Review: The Evil Epocalypse is equal parts Balance & Brawn – Pinkbike

I’ve mentioned it a few times before, but Evil’s decision to give the Epocalypse a 65.3° steering angle (adjustable to 64.6°) was really interesting to me, especially considering the parallel, non-motorized Wreckoning sits at 64.6° in its neutral position and is adjustable up to 63.9°. But even when riding the Epocalypse in its steeper setting, the front end never felt sketchy as, thanks in part to the weight of the motor and battery, the bike always felt planted and stable, and the rear end is short enough to stall that the bike feels unbalanced.

Even without excess length, it feels best at high speeds, cruising through choppy lines versus slicing your way through low-speed technology. While it held its own well in the slower, twisty spots, it didn’t feel quite as at home there and it just required some effort to drive – as you’d expect from a 170mm e-crusher.

Despite the freight train feeling of some e-mountain bikes, it corners surprisingly quickly, probably thanks to a combination of a short rear end, a moderate steering angle and a well-supporting but sensitive rear end.

It feels contradictory to call the Epocalypse handling “aggressively neutral,” but that’s how it feels. The bike is equipped for almost every trail, but doesn’t lean too much in any direction. It feels great when pumped through compressions and pushed at higher speeds, it has great traction without feeling dead, it carries momentum and holds off-camber lines easily, and the length is medium enough to handle the to make winding sections fun.

It’s the same in the air: the bike stays stable and goes pretty much anywhere it points. It has enough energy to bounce off jump lips and side punches, but it’s a calm handler that remains predictable.

The Shimano EP8 motor, like all EP8 motors before it, did rattle a bit at times, but it seems like companies are finally figuring out a quieter way to put it on their bikes, and the noise levels were actually a lot lower than some similar bikes on the rough descents.

How does it compare?

Compared to our current eMTB benchmark – the Specialized Turbo Levo – the Evil Epocalypse has 166mm of rear travel versus the Levo’s 150mm, a 630Wh battery versus the Levo’s 700 and dual 29″ wheels in the middle Comparison to mullet setup. The Levo’s motor is noticeably quieter and the in-frame display is much more useful than the Shimano EP8 display. The Epocalype’s extra travel comes in handy on bigger hits, although the Turbo Levo’s numerous geometry adjustments allow it to be given more gravity . oriented geometry than evil.

For some more accurate comparisons in terms of travel, Epocalypse finds its home among the other long-distance self-shuttle rigs available today:

The Santa Cruz Bullit has 170mm of travel front and rear and rolls on a mixed wheel setup, but is longer and slacker than the Epocalypse – even in the chainstays despite the smaller rear wheel – making it a more aggressive but less nimble package than the neutral power -Dealing with the Epocalypse.

The Specialized Kenevo SL also has 170mm of travel front and rear, but in a much lighter, less powerful package with about half the torque and battery capacity of the Epocalypse. More like a regular mountain bike, the Specialized is longer and slacker than the Evil, although its light weight helps maintain maneuverability.

The Yeti 160E might be one of the Epocalypse’s most direct competitors, an all-rounder with the same Shimano setup and similar intended use and specs. Also, the 160E has a slightly slacker front end and a slightly longer rear end, and most importantly, a price tag that’s about $1000 more for a fairly similar XT build.