Bike Review:
Revel Rail
A modern trail bike that delivers on performance
Revel burst onto the scene in early 2019. They unveiled the Rascal 29er and Rail 27.5 bikes. After several months on the Revel Rail I was sad to see it go. Revel may be a new brand to the market, but they are far from new to the industry. Revel are a group of riders and creators making their mark on trail bikes. Using the Canfield Balance Formula suspension (check it out here:https://canfieldbikes.com/pages/cbf-suspension ) these bikes are something that needs ridden to fully understand. The Carbondale, Colorado based brand is situated in a perfect environment for riding and product development. They understand the expectation of the modern trail bike and have delivered on performance. Revel are a force that Evo is excited to partner with.
The Rail:
Since receiving this bike in the heart of the frigid Colorado winter I have been stopped by numerous bike nerds that immediately recognize this stealth machine. The Rail is a 165mm frame mated to a 170mm fork. At 5′ 11″ I rode the size large with a 170mm dropper Rockshox Reverb, a 35mm Deity stem, and 800mm Enve M7 handlebar. My demo had a parts group that was better than anything I’ve ridden to date. The Sram XX1 AXS group made me question what I could afford on my next stead and the new Lyrik Ultimate with its high and low speed compression adjustment offered an ease of setup that I did not know was possible. The Sram Code RSC are no joke and after a couple of seasons are a product I can easily recommend. Finally, the new Enve M7 series wheels laced to Industry Nine hubs where a nice touch. The build left nothing to be desired, so it was up to me to get out and ride!
The Climb:
There is no question the Revel Rail loves technical trails and is happy with a day at the bike park. The question is how are you going to feel once you get to the top? The traction and suspension support from CBF is uncanny. The standard wallowing that most of us have felt when hitting a technical feature without properly weighting the bike was nonexistent. Canfield’s claim that the bike will pedal well regardless of sag rings true. The traction is something that is hard to quantify but is noticeable on the most technical climbs and those steep marble covered fire roads. I was consistently impressed how well this 27.5 wheel climbed compared to a 29er wheel with a larger traction patch. With the large bikes 65° headtube, 75° seatube, and 470mm reach climbing was planted but could benefit from more weight on the front. While the reach numbers are on par with many 27.5 enduro bikes, you could look at those number and doubt its climbing ability but again I would attribute the CBF suspension to the lively feel. According to the specs the Revel Rail screams enduro but the trail manners are mild enough that you wont question it on the climbs.
The Descent:
Since getting my hands on the Revel Rail I have moved to Seattle and honestly felt a little out of place on both the Rail and my personal Santa Cruz Megatower. The trails are significantly steeper and softer than what I am used to. The ability to lap the trails in the Seattle area without fear of uphill traffic has really allowed me to let the Rail loose. The CBF suspension continued to shine by maintaining traction on the steepest trails. The Rail is not simply an enduro plow. The lively suspension loved getting off the ground and felt comfortable in the air. I ran into the end of the travel a couple of times and can attest to the frame’s stiffness. It rewards pumping over terrain and out of berms. I could feel the bike accelerate with just a little body English. The Rail is a bike that capitalizes on speed and delivers on fun!
Final Thoughts:
Revel did it right! The “fun size” wheel option has seen a lack of innovation, but demand still exists. Bikes like the Revel Rail, Santa Cruz Nomad, and Transition Patrol are keeping this category alive and I know customers would like to see this continued progress. The Canfield Balance Formula delivers on the claims. The Rail loves a long day of shuttling as much as short afternoon laps. Revel maybe a new company but by focusing on two proper trail bikes rather than releasing a full line they were able make two truly distinct rides.