SONDER EVOL GX EAGLE

£2,599 Direct-buy bargain with some top-level kit

Designed and tested in the UK, Sonder say the Evol is ready for everything from trail centres to enduro racing, and has the latest long – but not ultra-long – slack and low geometry. Because they sell most of their bikes direct (you can also buy them from Alpkit stores), prices are reasonable and the six builds are all well-specced.

The frame

The Evol is built from hydroformed and custom-butted 6061 alloy tubing. It’s designed around 29in wheels, with clearance for a 2.6in rear tyre. A Horst-link four-bar linkage delivers 140mm of rear wheel travel. Cables are routed internally through the front triangle, and a threaded bottom bracket (BB) shell should make for easier maintenance/replacement.

Four sizes are available (S-XL). We tested the large, which touts a lengthy 480mm reach and a fairly short 445mm seat tube, combined with a 65-degree head angle and 75.5-degree effective seat tube angle. The chainstays are 445mm long, while the wheelbase is 1,242mm.

The kit

While elements of the spec can vary based on availability, this build’s titular SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain won’t change – and seeing it on on a full-suspension bike at this price is remarkable. Impressively, our bike also had boutique Cane Creek suspension front and rear

– a 150mm-travel Helm MKII AIR fork and a DBair IL shock, both with external high- and low-speed compression plus low-speed rebound damping adjustment. You can also tweak the shock’s high-speed rebound, and it has a climb switch. Other kit includes SRAM Code R brakes, an X-Fusion Manic dropper seatpost and plenty of own-brand parts, including Sonder Alpha 29 rims, wrapped in 2.5in WTB Vigilante and Trail Boss tyres.

The ride

On seated climbs, the Evol’s slackfeeling seat tube angle put our hips – and weight – further towards the rear axle than we’d have liked, and we found we had to lower our shoulders forwards to reach the bar comfortably. The Sonder didn’t feel particularly well-balanced on steep ascents, where the front wheel was prone to lift unless we nursed the bike along with frequent weight shifts towards the bar. Decreasing rear sag to 15 to 20 per cent propped it up higher in its travel and helped reduce this problem. Even with the increased air pressure, the suspension still felt supple deep into its stroke, which helped it create more grip on climbs or flat sections, and there was little in the way of pedal bob.

While the lack of mid-stroke support adds comfort on the ups, it makes the Evol feel wallowy on the downs, where it exhibits a distinct lack of pop or playfulness. To overcome this, we increased the shock’s low-speed compression damping until the bike resisted blowing through the mid part of its travel. This worked to an extent, but choked the damper’s ability to absorb bumps. Another solution could be to add volume spacers while reducing air pressure, but ultimately,

we think the frame’s suspension kinematics could do with a tweak.

For the tech-savvy, the DBair IL is an impressive shock, especially for this price. Those with less knowledge may struggle to find a good set-up. Up front, the Helm MKII fork has plenty of usable adjustment, a stiff chassis and well-controlled damping, and punched well above the bike’s rear end in performance terms.

The EVOL is fun to ride on tamer, slower trails but becomes a bit of a handful when the gradient gets steeper or the terrain turns chunky. It isn’t a hard-charging ‘plough’ bike, responding better to carefullypicked lines at less chaotic speeds. The geometry could have created a controlled and stable descender, so it’s a shame the rear suspension holds it back.

We found we could hammer the back end into berms and over rocks with few repercussions, thanks to the rear tyre’s ‘Tough’ casing. And despite the lack of inbuilt chain slap protection, the Sonder emits little to no noise on rougher trails. Although the factory bleed on the Code brakes was poor, we know they’re serious stoppers with plenty of power and durability, plus their slightly more modulated bite makes it easier to control your speed than with Shimano stoppers.

The GX Eagle kit stands out, too, providing much of the performance of a top-spec groupset without the crippling price tag, and with its 52t biggest cassette sprocket, making it feel like no climb is insurmountable. The own-brand saddle is comfy and the X-Fusion dropper reliable, with a light lever action, although we’d have preferred more than 150mm of travel.

There’s no ignoring the sheer value for money the Evol offers. Despite its suspension and geometry quirks it’s a solid performer on the trails, especially if you’re willing to spend the time setting it up correctly.

WHILE THE LACK OF MID-STROKE SUPPORT ADDS COMFORT ON THE UPS, IT MAKES THE EVOL FEEL WALLOWY ON THE DOWNS, WHERE IT EXHIBITS A DISTINCT LACK OF POP