2020 Evil

Insurgent LB / XT

It’s been a while since the Freehub team received a 27.5-inch bike for review. The past few years saw 29-inch bikes move into the spotlight with promises of better stability over chunky terrain, increased traction and an overall faster feel. Evolution continues though, and a new wave of mixed-wheel mountain bikes have come to market to supposedly offer the best of both worlds—snappy fun out back and sheer plow-ability up front married together in one machine that begs to be pushed hard over tough-to-manage terrain. Like other brands, Evil recently joined the mountain bike industry mixed-wheel soirée by taking a tried-and-true 27.5-inch model from their lineup—in this case the Insurgent—and reconfiguring it to accommodate a larger front wheel. Unlike most other brands, Evil made the call to roll out two options for consumers with their new Insurgent: a dedicated 27.5-inch version for the die-hard small wheel fans, and a mixed-wheel monster version that boasts 168-millimeters of travel paired with a 170-millimeter fork. Intrigued, I opted to test the latter build which Evil has dubbed the Insurgent MX. It’s clear from Evil’s advertising that the Insurgent MX is aimed squarely at riders who like to frequent hellishly steep trails as part of their regular riding routine. Here in the northwest corner of the United States, such terrain is usually accessed from behind gated forest roads meaning, of course, that a long and painful climb is required before digging into the main entrée. Immediately, I felt that the Insurgent platform was especially well-suited for this kind of situation. It’s a light-feeling package that doesn’t leave much to complain about on even the hardest climbs. While suffering away I found myself staring down at the bike’s RockShox Super Deluxe coil shock as I tried to comprehend how the Insurgent MX could possibly remain so composed and zippy on the climbs. This is one of the rare long-travel bikes that feels just about the same climbing with your butt in the saddle as it does during extended standing efforts—the anti-squat really is that good. With its slack 64.2-degree head angle (in the steeper of two possible configurations) and short 430-millimeter chain stays, it’s not the ideal bike for eking up 20 percent climbs but it scoots around uphill corners like a bike with half of its travel.

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Everything about the new Insurgent is boosted, from the Super Boost rear hub spacing to a wider, stiffer main pivot.

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The last bike from our Ely, NV Beta Tests, the Evil Insurgent is uphill-friendly, downhill-focused, and all business.

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