LUKE’S EVIL INSURGENT £3,799.99

(frame only) Tech writer Luke is stoked with his new bike and just wishes he had more time to ride it

One of the best things about building this frame up is that I’ve been able to fit parts I really wanted, so this custom-build Insurgent is bloody rad!

Before I start singing its praises,

I do have one issue. I wanted to fit the kickback-combating Ochain Active Spider I tested last year, but the chunkiness of the Evil’s single-pivot swingarm means I’ve had to space the cranks further apart than they should be to stop it rubbing. Fortunately, that’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make.

I’ve been testing some other enduro bikes recently (see p88), so the Evil’s been a bit left out, but that’s made its pros stand out even more than if I’d had nothing to compare it to. I have to say, it feels absolutely planted. The combination of the Maxxis Minion DHR II Double Down rear tyre, Schwalbe Magic Mary ADDIX Ultra Soft front tyre and Rimpact PRO inserts, along with a supple coil shock and the OChain system’s ‘floating’ chainring, makes it feel like the bike is stuck to the ground. Plus, it’s exceptionally quiet, with the only noise being the whir of the freehub and the tyres ripping into the dirt.

Handling-wise, the medium frame – with its 450mm reach and ‘mullet’ wheel configuration (29in front, 650b rear) – is easy to throw around and launches out of turns with enthusiasm. That may be down to Evil’s DELTA System suspension design, which offers plenty of mid-stroke support – even with the coil shock I’m running – and gives the bike a lively character.

I’d like to try an air shock, to see how that feels. Also, I still need to take the Insurgent somewhere faster and rougher to see how it handles when I can really open the taps. I’m stoked with the bike at the moment, though. www.evil-bikes.com