The Geo is not outdated, it is intentional. Evil doesn't follow all the trends of making all of their bikes super slack and certainly aren't drinking the Koolaid of other brands. They make bikes that are fun, stout and sexy. There is a very small percentage of people buying dedicated race bikes and while this bike could compete in an XC race, that is not it's intention. It's a short travel trail bike that's a blast to ride and is my weapon of choice here in the Northeast.
Still 2013 Stumpy w a 67 degree HT angle bc I ride mainly steep short climbs and descents. Slack bikes struggle in tight terrain. Plus, the bike is alloy and only 30 lbs. w 150/130 travel. Try finding that w these behemoths that bikes have become.
@@wtfdoicare Lol. I don't need to justify my purchase. I am just trying to educate folks like yourself. This is my second Following and I have my choice of many bikes to choose from so no justification needed. Also.. it is not and XC bike.. are you tone deaf? Ride one before you decide to shite on it.
It would have been more fair to stack it up against the trail 429, tallboy and Ripley. The short travel rippers just make a lot of sense most of the time when you are not racing either xc or enduro
I had one and did a 140mm DVO sapphire, left it in the xlow setting and it GREATLY improved the DH ability but still kept that playfulness. I rode it on PNW blacks and some decent sized (15-25 foot gap) jump lines. Solid, easy to throw around. Not gonna set any uphill records. Ended up selling it for their new insurgent which probably climbs about as well but is a full on park bike, haha!
I think there is a place for capable short travel bikes like the Norco Optic for example. But it has to be done right. The geo Should match the intentions of the bike and I think with 65° HA this would be a different beast.
@@ajpratt3954 just because the same guy designed the link doesn't mean that the link operates the same. The DW link is a modified four bar The Delta link is a modified single pivot. There's a UA-cam channel called trail POV if you'd like to actually learn what the differences are because I don't have time to type them all out. But they are different and they function differently.
I had an Offering and a Following at the same time and almost always grabbed the Following. The Offering just didn't feel as playful and was too middle of the road. Capable AF though with a 160 lyrik on it. Ended up selling it for an Insurgent which is the opposite of middle of the road. ;)
It definitely rides much better with a -1 degree headset on - can't recommend the upgrade enough. I too found the bike a little too twitchy for my liking stock (130mm fork), but the angleset really calmed the bike down, while still maintaining that sharp handling.
Great field test again. Agree with some comments that it would be interesting to compare this year's with last year's, even if just to always include the 'winner' of the previous year's test. I had my eye on the Following and the Transition Spur for a while but just couldn't get either in Australia so I went with the Revel Ranger and absolutely love it.
Love that you guys have been doing these short travel field tests every year for a few years now. Only thing is, it would be nice to see what you think about the new bikes compared to last years or maybe at least your favorite from last years test group. For instance - Last year I really like the Epic Evo, this is what I think of these in consideration of that...
They reviewed the epic evo in XCDC test a year or two ago. They film these a couple months prior to release and have to secure bikes months before that even, so it’s not really possible to get the latest bikes.
@@flyfreak23 I realize that. The point i was trying to make was they review these 6 bikes in a vacuum as if no other bikes exist and these are your only options which obviously isn't the case. Since they reviewed different bikes last year which are all still available and perfectly relevant why not include some of those in the discussion (could be any bike, the Evo was just for example). I think last year the Element and Top Fuel were stand outs of the field test - why not mention how those compare to this years crop?
@@bpisan I think they tend to talk about how they compare to last year's bikes in the roundtable/roundup at the end, so just wait. But, I do wish, as with a lot of people, that they include the last year's winner in the test. Keep that bike (or get ahold of a new one) to use as a baseline for this new crop. Comparing off of memory can be hard when it has been a year and you've tested dozens of other bikes and are riding on different terrain for this test.
Been waiting on this one a while. Tbh, this probably should have been in last years test. Top fuel, element, following, izzo, blur, throw in a 429, now that's a field test. Ultimately too expensive for a heavy short travel bike who's pedaling platform has been matched by many of the new bikes out there
I run a 140 fork on mine in the X-Low position and to honest, it wouldn’t hurt to slacken it out another degree. I didn’t like in the higher geo setting. All that being said, it is a great trail bike. You can stand up and mash the pedals and it has no bob. It is a solid bike and I like something a little more bomber than XC. If you know what your getting into to, it’s a great bike. I came from a Devinci Django and still wanted something solid, with good progression and a good pedal platform that didn’t turn to mush if i got out of the saddle. It checked all those boxes for me. I’d like to see something like Transition’s Spur but with a more trail spec than the Sid components they spec it with. But no bike is perfect. There are always trade offs. That being said, I’m happy with my Following. It was either it or Pivot’s T429.
How would you compare it to Pivot 429? I'm debating which one should I go with looking at these 2 bikes. I'm pedaling a lot. We don't have many and big mountains here in Montreal area. Pedaling is a lot and descent is fast and short. Plus, most of the times I'm pedaling in a park here making like 32km in total per week. What I noticed that many reviewers mention Following as a bike good to take for a ride when you don't know what surprises the trails has front of you.
@@wtfdoicare nobody rides this bike with a 120mm fork, it's 66.9HTA with a 130mm in standard setting. X-Low is 66.4HTA. That's steeper than DH bikes from not that long ago and on a bike that is longer than they were. If you think this bike is sketchy is just that you suck at riding.
Hi everyone! I just stumbled across this nice video/review and I was wondering if someone could acutally out of experience let me know if a size XL could/would also fit for a guy which is ~187cm in the US metric 6 feet 2 inches? I am actually looking for a bike which I can use for crossing the Alps... (5-6 day tour, ups and downs of course, trails - everything basically) Thank you very much
Whoever is doing the editing: Why the hell is the music between talking segments like 10x louder than the talking segments volume? It is crazy annoying
It’s called a “ducker”, lots of videos on how to use it properly. This is an example of how not to use it. Seems like the audio intern/editor needs to go back to UA-cam U.
Evil insurgent mx here, 0 noises, rides buttery smooth and quiet here in dry ass Southern California whether climbing steep ass trails to then bomb down some steep @ss down hills! So freaking fun. Best bike I've ever owned.
I think the following uses the same rear triangle as the offering and wreckoning... this move would dictate most of the designs decisions that were taken on the bike and could hypothetically limit a bikes potential in a fast moving market. I own one and agree with most of the points raised. Personally I think the following is over weight probably because of the points raised above. Don't get left behind Evil, the short travel market is lighting fast ;)
Having compared the following offering and reckoning in person, they all have individual rear ends that get progressively burlier as the travel increases
Nice one Martyn, It’s a shame that Evil were not brave enough to go lighter and separate its value proposition from the offering a bit more, just my opinion.
But why? What's the point? Last time they didn't like a lockout on an xc race bike, now they are not impressed with a trail bike all that much. Why not throw a motorcycle in there while your'e at it?
Geo from yesterday, stack for ants, that super steep headangle, of the bike instead integrated. Banshee Phantom V3 is a perfect example how to design a perfect "Luke Strobel" ripper.
No offense to PB, but Outside really shat the bed when they shuttered BetaMTB. Their reviews, insights, production quality and content makes these reviews look schoolyard. I love Kaz, but PB needs to up their game.
I think you guys just put this ride against the wrong competitors, this is clearly a trail bike,not down country, just get a 20mm longer stem and a flatter bars and that's it, loving mine, only thing I'm not loving is the Superboost, cheers!
Almost every bike review is the same these days. Soaks up bumps, needs slightly more slacker geometry but still awesome, feels twitchy and playful. Sounds fimilar?
9 grand? I'm sorry, but I'm going to need companies to start itemizing the engineering, tooling, design, material, and labor costs for their bikes to justify such a hefty price tag. This is getting out of control. The fact I can go buy a nice dual sport motorcycle for CHEAPER boggles my mind. It's a sick bike... and I clicked this video cause I'm looking for a short travel option for my stable. 9k?! Boooooooo. Evil. Boooo
Reviews or so lame. This one might be one of the worst. It's like you don't get the purpose of the bike and just find things to complain about to be relevant. If you are interested in a bike, demo the damn thing and decide.
Yikes, over $9000 is way too much for this bike, and any MTB for that matter. I just finished building a FS trail bike with very similar geometry, same fork and rear shock, XX1 drive train, carbon wheelset, and a AXS dropper that weighs 27.5 lbs. Total Cost $5275. IMO the brand name frames are way over priced.
I've been on a 2019 Following MB for 2+ years and I am dumping it as it's one of the worst climbing bikes I've ridden. The front wheel wanders horribly on techy climbs but it's the fact that it wanders on even smoother climbs that surprises me the most. The MB suffers from a slack seat tube combined with a relatively slack HTA -- worst of both worlds. The geometry changes on the V3 should help a good bit.
I rode a new evil for almost a whole year now, 3+ rides/week and put an enduro race season on it, never once had to tighten a linkage bolt or hear a squeak.
Never ran into any problems with my Evils. Been running Evils for 4 years now. Been running the Insurgent MX for a while now, 0 issues as well, no bolts loosening anywhere at all or any noises. Just did the whole enchilada earlier this year with some friends and put the Insurgent through the ringer. Handled the entire thing with 0 issues. Didn't even use my tools but to make sure everything was torqued on all our bikes since it's such a long run. Out of 7 bikes, only 2 of them didn't have any issues whatsoever. My Insurgent was one of the 2.
I’ve had the MB and now the LS for a year. Rode both at the local bike park (Montana) 30+ days down every trail, including double black diamonds. 200 lb rider. Never had the slightest problem with the linkage bolts, or anything else for that matter. You don’t know what you’re talking about.
The Following is the hot drunk girl at the bar you want to take home… you know she’s bad for you… but she’s such a good time! 🍻😂
I’ll take one of those…even if I regret it on the next day (the following that is) 😂
@@MrDavecore777 🤣🤣
I drunk girls in the mail and should be here any day now
The Geo is not outdated, it is intentional. Evil doesn't follow all the trends of making all of their bikes super slack and certainly aren't drinking the Koolaid of other brands. They make bikes that are fun, stout and sexy. There is a very small percentage of people buying dedicated race bikes and while this bike could compete in an XC race, that is not it's intention. It's a short travel trail bike that's a blast to ride and is my weapon of choice here in the Northeast.
This guy gets it! 🤘
Still 2013 Stumpy w a 67 degree HT angle bc I ride mainly steep short climbs and descents. Slack bikes struggle in tight terrain. Plus, the bike is alloy and only 30 lbs. w 150/130 travel. Try finding that w these behemoths that bikes have become.
Sounds like you're just justifying your purchase.
XC bike with 200mm rotors? or trail bike with 68HTA...thing is a mess.
@@wtfdoicare Lol. I don't need to justify my purchase. I am just trying to educate folks like yourself. This is my second Following and I have my choice of many bikes to choose from so no justification needed. Also.. it is not and XC bike.. are you tone deaf? Ride one before you decide to shite on it.
32lb bike with a pike in a xc race? 🤔
It would have been more fair to stack it up against the trail 429, tallboy and Ripley. The short travel rippers just make a lot of sense most of the time when you are not racing either xc or enduro
I had one and did a 140mm DVO sapphire, left it in the xlow setting and it GREATLY improved the DH ability but still kept that playfulness. I rode it on PNW blacks and some decent sized (15-25 foot gap) jump lines. Solid, easy to throw around. Not gonna set any uphill records. Ended up selling it for their new insurgent which probably climbs about as well but is a full on park bike, haha!
Honestly Evil's design is really made for longer travel bikes. The offering is the sweet spot imo and really exemplifies their setup.
I think there is a place for capable short travel bikes like the Norco Optic for example. But it has to be done right. The geo Should match the intentions of the bike and I think with 65° HA this would be a different beast.
@@maffin2917 having a following with a -1 angleset, I can confirm it is a different beast
@@ajpratt3954 evil doesn't use dw link they are delta link which is a single pivot
@@ajpratt3954 just because the same guy designed the link doesn't mean that the link operates the same. The DW link is a modified four bar The Delta link is a modified single pivot. There's a UA-cam channel called trail POV if you'd like to actually learn what the differences are because I don't have time to type them all out. But they are different and they function differently.
I had an Offering and a Following at the same time and almost always grabbed the Following. The Offering just didn't feel as playful and was too middle of the road. Capable AF though with a 160 lyrik on it. Ended up selling it for an Insurgent which is the opposite of middle of the road. ;)
It definitely rides much better with a -1 degree headset on - can't recommend the upgrade enough. I too found the bike a little too twitchy for my liking stock (130mm fork), but the angleset really calmed the bike down, while still maintaining that sharp handling.
Totally agree. I liked mine stock, but the angle set really changes it up without having to slacken the seat tube with the flip chips
Shouldn't have to buy things to alter geometry on a 10,000$ bike. There are better for the price that actually have the geometry by design
Third this. Angle set was a game changer for me….highly recommend
@@matthewserna7475 "i'd never buy a bike i can't afford bc ppl have the option to change its geometry"
@@mitchardnixonful I'm an anesthesiologist, I can buy anything I want lol. Nice try tho 👌
Love my 2019 Following, and love the brand, my favorite bike I’ve ever owned
Great field test again. Agree with some comments that it would be interesting to compare this year's with last year's, even if just to always include the 'winner' of the previous year's test.
I had my eye on the Following and the Transition Spur for a while but just couldn't get either in Australia so I went with the Revel Ranger and absolutely love it.
It's the perfect bike for east coast technical riding
Love that you guys have been doing these short travel field tests every year for a few years now. Only thing is, it would be nice to see what you think about the new bikes compared to last years or maybe at least your favorite from last years test group. For instance - Last year I really like the Epic Evo, this is what I think of these in consideration of that...
They reviewed the epic evo in XCDC test a year or two ago. They film these a couple months prior to release and have to secure bikes months before that even, so it’s not really possible to get the latest bikes.
@@flyfreak23 I realize that. The point i was trying to make was they review these 6 bikes in a vacuum as if no other bikes exist and these are your only options which obviously isn't the case. Since they reviewed different bikes last year which are all still available and perfectly relevant why not include some of those in the discussion (could be any bike, the Evo was just for example). I think last year the Element and Top Fuel were stand outs of the field test - why not mention how those compare to this years crop?
They used to bring the benchmark but stopped doing that recently
@@bpisan I think they tend to talk about how they compare to last year's bikes in the roundtable/roundup at the end, so just wait. But, I do wish, as with a lot of people, that they include the last year's winner in the test. Keep that bike (or get ahold of a new one) to use as a baseline for this new crop. Comparing off of memory can be hard when it has been a year and you've tested dozens of other bikes and are riding on different terrain for this test.
Would have expected you to test the Following LS (lightly slated) with subtle geometry tweaks? I guess its release missed your deadline?
Just visited The Landing - for Evil Bicycles, up in Bellingham today. Absolutely ridiculous showroom and my jaw is still on the floor😂💀
Been waiting on this one a while. Tbh, this probably should have been in last years test. Top fuel, element, following, izzo, blur, throw in a 429, now that's a field test.
Ultimately too expensive for a heavy short travel bike who's pedaling platform has been matched by many of the new bikes out there
I'm surprised they didn't talk about that Evil offers three different headset options to choose the HTA you want.
I run a 140 fork on mine in the X-Low position and to honest, it wouldn’t hurt to slacken it out another degree. I didn’t like in the higher geo setting. All that being said, it is a great trail bike. You can stand up and mash the pedals and it has no bob. It is a solid bike and I like something a little more bomber than XC. If you know what your getting into to, it’s a great bike. I came from a Devinci Django and still wanted something solid, with good progression and a good pedal platform that didn’t turn to mush if i got out of the saddle. It checked all those boxes for me. I’d like to see something like Transition’s Spur but with a more trail spec than the Sid components they spec it with. But no bike is perfect. There are always trade offs. That being said, I’m happy with my Following. It was either it or Pivot’s T429.
How would you compare it to Pivot 429? I'm debating which one should I go with looking at these 2 bikes. I'm pedaling a lot. We don't have many and big mountains here in Montreal area. Pedaling is a lot and descent is fast and short. Plus, most of the times I'm pedaling in a park here making like 32km in total per week. What I noticed that many reviewers mention Following as a bike good to take for a ride when you don't know what surprises the trails has front of you.
Tires make the bike. Try some renegade tires on an Enduro and you’re almost as fast as an epic but way better on the downs.
The perfect bike. I dont care about racing up, I want the party going down!
PARTY DOWN 68HTA BABY!!!
@@wtfdoicare nobody rides this bike with a 120mm fork, it's 66.9HTA with a 130mm in standard setting. X-Low is 66.4HTA. That's steeper than DH bikes from not that long ago and on a bike that is longer than they were. If you think this bike is sketchy is just that you suck at riding.
Hi everyone! I just stumbled across this nice video/review and I was wondering if someone could acutally out of experience let me know if a size XL could/would also fit for a guy which is ~187cm in the US metric 6 feet 2 inches?
I am actually looking for a bike which I can use for crossing the Alps... (5-6 day tour, ups and downs of course, trails - everything basically)
Thank you very much
The weird thing is that they steepened the HTA in this iteration
Better for climbing
Awesome cool bike 🤘🤘❤❤❤👍
Whoever is doing the editing: Why the hell is the music between talking segments like 10x louder than the talking segments volume? It is crazy annoying
it's everywhere these days. It's so frustrating. Normalize the music with the voices!
It’s called a “ducker”, lots of videos on how to use it properly. This is an example of how not to use it. Seems like the audio intern/editor needs to go back to UA-cam U.
So because this thing has a 130mm fork does that mean it’s not considered a downcountry bike but rather a trail bike?
Pinkbike: FINALLY gets an evil in for testing, calls it an ibis on accident lol
Too twitchy, too short, too blah blah blah but comes in 2nd on the descent. 😂
Yeah exactly - I’ve ridden a Following long enough to know it is fast as hell
While I have no first hand experience with the Evil, as a rider who HATES creaks I look at all of those pivot bolts and shudder in terror.
As an Evil owner I can tell you these bikes, in their newest iteration are incredibly quiet
@@ArmorOfZeus I 2nd this comment. My bike is a silent.
Evil insurgent mx here, 0 noises, rides buttery smooth and quiet here in dry ass Southern California whether climbing steep ass trails to then bomb down some steep @ss down hills! So freaking fun. Best bike I've ever owned.
Following v1 owner here. It’s my quietest bike. *knocks on wood*
I think the following uses the same rear triangle as the offering and wreckoning... this move would dictate most of the designs decisions that were taken on the bike and could hypothetically limit a bikes potential in a fast moving market. I own one and agree with most of the points raised. Personally I think the following is over weight probably because of the points raised above. Don't get left behind Evil, the short travel market is lighting fast ;)
Having compared the following offering and reckoning in person, they all have individual rear ends that get progressively burlier as the travel increases
Nice one Martyn, It’s a shame that Evil were not brave enough to go lighter and separate its value proposition from the offering a bit more, just my opinion.
XC vs DC vs Trail
But why? What's the point? Last time they didn't like a lockout on an xc race bike, now they are not impressed with a trail bike all that much. Why not throw a motorcycle in there while your'e at it?
Just get an Ibis ripley for better geo and more efficiency.
or the top fuel
I'd add Pivot Trail 429 or Rocky Mountain Element. Especially if you're looking at that price point.
Can one of the field test be this class of bikes but in hardtails?
Comparing xc downcountry bikes to a trail bike seems a little unfair and biased.
I wouldn't even consider the exie, allied or BMC downcountry bikes. Those are XC bikes
They’re definitely not fans in the first two minutes. Especially little man in the middle! 😂
Somehow your video is totally overexposed compared to your other videos. Please change back to your previously settings.
Geo from yesterday, stack for ants, that super steep headangle, of the bike instead integrated. Banshee Phantom V3 is a perfect example how to design a perfect "Luke Strobel" ripper.
No offense to PB, but Outside really shat the bed when they shuttered BetaMTB. Their reviews, insights, production quality and content makes these reviews look schoolyard. I love Kaz, but PB needs to up their game.
this same bike would have been $7k in 2019... eg. the new trek top fuel 9.8 xt is $2500 cdn MORE than my prev gen top fuel 9.8, bought in nov 2019
The music bed under the commentary was…😢
Your audio editor needs some help this year!
I think you guys just put this ride against the wrong competitors, this is clearly a trail bike,not down country, just get a 20mm longer stem and a flatter bars and that's it, loving mine, only thing I'm not loving is the Superboost, cheers!
Almost every bike review is the same these days. Soaks up bumps, needs slightly more slacker geometry but still awesome, feels twitchy and playful. Sounds fimilar?
Same with skis.. everything is good the pow and can rail groomers like a race ski.
Unless a bike frame design is just inherently terrible, all these bikes are within a few % of each other = gotta really try hard to make a review.
It sounds like all of your negatives can be remedied by getting a Large.
this or Ripley AF?
Neither. Trail 429 and Devinci Django are it’s closest competition.
Ripley
Isn't the Following an XC bike? And it's called [Evil]. I tell you!😂
Isn't this a Freecountry bike?!
9 grand? I'm sorry, but I'm going to need companies to start itemizing the engineering, tooling, design, material, and labor costs for their bikes to justify such a hefty price tag. This is getting out of control. The fact I can go buy a nice dual sport motorcycle for CHEAPER boggles my mind. It's a sick bike... and I clicked this video cause I'm looking for a short travel option for my stable. 9k?! Boooooooo. Evil. Boooo
Sounds like a Ripley. Would've been interesting to include the Ripley in these reviews although the Exie is in the mix.
Reviews or so lame. This one might be one of the worst. It's like you don't get the purpose of the bike and just find things to complain about to be relevant. If you are interested in a bike, demo the damn thing and decide.
Yikes, over $9000 is way too much for this bike, and any MTB for that matter. I just finished building a FS trail bike with very similar geometry, same fork and rear shock, XX1 drive train, carbon wheelset, and a AXS dropper that weighs 27.5 lbs. Total Cost $5275. IMO the brand name frames are way over priced.
$9 grand they’re trippin
I've been on a 2019 Following MB for 2+ years and I am dumping it as it's one of the worst climbing bikes I've ridden. The front wheel wanders horribly on techy climbs but it's the fact that it wanders on even smoother climbs that surprises me the most. The MB suffers from a slack seat tube combined with a relatively slack HTA -- worst of both worlds. The geometry changes on the V3 should help a good bit.
I don’t trust your opinion on this bike, I have a hard time believing anything you say. Send it to me so I can see for myself😬
Its a trail bike. Stop
Middle guy seem unshakably biased upon opinions. Yes, I'm an Evil owner lol
67 deg HA. Nope. Geo is everything.
evil has up to 2 degree anglesets geo is what you make of it.
Depends what you’re trying to achieve.
Yeah, sounds like overcomplicated, behind with geo, waaaay overpriced mediocre bike that no one would talk about if it wasn't that expensive
also super boost rear wheel meh
matt beer with his chainstay vendetta is the most annoying editor on pinkbike.
Sir please give me a gear cycle 🥺🙏
Test, eq, proviron😂
Awesome bike, not a great bike to own long term though. All those linkage bolts find their way loose constantly and squeak like crazy.
I rode a new evil for almost a whole year now, 3+ rides/week and put an enduro race season on it, never once had to tighten a linkage bolt or hear a squeak.
Never ran into any problems with my Evils. Been running Evils for 4 years now. Been running the Insurgent MX for a while now, 0 issues as well, no bolts loosening anywhere at all or any noises. Just did the whole enchilada earlier this year with some friends and put the Insurgent through the ringer. Handled the entire thing with 0 issues. Didn't even use my tools but to make sure everything was torqued on all our bikes since it's such a long run. Out of 7 bikes, only 2 of them didn't have any issues whatsoever. My Insurgent was one of the 2.
Anecdote vs anecdote haha
I’ve had the MB and now the LS for a year. Rode both at the local bike park (Montana) 30+ days down every trail, including double black diamonds. 200 lb rider. Never had the slightest problem with the linkage bolts, or anything else for that matter. You don’t know what you’re talking about.
That price is for the X01.
$9000... lol