At this point in the mountain bike game, it seems like just about every manufacturer is offering multiple wheel sizes. However, there are a few smaller builders that up until now have stayed with the tried and true 26″ wheel. For their first venture into a new wheel size, Evil bikes has skipped right over the popular 27.5″ in favor of the bigger 29″ hoops.
Built to be a fun, slack, short travel trail slayer, The Following looks to be an interesting addition to the current trend of smaller, playful bikes. As much as we love downhill and enduro bikes, sometimes the travel just isn’t needed. But that doesn’t mean it can’t still be fun…
Developed around their Dave Weagle-designed Delta Suspension system, The Following offers 120mm of progressive travel. Modified to run the bigger wheels, the linkage still sits extremely low in the frame, and that low center of gravity adds to the bike’s playful nature. Like the original Delta bikes, the Following will include an adjustable geometry through a flip chip that changes the head tube angle, bottom bracket height, even the chainstay length by 2mm. In either setting The Following would be considered progressive short travel XC/Trail geometry that should be an ideal ride for blasting your local short tracks or big days in the mountain.
Other frame details are carried over from the Uprising such as built in downtube protection with new integrated protection of the chainstay and seatstay by the dropout. A pressfit (30?) bottom bracket with integrated ISCG05 tabs matches up with a standard 142×12 rear end to keep it stiff. In spite of the current trend to ditch front derailleurs, the Following still features a High Direct mount tab on the seat tube if you prefer a double. Internal cable routing with stealth dropper post routing keeps things neat.
While the Following will be available in typical Evil blacked out fashion, the frame will also come in bright “Don’t Shoot” orange. Sold in S-XL frame sizes, the Following looks like it will be one super fun 29er…
