Evil has finally made an e-bike. And it’s full fat. In short, the Evil Epocalypse is like a Wreckoning turned up to 11.
Evil Epocalypse in a nutshell
- 166mm rear travel via DELTA system
- 170mm fork
- Full 29er
- Shimano EP8 motor
- 630Wh battery
- Energy Bar handlebar with internal routing for remote cabling
- Flip-chip geometry adjust
- 64.6°/65.3° head angle
- 76.4°/77° seat angle
- 438mm-502mm reach (S to XL)
- 442mm chain stays
- SuperBoost+ 157mm back end
- Coil or air shock friendly
- Epocalypse Rockshox XT I9 Hydra £10,899.99
- Epocalypse Fox XT Loopholes Hydra £12,699.99
- Availability: next week
Yet another of the electric hold-out brands has relented and made an e-bike. The Evil Epocalypse may not bring much in the way of e-nnovation – it’s ‘just’ a Shimano EP8 bike with a 630Wh battery – the sheer fact that it exists at all is significant.
Why is it significant? Hearts and minds. As one of the more overtly ‘cool’ brands out there, Evil making an e-bike is another signifier that e-bikes are now ‘normalised’.
The debate is pretty much over. All sides are done with arguing. Even the most ardent of anti-electric King Canuters have packed up their deckchairs and got on with their lives. E-bikes are here and, while they still won’t lead to death of regular MTBs, e-bikes aren’t going away.
It’s notable in the marketing material for the Evil Epocalypse that a lot of the info is fairly ‘e-bike 101’. Evil clearly feel that the Epocalypse will be a lot of e-virgins first bikes.
In the absence of us actually seeing one in the flesh (very much the theme of MY23 mountain bikes), all we can do is throw some quotes from the Press Release at you…
Evilspeak
Inspired by our beloved Wreckoning platform, the battery boosted Epocalypse rides above two 29” wheels with 166mm of rear travel and 170mm below the bars. Posture for this genre-fluid beast closely resembles that of the Wreckoning for a proper dance party deep in the trees. The geometry teeter totter is well balanced across the Evil family tree and the Epocalypse drops into a cozy branch alongside its gravity kin.
Between the juiced watts and the pedaling prowess of our DELTA System, few ascents will tilt too steep for the Epocalypse. Electrified bikes are a blast whether gravity’s helping or hindering, and the engineers at Evil worked closely with Shimano to achieve an ideal power balance. Good luck locating a slope that the Epocalypse can’t scale. After two years of rigorous testing and perfecting we’ve created the right machine for any rider’s version of fun.
Engage Boost mode for anti-gravity that begs your full attention, or to charge from the apex toward the finish line. Though we only toggle the motor between Off and Boost mode around here, Eco and Trail settings will also suit your speed and save juice on longer outings.
A pair of sturdy carbon triangles surrounds the EP8 powerhouse, protected from front tire projectiles by a custom skid plate beneath the motor and a shuttle shield under the downtube. As ever, chain slap is silenced by a hefty sound mound strip on the chain stay, and there’s a second slab of ‘shut-up’ inside the seat stay.
Our refined vascular system guides housing and hoses discretely through the frame, and some massive main-pivot bearings are ready to carry the powerful Epocalypse load all season long. A SRAM UDH derailleur hanger dangles from our SuperBoost+ rear end, keeping those precious drivetrain bits shifty, and hangers are available at most shops if you manage to clip a passing rock.
We wreckon these 442mm chain stays are worth a shout. The Epocalypse boasts the shortest carbon stays of any ebike on the market, maintaining that Evil slap-happy, side-hit slashing DNA we all know and love. If you’re searching for a lightning-powered unicorn that’s deft at stabilizing descents and lofting roots whenever it’s asked, you’ve found it. We’ll leave you to choose between Low and X-Low geometry settings, and to select the standard or angle-adjust headset that best suits your style.
The newly developed split-yoke design lets us maintain short 442mm chainstays, allowing riders to maneuver through impossibly technical climbs and easily pull up for manuals and trail hits. Pairing this with a wider main pivot and a unified one-piece rear triangle means increased stiffness and strength so you can flex on your riding partners instead of your bike.
Our fully integrated battery design keeps the electric bits protected inside the downtube, while quick release access makes for ten second battery swaps through a covert slot in the downtube door. Faster pit stops means more laps.
A custom skid plate, reinforced with a rubber pad keeps the EP8 motor safe and sound from heavy hits and your downtube covered from front tire projectiles. Integrated drain holes keep water out of the bilge and away from the goods.
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