Devinci is releasing a brand new bike today, the 120mm-travel Django.
Running on 27.5” wheels, it is very much a scaled-down version of the recently revised Troy that we rode at Interbike last fall. It’s running on the same Split-Pivot linkage design, and most of the Troy’s features carry over.
Geometry
We haven’t ridden the Django yet, but a few things jump out. First, its geometry. Like the Troy and the Spartan, it has a flip chip to switch between low / slack and high(er) / steep(er). Also like the Troy, it has one of the longest front ends in its class. Reach on a size Medium is 440 mm in the low mode, and a bit longer in high mode. Compare that, for example, to the Santa Cruz 5010, which has a reach of 425 mm.
Comparisons
Speaking of the 5010, the Django certainly looks like it could be its primary competitor. We found the new 5010 to be a more agile, playful version of the Bronson, and the Django will almost certainly complement the Troy in the same way.
When comparing the Troy to the Bronson, we found the Bronson to pedal a hair better, but the Troy handled big hits a little better, and could pump through terrain a bit more effectively. The frame on the Troy is also a bit burlier than the Bronson, which gains some stiffness (and likely durability) at the cost of a bit of extra weight. I fully expect the Django to follow this same pattern when compared to the 5010. The Django is longer than the 5010, but its head angle is a touch steeper. Bottom bracket heights and chainstay lengths are very similar between the two bikes. I’d expect the end result will be similar levels of agility and stability. Devinci hasn’t published any weight specifications for the Django yet, but I expect it’ll weigh a bit more than the 5010 (assuming comparable build kits). But like the Troy, I’m also expecting the Django frame to be damn stiff and pretty burly.
Options
Like most of Devinci’s bikes, the Django will be offered in both a carbon and aluminum frame, with a few build kits for each. And like Devinci’s other bikes, the carbon framed versions are a pretty good deal: they’re only around $500 more for the upgrade, you save a bunch of weight—around 2 lbs (!) on the Troy, probably a bit less on the Django—and you still get Devinci’s lifetime warranty.
Hey Noah, I think you have the best real-world bike and gear reviews. I’m looking hard at the Django, the 5010 and the RM Thunderbolt BC, all 2016 models. I’m wanting an aggro-geo short travel 27.5 bike that will bring what ever fun there is out of flattish singletrack, jump and pump well on flow sections and won’t embarrass me on the random race weekend (ie likes to go fast). Gotta admit the price of the Django is really nice, wondering if you’ve gotten any pedal time on it yet and if you care to compare it to the others. Thanks!
Hey John,
We’re working on rustling up a Django for review – thus far I haven’t done anything other than caress one in a shop, but they look like a ton of fun. While I don’t have time on the Django just yet, I have ridden pretty much every other bike in Devinci’s lineup, so I can take a decent guess as to where the Django will land.
Between the Thunderbolt BC edition, the 5010, and the Django, I’d say the easiest one to separate out is the Thunderbolt. It’s feels a bit more like a super aggressive XC bike; it’s the lightest of the three by a decent margin, and it’s a bike that likes to be on the gas. The downside is that it’s definitely less plush, and it’s less forgiving through techy bits.
The 5010 and (I’m speculating) the Django are more on the “miniaturized enduro bike” side of things. They’re not quite as light, and while they’ll pedal just fine, they’re not going to be competitive in an XC race (but of course, it’s really the rider, not the bike). But they’ll be a bit more versatile than the Thunderbolt, and will probably be more fun when pushed hard in rocky, rooty terrain.
Between the 5010 and the Django, I’ll have to wait to get on one. I’d bet that the speculation I included in the article will turn out to be pretty accurate, but we’ll see…
Hope that helps!
-Noah