Evil Offering

Take one look at this bike and you can surmise its intentions.

- Amos Horn

Just a mention of the name—the Evil Offering—is indicative of the bike’s desire. With fat blocks of carbon punctuated by swooping lines and aggressive geometry, this bike looks mean. It seems like it can chew up and spit out the gnarliest trails. In a word, it looks evil—which is really a shame. Because despite the Offering’s clear preference for pointing downhill, its devilish looks are merely a disguise to ward off Lycra-wearing, uphill-loving riders who, if they were to ever try an Offering, might have the mind-rattling realization that it climbs better than most bikes.

The Offering is a 141 millimeter travel bike, with options for a 140 or 160 millimeter fork and different shocks and builds. This particular model, the XO1 Eagle/Fox build, came spec’d with a 160 millimeter Fox Factory 36 fork, a Fox DPX2 shock, an XO1 Eagle drivetrain and a premium price tag of $7,589.

With the longer fork installed, the head angle measures 65.8 degrees in the low position and 65.2 in the extra-low position. A refreshingly steep seat angle—75.6 degrees in low and 75 in extra-low—complements the slack head angle. A reach of 477 mm on my size large and 430 to 432 millimeter chainstays, depending on the setting, round out the geometry.

Geometry is adjusted by a small flip chip that connects the rear triangle to the two dog-bone links, which actuate the shock. It all looks very complicated, and it is, but the Dave Weagle-engineered DELTA (short for Dave’s Extra Legitimate Travel Apparatus) suspension platform works its magic around one large, main pivot, which also contributes to the Offering’s unique looks. But how does that strangely sexy-looking system perform on the trail?