Edinburgh-based clothing manufacturers Endura have been quietly revolutionising what British riders wear
for over 20 years.
Given the plethora of clothing options available nowadays, the idea of a time when mountain bikers had
to borrow from other sports may seem an odd one. Back in the early 1990s, though, that was the norm.
Riders would use padded road shorts for comfort, rock climbers’ tights for a bit of extra warmth, and
footwear and jackets borrowed from hill-walking if the weather was really bad.
Endura founder and owner Jim McFarlane wasn’t happy with this situation, so in 1992 he decided to do
something about it. He founded Endura, developed the MT500 range of shorts and jerseys – a range
that’s still available today – using fabrics and cuts that would stand up to the rigours of mountain biking,
and has never looked back.
Endura-sponsored rider Chris Smith and I were passing through Edinburgh recently, so we decided to
drop in and find out what makes the brand tick.
Inside a large, white, Endura branded building on the edge of an industrial estate is the team of dedicated riders, designers and seamstresses behind every Endura product – 120 people in total. The team may have got bigger over the years but as brand manager Ian Young explains, the ethos is the same as it always was – British designed clothing made for British riding conditions.
“The MT500 range was built around the idea of being really rugged to suit UK conditions,” says Ian. “All across the UK – even though it’s a bit milder in the south – it’s still wet. People are riding in unfriendly conditions that aren’t experienced in the US, where a lot of the big clothing brands are based.”
Made for the UK
Endura are known for clothing and accessories designed to keep riders comfortable while battling damp,
claggy conditions. “There’s a history of outdoor activities in the UK. We’ve got accessible mountains of a
decent size and a changeable climate that requires good quality outdoor kit,” says Ian.
The design input comes from two sources these days – their own employees and their sponsored riders.
Endura’s Scottish base means that the people who work there can ride in the extremes of weather and
trail conditions that feed back into new ideas.
“The MT500 Spray short is an example of that,” says Ian. “It’s waterproof on the back, with a stretch
panel on the front. It’s a fairly simple idea but it was pretty revolutionary when we introduced it.”
Local loop
Martin Steele, Endura’s social media and event co-ordinator, takes us for a spin on some of the local
singletrack. The views are epic and the trail is technical but flowing. The sun beats down relentlessly
from a cloudless sky on our visit, but then you can’t have everything.
Martin tackles the trail with the easy alacrity of a rider who’s just as at home riding a mountain bike as
he is a cyclocross or road bike. The route curves through the edge of a forest before kicking up sharply
and emerging on the edge of a spectacular rocky outcrop with a sheer drop to the lake below. It’s not
necessarily typical of Scottish riding, which can be as remote and harsh as mountain riding anywhere in
the world.
Back at Endura HQ, operations manager Alison Aitken takes us on a guided tour of the factory floor
where Endura’s custom shorts and jerseys are made, by hand, by a dedicated team of 50 designers,
printers and seamstresses. It only takes around an hour for a single jersey or pair of shorts to be
transformed from fabric roll to completed garment. Chris is persuaded to have a go on one of the sewing
machines. Let’s just say it’s not as easy as it looks.
Endura goes enduro
Endura’s range has expanded to include eyewear and helmets, but the current focus is on refining a
range to meet the needs of enduro riders. “We’re trying to find the right angle for enduro kit,” admits
Ian. “Enduro is really just what mountain biking has always been – it’s trail riding. But the fact that
you’re going to be pedalling uphill and also riding downhill makes finding the balance tricky. The kit needs
durability built in without being too heavy.”
As usual for Endura, it’s rider feedback that will drive this development. With the clout to work directly
with fabric manufacturers to produce exactly the materials they want, the secret is to get the spec and
the cut just right. Ian clearly believes it’s worth all the effort.
“A lot of people underestimate the difference that good quality clothing can make,” he says. “Mountain
bikers get obsessed with the bike, with suspension and wheels, before they even think about clothing.”
Ultimately, like other British brands whose roots are close to the riders who buy their products, Endura
succeed or fail on the ability of their clothing to work – and keep working – in the fickle British climate.
The fact that the company are still going strong after more than 20 years shows they’re doing a lot
right.
CUSTOM CLOTHING
Although Endura’s main product range is manufactured overseas to keep prices competitive, one of the
company’s most popular services is the custom clothing range. Anyone – a club, a team, an individual –
can order custom clothing. The in-house design team refines the artwork, which is then printed onto rolls
of fabric via special printers – in essence, huge inkjets – downstairs at Endura HQ. A computerised
cutter then separates the individual panels of clothing for a team of 30 seamstresses to assemble into
shorts or jerseys – and the minimum order quantity is just 15.
ASK THE PROS
Endura’s reputation has been built on providing sensibly priced, durable kit for everyday riders. But much
of the feedback that leads to improvements in design comes from the company’s sponsored pros, such
as enduro supremo Tracy Moseley, Olympian Oli Beckingsale and freerider Chris Smith. These guys are
out riding harder, further and faster than most of us, and that makes a difference. It was Oli’s
experience as a bib shorts and baggies wearing XC pro, for example, that led to the development of
complementary fabric inserts in the rear of both baggies and bibs – a bit like Velcro, only less sticky – to
prevent the baggies from slipping down as the rider moves in and out of the saddle.