Issue #032, Review - February 27, 2018

Evil The Wreckoning X01 Review

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

**EVIL The Wreckoning X01**
160/160 mm (f/r) | 14.03 kg | € 7,499

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.

**Helmet** MET Roam | **Glasses** Oakley Radar | **Jersey** Troy Lee Designs Sprint Jersey | **Knee pads** Sweet Protection Bearsuit |

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

Das Delta System im Evil The Wreckoning erlaubt es die Geometrie des Mountainbikes zu verstellen. — **Low und Lower**
Even in the supposedly “high” setting, the Wreckoning is very composed. We, therefore, recommend the X-Low setting only for extreme trails and days in the bike park.

**Cleverly solved**
Evil wins a prize for the most beautifully integrated chain guide

**Super-tight**
The tire clearance at the rear of the Evil Wreckoning is very limited. Especially in muddy conditions, you will quickly end up with mud and grit leaving unsightly scratches on the frame.

**Drop it like it’s hot**
Evil supplies the Wreckoning in sizes L and XL with a 170 mm-long dropper seat post. If you are around 180 cm and have short legs, you might better order it with a 150 mm version.

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

Das Evil The Wreckoning rollt über verblockte Passagen wie ein Monstertruck und verleiht unglaubliche Sicherheit.

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.