[plappmachine]

Before anyone rants, yes, I know that these two bikes have very little, if anything to do with each other

I'm considering buying a new bike after about 10 years with the same Specialized Enduro Expert 2008 SL ; the one which had the Specialized-built suspension with the double crown fork. I've been riding and loving this bike since then - despite the constant negative covfefe about suspension - but after all these years I'm finding myself intrigued by the tech gaps that have been accomplished and starting to want a slacker, carbon-frame bike with single-ring crankset, dropper post & all that stuff.

I'm looking for a bike that can pedal uphill decently and is really, really fun in the descents & poppy in the singletracks. I have trail riding habits in the french Vosges and once or twice a year in the Alps, but most of the time around the Paris region or in northeastern France with high frequency, not too long but relatively steep ups & downs, in rather poorly maintained forests with a fair deal of roots. I'd like to be able to hit bike parks from time to time but I'm not especially a huge daredevil when it comes to drops.

The Jeffsy 27 CF Pro Race and the Wreckoning are the ones that really retained my attention even if they are quite different. Aside from the amazing looks - I mean, REALLY amazing - what I love is the impression of efficiency that shines out of the Jeffsy and the pretty unique numbers of the Wreckoning. Both look very fun to ride from what I saw & heard on official tests ; I reckon the Wreckoning looks more "heavy duty" but it doesn't look like it's that much behind the Jeffsy 27 in regards to pedaling. Conversely the Jeffsy doesn't look too far behind in downhill as well.

The thing that I can't understand well is that the Jeffsy has a much higher spec-to-price ratio. I have the means to purchase either in top-shelf factory spec, but the Jeffsy has Fox shocks and higher spec-parts for nearly €1500 cheaper than the highest Wreckoning model ; does all that difference go into the frame design or am I missing something ?

In short, I know these bikes kinda play into the same category but are hard to compare with each other ; given that I am about 10 years late regarding the current riding customs, I am lost

Which one would you choose ? Would it be for rational, quantifiable reasons or gut reasons & love ?

 

[slimshady]

Based on the retarded seat tube angle of the Evils, get the Jeffsy. You'll get the higher spec-to-price ratio as a bonus. Seriously, most German brands seem to either steal or smuggle their bike components from the black market.

 

[Udi]

If you're the kind of guy that uses bikes for periods that long, it might be wise to consider brands that will support the product (parts/warranty) for a long timespan.

I think you'd be very hard pressed to beat something like the new Giant Reign Advanced (carbon) 27.5, from both a suspension/performance/weight standpoint, and from a long-term warranty / support standpoint.

In most places, Specialized warranty is very good too so I'd also consider another one of those; however these things vary from country to country so consult your local forums to see which brands honour and deny claims.

I could be missing something, but aren't you comparing a 29er to a 27.5 bike too? If you're coming from a 26" bike, I'd be inclined to suggest sticking to 27.5 for the new one as it'll be a more natural transition.

If I was pressed to choose between your two options I'd probably take the YT due to Evil being not very good at supporting their products a few years on (there's a thread full of poor Undead Carbon owners unable to get parts on PB atm - some parts like bearings are proprietary). Personally I'd also consider some other options though.

 

[Jm_]

My E29er, which had short stays and low BB, blah blah, was very much not "poppy", the 29er wheels with any kind of serious rubber and rims, just don't accelerate all that well and it's hard to bounce off of stuff on em IME. You can do high-speed railing, go straight down a lot of stuff, basically say F-you to any wheel-catchers, but poppy it was not. It also required more work to accelerate up to speed in between trail features, so stuff that you could almost mindlessly accelerate for on the smaller-wheeled bike became more of a workout and led to more cased jumps and features.

The bigger wheels have their advantages, gobs of traction uphill, resistance to wheel-catchers, carrying speed downhill and carving larger radius turns amazingly, you can definitely rock them at the park and have fun.

If the Wreckoning had come out before the RFX, that's the one bike I would have sat down and thought hard about as the other option. Back then, coming off the E29, I would have been biased a little more towards the Wreckoning. I'm kind glad now that I didn't get it, because I see where those wheels were dragging me down now. There are a couple times I might prefer to have the big wheels back, but to whip a bike back and forth rapidly on a trail, rail the short radius berms or take the inside line, the 27.5 will be the better animal for that IMO. When you move up to the long travel 29er, it becomes a monster that can handle pretty much anything, but it becomes a little more of a chore to move around that monster at the same time.

And all that said, if my choices were between those two, I'd probably take the Wreckoning for the better suspension traits and climbing. I'd feel like I'd be man-handling the bike more at times, but the Jeffsey has very low AS and will suck a lot more out of you while you are trying to climb uphill IMO.

 

[Sandro]

The seat angle alone on the Evil would be a deal breaker for me, but you are spoiled for choice living in France. Have you considererd a Commencal Meta? Not super light, but it has a nicely balanced geometry with a very planted feel and the type of riding you describe is what the bike excels at. Very reasonably priced too.

 

[mel22b]

I own a Wreckoning and had to chime in on the seat angle...
Just slide your seat forward. Seems like an easy fix to me.
https://www.pinkbike.com/photo/14970870/?s6

 

[Sandwich]

I have a following and the few times I've ridden it, it's been a lovely bike.

Regarding the seat angle, that is indeed a problem on the Evils...however there are fixes. I run a thomson post backwards, which actually adds 5mm of negative offset, pushing the saddle toward the steerer. I also run a Fizik THAR saddle, which despite being billed as "29er specific", actually just has extended seat rails which allow me to get the saddle where I want it. It's a weird setup but now the bike has the saddle where I need it, and I can pedal up the steep climbs around me without issue. You may not have a problem if your climbs are extended, whereas mine are up/down every 30 feet and require me to be a little more flexible.

As far as the two bikes, that's a tough one. A better comparo would be the Jeffsy 29, but I suppose you need to make a decision which direction you want to go, 29 or 650b. I personally like 29ers, as they roll mo' better, but there are people whose only concern is wheel flex, and that's tough with a bigger rim. The suspension on the evil is certainly better, but it's not bad on the YT. As far as longevity, neither are real big winners, but Evil bikes are now carried through major online retailers here in the states, so they aren't the fly-by-night organization they were in the revolt days. Still, nobody can say how long their bikes will be supported. As far as price, you can't beat weird german black market parts, and that's where the YT succeeds. I'd grab a wreckoning frame and build it up myself if I were to go that route.

 

[plappmachine]

Yep I am indeed puzzled between going 27.5 or 29, and the choice between Jeffsy and Wreckoning is basically what I narrowed down from the "YT or Evil" question. Coming from a 26" I don't exactly know what to expect ; I am 1m91 (about 6''2) and I've had a hard time finding a 26 bike that does not feel small back in 2008, hence the Wreckoning idea - plus the fact that the thing looks goddamn magnificent, but I might not have the skills or even the trails to get the most out of that monster.

That being said if I'm looking for a more snappy bike maybe I should be comparing the Jeffsy with the Insurgent or the Calling ?

 

[boogenman]

Has anyone actually bought a Jeffsy yet? I would like some feedback, I am seriously considering one with 29" wheels. My biggest hang-up is the sizing, the recommended size for is a large but it seems really long. I am 5'10 -11" coming off a 2007 Giant Reign size medium.

 

[Olly]

Haha, yeah. Looking at the geo chart it seems pretty normal, maybe even a little short by today’s standards. But it’s a whole world of difference to a medium sized bike from 2007!

I’ve about the same height. Never ridden a Jeffsy, but I did upgrade from an older medium Transition to a newer large with a similar jump in length (from 402mm reach to 457mm). There’s so much more room for activities.

Maybe see if you can demo a modern bike in a large size locally and see how you get on?

 

[Brian HCM#1]

I never rode a Jeffsy, but considered checking one out. Ended up with an Evil Offering. So far 5 months riding it, no regrets.

 

[boogenman]

Maybe see if you can demo a modern bike in a large size locally and see how you get on?

I was able to ride a friends 2019 Stumpjumper size large, he had 810mm or 820mm bars so that really threw me off. The length was nice, a little extra room. At the same time I might stick with a medium because it's more in the norm to what I have been riding. I guess the good news is that I have until March to make my final decision since that is when the 2021's will be in.