2019 is going to a big year for enduro bikes. Big travel, big hits, and big wheels, this is the year that enduro bikes will be setting the world alight. We see that big travel is being partnered with big wheels again. The big wheels and big travel giving you a great mix of speed and safety for gunning it down trails you might not have seen before you got your race boots on.

Which enduro bike to pick?

As you can guess quite a few 29er enduro bikes are kicking about for 2019. All are vying to take your hard earned cash. So we have lined up a few for you that we feel are fantastic and leading the charge for heading back to wagon wheels. We have brought you an aluminum framed enduro bike, a carbon fiber frame only option, and what we feel is one of the best value carbon fiber enduro bikes on the market.

You will see all the bikes have between 150mm and 170mm travel. This big travel will make all downhills seem small, and when combined with 29er wheels the bikes should roll over practically everything. They all feature a slackened geometry and a burly build. By going this way, you can be sure you will be able to rocket through timed sections and have the bike stand up to any spills when things get too hairy.

So, without further ado, welcome the bikes.

Orange Stage 6

Orange has been around for a while, bringing us high-quality aluminum bikes from their base in Halifax, England. As you would expect from Orange, the Stage 6 is burly bike using the single pivot suspension design and the very industrial looking welds that we have grown to love from Orange.

The Stage 6 comes in three models. The high-end bike coming with either SRAM or Shimano, so you don’t have to get a bike with the gears you don’t like, and Fox suspension. The entry-level model comes with SRAM and Rock Shox. All three models will be bringing you 160mm of travel regardless of the suspension package.

You’ll find the bikes look can be a marmite for some, and you will also find some who feel that it is heavy, but you’ll find as many people who swear by the Stage 6.

Pivot Firebird

The Pivot Firebird has joined the 29er market for 2019. The brand that could be seen to be at the forefront of enduro, has perhaps been a bit slow to lead the jump that others have made. Perhaps, due to concentrating on its SuperBoost Plus hub width.

This bike comes with the Pivot quality we have all come to expect. It has a lowered standover when compared to the old 27.5” version, an interesting concept in itself. You’ll have to spec your Pivot by yourself as this is a frame only option. Buying as a frame gives you a lot of freedom but does mean you might be paying more than many of the off the shelf options.

The Firebird comes with the ability to run up to 170mm of travel. You will probably not want to run that amount though as we have found the front end easier to lift on climbs and it becomes a bit of a balancing act climbing. It is fun on the downhill though to have almost downhill bike travel.

Triaero Andes 29er

We have saved the best new bike until last, welcome the new Triaero Andes 29er. Triaero is the new kid on the block and is one of the new breed of direct to the consumer brands. This means you can get a phenomenal value bike. You can even save a little bit over some other direct sales brands as Triaero own their own manufacturing plant. This gets you a bike direct to your door, with no middlemen taking a cut, we can’t believe how little you’ll spend on a Triaero, and that is why they are winning us over fast.

Triaero have built a carbon fiber 150mm travel monster. A bike constructed from the well regarded Toray T700 and T800 carbon fiber. Saving you weight for the pedal uphill but being strong enough for you to let it all hang out on the way downhill.

Even more impressive than the SRAM X01 Eagle groupset on the bike is the fact that rolls out the factory with carbon fiber Boost wheels. When was the last time you bought a stock bike and had it come with carbon fiber wheels?

Triaero also finishes the bike off with a carbon fiber saddle, stem, and handlebar. More than enough bling for even the most hardened rappers. The carbon saddle you will find sits atop an X-fusion Manic 150mm dropper post. What more could you possibly want in your next race bike?

We have to give it to Triaero they have come out the blocks flying and have given us a bike that should more than enough podiums on the privateer circuit. A bike that will certainly mean you can afford to race all season and when was the last time we said that about a high-end carbon fiber mountain bike.

So now you’ll have seen our three very different enduro bikes. They all have their strengths and weaknesses. We all know someone who will find metal to be preferable to carbon fiber so the Orange Stage 6 Would be for them. We also have a friend who loves having the most expensive and bling bike. The Pivot Firebird is the bike for them.

For those of us who want value and high quality then there is the Triaero Andes. A bike that we think will help you destroy the Andes and at the price Triaero charge, you allow you to be able to afford to get to the Andes. Watch this space because we are predicting big things for the Triaero brand and time will only tell whether it is the new Canyon or YT.