Revel Bikes launches with 2 new suspension bikes, and we’ve already seen them

Rather than just regurgitating the Revel Bikes press release like everyone else has, we’re actually bringing you our own first look images of both the Revel Rail and Revel Rascal.

You would think that with the number of established bike brands already selling well throughout the world, that there can’t possibly be enough room for another brand, but you’d be wrong. Revel Bikes is an all-new company but one that already has decades of experience behind it thanks to the various industry vets involved.

Industry veterans Adam Miller (Borealis and Why Cycles), Jeremiah Starkey (Rockshox, Trust Performance, Selle Royal) are joined by lead engineer and COO, Jason Schiers (Founder of Enve) as the carbon layup genius, and Mike Giese as the team’s Industrial Designer. That’s one hell of a who’s who of the MTB world there, so you’d think they know a thing or two about bike design.

The two models that Revel has announced at the time of launching the brand are the Revel Rail and Revel Rascal. The Rail is the 27.5in and features the most travel of the two at an Intense Tracer matching 165mm. The Rascal is a shorter travel 130mm travel bike build around larger 29er wheels. Those two bikes should cover all bases but full on downhill racing or XCO, smart thinking.

Revel Bikes CBF Suspension

Designwise the Revel Rail and Revel Rascal appear similar to bikes from rivals, most notably the Canyon Spectral, Cannondale Habit and YT Jeffsy, but look a little deeper and you’ll notice that the suspension layout is a little different. Revel bikes have used a CBF suspension set-up on both models, Canfield Balance Formula. The idea behind this layout is that the suspension is designed around the Centre of Curvature rather than the “ever-changing” Instant Centre.

The upshot of CBF is that Revel Bikes claims that the suspension remains effective and efficient through the entire range of travel while remaining completely active to boot. Sounds like the perfect set-up to us, but we’d have to test it to be sure it translates well on the trail.

Here’s what Revel Bikes has to say about CBF:

Why CBF?
CBF™ focuses on designing around the Center of Curvature (CC) and balancing that with the Instant Center (IC). Until now, most suspension systems have focused solely on the IC. CBF points the chainline and drive forces directly into the IC throughout 100-percent of the travel by balancing the CC over the chainring, resulting in maximum pedaling efficiency, regardless of where you are in the travel, what terrain you are on or what kind of power you’re putting down. All the power you put into the pedals propels you one direction–forward—allowing the suspension to do its job completely independent of drivetrain and braking forces, and making the sag setting much less important. When we first rode the largely-unknown CBF system, we knew it was something special, and we knew we could make the best riding carbon mountain bikes using this magical formula.

 
Center of Curvature:
The Canfield brothers stumbled upon the importance of the CC after years of designing big hit, rampage ready bikes. The IC constantly shifts throuout the stroke of suspension in multi-link bikes, causing the rear wheel to depart from perfect-arc rotation known only to single-pivot bikes (which is a less than perfect design for most other suspension criteria). However, if you connect the rear axle at any point on its path with the ever-changing IC, the area where all those lines intersect for the entire range of travel is the CC. This is the “virtual pivot point” around which the rear wheel actually rotates (a fairly large area on most bikes). On most multi-link bikes, the CC changes location as the rear wheel moves through travel, sometimes over an area as large as several square feet.
 
Welcome the Canfield Balance Formula:
The patented CBF focuses the CC precisely in a very finite are on the chainline/top of the chainring, pointing the pedaling forces directly into the IC through the entire range of travel. This creates the most efficient yet active pedaling platform possible, completely independent of sag, travel, and both drivetrain and braking forces. We could use lots of words like “versatile, smooth, efficient, etc, or we could just suggest riding the bike to see how it feels for yourself. 

Revel Bikes Rail Photos

Although Revel has only revealed the bikes today, we were lucky enough that Hannah was over in the U.S last week enjoy a snowy desert. In between desert snowball fights and being diverted due to biblical snow drifts she managed to come across a couple of top-secret Revels in a carpark.

As mentioned above the Rail is Revel Bike’s big travel 27.5in bike with 165mm of travel. The model that Hannah spotted in the wilds of a carpark was built up with an SRAM XO 1×12 Eagle groupset, Industry Nine wheels, and RockShox suspension. You’ll also make out that there is plenty of room in the main triangle of the frame for a water bottle, and that there appears to be ample standover so plenty of room to size up if you feel the need.

Speaking of which, the geometry of the Revel Bikes Rail is actually pretty good for a U.S designed bike. Reach on a medium size bike is 450mm, slightly longer than the equivalent Canyon Spectral. The head angle is 65° with a 170mm for fitted while the seat tube is 75º, not exactly radical but steeper than some bikes (Santa Cruz Chameleon we’re looking at you).

Revel will offer the Rail in this black and white colour option which is officially called Tuxedo Penguin or Mint Chocolate Chip which looks as tasty as it sounds (see below). Each Revel frame comes with a Lifetime Warranty and in sizes small, medium, large and extra large.

The Revel Bikes Rascal

Hannah was obviously much more interested the longer travel Rail bike as she only shot this single photo of the 130mm travel Rascal, but it’s a good one and shows us that patented Canfield suspension system in much more detail. We can also make out the threaded BB again and confirm that even the shorter travel bike has room for a water bottle too.

Revel Bikes has tweaked the geo for the Rascal which has a slightly shorter reach and steeper head angle. A medium sized Revel Bikes Rascal has a 444mm reach with 66° HA and 75° seat tube. These measurements are taken with a 140mm travel fork plugged in up front, slightly more than the 130mm travel available on the rear.

Again the Rascal will come in 4 frame sizes from XS – XL, a Lifetime warranty and will be available in two colours, this time Ansel Adams or Navy gold.

Sustainable Carbon Fibre?

While Revel manufactures its bikes from carbon, the company does say that they are committed to the environment and go that extra step to help reduce waste. For example, every bike is shipped in a reusable EVOC bike case to cut down on cardboard waste. You can then either keep the case or ship it back, Revel will pay so that it can be reused again.

Revel’s carbon partners were also chosen as they recycle any scrap carbon left over from manufacture, and aim to minimize or eliminate the use of hazardous chemicals.

Revel Bikes Availability

Both models will be available worldwide with frame prices starting at $2599 and complete bikes from $4999. For more info you can head over to the Revel Bikes website here, or read the official Revel Bikes press release below:

Revel Bikes Press Release follows:

(Carbondale, CO 2/22/19) The time has finally arrived for the world to meet Revel Bikes! The culmination of years of work by an all-star team of bicycle industry veterans has produced two of the best trail bikes the world has ever seen.

After launching two successful hardtail companies (Borealis and Why Cycles), Adam Miller, founder, started shopping around for a full suspension trail bike for himself. After testing riding every major brand, he hopped on a Canfield Balance at a trade show. After only a few hundred yards of riding, he knew that this relatively unknown system was the suspension he needed in his life. Adam tracked down the brothers and asked if they would be willing to license the suspension design, and right there, Revel Bikes was born.

With the mission to create the best trail bikes the world has ever seen and to only make bikes that he wants to ride, Adam set out to assemble his team. He tapped into engineering, carbon fibre layup, sales and marketing expertise from his immediate group of friends that also happen to be wildly successful in their respective fields within the bike industry. Jeremiah Starkey (Rockshox, Trust Performance, Selle Royal) is lead engineer and COO, Jason Schiers (Founder of Enve) is the carbon layup genius. Mike Giese is the team’s Industrial Designer. Two and a half years of development and prototyping has now led us to this day.

Revel is leading with two models. First, the Rail, a 165mm travel 27.5” wheeled all-mountain machine that can take the biggest hits the mountain has to offer while still gingerly pedaling to the top. Second, the Rascal, a 130mm travel 29er that is just as comfortable on that one-hour lunch ride as it is on all day wanderings above tree line.
Both models are available to purchase today and bikes are available to ship all over the world. Frames are $2599 USD and complete bikes start at $4999 USD.

The Rail – WHEELS / 165MM REAR / 170MM FRONT / 27.5″

The Revel team created the Rail with two things in mind: maximum thrills and climbing hills. A tuned carbon layup makes railing through berms pure joy. The Rail will put an end to the traditional trail bike compromises to ascent efficiency to which you’ve grown accustomed.

The Rascal – 29″ WHEELS / 130MM REAR / 140MM FRONT

The Rascal lives up to its name- it is a sleek looking machine that is mischievously fast, nimble, and adept. Think capability and playfulness in both ascend and full send mode. Our vision for the Rascal was to deliver a confidence-inspiring and ultra-versatile mountain bike in all applications.

Revel Bikes are available worldwide through www.revelbikes.com and select bike shops around the USA (and hopefully soon to be world!). Complete bikes start at $4999 with framesets retailing at $2599. All complete bikes are SRAM equipped with Industry Nine or Enve Wheel options, including the new Hydra and 101 wheelsets from i9. 

Revel’s Director of Stoke, Chris Reichel says “We really take pride in giving you the ultimate bike buying experience and offer several custom options on our website. We even go so far as making sure you get the biggest dropper post- just let us know your seat height and we will put the biggest 125, 150, or 170mm post on your bike.” To top it off, all Revel Bikes come with a lifetime warranty and crash replacement policy.

COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY

Here at Revel, our goal is more than designing and sharing amazing bikes that we love to ride, and it’s more than merely trying to offer the best customer service and purchasing experience possible.

We are committed to trying to having an environmentally sustainable business to the extent we possibly can. We ship all our bikes in reusable Evoc travel cases to eliminate cardboard waste. You can keep the case or ship it back, on our dime, for a small credit so we can reuse it for someone else. We recycle all inbound cardboard and plastic that comes to our office, and we don’t use plastic and paperware in our office break room.  Further, we chose to work with a manufacturer that abides as much as possible to these principles too; they too are committed recycling all scrap carbon, minimizing or eliminating the use of any harsh chemicals in the manufacturing process, and recycling and disposing of any shop items responsibly.