If you need a bike that can keep pace on the group ride on Saturday, then not leave you out-gunned on the big hits on Sunday, Evil’s do-it-all Offering LS is one to keep your eye on.
It uses Evil's Delta System suspension, which looks complex but is really a linkage-driven single pivot. It delivers 141mm of travel out back.
This is then paired with a 150mm fork. Combined, it’s designed to give you enough travel to get you out of trouble, without needing to drag a hulk of a bike around on the flat.
Evil bikes have a bit of a cult following, and having ridden the Offering LS on a range of trails, it’s easy to see why.
It’s comfortable, grippy and confident, while also being aggressive and rewarding. It offers you plenty of get-out-of-jail-free cards and has an intoxicating ‘just do it and see what happens’ attitude.
Evil Offering LS X0 AXS T-Type frame and suspension
The Offering LS’ silhouette looks chunky, with its low-slung top tube and brace heading lower onto the seat tube, merging into the detail-rich suspension linkage and compact swingarm.
The fist-sized head tube is generous in diameter but stumpy in length, enabling ample front-end height adjustment, with a sturdy build around the integrated headset. Cables enter here for a rub-free run to the back end.
The shock’s position, low in the frame, keeps weight distribution low, right where you want it, but limits water bottle capacity to a single cage just above the linkage.
The main pivot is large in diameter and sits directly above the threaded bottom bracket, while a neat integrated device keeps the chain in place. If you want more protection, there are ISCG05 mounts, too.
The down tube and the chainstays benefit from rubberised protection and noise cancellation.
While the seatpost uses the skinnier 30.9mm diameter, further back you’ll find full-width Super Boost hub spacing – special 157x12mm wheels are needed for this rig.
The Delta System suspension linkage looks complex, however it's mechanically fairly simple.
It’s designed by Dave Weagle – best known for the DW-Link linkages found on bikes from Pivot, Atherton and Ibis, among others.
As such, there’s plenty of pedigree behind the suspension design.
As you’d expect, the system is built to offer good pedalling performance without compromising descending capability. It does so by achieving ‘very complex leverage rate curves’ and a ‘dual progressive leverage rate curve’.
On the trail, the swingarm rotates around the main pivot, which pulls down on the short vertical link, which rotates the triangular link anti-clockwise, compressing the shock.
Of note is the Super Boost back end. Rather than a 148mm rear-hub spacing, Evil has opted for 157mm spacing. This gives better spoke triangulation for a stronger wheel, but severely impacts on future wheel upgrade options.
Evil Offering LS X0 AXS T-Type geometry
The Offering LS is offered in four sizes: Small to X-Large, for riders ranging from 160 to 188cm.
As is common, a flip chip is built into the linkage, with Low and X-Low settings on offer. The headline figures for X-Low give a moderately slack for 2024 65.8-degree head angle and a fairly slack 76-degree seat angle.
Flip the chip into the steeper Low setting and the angles steepen by 0.6 degrees at the head tube and one degree at the seat.
While the angles might not be super-progressive, the reach figures are long for a given size – the Large is 485mm in the X-Low position, or 491mm in Low.
The chainstay lengths stand out most from the geometry chart – slammed short at 432mm in X-Low and 2mm shorter in Low.
| | S | M | L | XL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat tube angle (degrees) | 76 | 76 | 76 | 76 |
| Head tube angle (degrees) | 65.8 | 65.8 | 65.8 | 65.8 |
| Chainstay (mm) | 432 | 432 | 432 | 432 |
| Seat tube length (mm) | 380 | 431 | 460 | 495 |
| Top tube (mm) | 596 | 619 | 641 | 663 |
| BB height (mm) | 339 | 339 | 339 | 339 |
| Wheelbase (mm) | 1182 | 1207 | 1233 | 1258 |
| Standover (mm) | 664 | 676 | 687 | 698 |
| Stack (mm) | 618 | 627 | 637 | 646 |
| Reach (mm) | 442 | 463 | 485 | 506 |
Evil Offering LS X0 AXS T-Type kit details
Three builds are listed on Evil’s site, with this X0 Transmission iteration sitting at the top of the tree at £8,499 / $8,999. Upgrades and add-ons can be added, but I was happy with the stock spec.
It’s a boutique-branded bike, with a top-end spec, so the price was always going to be high.
The spec includes Ultimate-level RockShox Lyrik and Super Deluxe suspension, and the aforementioned drivetrain. SRAM’s Code RSC brakes complement the drivetrain well.
The bike spins on Industry Nine Enduro S Hydra wheels – a high-end choice with a fast-pickup rear hub that sings as you descend. EXO-casing Maxxis tyres are wrapped around the rims.
This combines for a fair 14.6kg overall weight.
Evil Offering LS X0 AXS T-Type ride impressions
My time with the Evil spanned the awkward shoulder season between autumn and winter, when you never quite know what the weather is going to do. This meant I had a mix of chilly but dry, and downright soaking, days on the bike.
I stuck mainly to my local woodsy trails for the bulk of testing, rallying tracks I know inside-out. I also popped up to the rugged hills of the Lake District for a bit of rocky tech.
Sadly, a crash early on ruled me out of much riding there, but I had the chance to test the Offering LS on some truly evil technical climbs. the plushness was tested on the way back down as I looked for the smoothest way down the hill to protect my sore hand.
I initially set the rear shock at 30 per cent sag, using the markings on the shock rather than the plastic dial built into the suspension linkage – I found it easier this way.
However, I ended up with the shock closer to 28 per cent sag, to keep the super-plush rear just a little more stable when putting power through the pedals.
The shock’s compression circuit has an adjustment dial and I ran the shock three clicks from fully open, although varied this a little depending on the terrain.
Evil Offering LS X0 AXS T-Type climbing
If you’re trying to set personal records up hills, there are few where the Offering LS will be the optimum partner. However, take record breaking off the table and the bike offers up ample gravity-defying performance.
The suspension is incredibly supple, with the shock beautifully smooth through small-bump chatter.
This makes the Offering just about the grippiest bike I’ve found uphill, with the rear wheel rarely slipping and sliding on anything other than slick mud.
As such, it’s also incredibly comfortable. Stutter bumps and jarring edges are tuned out almost completely.
This freedom of movement steals a little of the bike’s pizzazz when you want to turn up the Watts, and if you stand up and sprint, you’ll be dipping deeper into the shock’s reserves than you might want.
It’s not sluggish, but there are bikes with a little more urgency uphill.
If this bothers you, you could add extra clicks of compression damping on the shock, which will calm it down a touch at the expense of a little suppleness on the way down.
On the steepest pitches, the short chainstays make the front end of the bike lighter – you’ll want to shift your weight further forward to keep the front wheel on the straight and narrow.
It makes lifting the front wheel over steps easier, but I’d trade that for a little extra length at the back, meaning I felt less sat over the rear wheel on steep pitches.
Furthermore, the seat angle on the Offering LS isn’t particularly steep, at 76 degrees in the X-Low setting I spent a lot of time riding the bike in.
A steeper angle puts your hips over the cranks better, for a more efficient-feeling pedalling position.
The X0 Transmission is an impressive bit of kit – shifting is flawless once it's set up, whether you’re cruising or crunching. It’s mounted here on a quick-pickup Industry 9 hub. When you’re ratcheting up a technical climb, power is delivered without hesitation.
Evil Offering LS X0 AXS T-Type descending
I remember riding an Evil of some description years ago and being blown away by how the rear end felt. It’s taken a while to jump back on one, in which time many great suspension systems have been developed. But that feeling is still there.
The Delta System seems to blend a lot of the best characteristics of other designs in one place.
Comfortable and grippy? Check.
Poppy and agile? Check
Supportive and confidence-inspiring? Check.
The rear wheel tracks the ground really well, meaning you’re able to trust the tyres and brakes to do their job well in corners and through braking sections.
More grip and improved braking means higher speeds and more confidence to let go of the brakes, and ultimately more consistent late braking when it's really needed.
The suppleness of the rear end, certainly with the lower levels of compression damping on the Super Deluxe I ended up running, takes the sting out of those jabs at the pedals you sometimes add on traverses. However, I’ll take this slight lethargy on the chin.
The added speed means the suspension needs to work lower into its travel.
Fortunately, it does so well – the ramp-up through to the later stages of its travel is smooth and controlled. There’s support when you need it, especially if you’re in active control of pushing against it when looking towards the lip of a jump or trying to generate speed through a banked corner.
Hit some bigger lumps and the rear end deals calmly with the impacts, leaving you to look ahead and plan the next braking phase.
While it’s not truly bottomless, it’s certainly not going to spit you off and have a tantrum when you're pushing towards the end of the 141mm that’s on offer.
Up-front, the top-spec Lyrik from RockShox is a perfect partner. The fork is similarly supple and active, working well on hits big and small, while the chassis doesn’t feel overly burly for what is still a mid-travel bike.
As mentioned, the geometry is a mix of new-school reach and moderation.
The longer reach offers good stability, but the short rear means the weight balance is a little more rearward than the most modern bikes.
This works well if you like to slap the rear wheel through corners, or pick the front wheel up and style it up. Reactivity to steering inputs is quick, thanks to a stubby 35mm-long stem and the head angle of around 66 degrees. It is, in this sense, intoxicating in its liveliness.
If raw speed is your goal, though, you’ll be aching for a slightly longer wheelbase to make the most of the Delta System’s performance.
Rattle it down a loose, rocky trail and the bike’s not the most stable, even with the shock and linkage doing sterling service in the middle of the bike.
On tracks with multiple steep chutes and pitches, I found myself adding a couple of clicks of low-speed compression damping to the fork, just to aid the air spring in maintaining as slack a head angle as it could, for the confidence that would bring.
Once done, though, the front end was well supported, enabling me to trust the front tyre’s grip as I pointed it towards a catch berm, while the rear wheel stuck to the floor, offering me more braking grip than you'd expect on such steep pitches.
The kit is solid. Fast-pickup hubs are great when there’s not too much chain growth – I certainly never noticed any harshness through the cranks.
SRAM’s Code RSC brakes can be mixed in their performance, but everyone who picked up my test bike was impressed by the stoppers here – they're punchy and powerful.
On a bike that encourages a slightly silly riding style, though, thicker and more puncture-proof tyres than the EXO-casing Maxxis offerings would be appreciated. They’d also help calm the handling a touch.
Evil Offering LS X0 AXS T-Type bottom line
There’s a lot to love about the Offering LS.
Namely, the rear suspension lives up to the memories I have of the Delta System from years ago – tinted specs they were not.
It does almost everything well, from offering tons of grip to being as composed as they come on bigger hits.
There’s a slight lack of urgency when you’re laying down some power, so this probably isn’t going to be a winner for the racers among you – although it’ll definitely handle an enduro racing course.
The long reach covers a lot of bases when it comes to going fast, while the tight back end and steeper head angle keep the handling on the whippier side.
However, for true speed, those angles and lengths could do with extending the bike a little to make the most of the impressive linkage mid-ship.
Product
| Brand | evil_bikes |
| Price | 14620.00 AUD,9599.00 EUR,8500.00 GBP,8999.00 USD |
| Weight | 14.2000, KILOGRAM (L) - |
Features
| Fork | RockShox Lyrik Ultimate, 150mm travel |
| br_stem | Evil 12 Gauge |
| br_chain | SRAM X0 Eagle |
| br_frame | Carbon, 141mm travel |
| Tyres | Maxxis Minion DHF EXO 3C MaxxTerra 29x2.5 f / Maxxis Minion DHR EXO 3C MaxxTerra 29x2.4 |
| br_brakes | SRAM Code RSC, 200/180mm rotors |
| br_cranks | SRAM X0 Eagle, 32t |
| br_saddle | WTB Volt Pro |
| br_wheels | Industry Nine Enduro S Hydra |
| br_headset | Cane Creek 40 |
| br_shifter | SRAM AXS Pod |
| br_cassette | SRAM X0 Eagle, 10-52t |
| br_seatpost | BikeYoke Revive |
| br_gripsTape | Evil Palmela Handerson |
| br_handlebar | Evil Boomstick Carbon 810mm |
| br_rearShock | RockShox SuperDeluxe Ultimate |
| br_bottomBracket | SRAM DUB |
| br_availableSizes | S, M, L, XL |
| br_rearDerailleur | SRAM X0 Eagle AXS T-Type |
