Brandon Ontiveros - High Fives | Teton Gravity Research

Enduro racing, which started in France, is starting to blow up here in the US. From Tahoe to New England, bikers are rallying for weekend-long, multi-stage bike races that test riders on trailbike-appropriate downhills with untimed climbs in between to keep them honest. And Brandon Ontiveros, who started the Oregon Enduro and recently took over the Big Mountain Enduro from Yeti, is one of the sport’s biggest proponents. In this 2013 interview, Crested Butte-based Ontiveros told us about why he thinks enduro is having its moment, and what he’s trying to do to make that happen. Want to know more about racing? Check out Enduro Racing For Dummies by Associate Editor Ryan Dunfee.

For those of us who aren't in the know, what is enduro?

The basics of enduro go back to the roots of mountain biking—you put in long hours on your bike, pedaling up big mountains to be able to rip the most fun sections of trail: the descents. And then you repeat. Enduros are timed via special stages. You’re primarily descending big vertical but then there are non-timed transfer stages thrown into the mix along with some “pedally” stages. At Big Mountain Enduro events, we normally run between five to eight special stages each weekend.

For a rider, it requires fitness and a technical skill set. I think it showcases the best all-around trail riders and mountain bikers. Enduro has similarities to backcountry skiing, in that you'll spend long hours summiting a large peak, but the main goal is to be able to shred the descent and talk about the experience afterwards with your buddies over a cold beer. I think the camaraderie at these events is higher than you'll see anywhere else in cycling.

The Keystone Big Mountain Enduro. Photo compliments of Big Mountain Enduro/Nicholas Ontiveros

How did you come to run Big Mountain Enduro?

I’ve worked in both the ski and bike industries most of my career, and five or six years ago I started a series in Oregon—the Oregon Super D—that is now one of the top enduro series on the West Coast. I got out of it for a while, but when the opportunity arose to take over the Big Mountain Enduro Series from Yeti Cycles, it felt like a meant-to-be business move. And, ultimately, passion is the main reason I wanted to get back into it. My heart has always been in it and we have big plans for the future of Big Mountain Enduro.

Crested Butte Gearing Up for the Race900.jpg Racers gearing up for the start of the Crested Butte Big Mountain Enduro. This year's Crested Butte finals is a beast of an event, covering five days that will test competitors with 20-25 miles of riding and 4-5,000 vertical feet of ascending and descending each day. Photo compliments of Big Mountain Enduro/Nicholas Ontiveros

What are those plans? Where do you want to see it go?

The plan for this summer is to work our butts off putting on world-class enduro events. Our series started in Angel Fire/Taos, we just finished up an event at Crested Butte, which was amazing, and headed off to Keystone for a BME event that was also tied to the North American Enduro Tour (NAET). Durango is our fourth stop of the tour, followed by Moab, which is our finals and also where the NAET finals will culminate. I want to keep evolving every season in terms of course designs, adding more backcountry stages, and working closer with core sponsors.

Big Mountain Enduro Keystone The Keystone Big Mountain Enduro. Photo compliments of Big Mountain Enduro/Nicholas Ontiveros

Why do you think it's so appealing to people?

The fun factor, laid back vibe and camaraderie are the most appealing aspects of racing enduro. Obviously the cross between multiple disciplines, and throwing down on the biggest and roughest terrain over two to five days are the core of racing enduro, but you get to ride with friends and other athletes you meet along the way, climb together and talk about the highlights of your run.

Big Mountain Enduro Keystone The Keystone Big Mountain Enduro. Photo compliments of Big Mountain Enduro/Nicholas Ontiveros

What advice would you give someone who wanted to get in to enduro?

My advice is to go out and try one; you'll most likely have a blast and get hooked on this style of racing. Not all of the stages are super gnarly and most are well balanced enough to allow amateurs to have a good time, but still challenge themselves. You do need to be in decent shape because you’ll be racing multiple stages over multiple days and a lot of the events are happening at high altitude, so make sure to put in some miles on your trail bike.

Angel Fire Taos Big Mountain Enduro Racers kicking back at the Angel Fire/Taos race. Photo compliments of Big Mountain Enduro/Nicholas Ontiveros