The little sibling of the 120mm Evil Following 29er, the Evil Calling is a 130mm travel 27.5″ trail bike with ‘tood.

Need to know

• Carbon frame
• DELTA link ‘single-pivot-with-variable-leverage-multi-linkage’ suspension design
• 27.5 (or 26+ if we’re allowed to mention that most-controversial of wheel sizes)
• 130mm rear travel, paired with a 140mm fork
• 65.8°/66.4° head angle
• Boost
• Trunnion shock mounting

It’s a looker

It’s long.

It’s low.

It sports one of the slackest head angles available on a 130mm bike.

Geometry chart

It uses the DELTA suspension design which, although on one hand is a single pivot, uses a couple of linkages to significantly affect how the shock behaves at various points in the travel.

Essentially the linkages makes the suspension ramp up twice. It ramps up (slightly) first around the sag point for pedal power and trail pumping. It ramps up (significantly) again in the latter part of the travel.

It’s a fairly complicated looking arrangement but, if the designers’ claims are true, will offer firm handling input and a supportive mid-stroke AND a bottomless feel to the deeper parts of the travel.

Close ups

There are some neat touches and features that are all too easy miss whilst gazing at the bike’s undoubtedly handsome looks. It has a threaded bottom bracket. It has an integrated chainguide. The rear shock is on a trunnion mount.

Price-wise it’s listed as $2,899.00. We’ll update this page with UK pricing when we get it.

Backside shot

Here’s Evil’s amusing description of the Calling

“Road trippin’, turn slashin’, side-hit-jibbin’, nose-bonkin’, sprint-climbin’ attitude, that’s the Calling. It’s anti-serious technology guarantees good times 69% of the time (the other 31% you’re climbing). With 130mm Delta delivered travel through our finest formed carbon tubing, 27.5” wheels, and trunnion-mounted-super-deluxe-rear-shock, your only decision is which colour. Push the button.

“Have you ever wanted a bike that wasn’t like a bike at all? More like your favourite snowboard, or your funnest surfboard, the one that catches all the waves or trashes [pillow] lines faster than Kate Moss in the ’90s. The Calling is your answer. This bike-shaped-skateboard has enough travel to keep you honest, while encouraging you to irresponsibly hit every extra-credit line on the trail.

“At this juncture most bike companies would drive in some high-scoring-scrabble words like optimized, nimble or anti-squat technology. But we won’t insult you with that nonsense. The Calling has all the bits and bobs you have come to expect from Evil, and water bottle mounts.

“The Calling is the Following’s delinquent little brother that left on a road trip and never returned, that peddled into the night in search of more, then woke for the sunrise mission to the summit.

“The Calling is the trails, it’s the road trips, it’s the little side hits on the way, it’s the all-day peddle-fests, the backyard pallet sessions, the pre-work rip, the “I’ll get it this time”, the stories told later in the bar with your best mates, it’s 130mm travel, it’s Super Deluxe, it’s 27.5 or 26+, it’s boost and it’s as stiff as Ron Jeremy.

“The Calling is the Following’s delinquent little brother that left on a road trip and never returned, that peddled into the night in search of more, then woke for the sunrise mission to the summit.”