Home > Bike Types > Mountain Bike

Revel Bikes launch w/ Canfield Brothers’ suspension & all new carbon fiber frames

25 Comments
Support us! Bikerumor may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. Learn More

Here we are in 2019, and there is yet another mountain bike brand launching. But before you write Revel off as just another brand that’s ordered up a few new frames, you should consider who is behind the company. At the helm is none other than Adam Miller – the same Adam Miller of Borealis fat bikes and Why Cycles. In a way, it seems like Adam has been building up to this, the launch of Revel Bikes, from the beginning. After starting on the fringe with fat bikes, Why Cycles moved into slightly more broad categories with fat bikes, gravel bikes, hard tail mountain bikes, and even road bikes. Now, the launch of Revel opens up the world of high performance full suspension mountain bikes crafted from carbon fiber.

Revel Bikes launch w/ Canfield Brothers’ suspension & all new carbon fiber frames

But it’s not just Adam. Revel’s development team reads like a who’s who of the industry with Jeremiah Starkey (of Rockshox, Trust Performance, and Selle Royal fame) as lead engineer and COO, Jason Schiers (Founder of Enve) in the role of carbon layup genius, and Mike Giese as the team’s Industrial Designer.

Revel Bikes launch w/ Canfield Brothers’ suspension & all new carbon fiber frames

Revel Bikes launch w/ Canfield Brothers’ suspension & all new carbon fiber frames Revel Bikes launch w/ Canfield Brothers’ suspension & all new carbon fiber frames

Years in the making, Revel Bikes is coming out of the gate with two brand new carbon creations. Rather than trying to reinvent the wheel when it comes to suspension, after riding a Canfield Brothers demo bike, Adam was convinced that their CBF or Canfield Balance Formula was the way to go. Experts in the field of parallel link suspension designs, Canfield began developing their system in the late 90’s which led to the current CBF system. By designing the suspension curve around the Center of Curvature along with the Instant Center, Canfield claims that they have been able to create a patented formula that “provides optimum anti-squat throughout the entire range of travel, resulting in the most efficient pedaling possible, regardless of factors like sag, and without sacrificing bump compliance or traction, and with no unwanted pedal feedback from braking or drivetrain forces.” To really geek out on the suspension design, check out the mini site for CBF.

Revel Bikes launch w/ Canfield Brothers’ suspension & all new carbon fiber frames

With Canfield Brothers eager to license the design, development and prototyping began on their first two bikes – the Rail and the Rascal. While the design uses the Canfield CBF basics, the suspension layout is a bit different to package it in a better configuration for Revel’s geometry, travel, dropper post clearance, and more.

Revel Bikes launch w/ Canfield Brothers’ suspension & all new carbon fiber frames

Revel Bikes launch w/ Canfield Brothers’ suspension & all new carbon fiber frames

Revel Rail 27.5

Limited to the two models for the launch, the 27.5″ wheeled offering from Revel comes in the form of the Rail. Running 165mm of travel out back and 170mm of travel up front, the Rail is built to, well, rail the downhills while still pedaling efficiently enough for all day efforts.

Revel Bikes launch w/ Canfield Brothers’ suspension & all new carbon fiber frames

Revel Bikes launch w/ Canfield Brothers’ suspension & all new carbon fiber frames

Revel Bikes launch w/ Canfield Brothers’ suspension & all new carbon fiber frames
The Rail has a massive downtube protector that includes openings for the internal cable routing ports and a housing clamp before they reenter the frame on the chainstays.

With the exception of a proprietary chain guide mount (included with each bike), the Rail uses fairly standard parts including a threaded 73mm bottom bracket, Boost 148mm rear spacing, 180mm post mount, and an IS42/IS52 tapered headset. The frame is said to clear up to 27.5 x 2.5″ tires.

Revel Bikes launch w/ Canfield Brothers’ suspension & all new carbon fiber frames Revel Bikes launch w/ Canfield Brothers’ suspension & all new carbon fiber frames

Revel Bikes launch w/ Canfield Brothers’ suspension & all new carbon fiber frames

Rail Geometry

Available in Tuxedo Penguin, or Mint Chocolate chip, the Rail comes in four sizes. Notable measurements include a 75° seat tube angle and 65° head tube angle, 430mm chainstays, and reach numbers of 430-495mm depending on the size.

 

Revel Bikes launch w/ Canfield Brothers’ suspension & all new carbon fiber frames

Revel Rascal 29″

Using the same frame design but tailored for 29″ wheels and tires, the Rascal checks in with 130mm of travel in the rear and 140mm up front.

Revel Bikes launch w/ Canfield Brothers’ suspension & all new carbon fiber frames

Revel Bikes launch w/ Canfield Brothers’ suspension & all new carbon fiber frames

For the most part, the frame specs are identical except for a few obvious changes like shock length and stroke. Again, the frame clears 2.5″ tires but of the 29″ variety, and includes the same custom Revel chain guide.

Revel Bikes launch w/ Canfield Brothers’ suspension & all new carbon fiber frames

This one comes in Ansel Adams or Navy Gold – which just begs for the gold SRAM XX1 kit and matching wheels from Industry Nine.

Revel Bikes launch w/ Canfield Brothers’ suspension & all new carbon fiber frames

Rascal Geometry

The Rascal is also available in four sizes with the same 75° seat tube angle, but a 66° head tube angle, 433mm chainstays, and 424-489mm reach numbers.

Revel Bikes launch w/ Canfield Brothers’ suspension & all new carbon fiber frames

Pricing and availability

Sold directly through revelbikes.com and select retailers, complete Revel builds start at $4,999 with framesets running $2,599. Revel states that their builds will consist of standard SRAM parts with Industry Nine or ENVE wheel options. While the main builds will be standardized, options like dropper post length and crank length will be provided free of charge. Each Revel bike includes a lifetime warranty and crash replacement program, and they’re continuing their policy of shipping the bikes in reuseable EVOC bike bags instead of disposable cardboard. Already have an EVOC bag or just don’t want it? Revel will ship the bags back to their office on their dime, and give you a small credit in the process so that they can reuse the bag.

Revel bikes are available now in limited quantities, and if you’re going to be at the Sedona Mountain Bike Festival this weekend, you can check them out in person and go for a ride!

revelbikes.com

 

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

25 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
ninjichor
ninjichor
5 years ago

My emotions fired up when I read Canfield + carbon!

Then I lost interest, due to the off-putting angle of the Rail’s seatpost; it looks slacker than the head angle.

ninjichor
ninjichor
5 years ago
Reply to  ninjichor

Oops, I mean the Rascal; that Navy/Gold one near the bottom. Maybe it was a compromise, since it’s a candidate for the Trust Message linkage fork.

Colin M
Colin M
5 years ago
Reply to  ninjichor

“Then I lost interest, due to the off-putting angle of the Rail’s seatpost; it looks slacker than the head angle.” Here we have your typical internet buyer. Looks slack.

“Yeah man, it looks flexy” is another classic.

Congrats you just made the Revel guy reading this (probably Chris) smack his head in disbelieve that the first comment is typical internet garbage.

So yeah full stoke for the kids in Carbondale, CO. Keep putting out cool product. Rad to see that Canfield’s disappearance has come back with a group of passionate and intelligent people. Look forward to a demo day. I’ll make sure to stare at the bike and say that I don’t believe the seat post angle is actually 75 degrees.

Dr. Toboggan
Dr. Toboggan
5 years ago

Looks like Trust Performance disbanded? Nevertheless, the way Revel launched is absolutely brilliant! Teasers that lead to a dialed website, great looking bikes that are actually in stock, and web reviews – well done dudes!

Sevo
Sevo
5 years ago
Reply to  Dr. Toboggan

Trust disband? You have a killer team like that who’s worked on a product for 5 years and is putting out the best suspension fork in the market by far why would they disband?

Dr. Toboggan
Dr. Toboggan
5 years ago
Reply to  Sevo

Just seeing that 2 of the 3 guys from Trust are now at Revel made me assume that they parted ways, but this may also just be another side gig for them. Didn’t mean to upset you.

hamjam
hamjam
5 years ago
Reply to  Dr. Toboggan

“Didn’t mean to upset you”? He just replied to your uninformed rumor creation.

Antoine Martin
Antoine Martin
5 years ago
Reply to  Sevo

don’t forget motion e18 for pivot forks.

captain derp
captain derp
5 years ago

curious to see what this means for the future of the Canfield brand itself, they haven’t put out any new bikes in a while and the frames they still have in inventory on their webstore are all heavily discounted….

#THELEGENDMTB
5 years ago

Pretty interesting bike, my one gripe, no ISCG. What is up with some of these bike companies making bikes without ISCG? Are people not expected to ride aggressive trails, are they thinking everyone just bombs down groomed trails? Chainrings still need to be protected in my neck of the woods, chain retention isn’t enough. Damn sad, it’s a very interesting design.

i
i
5 years ago
Reply to  #THELEGENDMTB

Good catch. I’m guessing it’s because the Canfield suspension doesn’t leave room for ISCG05 (the Riot had an ’03 mount, but guides for that are getting scarce), and they have that upper guide.

Still, no provision for a bashguard means it’s not a mountain bike (yeah, I know some of you will get upset because you don’t ride what east coasters would call difficult trails). Sad; I loved my Canfields, and it’s looking like this is the future of the design, but they don’t get basic mountain bike requirements.

Colin M
Colin M
5 years ago
Reply to  i

Le sigh….

A bashguard for a single chain ring? Really? We aren’t riding sub 12 inch bottom bracket with crappy thin aluminum chainrings on bikes anymore people. Those SRAM and Wolftooth singles can take a beating.

DH guys and Rampage guys aren’t even using bashguards anymore. Just guides as the old issues have been solved.

East coast riders still think they have special needs….

The chain guide that Revel gives you is all you really need these days.

captain derp
captain derp
5 years ago
Reply to  Colin M

DH racers are absolutely still using bash guards. Go take a look at Loic Bruni’s bike, he won 2018 world champs with a bash guard. Specialized specs the S-Works Demo with one. The Trek Session 9.9 includes one.

Colin M
Colin M
5 years ago
Reply to  captain derp

I knew I would get called out for not using the word “some” before DH and Rampage guys. Thanks derp.

So yeah DH bikes still benefit to have that protection, but it isn’t needed on a trail bike.

captain derp
captain derp
5 years ago
Reply to  Colin M

glad you weren’t disappointed. just out of curiousity i pulled up Rude’s SB150 build, he’s got a bash guard on it too.

i do know a lot of guys that still have bash guards on their trail bikes, myself included. narrow wide rings, plus the new designs are a huge improvement over chainrings of old. and for a large segment of riders that’s sufficient and a guide/bash isn’t needed. but there’s still enough of the mtb population that needs them and uses them that companies like e13, MRP, one up, gamut, etc still offer a wide variety of guide/bash options.

Colin M
Colin M
5 years ago
Reply to  captain derp

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/video-recap-the-complete-2018-pinkbike-field-test.html

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/field-test-12-bikes-hucked-to-flat-in-gratuitous-slow-motion.html

See a common theme of something missing here? Your chainring and chain can handle the occasional scrape on a rock or root. These aren’t trials bikes.

captain derp
captain derp
5 years ago
Reply to  Colin M

the common thread i see is that, with the exception of the Scott Ransom, the frames all still have with guide tabs*, even if they aren’t spec’d with a guide / bash. It’s about options.

*Note – they are all ISCG 05 with the exception of the stumpjumper.

DingDang
DingDang
5 years ago
Reply to  Colin M

Sorry Colin you’re wrong.

i
i
5 years ago
Reply to  Colin M

The only way you could think that is if you don’t ride difficult trails. I know you think you do, but you’re mistaken. It is not possible to think that a chainring can withstand getting smacked repeatedly if you’d actually done it.

But you’ll go on thinking riding groomed trails suitable for a hybrid, thinking you’re mountain biking.

Colin M
Colin M
5 years ago
Reply to  i

Sorry bud but you are assuming incorrectly. I ride and race from coastal B.C. all the way east to Stowe, VT.

Listen if you want the insurance of a bash guard go for it. I’ve got one of my DH bike and a singlespeed. Both are 10 plus years old have low bottom brackets.

Any bike I’ve had in the past 5 years hasn’t needed one. If you need your comfort blanket bash guard cool. I’m telling you that you probably don’t need it any more.

Hate away but I’m not bashing these guys for not having ISCG. It can go away just like the front derailleur.

Colin M
Colin M
5 years ago
Reply to  Colin M

I’ve even spent a lot of time on South Mountain in AZ where this review was done. Back in those days no one rode carbon bikes because these rocks destroyed frames if you rode sloppy. We used the big chainring as a bash guard lol.

Now with single chainrings and the awesome suspension bikes even beater internet people aren’t riding sloppy. Bikes go up and down without any problem or special knobs to turn.

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/first-ride-revel-rail.html

#THELEGENDMTB
5 years ago

BTW it’s not hating to point out the fact that the option to run a bashguard is missing, that’s called being observant. I didnt say the bikes where crap because of it, merely stated it would’ve been a nice option to have.

One other thing I didn’t point out that I also find concerning, is the cables under the BB. Like front derailleurs, under the BB cable routing needs to go. BOOM! LOL

Anonymous Coward
Anonymous Coward
5 years ago
Reply to  #THELEGENDMTB

You said it’s not a mountain bike because it doesn’t have a bash guard, and nobody is really mountain biking unless your bashing rocks.

Frankly you sound like a complete moron!

DeafDaddy
DeafDaddy
5 years ago

I thought only Cannondale makes a Habit out of creating their own bland MTB designs?

At least it doesn’t look like a Session…

Subscribe Now

Sign up to receive BikeRumor content direct to your inbox.