Evil Insurgent X01 Ltd Ed first ride review
Boutique carbon enduro shredder
GBP £6,499.00 RRP | AUD $10,995.00 | USD $6,699.00 Skip to view dealsPublished:
We’ve nothing but love for Evil’s big-wheeled, short-travel The Following, so couldn’t wait to get a ride on the longer travel, smaller wheeled Insurgent, which Evil refers to as “the two-wheeled death machine”.
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Evil Insurgent X01 Ltd Ed spec overview
- Frame: Carbon fibre, 151mm (5.9in) travel
- Fork: RockShox Pike RCT Solo Air 160mm (6.3in) travel
- Shock: RockShox Monarch Plus RC3
- Drivetrain: SRAM X01 with e*thirteen TRSr carbon cranks (1×11)
- Wheelset: e*thirteen TRSr carbon wheels, e*thirteen TRSr 27.5×2.35in tyres
- Brakes: SRAM Guide RSC
- Bar/stem: Race Face Atlas 35, 800mm / Race Face Atlas 35, 50mm
- Seatpost/saddle: RockShox Reverb Stealth dropper / WTB Silverado Team
- Weight: 12.76kg (28.15lb), medium size without pedals

Evil Insurgent X01 Ltd Ed frame and equipment
While the Insurgent delivers 151mm of rear wheel travel via Dave Weagle’s DELTA System, Evil is keen to point out that it can be paired with a 150mm, 160mm or 170mm fork to suit your riding and trails. With a 160mm fork and the frame in its lowest and slackest ‘X-Low’ setting, our test bike had a 64.6-degree head angle and the bottom bracket (BB) was a corner-railing 334mm off the ground. Switching to the ‘Low’ setting steepens the head and seat angles by close to a degree and lifts the BB by 12mm.There’s no shortage of details, with the most notable being the slick, fully integrated upper chain guide, rubber protectors at critical areas on the full-carbon frame and a neat little sag indicator to help with suspension set-up.
That eye-watering price does mean you get some of the best kit out there, and there’s certainly no shortage of carbon on this limited edition build. E*thirteen supplies its TRSr carbon wheels and carbon cranks, along with grippy 2.35in TRSr tyres. SRAM’s impressively powerful Guide RSC brakes and X01 transmission deal with stop and go duties.
Evil Insurgent X01 Ltd Ed ride impression

Winching back up the climbs isn’t exactly a chore either thanks to the low 12.76kg weight, though with a 160mm fork in place and in the X-Low setting, the Insurgent’s 73.4-degree seat angle isn’t the steepest. Still, we only really noticed that on the steepest rocky climbs, and with this build, the Evil’s real strength and primary focus was always going to be going downhill fast.
It holds speed well too, which is impressive considering that the e*thirteen tyres aren’t exactly fast-rolling. We found ourselves overshooting jumps and squashing, rather than popping, some of the lengthier gaps that one of our regular downhill trails is littered with. If you’re after a flat-out fun corner ripper, the Insurgent is certainly worth taking a look at.

Evil Insurgent X01 Ltd Ed early verdict
Expensive, but the lively ride, great spec and sheer amount of fun on offer are hard to ignore.
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Product Specifications
Product
Name | Insurgent X01 Ltd Ed |
Brand | Evil Bikes |
Available Sizes | S M L XL |
Seatpost | RockShox Reverb Stealth dropper |
Wheelbase (in) | 46.3 |
Top Tube (in) | 24.37 |
Standover Height (in) | 26.8 |
Seat Tube (in) | 16.7 |
Chainstays (in) | 17 |
Bottom Bracket Height (in) | 13.15 |
Wheelset | e*thirteen TRSr carbon wheels |
Weight (kg) | 12.76 |
Stem | Race Face Atlas 35, 50mm |
Shifters | Sram X01 |
Seat Angle | 73.4 |
Brakes | SRAM Guide RSC |
Saddle | WTB Silverado Team |
Rear Tyre | e*thirteen TRSr 27.5x2.35in |
Rear Shock | RockShox Monarch Plus RC3 |
Rear Derailleur | Sram X01 |
Head Angle | 64.6 |
Handlebar | Race Face Atlas 35, 800mm |
Front Tyre | e*thirteen TRSr 27.5x2.35in |
Frame Material | Carbon fibre |
Fork | RockShox Pike RCT3 Solo Air, 160mm (6.3in) travel |
Cranks | e*thirteen TRSr carbon 32T, 170 mm |
Frame size tested | M |