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Hello… Evil is Calling, with all-new mid travel trail bike

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evil-calling_mtn_photo-paris-gore

With a name like The Calling, it shouldn’t be a surprise that the latest new trail platform from Evil looks like a fun bike to ride. This is the reason we all got into mountain biking, right? A mid-travel trail bike designed to pedal up the hills and bomb down endless singletrack. Evil says it’s their new “bike-shaped-skateboard”. Something about carving through deep turns and kicking it off every lip that you find on the way down the mountain. What you get is 131mm of Dave Weagle-designed linkage-driven single pivot 27.5″ (or even 26+) trail eating goodness, with all of today’s modern tech features. Drop past the break for the lowdown, from the curious color names to riding footage that makes us want to hit the nearest trail pronto…

The fully UD carbon Calling is somewhat of a follow-up to, uh… The Following. That playful 120mm 29er trail bike was Evil building to a new wheel size for them and ended up being a fun all day ripper, but they wanted something able to get even more loose on the jumps and berms that you find out pedaling through the woods or off a long way from home. So the new Calling gets a bit more aggressive, with 10mm more travel at both ends, even slacker geometry, a little bit longer wheelbase, and those snappy middle-sized, just right 27.5″ wheels.

The heart of the bike is the Delta suspension system that you’ll find on a bunch of different Evils. The design by suspension guru Dave Weagle lends the stiffness and simplicity in the rear as a basic high single-pivot, but with a much more complicated linkage to drive the shock that gives it dual progressive shock leverage rates. That claims better, more adjustable travel than pretty much any other single pivot in existence. If that piques your interest, Evil does a pretty good job getting into the detail on the suspension’s dedicated tech page.

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Plenty of tech carries over from the Following. That includes things like the Delta suspension flip chips for adjustable geo, Boost rear thru-axle that threads directly into the rear mech hanger for a sturdy interface, a molded in rubber downtube protector to keep rocks at bay, rubber chain & seatstay protectors so the bike stays quiet and undamaged by the chain bouncing around down the trail, internal routing for the rear derailleur & a dropper post, a built-in sag meter for the Delta setup, a proper main triangle set of water bottle bosses, and ISCG05 tabs.

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But then The Calling bolts on its own custom e13 LG1 lower chain guide and bash guard to keep its drivetrain safe, and gets a custom carbon chain guide built into the swingarm to keep the chain in place no matter how choppy it gets out there.

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The $2900 frameset comes in four sizes S-XL (although only the M is in stock right now, with the others expected soon) and in two colors: Angry Dolphin teal & Muddy Waters gray.

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The Delta suspension drives a trunnion Rockshox Super Deluxe Debonair shock, and like the other bikes in its family can be set in two geometry positions with its flip chips.

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The frame is designed around a 140mm fork with a tapered steerer and 46mm offset. Max tire size for the frame is said to be about 2.4″ with 27.5 wheels and 2.8″ with 26+, but of course tire and rim combos will vary quite a bit these days. It uses a 30.9mm seatpost, a 73mm threaded BB, and with its no front derailleur setup can accommodate between a 30-36T single 1x chainring between chainstay clearance and the chainguide height.

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If you need a bigger or smaller frame, keep an eye on Evil as they should be popping up any day.

Evil-bikes.com

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bearcol
bearcol
7 years ago

Doesn’t this infringe on Yeti’s patent?

Mike D
7 years ago
Reply to  bearcol

Ehhh…which patent would that be? I’m no suspension whiz, but I do believe Yeti uses a modified VPP design, versus the modified single pivot mentioned here.

Bryce
Bryce
7 years ago
Reply to  Mike D

Yeti uses a modified single pivot but it is modified in a different way (no eccentric pivot or rail system)

Charles
Charles
7 years ago
Reply to  bearcol

Evils is a single pivot point with a complex linkage system to the rear shock. The Yeti uses a patented Switch Infinity. The main pivot glides on stanchions like a front fork. Its more complicated than a single pivot. Think of Evil more in line with Foes or the Heckler of Santa Cruz fame.

Muchachos
Muchachos
7 years ago
Reply to  bearcol

Yeti has no patents, what on earth are you referring to?

Er
Er
7 years ago
Reply to  bearcol

Yeti Corporate HQ: “We need to slap a patent on this turquoise paint!”

bhow
bhow
7 years ago

Bearcol is referring to the color

bearcol
bearcol
7 years ago
Reply to  bhow

Yes, bad joke I know.

So little was said about 26+. Anyone know if more 26+ tires are hitting the market soon? Rocky mountain and now evil are marketing 650b/26+ frames, but little is being said. Seems like a soft release of something the bike industry isn’t sure they really want to market just yet.

W-iLL
W-iLL
7 years ago
Reply to  bearcol

Jamis seems to be going full steam ahead with 26+ too. Saw one in their demo fleet last weekend. Have’t seen much after market for the “standard” yet though.

Fred
Fred
7 years ago
Reply to  bearcol

Maxxis is coming out with 26×2.8 DHRII and DHF.
http://www.maxxis.com/catalog/tire-540-135-minion-dhf-plus
http://www.maxxis.com/catalog/tire-541-135-minion-dhr-ii-plus

WTB has the Ranger in 3.0 and 2.8 out on sale now.
http://www.wtb.com/products/rangerplus

And ofcourse and trend starter:
https://www.bike24.com/p2113655.html

Rob
Rob
7 years ago

Infectious attitude they got going. Liked “The Wreckoning”, but the “Chamois Davis Jr” ? — might take some time. Do not adjust your computer, we have control of your internet…

satisFACTORYrider
satisFACTORYrider
7 years ago

can’t believe it’s not buttah

Flatbiller
Flatbiller
7 years ago

Already sending out my “Pivot Bolt Maintenance Party Week” invitations.

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