DEVINCI TROY CARBON XT 12 SLTD
6,899 (approx. £5,900) One bike to rule them all?
Devinci’s Troy is touted as a versatile ‘quiver killer’, equally adept at taking on all-day epics as it is tackling hardcore descents. Now in its fourth generation, it’s been refined with more tyre clearance and a less chunky-looking rear end, and they’ve improved the geometry, making it slacker, longer and lower.
The frame
The 29in-wheeled, full-carbon fibre frame provides 140mm of rear wheel travel, driven by Dave Weagle’s Split Pivot system, where the rear pivot rotates concentrically around the wheel axle. Devinci have shortened the linkages, which run on double-row sealed bearings, on this latest iteration, and slimmed down the chainstays and seatstays. Their use of the 157mm Super Boost hub standard means there’s enough room for a 2.6in rear tyre. Cable routing is fully internal, front to back. You get integrated chain slap and heel rub protectors on the rear stays, plus a rock-strike guard under the down tube. A flip-chip on the lower shock mount lets you switch between two geometry settings, ‘Lo’ and ‘Hi’.
For an all-mountain bike, the Troy’s measurements are modern, even entering enduro bike territory. The large size we tested has a long 480mm reach and 1,244mm wheelbase in the ‘Lo’ setting, along with a size-specific 440mm chainstay length. At 76.9 degrees, the e ective seat tube angle is fairly steep, while the 65-degree head angle is relatively slack.
The kit
A 160mm-travel Fox 36 Performance Elite fork eats up the bumps up front, with external high- and low-speed compression and rebound damping adjustment. It’s paired with a matching Float X2 shock out back. You get a full Shimano Deore XT 12-speed groupset with matching XT brakes. Finishing kit comes mostly from Race Face, including their ARC 35 wheels, Next R35 carbon bar and Turbine R35 40mm stem. Things are topped o with an SDG Tellis dropper post and Bel Air saddle. The bike rolls on Maxxis Minion DHF and DHR II rubber, with the reinforced Double Down casing and soft 3C MaxxGrip compound.
The ride
Uphill, the Troy mostly feels calm and stable, particularly when you’re sat down pedalling. The suspension doesn’t bob excessively or sap precious energy on longer ascents, but remains fairly active – even if you run a sti er, downhill-focused set-up – which helps keep comfort high. When standing up and pedalling hard, there’s a fair amount of bob. The lockout switch on the shock neutralises this, but you sacrifice some traction and comfort over rough terrain.
Despite the steepish seat tube angle, we found it necessary to angle the saddle’s nose down and push its rails as far forward in the seatpost clamp as possible, to get our hips further forward on the bike and more central over the bottom
bracket. However, on steeper climbs we didn’t feel like the front end was wandering around and steering accuracy was good. The ample top tube length means there’s plenty of space to move about on the bike to find traction and balance.
The Troy comes alive on the descents. Its long reach, generous wheelbase and size-specific chainstays, coupled with its relatively slack head angle, mean it remains composed through successive harsh hits, even at speed – often a mid-travel bike’s undoing. Its progressive suspension helps to keep things feeling controlled. The rear end doesn’t blow through its travel too easily and there was always some squish left in the tank for when things got especially raucous – it feels like the Troy pads over bumps rather than getting sucked into every hole.
Thanks to plenty of mid-stroke support, you can use compressions and holes to create speed and grip without overwhelming the chassis, further increasing how much fun it is to ride the Troy on most terrain, bar the most extreme and rough downhill runs, where we’d rather be riding a DH bike. We were really impressed by the Double Downcasing Minion tyres, which provided predictable and consistent grip with a damped feel and no concerns about puncturing, even on the rockiest, gnarliest trails.
The new Troy is a true downhiller’s trail bike. Its composed handling and magnificently calm suspension make it easy to push hard over tricky terrain and it only breaks a sweat – or rather, makes you do so – once the going gets really, really tough. Does it achieve the Canadian brand’s aims of being a do-it-all? We think it’s about as close as you can get and is well worth considering if you’re looking for a one-bike quiver. ALEX EVANS www.devinci.com
A true all-round performer that’s spectacularly capable across a swathe of terrain types