Danger: never ride this bike, as it may cause injury or death! The Evil Wreckoning is a monster that pushes its own boundaries and constantly motivates the rider to risk his own life. This test reveals why.
For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The Crème de la Crème – Nine high-end enduro bikes of 2018 in comparison
Just standing there, the Evil Wreckoning lets you know that your final hour has struck. The 29er with its matte black finish is in no mood to cuddle. This bike wants it hard, and this impression is underpinned by the numbers: a whopping 160 mm of travel front and rear in combination with 29″ wheels and slack geometry (66.1° head angle). If you dare, you can set the flip-chip from Low to X-Low, which will slacken the angles by a further 0.6°. The Wreckoning relies on the Delta-Link suspension linkage developed by Dave Weagle. Based on a single pivot, the shock is controlled by two rocker links to achieve an optimal compression curve – and it works perfectly! The Wreckoning is available as a frame kit with three different shock options as well as in two different build kits. For our test, we received one of the higher-end X01 versions, which goes for € 7,499.
Bang, boom, bang – the Evil loves to rip, and carries by far the most speed through challenging terrain!
Enough with the theory: this bike needs to be ridden! But before you can hammer downhill, you usually have to climb to the top. The good news: the Evil will take its rider comfortably up every mountain. The bad news: it will take its time doing so. Especially on long climbs, you will realise that this bike was built for the descents. The slack seat tube angle in combination with the grippy E13 tires slows the upward momentum. Nevertheless, thanks to a lot of traction and efficient suspension, even technical climbs can be mastered with ease. However, the heart of the Wreckoning beats for the downhills. You glide over the meanest rock gardens with a magic carpet ride. In sections where other bikes have long reached their limit, the Wreckoning really shines. “Point and shoot” is the motto with this monster truck. Due to the high stack, you are very well integrated between the wheels, which conveys an enormous degree of confidence, especially in steep sections. Thanks to the moderately long front triangle and short chainstays, the Wreckoning remains easy to manoeuvre and changing direction is surprisingly easy. It’s just as well, since the guys at Evil don’t seem to have given much thought to slowing the thing down. The rotors are too small for the speeds the Wreckoning encourages you to ride at. Nevertheless, flat, flowing trails bore this bike!
The Evil The Wreckoning X01 in detail
Fork RockShox Lyrik RCT3 160 mm
Rear shock RockShox Monarch Plus RC3 160 mm
Brakes SRAM Guide RSC 180/180 mm
Drivetrain SRAM X01 Eagle
Seatpost RockShox Reverb 170 mm
Stem Race Face Atlas 40 mm
Handlebar Race Face Sixc Carbon 820 mm
Tires E*thirteen TRSR 2.35″ / TRS+2.35″
Wheelset E*thirteen TRS Race Carbon
Weight 13.70 kg
Price € 7,499
The geometry of the Evil The Wreckoning
Size | S | M | L | XL |
---|---|---|---|---|
Seat tube | 390 mm | 425 mm | 460 mm | 495 mm |
Top tube | 604 mm | 624 mm | 647 mm | 671 mm |
Head tube | 104 mm | 114 mm | 127 mm | 139 mm |
Head angle | 66.1°/ 65.5° | 66.1°/ 65.5° | 66.1°/ 65.5° | 66.1°/ 65.5° |
Seat angle | 74.8°/ 73.9° | 74.8°/ 73.9° | 74.8°/ 73.9° | 74.8°/ 73.9° |
Chainstays | 430 mm | 430 mm | 430 mm | 430 mm |
BB High | 348/ 339 mm | 348/ 339 mm | 348/ 339 mm | 348/ 339 mm |
Wheelbase | 1161/ 1162 mm | 1182/ 1183 mm | 1207/ 1208 mm | 1232/ 1233 mm |
Reach | 415 mm | 432 mm | 452 mm | 472 mm |
Stack | 627 mm | 636 mm | 648 mm | 659 mm |
Conclusion
The Evil Wreckoning makes all other bikes in this test look old in extremely demanding terrain. If you like to send it downhill and have suitable trails on your doorstep, you will love this bike! However, you shouldn’t be in a hurry when going back up.
Strengths
+ incredibly plush suspension
+ tremendous stability
+ very balanced geometry
Weaknesses
– brakes not up to par
– flat trails bore this bike
– uphill is only a means to an end
Uphill
Downhill
Stability
Agility
Value for money
For more info head to: evil-bikes.com
The test fleet
For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The Crème de la Crème – Nine high-end enduro bikes of 2018 in comparison
All bikes in test: Cannondale Jekyll 1 | Canyon Strive CF 9.0 | Kona Process 153 CR 27,5 | Merida ONE-SIXTY 8000 | Orbea Rallon M-Team | Santa Cruz Nomad 4 CC XX1 | Specialized Enduro 29 Pro | Trek Slash 9.8
This article is from ENDURO issue #032
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Words: Photos: Christoph Bayer, Valentin Rühl