We can't always try before we buy mountain bike gear, so reading online reviews is important when making purchase decisions. That's why it's important for the writers to get things right.
Professional enduro athletes have earned top results aboard mountain bikes ranging from 130mm to 180mm of rear suspension travel. Are their bikes not equally enduro when slid across the race tape?
Things mountain bike reviewers no longer note: disc brakes, a 1x drivetrain, and Boost spacing, to name a few. Today, it's all about that seat angle, dropper travel, and external cable routing.