Devinci hasn’t had a 29er trail bike in their lineup for a few years (since the Atlas was discontinued). But in a smart move by Devinci, the Django is now available with both 29” and 27.5” wheels.
Devinci released the 27.5” wheeled Django this past spring to enthusiastic reviews, and for good reason — it took the same basic frame layout that made the Devinci Troy a success, but reduced the travel and weight a bit to make the bike more appealing for all-around trail duties. With 120 mm travel in the rear, the Django 27.5 had enough cush to tackle rough trails, but not so much that it sapped efficiency for longer, more pedal-heavy rides.
But for a bike with 120 mm travel, a lot of people (myself included) prefer a 29er. The big wheels roll over obstacles more efficiently, and they tend to carry speed really well. While the big wheels slow down the handling a bit, in a shorter travel bike like the Django, the geometry keeps steering reasonably quick even in tight spots.
I haven’t had the opportunity to ride the new Django just yet, but I have a lot of time on other Devinci bikes, and there’s no doubt in my mind that the Django 29 will be consistent with the rest of their lineup. That means a stout frame that can take abuse; a Split Pivot rear suspension design that’s an efficient pedaler that also retains excellent small bump sensitivity; and geometry numbers that are progressive without going overboard.
A few things stand out right away:
Weight
The carbon version of the frame comes in at 6.75 lbs, while the aluminum comes in at 8.07 lbs. Neither of those weights are setting any records, but they’re not overly heavy, either. (At that weight, a nice build on the carbon frame would likely come in around 28 lbs without pedals.)
And I’ll go out on a limb and say that, like pretty much all of Devinci’s other bikes, the frames will be very stiff, willing to take a lot of abuse, and they’ll be backed up by a lifetime warranty.
Geometry
A 68° head angle is at the steep end of “progressive” short-travel 29ers, but with Devinci’s new FRG headset cup, the head angle can be reduced to 67.5°. Combined with the steep 74.5° seat tube angle, the Django 29 should be pretty comfortable on steep climbs, while maintaining its stability on the way down.
434 mm chainstays are a touch longer than many of the other options on the market right now, and I think that’s a good thing — slightly longer stays help make the bike feel more balanced, and help keep the front wheel hooked up in corners. And speaking of cornering, the Django 29 is advertised as having a 320 mm bottom bracket height. Assuming that’s not a typo, that’s really low — about 11 mm lower than the already-very-low Evil Following. Pedal strikes might be an issue on the Django 29, but it’ll certainly rail corners.
Sizing on the Django 29 is right in line with the Django 27.5 and Troy. A Medium frame has a 440 mm reach, which puts it at the long end of bikes in this class without being ridiculously long like the new Konas. That extra length will likely make the bike feel a bit more stable at speed.
We’ll see how all of that plays out once I get a chance to swing a leg over one, but this certainly looks like it’ll be a great addition to the Devinci lineup. In the meantime, here’s a video of Devinci’s Mark Wallace ripping the shit out of the new bike:
Where was the video filmed, what trail is that?
Devinci says ths is Vallee Bras du Nord, Quebec
On paper I see more similarities between the Django & the Following than any other aggro 29er out right now- both geo and suspension. As a Following owner myself, I’m very curious to hear your impressions Noah.
Hey Noah,
I bought a 2016 Troy largely based on your review of it, and while I love the bike, I’m missing the 29″ wheels I had on the bike prior to the Troy. Looking forward to your review on the Django 29, as it seems to be the logical replacement.
I’m not an overly aggressive rider, and I don’t think that l’m really using all the Troy has to offer. I’m wondering if the Django will cater to the same riding style or not.
Hey John,
I just got back from Interbike, and I got to spend a little time on the Django 29. I’ll be posting a mini-review here in the next week or so, but yeah, from what you’ve said, I think you might really like the Django 29. While the Troy feels like overkill when you’re going less than “pretty dang fast,” the Django is great for going “trail” pace. But, impressively, the Django is still relatively stable and comfortable carrying speed through technical sections. In other words, compared to the Troy, the Django 29 gives up a little bit of capability at the top end, but is a lot more fun at reasonable speeds on less gnarly trails. And, of course, the bigger wheels are great for rolling over random junk in the trail.
-Noah
Hey Noah
Thanks for the reply. I look forward to your mini review. I went to the Troy from an Enduro 29, which was way more bike than my riding could justify. I like the geometry and build on the Troy, but miss the 29er. Sounds like the Django might be the ticket.
John