. I mean, what a birthday gift. Come on. Twins, bikes, first bikes, happy birthday. One's even smaller than the other. New bike day as well. Come on, that's the best. It's got to be a super nice. Go on, bring it. My first one. Nice. Thank you very much for sending all your bikes. The link to the uploader is in the description down below. We do love to see what you've got. Maybe Ferg will get Trigger happy on the bell again. Yes, again, send them in. Thank you very much for watching. Ferg, it's been an absolute pleasure. Thanks, mate. Thanks for guiding me through my first one. Do you know what, though? The show didn't quite go as smooth as you thought, though. Oh, but do we have to show them? Show them the real. The downhill, we're going to redo that. I messed the whole thing up, didn't I? Drop your answers in the comments below, and Richard. Richard, very formal. Wow. Ferguson, thank you very much. Drop your answers in the comments below. Then just stop. Then you just jump in, I'll go, Richard. Just from that point, say no more. What have you got, Ferg? Layer up in the, I had it so good.