Enduro is fast becoming the most popular mountain bike discipline in the world. Why? Because it appeals to the all-round mountain bike rider. Pedalling uphill with your friends before ripping down some rocky, root-strewn trails – what’s not to like?

With the Enduro World Series kicking off this weekend, we’ve put together an introduction to enduro – plus a few interesting things you might not know about the world’s hottest MTB comp.

What is Enduro?

Enduro is an form of mountain bike racing, described as an “all-mountain” discipline.

It was thought up in the 1990s when riders wanted a new sport that combined the techy bike handling ability from downhill and the endurance side of cross-country.

It’s designed to test the world’s best all round mountain bikers – with amateurs entering alongside professional riders.

How does the race work?

The Enduro World Series sets the world’s best racers head-to-head in seven competitions across the globe.

Riders race over a series of stages. Whoever has the combined fastest time over those stages is the winner. These are primarily downhill courses with few uphill legs.

Riders are only allowed one bike and one set of wheels (unlike other disciplines) so they need to think tactically about equipment choice and physical effort when riding the course.

When does it take place?

It all kicks off this Saturday 19 April with round one at Santa Cruz Montenbaik Enduro in Nevados de Chillan, Chile. The rest of the 2014 season is as follows:

Round Two – Tweedlove Festival, Scotland, UK (30 May-1 June)

Round Three – Enduro Series Valloire, France (21-22 June)

Round Four – Super Enduro La Thuile, Italy (12-13 July)

Round Five – Colorado Freeride Festival, Winterpark, Colorado, USA (26-27 July)

Round Six – Crankworx Whistler, Canada (9-10 August)

Round Seven – Super Enduro Finale Ligure, Italy (4-5 October)

If you want a more detailed explanation of how Enduro came about, check out this informative piece in Bike Magic.