MTB IN MOAB

Moab, Utah is the epicenter of Mountain Biking in North America. Renowned for its vistas, technical trails and plethora of good coffee shops and breweries. Whether you are polishing a technical move for the first time or gazing at the prehistoric rock structures, Moab has a riding experience for anyone.

For several reasons, it made for the perfect destination for Elevenate to launch the Mountain Bike collection back in 2021. In typical fashion, we jumped at the excuse to make the journey to Moab before the sweltering desert sun of the Utah summer makes the destination inhospitable for several months of the year. A perfect weather window and well-tuned bikes brought the team of four to several iconic trails within a few miles of the town-center. Long days of shooting were capped off with a comfortable campsite and engaging conversation recapping our varying experiences on the trails we rode that day.

For our shoot, we were sure to work at the edges of daylight to really showcase the texture and life of the sandstone and snow-capped mountains that make Moab so unique. Slickrock trail, Captain Ahab and Porcupine Rim were the venues of choice. All of these trails offer challenging features and views that will excite any and all Mountain bikers. With a predictable variation in temperature found in hostile desert climates, we were well equipped with the layering on offer from the SS21 line. Oftentimes starting and ending with near below freezing temperatures. Our days on the trials were spent lapping technical uphill and downhill moves that require laser-focus and precise balance. Mountain biking in Moab epitomizes progression. The motivation derived from seeing your friends excel pushes everyone to ride at a level they never believed they could perform at.

The overall consensus - If the Elevenate MTB line can withstand the rigors of a spring week in Moab, it can almost certainly handle a summer’s worth of use in the alpine. The apparel mastered functionality and breathability. An absolute necessity when heart-rates are spiking every few minutes. Moab is a must for every mountain biker in the world. It is far more than the trails, it is the experience of being amongst storied rock walls and mountains. The energy is infectious and the atmosphere creates a level of camaraderie that can’t be developed anywhere else.

Moab in four facts

• Elevation: The town sits at 1,245 m. Surrounding trails climb to over 2,400 m on Porcupine Rim and the La Sal foothills — enough vertical range to need real layering, even in spring.
• Window: Riding season runs roughly March to May and September to November. From June through August, daytime temperatures regularly exceed 38 °C, and the slickrock becomes effectively unrideable in the middle of the day.
• The rock: Moab's signature surface is Navajo Sandstone — a 180-million-year-old formation that grips rubber better than almost any natural surface on earth. It's why trails like Slickrock are technically demanding rather than slippery.
• The trails: The Moab area holds over 250 km of designated mountain bike trails, ranging from beginner-friendly slickrock loops to expert lines like Captain Ahab and the Whole Enchilada — a 42 km descent dropping more than 2,100 vertical metres from the La Sals to the Colorado River.