Waiting for riders to make their way back to the finish on Stage 6 of the Absa Cape Epic, I had some time to have a closer look at SwiftCarbon’s Evil Twin short travel, 29er race bike. Dressed in the latest and greatest from SRAM and RockShox this build represents the pinnacle of what’s available to pro and amateur riders alike.
The goal from the onset was a sub 2kg frame, but with unparalleled lateral stiffness. In their quest to achieve this they turned to Mitsubishi-Rayon and Toray high-modulus carbon fibre and seems to achieved their goal.
With it’s geometry based on the Detritovore hardtail the Evil Twin has fast and aggressive steering and handling. The frame’s short headtube will help riders find a low, attacking setup without sacrificing too much or resorting to a radical setup. It is worth noting that there are 4 size options available running from XS to Large with the XS running on 27.5 wheels. A longer top tube and reach means even tall riders should be able to find a fit.
To ensure the frame is marathon and multi-stage race happy Swift fitted two bottle cage mounts inside the front triangle – even on the XS although you will need to use a smaller bottle and fit a side entry bottle cage. Internal routing for a dropper seatpost shows Swift is happy for the bike to tackle some trails and single track, but all other hoses and cables run external for ease of maintenance. Added to this are replaceable thread inserts in the rear, post-mounts.
The Asymmetric rear tri-angle features some twists and turns in the carbon lay-up to increase stiffness and strength where needed and reduce weight in others. The down tube / seat tube / BB junction is especially impressive and allows enough clearance for a direct mount front derailleur. Ample mud and tire clearance comes courtesy of chain- and seatstays void of bridges.
From the Manufacturer:
Professional riders obsess about equipment, which is exactly why we take their input so seriously. We based this bike around what pro mountain bikers consider as one of their greatest dilemmas: “Hardtail or full-sus for race day?” We want their answer to be the Evil Twin, nine times out of ten. We designed it to ride just like the Detritovore hardtail, just with the control and traction that 90mm of travel offers. When designing the kinematics, we wanted the shock rate to ensure pedalling responsiveness, plushness in mid-stroke and progressive near the bottom of the travel. It’s a true competition bike.
Thanks for the replies. I knew that the frames would be from the far east. Now I know that the brand originates from SA.
I also think that the frame is very expensive for a brand that is not that established yet. However the two bottle cage compatibility in the front triangle does give it an edge over many other marathon frame options.
I think a demo tour all over SA will be very good for the brand.