The new Normal – The ENDURO Issue #066 is here!

Sometimes you don’t even realize that you’re in the midst of a transformation – until you look back and wonder how naturally things have become part of everyday life. Technology, trends, lifestyles, even our relationship with the bike… everything is evolving, constantly and steadily. And that’s exactly what the “New Normal” is: the scene never stands still, but keeps thinking, developing, and opening up a little more with each new season.

Nowhere is this more evident than in our reader survey. A total of 14,495 of you from 127 countries gave us an honest, unfiltered look into the present and future of mountain biking. Your responses are more than just numbers. They are a reflection of our community: curious, critical, emotional, tech-savvy, and diverse. You define what biking means to you. You show us which bikes excite you, which problems concern you, and what you hope for in the future. In doing so, you’re actively helping shape the industry.

As we go through your answers, it becomes clear that there is no single rider profile, but rather a wild mix of bike fanatics. From gravity junkies to tourers, from tinkerers to high-tech lovers, from parents bringing their kids to the trails to race nerds breaking down every innovation down to the last gram. This very diversity is what defines our scene today. The New Normal means: everything has its place. Everything is allowed. And everything influences how we live and breathe mountain biking.

And since the enduro bike still makes your hearts beat faster, that’s exactly where we’ll start: with our big group test, where the most exciting enduro bikes of the season show how expectations and reality will meet in 2026. How much innovation is in the fourteen bikes tested? How much risk are the manufacturers still taking? How much pragmatism and how much tech does it really take before it starts to feel like overkill?

But before we dive deeper, it’s worth taking a sideways glance – at trends aiming to redefine the new normal and possibly introduce a new wheel size to the bike world: 32-inch wheels. Sounds crazy. Maybe it is. But more than anything, it’s an experiment that asks the simple question: is today’s “normal” still good enough – or are we bold enough to think in new dimensions before we ride them?

Caught between revolution and boom-bust cycles, the industry juggles ideas that may seem too big, too heavy, or too absurd for some. But innovation rarely starts where everyone nods in agreement – it starts where someone asks, “Why not?” Whether 32″ will be the next big thing or just another chapter in the cabinet of curiosities remains to be seen. But the very fact that we’re talking about it shows just how far our sport has come.

While wheel sizes keep getting bigger, DHaRCO are heading in the opposite direction: they’re making things smaller, lighter, more unobtrusive. The new Gravity Knee Pads deliver Level-2 protection but are meant to feel like a trail pad. Whether they can truly earn our trust on the trail is something we’ll find out in our test. Equally bold – though in a completely different way – are the GET A GRIP bar ends. At first glance, they look unusual, but they’re designed to provide more support and reduce arm pump on long descents. A problem we all struggle with. But are these small helpers at the ends of your bars really the solution?

And then there are innovations that don’t just change technology, but experiences. The new Kids Ride Shotgun Pro Evo brings your little ones right into the action – directly in front of you, between your arms, where closeness, trust, and trail giggles become one. It’s mountain biking as a shared adventure, long before kids can ride on their own. Perhaps the most beautiful reminder of what biking is truly about.

But that’s far from everything. So dive in, browse through the digital pages of this issue, and let new ideas, bold approaches, and supposed innovations wash over you – because this is exactly how a new normal comes to life. After all, many of us still remember when 29” wheels first appeared and everyone thought: that will never catch on.

Enjoy the issue.

Cheers
Peter

---

Did you enjoy this article? If so, we would be stoked if you decide to support us with a monthly contribution. By becoming a supporter of ENDURO, you will help secure a sustainable future for high-quality mountain bike journalism. Click here to learn more.

Words & Photos: Peter Walker