Downhill Legend Brendan Fairclough Switches to Enduro, XC and DIY Freeride in 2020

Brendog is anything but ordinary. Also known as Brendan Fairclough, he holds podiums in UCI Downhill, Crankworx Downhill and Slalom, and has top finishes in Red Bull Rampage. He’s a man of ample skill on two wheels. With this year’s many event cancellations, 2020 has been a unique year for him. He’s had the opportunity to branch out into new disciplines, including one he’s poked fun at in the past: enduro.

Brendan traveled to Madeira to race the Trans Madeira Enduro, a five-day, 25-stage, 220-kilometer stage race. He details the race over a few videos on his YouTube channel, showing the difficulty of the long days of climbing and the fun of the purpose-built downhill trails.

For the event, Brendan built up the new Scott Ransom. He paired the new 170mm enduro bike with ENVE’s M930 rims and Chris King hubs. He paired the frame with ENVE’s M930 rims and Chris King hubs. He gives some insight on rim choice, citing the strength and reliability of the Protective Rim Strip on the M930 as one of his favorite parts of the rim. “This thing completely saves us,” he said of the Rim Strip. “Last year I dented a rim in a race run, giving it a full crack, and it kept full air in the tires for the whole run.”

Quarantine brought out creativity in Brendan. He created a “home rampage” course which included a jump off of his Land Rover and a skinny over his roof.

As a tribute to his Scott teammate Nino Schurter, Brendan borrowed an XC bike and fitted it his way, with M930 rims, thicker tire casings and a 120mm fork. When his World Championships invite was “lost in the mail”, he took his XC bike to his local trails, and rode it exactly the way you’d think a guy like him would ride an XC bike.

Brendan continues to be one of the best freeride and downhill athletes out there, and we’re excited to see what he comes up with in the rest of 2020.