Commencal vs Evil

I'm looking at getting a new rig for backwoods rowdyness and some enduro racing next season. Anyone have any opinions on the Evil Uprising vs the Commencal Meta AM 650?

I have a strong affinity for Evil bikes because it was conversations with Dave Weagle back in the mid-2000's that put me on the path to becoming a mechanical engineer, which I am today. Of course it's not his company anymore really, but even still.

But for some reason I find it damn near impossible to find decent info on Evil stuff these days online - why can't they have a full-featured website like everyone else???

I don't think this is the right forum to ask about Commencal. They're as rare here as a Torontonian mayor that doesn't smoke crack.

But for some reason I find it damn near impossible to find decent info on Evil stuff these days online - why can't they have a full-featured website like everyone else???

'struth. for a company that reincarnated itself as a branding exercise, evil has shockingly little traditional internet presence. maybe they're big on social media - i wouldn't know - or maybe its some new meta-hype strategy: "there's like no information on this frame - it must be awesome!"

edit: even that awesome video of stroebel riding the new uprising - they basically never show the bike?!

https://vimeo.com/61450977

That Meta of Remi's on Vital looked good.

Only things I've read about the Uprising are on the Italian distributor website.

Pics and wight:

http://www.dsb-bonandrini.com/news.aspx?s=1[HTML_REMOVED]ss=9

Geometry and build kits:

http://www.dsb-bonandrini.com/prodotti_scheda.aspx?s=3[HTML_REMOVED]ss=10[HTML_REMOVED]m=58_Evil[HTML_REMOVED]p=1623

Hope this helps.

Both bikes look good but around here in Van there is no longer a Commencal dealer and Evils are equally rare. That's usually a big red flag for me.

i thought Evil went outa business…

i thought Evil went outa business…

I can't imagine buying a carbon bike from a company that's had such a patchy start.

I can't imagine buying a carbon bike from a company that's had such a patchy start.

yeh i thought their carbon process is what made them go outa business..

I've been running a Commencal Meta 29r as a daily driver for almost a year now - including all winter in west coast mud and rain. Possibly the best bike I've had… noting that I prefer linkage driven single pivot. The new link design around the seattube is nice and stiff and suspension is appropriately progressive. I rarely run the pro-pedal on max as pedalling is efficient. Angles are well sorted and the bike often ventures into "freeride" terrain that I would not have thought I'd be taking it into when I first bought it.

I'm in the market in the spring for a new long-travel bike and it'll be either the Meta FR or the new Banshee Darkside with a slight nod to the Darkside ONLY if it has the interchangeable dropouts and I can run 650b. If it's only 26", then it's a toss of the coin.

The angles and fit on my 29r are bang on and the Meta AM 650 is probably the best of all the Commencal's, as I think it could fit the "one bike quiver" for an aggressive trail rider.

any reports on commencal frame durability over the past few years? I had a meta 6 is 2008, loved the way it rode, but had 2 frames crack in rapid succession, with long waits for warranty replacements in between….put a big damper on an otherwise enjoyable bike

A few years back Commencal was having issues with their frames cracking very easily, due to bad heat treatments after welding at the factory.
That issue was sorted (I think frames are now built at a new factory?) and the newer frames are nice.

Evil? I wouldn't pick one up yet. Who knows what'll happen or where they'll be in a year or two.
Overly hyped before producing anything, their frames all broke, switched from alu to carbon, delays in getting replacement carbon frames to all the broken alu owners. Maybe info is hard to come by now, because they learned a lesson in hyping the new gear/company up before the product was proven…

It was crappy to watch the Evil name go down in flames. I loved the old hardtails, they were well designed, and I still have an Imperial going strong.
Weagle never made much $ with the frames though, so he sold the brand off and stuck with the e13 stuff.

I'm in a bit of a predicament here…the evil is supposed to ride amazingly well, and considering that my house is a 5-10 min drive from their office in Seattle, it's a hard opportunity to turn down. Kevin of Evil has been ridiculously responsive to all of my emails and has shown awesome customer service, but the horror stories retold by the people who owned Revolts have me a bit concerned (as you guys have been saying).

I have never ridden a Commencal, and I can't find any dealers that might even have one in stock. It looks like a nice frame and is substantially less expensive than the Evil, but the general lack of presence in the US market means that the company may be a bit hard to deal with if anything goes wrong. I know they have a US distributor and have been in contact with them, but I'm always a little bit skeptical of the reliability and longevity of support from super small distributors for foreign brands.