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Bionicon rEVO updated 27.5+ adaptable suspension enduro mountain bike

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Last year at Eurobike the German suspension engineers of Bionicon rolled out minor updates to their on-the-fly adjustable enduro bike. That revised pneumatically adjustable full suspension enduro mountain bike was a first preview of the new rEVO. Now that bike has another summer’s worth of even better updates, including everything from their new, smoother ClimbAir adjustable suspension system to a new fork, and even a lighter frameset with more tire clearance for plus-sized tires. We run down what all has been updated after the break…

Bionicon ClimbAir adjustable suspension

Bionicon rEVO aluminum adaptable ClimbAir adjustable suspension full suspension enduro mountain bike climbing mode
climbing mode

The heart of the new rEVO is of course still the adjustable suspension concept which had been called simply the Bionicon System, pneumatically linking the fork and rear shock. Push a button and it allows air to move from secondary air chambers in the fork to the shock, dramatically changing the geometry of the bike (on the order of 5° of head & seat angle change, while essentially keeping bottom bracket height unchanged) allowing it to climb more comfortably than an XC bike and still descend like a DH bike.

Bionicon rEVO aluminum adaptable ClimbAir adjustable suspension full suspension enduro mountain bike descending mode
descending mode

Bionicon has overhauled pneumatic system on the new bike, renaming it ClimbAir. While the basic function hasn’t changed, the secondary chamber on the rear shock gets a redesign for faster system response. The overhauled air cartridges now better allow the adjustable suspension to move independently with smoother operation overall.

Bionicon rEVO aluminum adaptable ClimbAir adjustable suspension full suspension enduro mountain bike rear end NDS

The basic Horst-link suspension of the rEVO doesn’t change, carrying over the option to run either 160mm or 180mm of travel on the same frame, with different rocker links.

Bionicon rEVO aluminum adaptable ClimbAir adjustable suspension full suspension enduro mountain bike X-Fusion shock Bionicon rEVO aluminum adaptable ClimbAir adjustable suspension full suspension enduro mountain bike X-Fusion Metric fork

The bikes do get an all new single crown X-Fusion Metric air fork, though.

Tech updates

Bionicon rEVO aluminum adaptable ClimbAir adjustable suspension full suspension enduro mountain bike swingarm BB

The aluminum frame itself gets some good updates as well, with a redesigned tapered headtube. Bionicon reshaped the rear end to improve tire clearance, taking it Plus-size to clear a 2.6″ rear tire. Thanks to a trimmed down seattube, all but the smallest size frame can now run a long 150mm dropper. Even with the wider rear & slightly longer toptubes, the new alloy frames all shed a few grams thanks to overall detail optimizations.

Going forward the rEVO simplifies Bionicon’s line-up, replacing all previous models. Now the bikes are all 27.5+, all Boost, and all swappable between the two travel lengths.

Bionicon rEVO aluminum adaptable ClimbAir adjustable suspension full suspension enduro mountain bike tapered headtube

The alloy bikes use a tapered internal zero stack 44/55 headset, a 30.9mm seatpost, and a 73mm threaded bottom bracket. The rEVOs use 148×12 rear spacing, get ISCG 05 tabs, and feature 180mm post mount brakes. The frames use fully modular external cable routing for pretty much anything you can imagine (including front derailleurs), plus a seattube port for stealth dropper routing.

Specs & geometry

Bionicon rEVO aluminum adaptable ClimbAir adjustable suspension full suspension enduro mountain bike specs

The Bionicon rEVO is now available in three versions, each with 160mm or 180mm of travel. You can even get one without the ClimbAir setup, although that really is the standout feature of the bike. Each bike gets 30mm internal rims & DT hubs, X-Fusion suspension, and descent-ready Maxxis rubber.

Bionicon rEVO aluminum adaptable ClimbAir adjustable suspension full suspension enduro mountain bike geometry

The bikes come in four frame sizes S-XL. And in three standard colors – black or blue anodized and raw brushed silver. The lightest rEVO 0 claims a weight of just 13.5kg (29.8lb) in either travel, and gets its own special paint jobs.

Bionicon rEVO aluminum adaptable ClimbAir adjustable suspension full suspension enduro mountain bike trail riding
courtesy Bionicon

Bionicon is making moves to get the bikes sold more through local bike shops. They’ve already inked a distribution deal with a big German company who is working on getting the bikes into more shops around Europe and beyond. Until then, they’ll still be happy to take care of you from their Tegernsee HQ, at the base of the Alps.

EVO.Bionicon.com

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Seraph
Seraph
7 years ago

That’s cool but that doesn’t look like a 27.5+ to me.

dustytires
7 years ago

Can anyone explain why when I had a Talas on the front and would crank it all the way down, then firm up the rear shock damping on the RP23 for a climb which is way less of a change than Bionicon is claiming , it feels like one is riding Into the hill, not up it? Actually felt slow, never got another Talas. with all the engineer types here, there’s gotta be some physics to explain this. I have read about it in many other places over the years since adjustable travel forks were introduced… This bionicon thing seems like it would be even worse. Anyone actually ridden one?

Chris Killer
7 years ago
Reply to  dustytires

I’ve owned 3 Bioncons, the latest of which got stolen a month ago so I might end up buying this new one. I live in an area where, like Tegernsee, there are lots of steep climbs and steep descents. Yes, if you have the geometry adjusted all the way forward and its not an especially steep climb you do feel like you’re riding into he hill, but it comes into its own when everyone else is wheelying and getting off and you’re comfortably cruising past them. It allows weight to be distributed more evenly between the wheels and gives the rider a more natural climbing (and descending) position.

Chris Hansen
6 years ago
Reply to  Chris Killer

where to buy?

Greg
Greg
7 years ago
Reply to  dustytires

I’m not an engineer but I noticed the exact same thing with the TALAS. I assumed it was my climb-addled brain playing tricks on me. Glad to hear I’m not the only one that noticed this. I stopped using it for anything other than full travel and haven’t fiddled with anything travel-adjustable since.

Vincent Riboulet
Vincent Riboulet
7 years ago

Have you guys looked at the way a simulation seat works when playing a simulation/video game ?
When you are tilted to the front, the direction of acceleration you feel is not just toward your butt, but also in front of you. And your brain have for long associated this feeling with a deceleration when seated in a car…

Lowering the fork might feel slower, but if you use a stopwatch, you will see that’s only your brain fooling you.

I think this geometry change are really very interesting for taller rides living in mountainous areas. Especially with the sorter chainstays trend. This is my situation and i love it.
But i also understand that short riders on mellow terrain don’t get it, as they don’t need it.

Please brands, keep the talas / dual position / bionicon systems alive for us tall guys…

Philip Tinsley
Philip Tinsley
2 years ago

Hi do you no were I can buy a 2×2 air cartridge for my bionicon edsion bike thanks

Peter
Peter
2 years ago
Reply to  Philip Tinsley

I would like to know as well any luck?

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