Review: The Evil Epocalypse is Equal Parts Balance & Brawn
Are you ready for some dark magic? Evil today released its new eMTB, called the Epocalypse, and it's entering the public eye with all the spooky theatrics we've come to expect from the Washington brand.
We've been anticipating this poorly-kept industry secret for a while now, and now that I've spent some time on the bike, I can say that it warrants the noise.
The 166mm Epocalypse comes in one color called Wasabi Shadow - commonly known as dark gray - and there's just one $12k build kit, which I tested in anticipation of its release. This carbon-framed electric beast rolls on two 29" wheels and uses Shimano's EP8 motor and 630 Wh battery, tipping the scales at 50.5 lb (22.9 kg) for a size large.
We've been anticipating this poorly-kept industry secret for a while now, and now that I've spent some time on the bike, I can say that it warrants the noise.
The 166mm Epocalypse comes in one color called Wasabi Shadow - commonly known as dark gray - and there's just one $12k build kit, which I tested in anticipation of its release. This carbon-framed electric beast rolls on two 29" wheels and uses Shimano's EP8 motor and 630 Wh battery, tipping the scales at 50.5 lb (22.9 kg) for a size large.
Epocalypse Details
• Wheel size: 29"
• Carbon frame
• Travel: 166mm rear / 170mm fork
• 64.5°-63.9° head angle w/ 170mm fork
• 442mm - 444mm chainstays
• Shimano EP8 motor
• 630 Wh battery
• Weight: 50.5 lb / 22.9 kg
• Price: $11,999 USD
• evil-bikes.com
• Wheel size: 29"
• Carbon frame
• Travel: 166mm rear / 170mm fork
• 64.5°-63.9° head angle w/ 170mm fork
• 442mm - 444mm chainstays
• Shimano EP8 motor
• 630 Wh battery
• Weight: 50.5 lb / 22.9 kg
• Price: $11,999 USD
• evil-bikes.com
 | The Evil Epocalypse loves when the trail opens up to the fast-and-rough, but it doesn't have the excess length and slack angles you might expect. That means it feels alive despite the motor and battery weight it's carrying. |
Frame Features & Motor Details
The Epocalypse is more or less a motorized version of the Wreckoning, Evil's 166mm freeride and enduro bike, though the Epocalypse features slightly more conservative geometry than the Wreckoning.
The frame comes protected with a skid plate under the motor, rubber chainstay and seatstay coverings, and a "shuttle shield" on the underside of the downtube where a truck tailgate might rub - just in case riders get tired of self-shuttling and want to truck haul their Epocalypses.
There's the same tube-in-tube internal routing that comes standard on Evil's other bikes, as well as Super Boost 157mm rear axle spacing. It also sports a flip chip, which lowers the bottom bracket and slackens the head angle for those looking to transform the all-arounder into a more aggressive downhill machine.
Evil boasts that the techy bits are stealthy, with the power button hidden under the top tube and the wire to the mode selector hidden inside Evil's own handlebar. Still, most of the e-stuff is hard to miss: the controls are in the standard location for Shimano's EP8 motor, with the mode selector over by the left grip and the simple one-button display just to the right of the stem.
The 630 Wh battery comes out in just a few seconds, so that piece is pretty foolproof, as is the straightforward charging port on the non-drive side of the bike, though the charging port cover less so - I struggled to get it to stay closed, though that's a Shimano problem, not an Evil one.
The motor provides up to 85 Nm of torque, more than enough to power up the steeps, so the bike's ability to crank won't be a limiting factor as much as the sheer weirdness and traction troubles of smashing up a rutted, techy wall of dirt.
It uses the same display as the other EP8-powered eMTBs, so the display is still a bit more rudimentary than the Specialized and Bosch screens that display battery life using a percentage, rather than a rougher battery bars image. Regardless, each part of the system does its job.
One of eMTB designers' biggest tasks is to figure out how to fit all the different pieces of the motor, battery, drivetrain, and suspension in one very small zone, and that often doesn't leave room for much, but thankfully there's still space for a water bottle in the front triangle. Depending on the cage, a standard 22 oz water bottle can just barely fit on the large frame. Slightly smaller bottles fit more comfortably. As for the smaller sizes, Evil says the small frame can fit a 16 oz bottle and the medium frame a 20 oz one, but those are rough cage-and-bottle-dependent estimates.
![photo]()
![photo]()
![photo]()
The Epocalypse is more or less a motorized version of the Wreckoning, Evil's 166mm freeride and enduro bike, though the Epocalypse features slightly more conservative geometry than the Wreckoning.
The frame comes protected with a skid plate under the motor, rubber chainstay and seatstay coverings, and a "shuttle shield" on the underside of the downtube where a truck tailgate might rub - just in case riders get tired of self-shuttling and want to truck haul their Epocalypses.
There's the same tube-in-tube internal routing that comes standard on Evil's other bikes, as well as Super Boost 157mm rear axle spacing. It also sports a flip chip, which lowers the bottom bracket and slackens the head angle for those looking to transform the all-arounder into a more aggressive downhill machine.
Evil boasts that the techy bits are stealthy, with the power button hidden under the top tube and the wire to the mode selector hidden inside Evil's own handlebar. Still, most of the e-stuff is hard to miss: the controls are in the standard location for Shimano's EP8 motor, with the mode selector over by the left grip and the simple one-button display just to the right of the stem.
The 630 Wh battery comes out in just a few seconds, so that piece is pretty foolproof, as is the straightforward charging port on the non-drive side of the bike, though the charging port cover less so - I struggled to get it to stay closed, though that's a Shimano problem, not an Evil one.
The motor provides up to 85 Nm of torque, more than enough to power up the steeps, so the bike's ability to crank won't be a limiting factor as much as the sheer weirdness and traction troubles of smashing up a rutted, techy wall of dirt.
It uses the same display as the other EP8-powered eMTBs, so the display is still a bit more rudimentary than the Specialized and Bosch screens that display battery life using a percentage, rather than a rougher battery bars image. Regardless, each part of the system does its job.
One of eMTB designers' biggest tasks is to figure out how to fit all the different pieces of the motor, battery, drivetrain, and suspension in one very small zone, and that often doesn't leave room for much, but thankfully there's still space for a water bottle in the front triangle. Depending on the cage, a standard 22 oz water bottle can just barely fit on the large frame. Slightly smaller bottles fit more comfortably. As for the smaller sizes, Evil says the small frame can fit a 16 oz bottle and the medium frame a 20 oz one, but those are rough cage-and-bottle-dependent estimates.
Geometry & Sizing
The Epocalypse is available in sizes S, M, L, and XL, with reach numbers ranging from 438mm to 495mm in the flip chip's standard ("Low," as opposed to "X-Low") position, with the flip chip shortening the reach by 7mm. My large test bike in the "Low" chip setting had 170mm fork, a 482mm reach, a 1263mm wheelbase, and the same 64.5° head tube angle, 75.6° seat tube angle, and short 442mm chainstays shared across all the sizes. Running a 160mm fork steepens the angles a bit, to a 65.3° head angle in the standard chip setting.
Suspension Design
The Epocalypse uses Evil's DELTA suspension design, which stands for Dave's Extra Legitimate Travel Apparatus. Dave Weagle, that is, of DW-link and Split Pivot fame. The linkage-driven single pivot DELTA system stays quiet and level under both pedaling and braking forces. The use of a coil shock seems like a good choice here and helps to counteract any upper-stroke harshness that could result from the same factors that keep the bike feeling efficient - though I haven't ridden the bike with an air shock, nor is it available with one, so that's just speculation on my part.
It's also important to once again nod to the flip chip, which lowers the bottom bracket by 9mm and slackens the head angle by 0.7°, since Evil places extra emphasis on keeping the bike's kinematics consistent regardless of the chip position.
| Specifications | ||
| Release Date | 2022 | |
| Price | $11999 | |
| Travel | 166mm | |
| Rear Shock | RockShox Super Deluxe Coil Ultimate | |
| Fork | RockShox ZEB Ultimate 170mm | |
| Headset | Cane Creek 40 | |
| Cassette | Shimano XT | |
| Crankarms | Shimano XT | |
| Rear Derailleur | Shimano XT | |
| Chain | Shimano XT | |
| Shifter Pods | Shimano XT | |
| Handlebar | Evil Energy Bar | |
| Stem | Evil 12 Gauge, 45mm length | |
| Grips | Evil Pamela Handerson | |
| Brakes | Shimano XT 4-piston | |
| Wheelset | Industry Nine Enduro S Hydra | |
| Tires | Maxxis Minion DHF Exo TR 2.5 F/R | |
| Seat | WTB Volt | |
| Seatpost | BikeYoke Revive | |
Test Bike Setup
Setting up the Epocalypse was straightforward. The bike came to me with a 350 lb/in coil spring, which was the right one for my weight and riding style, so I left that as is and ran the Super Deluxe Coil Ultimate with 11 clicks of low-speed compression.
Up front, I ran the ZEB Ultimate with 67 psi, 13 clicks of low-speed compression, and three clicks of high-speed compression, set up to match the shock's feel.
Other than that? I didn't do anything special. The WTB Volt saddle and Evil's 45mm stem that came on the bike worked well for me, so I didn't have to change any parts for the bike to feel comfy right away.
I tested the bike during the heat of the summer in Bellingham and British Columbia, as tacky dirt and wet roots gave way to dust, ruts, and ever-decreasing traction.
Alicia Leggett
Location: Bellingham, WA, USA
Age: 26
Height: 5'10" / 178cm
Inseam: 33" / 84cm
Weight: 148 lbs / 67 kg
Industry affiliations / sponsors: None
Instagram: @alicelego_
Location: Bellingham, WA, USA
Age: 26
Height: 5'10" / 178cm
Inseam: 33" / 84cm
Weight: 148 lbs / 67 kg
Industry affiliations / sponsors: None
Instagram: @alicelego_
Climbing
When pointed uphill, the Epocalypse's balance of moderate angles, shorter chainstays, and 85 Nm of torque made it relatively maneuverable for a long-travel eMTB.
The bike sits riders in a comfortable, centered position, and I felt I could easily control both the front and rear ends of the bike. I was glad that the bike wasn't any longer. Compared to the mullet setups that have become common on eMTBs, the Epocalypse rolls on dual 29" wheels, but that extra bit of length is balanced by short-for-a-29er-eMTB 442mm chainstays, so the handling in tight spots both uphill and downhill stays pretty neutral without leaning too quick or too slow, praise the lord - or devil, since we're talking Evil here. The bike is enough of a beast without any extra weight or length to throw around. The head angle helped keep the front end from wandering too much on steep, tough climbs, especially when considering that the short rear end puts the rider back over the rear wheel a bit when grinding hard and digging in for traction.
Efficiency feels much less important on eMTBs than on non-motorized bikes, but it's still worth mentioning that the suspension felt quite well supported while climbing, which made things more comfortable than if the bike had been bobbing around. On dirt road climbs especially, the upright body position, steep seat tube angle, and efficient suspension make it easy to spin away and let the motor do its job.
![photo]()
When pointed uphill, the Epocalypse's balance of moderate angles, shorter chainstays, and 85 Nm of torque made it relatively maneuverable for a long-travel eMTB.
The bike sits riders in a comfortable, centered position, and I felt I could easily control both the front and rear ends of the bike. I was glad that the bike wasn't any longer. Compared to the mullet setups that have become common on eMTBs, the Epocalypse rolls on dual 29" wheels, but that extra bit of length is balanced by short-for-a-29er-eMTB 442mm chainstays, so the handling in tight spots both uphill and downhill stays pretty neutral without leaning too quick or too slow, praise the lord - or devil, since we're talking Evil here. The bike is enough of a beast without any extra weight or length to throw around. The head angle helped keep the front end from wandering too much on steep, tough climbs, especially when considering that the short rear end puts the rider back over the rear wheel a bit when grinding hard and digging in for traction.
Efficiency feels much less important on eMTBs than on non-motorized bikes, but it's still worth mentioning that the suspension felt quite well supported while climbing, which made things more comfortable than if the bike had been bobbing around. On dirt road climbs especially, the upright body position, steep seat tube angle, and efficient suspension make it easy to spin away and let the motor do its job.
Descending
I've mentioned it a few times already, but Evil's choice to give the Epocalypse a slightly steeper head angle compared to some of the competition (which mostly sits in the low 64s or even 63s) has been really interesting to me. However, even when riding the Epocalypse in its steeper setting, the front end never felt sketchy because the bike continually felt planted and stable thanks in part to the weight of the motor and battery, and the back end is short enough to keep the bike from feeling unbalanced.
Even without excess length, it feels best at high speeds, cruising through choppy lines compared to picking its way through low-speed tech. While it could hold its own just fine in the slower, twisty spots, it didn't feel quite as at home there and just took some effort to ride - as you'd expect from a 170mm e-crusher.
Despite the freight train feel of many eMTBs, it cornered surprisingly quickly, likely thanks to a combo of the shortish back end, moderate head angle, and well-supported but sensitive rear suspension.
It feels oxymoronic to call the Epocalypse handling "aggressively neutral," but that's kind of how it feels. The bike is ready for just about any trail, but doesn't lean too hard in any direction. It feels great pumped through compressions and pushed at higher speeds, it has excellent traction without feeling dead, it carries momentum and holds off-camber lines easily, and the length is medium enough to keep the twisty sections fun.
It's the same story in the air: the bike stays stable and will pretty much keep going wherever it's pointed. It has enough energy to pop off jump lips and side hits, but it's a calm enough handler to stay predictable.
The Shimano EP8 motor, like all EP8 motors before it, sometimes rattled a bit, but it seems like companies are finally figuring out how to build it into their bikes in quieter ways, and the noise level was actually much lower than on some similar bikes on the rough descents.
Specialized Turbo Levo
Evil Epocalypse
How Does It Compare?
Compared to our current benchmark for eMTBs - the Specialized Turbo Levo - the Evil Epocalypse has 166mm of rear travel to the Levo's 150mm, a 630 Wh battery to the Levo's 700, and sports dual 29" wheels compared to the mullet setup. The Levo's motor is noticeably quieter, and the in-frame display is much more useful than the Shimano EP8 display. The Epocalype's extra travel does come in handy on bigger hits, although the Turbo Levo's wide range of geometry adjustments make it possible to give it more gravity-oriented geometry than the Evil.
For some closer comparisons in terms of travel, Epocalypse finds its home among the other long-travel, self-shuttle rigs out today:
The Santa Cruz Bullit sports 170mm of both front and rear travel and rolls on a mixed wheel setup, but measures longer than the Epocalypse - even in the chainstays despite the smaller rear wheel - making it an aggressive but less maneuverable package than the neutral-handling Epocalypse.
The Specialized Kenevo SL also has 170mm of travel front and rear, but in a much lighter, less powerful package with about half the torque and battery capacity of the Epocalypse. More in line with a normal mountain bike, the Specialized is longer and slacker than the Evil, though its low weight helps maintain maneuverability.
The Yeti 160E might be one of the Epocalypse's most direct competitors, an all-arounder with the same Shimano setup and a similar intended purpose and spec. The 160E, too, features a slightly longer rear end, and most notably a higher price tag by about $1000 for a pretty similar XT build.
Technical Report
BikeYoke Revive dropper post: The BikeYoke Revive dropper post is truly one of the best seatposts on the market these days, so it's great to see the somewhat smaller brand coming stock as part of a quality build kit like this one. The lever has more adjustment than most, so riders are almost guaranteed to find a position that works for them, and it's available in multiple versions and lengths for riders who want extra customization. The lever moves smoothly, as does the post itself.
The dropper has an easy-to-access "Revive Valve" that lets users bleed air out the post in a matter of seconds, something that gives the post an edge over its competition and helps mitigate the air-where-it-shouldn't-be inevitability that seems to come along with hydraulic seatposts.
Shimano XT brakes: Shimano's 4-piston XT brakes are a fine, but not amazing choice here. When it comes to eMTBs, in my book, companies should prioritize brake performance over almost all other components, and those XTs just don't quite compare to the power, modulation, and consistency of some offerings from SRAM, TRP, Magura, and others. The Shimanos have the classic wandering bite point and a little less power that I'd have hoped, but they're not bad - just not exactly the powerhouse stoppers I want to see on an otherwise supercharged build.
Battery and motor: The 630 Wh battery is the biggest one Shimano makes, and it lasts long enough for most rides - even with liberal use of the bike's Boost mode, it took about three hours for the bike to give me a low battery warning, and it's possible to extend that by using the Eco and Trail modes more frequently. Still, on full-powered eMTBs like this one, why not have the best range possible? The Levo has a 700 Wh battery and the Heckler a 720 Wh one, so a few more watt-hours would be nice to see on this bike. Note, too, that the battery range is heavily affected by terrain and rider weight.
The EP8 setup also comes pre-loaded with two power profiles that users can choose from: one that gives riders the full wattage and the other than dampens the power delivery a bit to extend the battery life. Riders can fine-tune their preferences using the Shimano E-Tube Project app, though riders definitely aren't required to download the app in order to ride the bike. To just ride, it's charge, power up, and go.
![photo]()
BikeYoke Revive dropper post: The BikeYoke Revive dropper post is truly one of the best seatposts on the market these days, so it's great to see the somewhat smaller brand coming stock as part of a quality build kit like this one. The lever has more adjustment than most, so riders are almost guaranteed to find a position that works for them, and it's available in multiple versions and lengths for riders who want extra customization. The lever moves smoothly, as does the post itself.
The dropper has an easy-to-access "Revive Valve" that lets users bleed air out the post in a matter of seconds, something that gives the post an edge over its competition and helps mitigate the air-where-it-shouldn't-be inevitability that seems to come along with hydraulic seatposts.
Shimano XT brakes: Shimano's 4-piston XT brakes are a fine, but not amazing choice here. When it comes to eMTBs, in my book, companies should prioritize brake performance over almost all other components, and those XTs just don't quite compare to the power, modulation, and consistency of some offerings from SRAM, TRP, Magura, and others. The Shimanos have the classic wandering bite point and a little less power that I'd have hoped, but they're not bad - just not exactly the powerhouse stoppers I want to see on an otherwise supercharged build.
Battery and motor: The 630 Wh battery is the biggest one Shimano makes, and it lasts long enough for most rides - even with liberal use of the bike's Boost mode, it took about three hours for the bike to give me a low battery warning, and it's possible to extend that by using the Eco and Trail modes more frequently. Still, on full-powered eMTBs like this one, why not have the best range possible? The Levo has a 700 Wh battery and the Heckler a 720 Wh one, so a few more watt-hours would be nice to see on this bike. Note, too, that the battery range is heavily affected by terrain and rider weight.
The EP8 setup also comes pre-loaded with two power profiles that users can choose from: one that gives riders the full wattage and the other than dampens the power delivery a bit to extend the battery life. Riders can fine-tune their preferences using the Shimano E-Tube Project app, though riders definitely aren't required to download the app in order to ride the bike. To just ride, it's charge, power up, and go.
Pros
+ Maneuverable and balanced, especially for a 170mm bike
+ Excellent suspension performance
+ Great build kit
Cons
- Just one build option with no price point below $11,999 USD
- Some might find the geometry less aggressive than they'd like if they're looking to ride flat-out DH trails only
Pinkbike's Take
| The Epocalypse has finally broken cover. The burly machine is built with top-end suspension, a robust feel, and enough travel to hold its own on the gnarly descents, and it has Shimano's most aggressive electric offerings to power it back up for another lap. And yet, it's still maneuverable. Modest geometry keeps the cornering lively and the front and back ends within reach of each other, while the centered weight of the motor and battery work nicely to give the bike lots of traction. It's worth looking at not because it does anything especially new or crazy, but because it takes the existing job of a 170mm eMTB and does that job extremely well. |
Author Info:
Must Read This Week
Sign Up for the Pinkbike Newsletter - All the Biggest, Most Interesting Stories in your Inbox
PB Newsletter Signup
It just seems odd to me to single out the XT brakes, which clearly are not the weakest point on the bike. And to then suggest offerings from Magura, TRP (!), or Sram (!?!?) would be better is even weirder. All three brands have major reliability issues, and shimano make saints which are more powerful than xt. Yes shimano have the (mildly irritating at worst) vague bit point. But compared to the actual dangerous issues the other three brands are known for, it is a little disconcerting reading the wording of this review.
By the way Saint aren't more powerfull than SLX/XT/XTR since they all use the same master cylinder diameter, caliper piston diameters and servowave. Unless the servowave is slightly different in the Saint but that would be mild difference considering hydro leverage is the same.
tires I guess fall in a deferent category all together, consumables. I
f are flimsy and you know it, you ride accordingly as soon as they wear out you put beffier ones, in my opinion doesn't worth mentioning.
Maguras lever bodies crack when are overtighten by hamfisted idiots,
I've had my fair share of crashes over the years, never broken a lever because I tighten them enough to twist when bashed, bent a lever blade of rsc once though
The fact that you are trying to defend plastic lever bodies cracking is kinda funny. It suggests a poor understanding of material properties.
But I've seen many shitmanos ceramic give up,
And yes, there is barely a mtb rider out there that doesn't know to leave the brake levers loose enough to move in a crash. This is pretty basic stuff. The issue with plastic levers is that they break even when set up like this, during the smallest crashes. Basically plastic isn't the correct material to make a brake lever out of, thats why no one but magura does it on anything but their cheapest, halfords spec brakes.
I have serviced hundreds (maybe thousands?) of shimano calipers and never cracked a piston. A famously ham fisted colleague of mine once cracked all 4 pistons on a caliper, within 10 minutes of starting to work on them.
i guess I just got lucky, hundreds of times...
"Won't just randomly give up on you mid ride" should be a given for all brakes. Shimano brakes are some of the best in this regard.
Magura fair just ok with their plastic levers for years, you conflate user error and bad engineering/design. Pushing a piston in it's pocket secured by a quad seal isn't rocket science, don't flatter your self.
If you crack, maul or chew a piston by trying to retrack it, what's gonna happen when it's squished against a hot brake pad that rattles, shakes and vibrates like hell trying to stop a 100kg rider and a bike down a steep slope?
Any decent bike mechanic I know come from an actual mechanics/engineering backround. Where wandering brake bite point and cracked pistons means a serious issue.
Wandering bite point is annoying. But it wanders by a couple of mm max. At worst it makes your bum pucker for a fraction of a fraction of a second before you realise your brake is now slowing you down effectively (and it can be easily solved with the right brake fluid...). Cracked pistons are caused by "engineering illiterate" bike mechanics every single time. Just cos they didnt notice they broke it when they broke it, doesnt mean they didnt break it. It just means they are likely even more "engineering illiterate" than we previously thought.
Failing master cylinders (sram), levers randomly falling off the bars (magura), leaking slave pistons due to poor tolerances (trp) are genuinely dangerous issues. Wandering bite point is just irritating. Broken pistons are your own fault.
I think we're done here. Laters, xx
keep disregarding what evidence sugest because you like to present your self as the ceramic piston retractor engineer, still waiting to explain how even brand new brakes have flaking pistons from the inside, I guess hamfisted gnomes maybe?
random anecdotal evidence about falling brake levers ? How did you come up with this?!
Sram's failing mc in previous years is another well known issue and you can find parts to fix them, easy. Can you do the same for shitmano?
Also bite point inconsistency and free stroke ajust screw that does nothing on shitmanos can be remedied when you replace the caliper for a better one, brake fluid alone does nothing
And no, change of fluid won't help it, it's a temporary fix at best, because it's an inherent design issue
to sum it up,
Shitmanos have brittle pistons that need a special degree in piston retracting engineering (like youself) to push them back for a simple pad change, but numerous cases suggest otherwise, but you insist all are idiots and you are the genious behind the piston retracting method.
Suffer from bite inconsistency that a simple fluid can solve but shitmano all this years didn't figure it out and you did. While this type of performance in any other level of sport is unacceptable, you just somehow think that it's ok
numerous engineers ask you for advice on their projects for what exactly again? Cable routing, fork steerer cutting methods?
I think I'd prefer one of the newer/lighter options.
And with current economics one may be crazy to shell out serious $ on anything soon.
Think you’re pretty much on your own sadly.
By contrast, a full-fat, full-power rig with a 720 battery and a powerful motor gets me three awesome laps on my local favorite trail in under an hour. And the battery has more left in it than the rider does!
On the down I can't here anything, and if there is noise, the noises from the trail/rocks/wheels/suspension whatever cover 99% of it.
It's indeed difficult to decide to get an ebike, you know when you order that it's gonna be outdated 2 months later, but in the current situation (which may last forever, hell, what if China invades Taiwan ?), if you wait for the perfect bike to be in stock, you may never have it.
When I decided for a Meta Power I mailed Commencal first to tread waters on the delay, they were confident it'd be there in time (the bike was probably already in the cargo), and except a 2 weeks delay because of some issues in the european port (lack of place maybe ?) I got it as planed.
I'd have rather ordered the mullet but with a 5 months delay at the time (compared to 2 for the 29) it was way too uncertain. Now I don't know if a first batch of the mullet has been delivered in July as it was the initial availability, but now it's indicated as available in november... so I'm glad I got the 29 which I've been enjoying since may.
My goal was not just to have an awesome ebike but also to be in shape, and that works better when you actually have the bike.
I ride xc, race xc, use cycling as a weight loss tool. Im anti ebikes… i try to climb faster and beat my strava times. Guess i could rocket up them and do the same on a e-supercaliber or something but meh.
Also depends on your friend group. I have a friend in Vernon and no one he rides with rides ebikes. Have a friend that rides in Fernie regularly and his group rides ebikes. Kind of have to fit the mold. Dont want to be waiting for the group all the time or be the guy holding the group up.
BTW most of my XTR brakes had the wandering bite point problem when delivered. Two keys to fixing it, first is a reverse bleed to start pulling any air out of the caliper. Second is to use the bleed cup at the lever and do the bleed over an hour or two. Sounds crazy, but bubbles will slowly keep coming out for that long. Fill the cup, pump the lever, walk away for 5 minutes, come back, pump the lever a few times, walk away for 5 minutes, repeat. Did this on all of my setups and solved the problem on all five setups. Same worked for two sets of XT's I had as well.
BTW had the same wandering bite point on the last set of Saints I got as well, so Shimano changed their fill process at the factory is my best guess. Used the process above to solve it. Never had an issue with any of my other Saints over the last several years until recently.
On the other hand, yes I also take all the power I can, that's for sure.
The suspension is top notch too my only gripe is having to work on the shock because it's buried deep in there but it is just great feeling when pointing downwards. Not the most efficient pedaler like say a DW link bike but damn near close but smoother going downhill imo.
So in a nut shell, be ready to tack on your fees to that 12k!
Due to the fact that with heigth of 5" 10 she is in between size M and L, it would be very nice to know. Also because "the balanced feeling" was focused.
Although this is where companies should make their bikes to have a stationary BB height (no flip chip) but rather well designed- adjustable HA, Reach and CS lengths would be more welcomed and benefit more riders and for where they wanna ride an the map.
Who lifting 50lbs on an off a truck repeatedly for shuttle laps?
Paul Aston did a fun review for sure.