11. November 2025
Endurance test: 2 years of racing for the R.EXC frame with professional cyclist Torben Drach
To answer that question, we didn't want just lab results. We wanted more, we wanted reality: two complete racing seasons with professional athlete Torben Drach from the ROTWILD Schwalbe Gravity Team. His R.EXC frame wasn't just there at the World Cup, it was put through its paces and had to prove itself on the toughest tracks.
World Cup Enduro Racing places the highest demands on the equipment used—and on the riders. Torben Drach used his R.EXC full carbon frame for two years and demanded everything from the bike.
After two years, Torben sums it up – a test couldn't be more honest: "In Enduro racing, so much comes down to trusting your bike. That trust isn't built overnight. It's earned over countless training runs, race weekends, and unfortunately, a few good crashes.
Over the last two seasons, this frame has taken a serious beating: crashes, smashing into rocks, and some sketchy landings.
You know, just the kind of stuff that's part of the sport. For me, the real story was seeing how this bike just shrugged it all off and kept performing perfectly.
That builds a crazy amount of confidence because you know: you can send it full speed on a stage, and your gear can handle it. The fact that after two years of racing the frame is still in such great shape, where the battle scars tell a story instead of being a problem, I think that's seriously impressive!
"
ROTWILD employee Lorenz is the internal interface between ROTWILD Engineering and the team—he has accompanied the ROTWILD Schwalbe Gravity Team to numerous races and taken care of the bikes on site.
The bottom line: numbers that speak for themselves.
Trust is important, but hard data is better. Here are the racing stats that make Torben's R.EXC frame the silent hero of two years of professional racing.
Racing stats:
- 2 seasons (2024-2025) – from start to finish.
- 13 race days worldwide – from domestic race tracks to international stages.
- 65 hours of pure racing – 65 hours under maximum load.
- 22,100 meters of elevation gain in race stages – full concentration, maximum adrenaline levels.
- 650 km of race transfers & uphill – the often forgotten, exhausting part of the race.
- 9,600 km of training – daily routine, daily equipment testing.
- 3 podium places & 2x German E-Enduro Vice Champion – the visible result. Participations: World Championships, E-EDR World Cup, EDR World Cup, Swiss Enduro Series, German Championships – the toughest competition in the world.
What is just a scratch, where is there potential damage? The entire frame is carefully examined.
Topic: Wear and tear: The true hero story
After the race is before the race. That's why every race day is followed by meticulous checks, dismantling, and analysis with the question: What has broken and what needs to be replaced for optimal performance? The result of two years of tinkering and servicing the frame is the best proof of quality, durability, and the engineering skill behind every ROTWILD frame.
Torben's wear and tear balance sheet after two years:
- Frame: 0
- Rear triangle: 0
- Derailleur hanger: 7 (wear part)
- Bearing sets: 2 (wear part)
- Screws: 7
- Liters of sweat: 30 (unconfirmed, but realistic!)
- ml of tears: 36 (joy and pain)
- ml of blood: 5 (because passion sometimes hurts)
Durable bearings are an essential component for ensuring the chassis functions as well as possible. Two worn bearing sets in two racing seasons underscore the high quality of these components installed in the R.EXC frame.
Conclusion: More than just a frame – an ally
While screws, bearings, and derailleur hangers have done their job as classic wear parts, the R.EXC frame has proven one thing: it lasts. It has not only survived crashes, stone chips, and messy landings, but has transformed them into a unique patina. These marks tell stories from the world of racing. It has built trust. Race after race, year after year. That's what we mean by quality. Not only developed for the world's elite, but also evident in every ROTWILD we build. Because every frame embodies the same passion, the same precision – and the will to pass the toughest test: yours.
The racing team also provides important feedback on prototype parts used for the first time—does it make sense, does it hold up, where does it need to be readjusted?
In the World Cup, it's often the little things that count. To find the optimal setup for the respective track conditions, Torben repeatedly tested and refined the adjustment options on the R.EXC in combination with the ideal shock absorber tune.
Checking the bearings is almost routine.
We got a few packs of mud on them over the season, and dust did get into the bearings, but everything held tight.
If the battery needs to be changed between stages, the Quick Release System makes this particularly quick and reliable. An absolute plus for racing.
Motor mount on the R.EXC – high forces act on the frame here. This area supports the motor and the rider's weight during fast downhill passages. And this is also where the extraordinary performance of our carbon technology comes into play. Any defects on the frame after two years of racing? Not a chance!
Racing experience with patina – naturally, the frame shows signs of wear and tear from the last two years. It has mastered them all and is still fully functional.
To answer that question, we didn't want just lab results. We wanted more, we wanted reality: two complete racing seasons with professional athlete Torben Drach from the ROTWILD Schwalbe Gravity Team. His R.EXC frame wasn't just there at the World Cup, it was put through its paces and had to prove itself on the toughest tracks.
World Cup Enduro Racing places the highest demands on the equipment used—and on the riders. Torben Drach used his R.EXC full carbon frame for two years and demanded everything from the bike.
After two years, Torben sums it up – a test couldn't be more honest: "In Enduro racing, so much comes down to trusting your bike. That trust isn't built overnight. It's earned over countless training runs, race weekends, and unfortunately, a few good crashes.
Over the last two seasons, this frame has taken a serious beating: crashes, smashing into rocks, and some sketchy landings.
You know, just the kind of stuff that's part of the sport. For me, the real story was seeing how this bike just shrugged it all off and kept performing perfectly.
That builds a crazy amount of confidence because you know: you can send it full speed on a stage, and your gear can handle it. The fact that after two years of racing the frame is still in such great shape, where the battle scars tell a story instead of being a problem, I think that's seriously impressive!
"
ROTWILD employee Lorenz is the internal interface between ROTWILD Engineering and the team—he has accompanied the ROTWILD Schwalbe Gravity Team to numerous races and taken care of the bikes on site.
The bottom line: numbers that speak for themselves.
Trust is important, but hard data is better. Here are the racing stats that make Torben's R.EXC frame the silent hero of two years of professional racing.
Racing stats:
- 2 seasons (2024-2025) – from start to finish.
- 13 race days worldwide – from domestic race tracks to international stages.
- 65 hours of pure racing – 65 hours under maximum load.
- 22,100 meters of elevation gain in race stages – full concentration, maximum adrenaline levels.
- 650 km of race transfers & uphill – the often forgotten, exhausting part of the race.
- 9,600 km of training – daily routine, daily equipment testing.
- 3 podium places & 2x German E-Enduro Vice Champion – the visible result. Participations: World Championships, E-EDR World Cup, EDR World Cup, Swiss Enduro Series, German Championships – the toughest competition in the world.
What is just a scratch, where is there potential damage? The entire frame is carefully examined.
Topic: Wear and tear: The true hero story
After the race is before the race. That's why every race day is followed by meticulous checks, dismantling, and analysis with the question: What has broken and what needs to be replaced for optimal performance? The result of two years of tinkering and servicing the frame is the best proof of quality, durability, and the engineering skill behind every ROTWILD frame.
Torben's wear and tear balance sheet after two years:
- Frame: 0
- Rear triangle: 0
- Derailleur hanger: 7 (wear part)
- Bearing sets: 2 (wear part)
- Screws: 7
- Liters of sweat: 30 (unconfirmed, but realistic!)
- ml of tears: 36 (joy and pain)
- ml of blood: 5 (because passion sometimes hurts)
Durable bearings are an essential component for ensuring the chassis functions as well as possible. Two worn bearing sets in two racing seasons underscore the high quality of these components installed in the R.EXC frame.
Conclusion: More than just a frame – an ally
While screws, bearings, and derailleur hangers have done their job as classic wear parts, the R.EXC frame has proven one thing: it lasts. It has not only survived crashes, stone chips, and messy landings, but has transformed them into a unique patina. These marks tell stories from the world of racing. It has built trust. Race after race, year after year. That's what we mean by quality. Not only developed for the world's elite, but also evident in every ROTWILD we build. Because every frame embodies the same passion, the same precision – and the will to pass the toughest test: yours.
The racing team also provides important feedback on prototype parts used for the first time—does it make sense, does it hold up, where does it need to be readjusted?
In the World Cup, it's often the little things that count. To find the optimal setup for the respective track conditions, Torben repeatedly tested and refined the adjustment options on the R.EXC in combination with the ideal shock absorber tune.
Checking the bearings is almost routine.
We got a few packs of mud on them over the season, and dust did get into the bearings, but everything held tight.
If the battery needs to be changed between stages, the Quick Release System makes this particularly quick and reliable. An absolute plus for racing.
Motor mount on the R.EXC – high forces act on the frame here. This area supports the motor and the rider's weight during fast downhill passages. And this is also where the extraordinary performance of our carbon technology comes into play. Any defects on the frame after two years of racing? Not a chance!
Racing experience with patina – naturally, the frame shows signs of wear and tear from the last two years. It has mastered them all and is still fully functional.