Top speed is a key metric in the sport of Formula 1. As the name suggests, it measures your speed exactly as you pass the top of the corner. Why is it important? Because it really determines your overall speed and driving skills. Your speed at the top of the corner depends on precise braking and cornering. When you complete these two tasks, you will get to the top as quickly as possible, which will maximize your speed at the exit and, ultimately, increase your speed on the next section of the track.
The same principles apply to mountain biking. It’s about proper braking and proper cornering to get through the apex and corner at top speed. Ideally, overcoming the apex means you don’t hit the brakes at all, but pedal too early. So, you roll by inertia. If it’s a downhill turn, gravity takes over. If you brake properly, the tires will be pushed to their limits – traction but no slip – and you’ll be accelerating out of the corner, ready to pedal when the bike straightens out.
Here’s what I came up with after riding the Evil Bikes “The Follow” custom a few times. My top speed has improved compared to other bikes I have ridden. Why? Because that’s what it’s for.
Mountain biking has evolved into another category of bicycles. It can be very subtle and I’m sure a lot of people will laugh at this new off-road title. However, after more than 30 years of mountain biking, the evolution of the sport and its technological innovations naturally led to this: off-road mountain biking.
It is a hybrid that combines downhill (DH) and cross country (XC) in one machine. Yes, they are on opposite ends of the mountain bike spectrum. DH bikes have 200mm suspension. They’re heavy, with super soft geometry, dual crown forks, coil spring shocks, aggressive tires and tight gear ranges, all you have to do is hit the pedal. In contrast, XC bikes typically have around 100mm of suspension. They are lightweight, have flat handlebars with fast rolling tires and maximum gear range. Perhaps the Holy Grail is the best of both worlds: a bike that’s fast enough to climb hills while also facilitating very aggressive (and confident) descents.
Some people might be thinking, “Is that what trail bikes are for?” I would answer, “Not really.” I began to realize that there was no place for men in the world of mountain biking. I love riding ultralight 100mm XC bikes. I love riding posh 160/170mm enduro bikes. And as a result of this review, I love riding 120mm trail bikes. Everything else in between is impressive. There is nothing particularly good about these 130-150mm bikes. They are good only in mediocrity. If this makes you think this is a classic dumbbell curve, you are right. Like many other things in business and life, all the fun of mountain biking can be found in extreme sports.
So how do you actually buy a trail bike? Because this is a new category, you won’t necessarily find bikes pre-specified with this component balanced. You will most likely have to build it as a custom build or with some option updates. So, this is my dream of a country.
This iconic frame is the heart and soul of the motorcycle. As you may remember, I nominated The Follow for Mountain Bike of the Decade in 2018 for pioneering modern 29er geometry that is long, slack and fast on the descents. While we don’t describe it as such, this bike is a trail bike pioneer. If you go back and read the reviews, they usually praise the descending performance of this short travel (120mm) frame as well as its climbing ability. However, the main focus was on its ability to fall. How can a 120mm bike descend so well? This is a collective headache.
But that was the first generation of followers, and now the third generation. The big changes are a steeper 77-degree seat tube that improves climbing position; stiffer suspension pivots for greater stability and durability; internal cable routing for a neater look; ambiguous spacing between Super Boost rear dropouts (157mm).
The last design option is worth exploring as it messes up this dream build plan. As far as I know, only Evil and Pivot Bikes have adopted this new standard (if you can call it that) so far. It’s about 6 percent wider than the more common 148mm Boost spacing, and the reason for that is to make the 29-inch wheels work better. By widening the lower part of the wheel triangle (hub), stiffer wheels can be laced. Based on my earlier note about top speed, this allows you to increase the load on the wheel before it flexes and goes off track. It effectively pushes the physical limits of the bike, allowing for higher top speeds and overall speed. It also pushes the rear derailleur further, which can subject it to rock bumps, although this hasn’t been an issue for me so far.
My first thought after riding this new version was, “How did I wait so long to get another follower?” Those were three good years. And this time I chose a large size instead of a medium one. I’m 5’10″, which puts me somewhere in the middle, but I have longer legs so I have a lot of racks on my bike. This is definitely true as it feels more stable at higher speeds. One bottle holder can hold a large water bottle.
The following treatment is intuitive and inspiring. It pushes you to find your limits, but is also very indulgent when you go beyond it. When you’re racing down a fast and rough singletrack like the famous CMG tracks in Park City, you put your weight on your feet and let the rear suspension do its job of absorbing the fast bumps and staying straight. It’s not the lightest frame in its class, but it’s a small compromise on how stiff it will be in corners and going downhill.
My choice of component spec for this dream build usually involves a few simple questions: should this component lean towards DH or XC? Will it make me move faster up or down the slope? When it comes to suspension, it’s all about the drop, which brings me to the Fox…specifically the Fox Factory 34 SC fork with 120mm of travel. The country is written everywhere. The standard 34 is a bit heavy and the 32 has no barrel. This provides the perfect balance.
In fact, sometimes I feel like I’m riding a 150mm Fox 36. While it only has 20mm more travel than my XC bike, it handles hard hits like an enduro fork – bumps can cause sag. This is largely due to the new shin bypass channel, which dampens the increase in air pressure and provides a more comfortable stroke feel. and super-rigid calf bows. Combined with thru-axles, this prevents the strut from seizing up under load. Like the frames below, the Factory 34 SC is well above its weight class.
As for the forks and the Float DPS rear shock, one option I’m leaning towards for the XC is to go with the FIT4 Remote version of each shock. It features a handlebar-mounted remote lever that allows you to quickly push the open, medium, and firm positions of the fork and shock on the fly. You click once to select “Medium” and another click to select “Brand”. Then click once to return to open (desc) mode. Personally, I prefer to climb with the harness almost locked. I like to get out of the saddle and feel like I have a solid platform under my feet. That’s why last year I praised the RockShox Flight Attendant system for enduro bikes. This version of Fox is manual, but it gets the job done with minimal weight loss. He just needs a creative booth setup with a pipette.
When it comes to suspension setup, The Follow has a sag guide built into the frame, and Fox has instructions on how to set the Float DPS to suit the weight of the rider. But I’ve found a new method that I call “pushing the pedal plus five.” I gradually decrease the sag (PSI) to the point where I start pedaling unavoidably, then increase by 5 PSI. This maximizes the reach of the rear shock absorbers and minimizes the dangerous consequences of pedal strikes, which can be serious, such as flying over the bar.
Carbon wheel technology has come a long way over the past few years and I was planning on using XC wheels on this bike. This is where I want to save weight, and I know from my XC bikes that I won’t be sacrificing performance. However, I quickly realized that Super Boost’s distance from Evil was limiting my options. Luckily the only one available (that I found) is Industry Nine, which is known for its hubs but has made a lot of progress with carbon hoops and full system wheelsets.
In fact, the folks at Evil Bikes recommended Ultralight 280 carbon wheels for this bike, and their support makes the difference. Here I also settled on a black and red aesthetic. Industry Nine has a great online wheel builder where you can choose from a variety of colors for your hubs and spokes. At this point, your custom wheels will be handcrafted and shipped directly to you.
As mentioned, the Super Boost spacing combined with these wheels makes this bike an absolute ledge killer. In over 200 miles of aggressive driving, I haven’t had any leaks. One downside is that Hydra SB57 24-hole hubs are only available for a 6-bolt rotor mount. I’m partial to CenterLock, though it’s more about convenience/aesthetics than performance.
One of the drivetrain’s key considerations was finding a high performance crank with the proper spacing for the Super Boost rear end. One of the best (and safest) options I’ve found is the Shimano XTR FC-M9130-1 crank. Yes, these are spinners. They have enough offset (Q factor) to dial in the correct chainline because the cassette is pushed out a lot. They are almost as light and strong as XC cranks. I also use 170mm mountain bike cranksets to keep pedal bump to a minimum.
However, since this is a dream build, I opted for an aftermarket bottom bracket and sprockets. The former is made by Enduro Bearings, which makes XTR alternatives such as the XD-15, with cryo-treated nitrogen steel races and butter-smooth Grade 3 silicon nitride ceramic bearings. As for chainrings, Wolf Tooth offers a huge selection of chainrings, in including those designed not only for Shimano direct mount 12-speed drivetrains, but also with Super Boost intervals. They are made from 7075-T6 aluminum and are available in 30, 32 and 34 ton versions. I initially went with the 32t but ended up with the 30t based on the cassette drivetrain.
Let’s talk about gear. Shimano offers two 12-speed XTR cassettes and two rear derailleurs for the 1X drivetrain. The stiffer cassette (10-45t) is lighter than the 10-51t and has less jump between gears. This allows the use of an XTR rear derailleur with a center cage, which is also lighter and less prone to rock hitting. In a way, it’s more like a DH setup: compact and discreet. Again, this makes the 30-tonne front hoop the best choice for maximum low-end riding range. However, to be clear, this is not the correct setting for long stretches of road. As a sweetener, I also replaced the stock pulleys with Enduro Bearings ceramic pulleys for more efficiency and performance.
Brakes are one of the most important components of off-road driving. These have been my favorite disc brakes since the debut of the XTR 9100. The two-piston version is great for cross-country, but country use requires four pistons per caliper. Perhaps you could put four in the front and two in the back to save weight, but I chose four by four. As I’ve said many times before, you have to slow down in order to move fast. They are mated to front and rear 180mm XT rotors (6 bolts) for powerful braking with minimal hand fatigue. To be honest, I would probably put a 203mm rotor up front if the Fox Factory 34 SC was fine with it. Alas, up to 180mm.
This is probably the area I think about the most. What is the ideal off-road tire? What is the ideal width? How much is too much… or too little?
First conclusion: 2.4-inch tires are the best choice for off-road use. They have enough volume and tread to hook up and provide extra cushioning without weighing down the bike unnecessarily. Of course, only in this dimension there is a wide range of tires. So it really comes down to the tread pattern. They need to roll fast and also be aggressive enough to hold on to corners. The front especially needs some beefy side handles to initiate turns, and while you can forego some for the rear tires, it’s more about hill climb traction.
Luckily, Maxxis has the perfect front tire solution. Though designed as a rear tyre, the Minion DHR II is a fast tire with all the qualities you need to get over railings and grip slopes out of a bend. When setting up turns, the center knob provides ample straight-line braking. This tire could easily be relaunched as the Minion DCF II.
Having ridden the WTB Ranger in previous builds, I know how it performs both front and rear. Especially the black-walled version, which weighs only 875 grams, is extremely durable and pressure-resistant. A couple of times I thought it was a puncture – it was felt and heard – but the tire stopped. The rubber compound is very grippy, maintaining traction on steep climbs.
The Next has a long top tube which means you can use a shorter stem. When it comes to steering, this is the area where you want to lean on the DH versus the XC. ENVE offers the perfect combination of M6 stems (50mm) and M6 stems (full width) with 25mm lift. It is as light as possible, yet offers exceptional durability and easy handling. I’m tentatively thinking about ENVE M7 counterparts, but they are more enduro-friendly.
Once the steering was finished, I switched to Wolf Tooth headsets and thru-axles to match the hubs. While I tried the Wolf Tooth foam grips, I ended up with the ODI Vans Dynaplug Convert end grips. If you have not renovated an apartment with Dynaplug, you have never renovated an apartment. It was nothing short of a miracle. Just plug the hole, re-inflate the tire and go. These handles have as many as four plugs (two on each side) that are discreetly screwed into the end of the rod. A complete game changer.
For the pipette, I first tried the new Fox Factory Transfer SL with 100mm of travel, which is 25% lighter than the standard Transfer. This is a huge savings. However, it is also binary. So you either go up or down. There is no hydraulics between them to support the columns. After a few rides, I realized that in the backcountry these intermediate positions are really needed – in short, for technical climbs, for pedaling in hilly terrain, the seats do not get in the way.
I ended up replacing the Transfer SL with my XC bike and then using his RockShox Reverb AXS to continue. Standard Transfer is also a good option, but it’s the one that’s available to me. So I took the weight off my XC bike and found the perfect out-of-town rack for Evil. The AXS joystick also works with the Fox remote on the left. In the end, I opted for the ultra-light WTB Volt Carbon saddle to keep the weight down even further without sacrificing comfort.
If you’re looking at it from an XC perspective, you’ll need a way to measure power output. Since Shimano doesn’t yet offer a built-in MTB power meter, the relatively new Garmin Rally XC200 pedals are the best. When it comes to power measurement and optimization, this two-way model gives you more data than you’ll ever know what to do with it. It measures each foot independently and how well each foot works throughout the entire pedal stroke, how much power you generate when sitting and standing, how perfect your cleat position is, and more.
One of the best features is that they are designed to the Shimano SPD standard, which ensures maximum compatibility for those who ride multiple Shimano equipped mountain bikes. As a pedal platform, they are slightly more spacious than Shimano XC pedals. Batteries and electronics add a bit of weight, however. I also find that they offer more float than Shimano pedals. In the end, the biggest benefit of a pedal power meter is the ability to take it with you when traveling and when renting other bikes. You never lose strength.
Backcountry naturally means you will be aggressive downhill, taking risks and pushing yourself beyond your limits. This should dictate a number of other gear choices. For the actual descent, I used a POC Sports full face helmet, back protectors, pads and shorts. Naturally, I was looking for a leader in high performance off-highway protective gear.
It is an enduro helmet with extended rear coverage and several key safety features, including MIPS to prevent rotational impact, a RECCO beacon for search and rescue, and a “split visor” for additional neck protection. It is also E-MTB certified for hitting at higher speeds. The design is intentionally goggle-friendly so the goggles can be stored under the climbing visor and the goggle strap doesn’t block any of the vents. Considering the amount of protection it offers, this is a well-ventilated helmet. Although this is far from what lighter XC-style helmets offer. The low coverage around the ears also limits the types of glasses you can wear. It is not very compatible with shades that have straight temples.
Therefore, I recommend pairing this helmet with POC Devour sunglasses. They fit perfectly with the helmet, allowing the hands to wrap around the ears without conflicting with the helmet. Best of all, they provide goggle-like eye and face protection in a more breathable form. After all, my teenage daughters actually completed the look. So they’re approved by the Gen-Z fashion police.
I use POC VPD knee pads for downhill, but some models are a bit bulky for uphill riding. Oseus provides the perfect balance of protection, weight, breathability and freedom of movement. They have the same VPD padding at the knee that comes down a little to the lower leg. They can be worn to the ankle on long climbs and fastened with a zipper on the descent. The top straps are designed to hold in place and fold down to reduce the size of the pad in climbing mode. They are ideal for off-road driving.
For backcountry glove options, it makes sense to choose full downhill. The Resistance Pro DH has enough knuckle protection from improper woodworking without being too stiff or restrictive. The palm is padded in key areas to prevent impact and fatigue without sacrificing traction and handling. They’re breathable enough for hot XC riding, and the silicone fingerprints provide great brake lever feel. On the thumb there is even a terry cloth to wipe the snot.
When it comes to choosing trail running shoes, my personal opinion is all XC. I wanted the most efficient pedaling options, which meant they had to be light and strong, with a perfect fit and great ventilation. The XC9 sets the benchmark in every category. I also had an issue with the wide last that Shimano offers on most of their high end models. After all, all my cycling shoes are completely dependent on the BOA closure system. On-the-fly pressure adjustments can be made on-the-fly with just a few clicks of the dial, making a big difference in comfort and performance, especially on long rides.
Post time: Feb-23-2023