Enduro Gear Advice. Damper and Computer

JasonJ

Member
Jun 15, 2001
1,150
1
I want to start riding Enduros next year. I dont want to set the world on fire, I do want to have fun and try to be competitive. I also dont want to spend loads of money as its just for fun.
Anyway, I need a puter and I see alot of guys that run Enduros and or trails are using Dampers on their bikes. I am going to ask for both for Christmas this year.
What Im looking for is some of you guys and gals to weigh in on what equipment is available, the price, where to get it online, and the features that differentiate them.
With computers, I have looked at the ICO I think and the trail Tech. The trail tech is way cheaper, but dose not appear to have a remote control unit.
Im leaning twoard the WER damper mostly because of price. I know the GTR or what ever is cheaper, but I have herd some people say they did not like those units and ended up buying another more expensive unit.
I ride in the tight East Pa trails. Paragon, Tower city, ect, I need to ride the tight single track in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd gear on my WR 400 and then run 4th and maybe 5th gear on the coal and fire roads that are littered with rocks and rutts. I saw the unit that lets you adjust it from a remote bar mount, and it looks sweet, but its like $700, way out of range now.
So weigh in please, your tips experiance and advice is appreciated very much.
Thanks.
JasonJ.
 

GETMETOCA

Can't Wait For Tuesdays
Mar 17, 2002
4,768
0
The computers are cool and one of these days when I can justify owning one I will. Until then, just get a $25 Roll Chart holder and a cheap watch to tape to your bars. And an Odometer if your bike doesn't already have one hooked up. VOILA!!

As for the damper, I don't have one of those either but maybe someone can help you out, I'm interested in what they have to say as well.
 

lawman

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Sep 20, 1999
764
0
i'd get the damper 1st, i consider it a safety measure. enduros are pretty long, & mostly over unfamiliar terrain. 1 of the main things a damper does for you is to help keep the bar from being wrenched out of your hands when you are tired & trying to go fast & hit a rock or root or rut or something you did not see. i use the scott's b/c i like being able to adjust the hi & lo speed separately. i hardly ever use the adjust on the fly feature, but maybe that's just me. i had a wer & liked it fine, too, i just like the scott's a little better.

they are expensive, but like everything else in this hobby, there's a secondary market in used 1s. they are sold on here once in awhile, & they pop up on ktmtalk all the time.

i'm with getmetoca on the computer; they are nice to have, but you can just get on a row with an A or AA rider & do what he does, for free, while using your clock & odo & route chart to learn what it's all about. it can be pretty intimidating at 1st if you try to do it all at once, a mistake, i think, & 1 of the things that keeps some guys from getting into it. i think enduros are a blast, my favorite kind of competition by far. i wouldn't get all hung up about timekeeping at 1st, just have fun & the rest will come along.

computers are daggum expensive too, but again can be found used. i got mine by trading an extra gas tank i wasn't using for it.
 

Kiddyextreme

Member
Feb 5, 2001
29
0
As far as the damper goes I have used both the Scotts and GPR. Personally I think that the GPR works just as well as the Scotts if not better. Its cheaper too. I would wait on the computer until you have grasped how to do it without one first then either go for an ICO Checkmate or Watchdog 2000. Both work great but the ICO is a little better.
 

Wolf

doooode
Jul 31, 2000
2,487
1
I use a WER dampener and am satisfied, though I have used a Scotts, and I liked that too. I think you'll be happy with any one of them, they all work.
I wouldn't worry about time keeping too much....
 

Enduro_Nut

~SPONSOR~
Feb 7, 2002
1,155
0
I would agree with everyone else regarding the 'puter, ride a few enduro's first to see if you really like them(I'm sure you will!) before investing $400+ for a new one or $200+/- for used. In the meantime I agree with GETMEMOCA on learning the "correct" way in scoring as it makes you more aware of the race fundemental's.
Regarding the damper - I prefer the WER over Scott's in the really tight stuff, the radious the WER starts is about 10 degrees quicker. In addition, WER frees up my bars for other pieces(computer,etc.). The downside as lawman mentioned is adjustibility which WER is less flexible on and some people have bent them since they ride over your front fender - so you do have trade off's.
The WER is much less expensive
 

JasonJ

Member
Jun 15, 2001
1,150
1
Thaks all. I like the looks and price of the watchdog. I like the looks price and reports on the WER. I had planned to ride my first enduro this year but the plans fell thorugh when my truck broke. I planned to ride it without time keeping equipment, but I think running with it will help me get a better idea of what to do and help piece all that I have read on the issue togeter. Im a tech kind of guy, I cant see using the chart and clock and memorizing all the speed conversions as a beginner, just seems like to much to do when I should be concentrating on riding.
Couple questions:
Are dampers in need of general service? Do you have to like rebuild them alot and whats involved in it with the WER for example. Is is worth buying a used one for that matter?
Is GPS equipment allowed in Enduro riding? seems like using a GPS with topo info could be an advantage and help you ride loops more effectivley.
 

BRush

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Jun 5, 2000
1,100
0
Originally posted by JasonJ
Couple questions:
Are dampers in need of general service? Do you have to like rebuild them alot and whats involved in it with the WER for example. Is it worth buying a used one for that matter?
Is GPS equipment allowed in Enduro riding? seems like using a GPS with topo info could be an advantage and help you ride loops more effectivley.


Yes the WER’s need to be serviced. I’ve had mine rebuilt at the beginning of each season, usually requires a new wiper (this after a season of heavy racing use).

No rule against GPS’s in enduros, but they are not gonna help you. You just won’t have the time to be fooling around with it or with topo maps. At some point in your first enduro you’ll realize that a lot of what you are doing to “navigate” is following the brown strip through the woods. The one area where a GPS is useful is for emergency navigation back to the parking area (assuming you marked a waypoint there) if you get really lost , or if you have a mechanical problem and you need to limp back via some nameless tar road when you get out of a trail section. I sometimes carry my Etrex for this purpose.

Having said that let me also say that leaving the marked course while still in the woods is risky because you don’t want the sweep riders to miss you. Those woods get cold at night.
 

holeshot

Crazy Russian
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Jan 25, 2000
1,823
0
The only problem with a GPS is that it will lose it's signal when you get in thick tree cover or even when you're surrounded by steep hills (like in a deep ravine). For that reason, it's not a device used for enduro computers, which depend on the accuracy of distance traveled. GPS are deadly accurate when they keep their signal (like in the open) and are a great navigation device.

As far as when you buy a 'puter, it really personal preference. At first, you can just follow people on your minute and let them do the timekeeping. I ride enduros for the timekeeping aspect of it, so I had no problem with buying a computer right away (so I could do my own timekeeping). Besides, I like Gizmos. :confused:
 
Last edited:

wsmc831

~SPONSOR~
Apr 30, 2002
298
0
I know most people will tell you to just use a roll chart...not me. I started my first enduro with a computer and it really added to the enjoyment. I know the entire time how behind/ahead I was and added a whole new aspect for me. I started with the ICO pro comp, good computer, no complaints, and currently have a checkmate, a lot more information and one I'll be keeping for a long time.

yes, if you have a b or a rider that will ride with you then by all means do it! they'll know what's going on...but you'll have to get them to ride back in C class with you, otherwise you'll be riding with other c riders who may/may not help as faster riders can ride back with you, but you can't ride up with them.

I wouldn't worry about gps, won't really help you keep on course, and is just sitting there waiting for a gnarly crash to get killed....

I chose the WER damper, not because it works better than any of the others, but because it mounts on the lower triple clamp and is out of the way completely. Not sure of the price of the others, but the WER is 319 at rockymountainatv.com.
 

JasonJ

Member
Jun 15, 2001
1,150
1
More great advice. Thaks again.
wsmc831, yeah that was my exact thought, how do I know everyone on my minute is not a first time rider too? Hopfully I can get in with some people that know whats going on, and I can try to ride with them and watch my computer to see how its done. Even if I did get on with an experianced rider, it is a compitition, why would they just sit there and let me ride their coat tails and not try to bump and sprint me off their wheel. What if they crash and or break down? ect ect.
Thanks for the tips and advice all, Im going to ask for the watchdog and the WER. Well see if I get either :) . All the stuff I want is so expensive! Well, hey, she wants a ring this year so that makes up for it :) ;-) .
 

wsmc831

~SPONSOR~
Apr 30, 2002
298
0
well, it is a competition, but if you are riding with an A or B rider, they aren't competing directly with you, only in thier respecitive classes in their skill level.


you can always guage how you are doing by the other rider's numbers around you. A bunch of numbers too hi and you are behind, low numbers and you are ahead.

I always like knowing by exact time how I'm doing....but that's just me.


course, in the tougher races, sometimes it's bad, because you can get so far behind that it's frustrating. at that point, I stop looking at the computer and just ride for fun.

kinda like a race last year, they sent us through about 20 miles of really bad, freshly cut stuff. pulled into the next check 25 minutes late! I was so depressed..till I found out that everyone else had a hard time, and I actually got the same score as my friend riding the class ahead of me...so realize that the tough sections effect everyone equally, and that every minute counts!
 

lawman

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Sep 20, 1999
764
0
jason: they won't wait on you, that's not the point. if they are ahead of you, try to keep up with them; if they are so far ahead that you can't see them, put your head down & try to catch up; if they are going slower than you can go, slow down too & don't pass them. nothing to it.

in my area, if you tell them at sign-up that you want to row up with fast guys, they'll do it for you, no problem. there is no set place where the different classes are rowed up. may be different in other areas. i rec. doing this even with your new computer.
 

23jayhawk

Sponsoring Member
Apr 30, 2002
675
0
If you're a C rider and are riding a true enduro, most likely you're gonna have your hands full even keeping the A/B rider in sight, much less staying on time. If the course is at all tough it will be a steady process of falling further behind.

Pesonally I'm putting off a computer until I can keep time manually, and also until I'm fast enough to start burning checks. That's not likely to be a problem anytime soon...:laugh:
 

JasonJ

Member
Jun 15, 2001
1,150
1
Cool, Im really pumped to try this. Ive been riding tight single track and hanging tough with classed riders. Granted we take breaks and wait for others to catch up 20 mins or so, but I feel good like I can keep going at the same pace for a good while. How long in hours is an Enduro generaley and about how much rest time including fuel stops do you normaly get? I know every race is different, but whats the norm? Ill be riding the east Pa, NJ and maybe Md and SE NY rides.
 

Barbarian

Member
Nov 22, 2001
302
0
Have fun man. I'll throw my two cents in... I tend to agree with Lawman, you might as well get a $25 roll chart because you need it even with a computer. A cheap watch helps also. I think that will do you better than a computer at first. If you have lots of money though, a computer is definately a good thing to have.
I have had two enduro computers that both became so unreliable that I gave up on them. I'm currently a "A" rider and am just getting by with a watch, roll chart, and an odometer. I'm going to get anouther computer soon though.
In my first enduro, I went by myself and didn't have a clue as to what was happening. I quickly learned to just follow a guy on my row, who was slower than me but knew how to keep time, into the sections, then once we got in he would wave me by and then it was haul ass untill the section was over and they checked me out.
If your using a much faster guy to help you keep time, it will be ok because he will be riding slow to get into the section. When he takes off and leaves you in the dust, just ride as fast as you can without getting exhausted.
Don't worry about it. It's almost impossible to understand how an enduro works untill you've done one or two, then all of a sudden it comes together and seems like common sense. It's really an ingenious system, only 30 or 40 people can control and score 500 riders over a 75 miles course through the woods. That's why they were designed the way they are.
 

wsmc831

~SPONSOR~
Apr 30, 2002
298
0
..as far as what is the norm? well, out here races usually last about 5 hours, with 20-30 minutes for gas at midway point (usually, and assuming you aren't late). Depending on the club running it, they're between 70-100 ground miles with several stops during the race of maybe 5-15 minutes.
 
Top Bottom