If you’re looking for a capable cross-country bike — or your old Ranger looks a bit tired — Revel Bikes has something it would like you to see.
This month, the Carbondale, Colo., bike company dropped a leveled-up version of its popular XC bike: the Ranger. The relatively new brand launched in 2019 and immediately got to work producing several well-received bikes.
In GearJunkie’s 2020 review of the original Ranger, we wrote that the bike “outperforms its specs in almost every category.”
“The short-travel 29er loves to go downhill and never flinches if you take a bad line or push it hard,” Kurt Barclay wrote. “Sure, it’s a little heavy, and the XL tends to suffer from pedal strikes more than I’d like, but this thing rips. It’s sitting high on the list of my favorite bikes for 2020.”
With the new model, Revel aimed for more lateral stiffness and increased tire and chainring clearance, the brand claimed in a press release. There’s also a one-tool system for improved bearing serviceability and life.
Revel Bikes Ranger: Features
Updates to the Ranger include a new rear triangle, links, shock mounting hardware, and SRAM’s forward-compatible UDH Derailleur hanger, which allows riders to use the SRAM Eagle Transmission drivetrains.
The bike “shares the effective and simple hardware design introduced and raved about with Rail29,” the company said, referring to its enduro bike model.
The new Ranger gets a collet axle design with larger 15mm bearings on the lower rearward pivot. Revel claimed that this increases frame stiffness, improves clearance, and makes for both easier maintenance and a quieter ride.
Revel also “adapted the SRAM’s UDH derailleur hanger to keep the new Ranger compatible with the latest and greatest drivetrain technologies,” the company said.
The rear triangle comes with an improved carbon layup for added stiffness. An updated hardware package now includes titanium shock mounting and a custom shock tune from RockShox.
Revel also includes a threaded bottom bracket, fully guided internal routing, and an integrated headset. And, of course, the bike offers multiple mounting options for bottles and other accessories.
Revel Bikes Ranger: Pricing and Availability
The new Ranger comes in two colors: Tang, which is borrowed from the Rail 27.5, and the De La Coal color, with new copper/gold decals. Frame sizes include Small, Medium, Large, and Extra Large.
The bike officially launched on April 11, with various prices on the Revel website depending on what you’re looking for. For the full bike with SRAM XX Eagle Transmission, you’ll have to fork over $11,500. Downgrading to the SRAM XO Eagle Transmission brings the price tag to $8,500.
Just looking for the updated frame? That’ll cost you $3,600.
