PINKBIKE FIELD TEST
Devinci Kobain Hardtail
Words by Sarah Moore; photography by Tom RichardsThe Devinci Kobain has a classic hardtail profile and the word mark on the downtube sparkles in the sunlight, although we didn't see much of that during our test period in Squamish. Most notably, the Kobain has an aluminum frame that is made in North America, unlike the other value bikes that are a part of this test. The rigid aluminum frame is made in the Canadian company's factory in Quebec.
It's also the only bike with externally routed cables, which means it might not have as sleek of a look as some of the other bikes, although they are neatly organized with cable ties, but it's easier to access the cables when they're externally routed to work on the bike. If you're on a budget, you're likely interested in doing some of your own repairs and that external routing will make the job easier.
Devinci Kobain Details• Travel: 130mm fork
• 29" wheels
• 65.5° head angle
• 75° seat angle
• 435mm chainstays
• Reach: 445mm (Medium) / 470mm (Large)
• Sizes: S, M, L, XL
• Weight: 31.2 lb / 14.03 kg
• Price: $1,929 USD (on sale for less)
• More info:
devinci.com There are four sizes and three different models of the Kobain to choose from and our bike is the Deore 12-speed model, although it's not actually a full Deore drivetrain. It's the lightest on test this time around at 31.2 lb (14.03 kg).
The hardtail frame with its 29" wheels relies on a 130mm Marzochhi Z2 Rail fork for all of its suspension duties and a TranzX dropper post to get into descending position. To keep it rubber side down, there is a Maxxis Minion DHF front tire and a Maxxis Minion DHRII rear tire, both with EXO casing. As for stoppers, there are Shimano Deore MT4100/MT410 2-piston brakes with 180mm resin-only rotors and a (mostly) Deore drivetrain, minus the Sunrace 12s cassette.
Our test bike was on the pointy end for the hardtails on test with its 65.5° head tube angle, which is paired with a 75° seat angle and 435mm chainstays across all sizes. Reach on the Kobain is 445mm on the size Medium and 470mm on the size Large.
ClimbingThe Devinci Kobain feels exactly how you want a hardtail to on the climbs. It's more upright and comfortable than an all-out cross-country rig, but it still feels spritely and responsive when you push into the pedals. The handling is quick and it winds nicely up switchback climbs, without feeling twitchy.
While a hardtail will never have the all-out traction of a full-suspension bike, the Kobain isn't just suited to smooth climbs. You have to be careful with your line choices since you're more likely to be bumped off line when climbing technical sections on it than if you were on a full suspension bike, but its 75-degree seat tube angle and good component choices make more technical climbs manageable. There are meaty 2.6" Maxxis tires that provide good grip and a 12-speed, wide-range drivetrain provides a good easy gear for grinding up the steeps.
It's also worth noting that the Kobain is the lightest bike we had at this Value Bikes Field Test at 31.2 pounds (14.03 kg), and that's definitely noticeable on the climbs. Hardcore hardtails have slacker head tube angles and burly components and they tend to feel a bit muted on the climbs, but the Kobain isn't one of those and it hits a great middle ground where it rides well on a variety of terrain. The frame also hits that middle ground where it's more compliant than the Haro, but not as compliant as the Marin, and it just feels like it's the right hardtail for the majority of people.
Descending With its 65.5 degree head tube angle and two-piston brakes, the Devinci isn't designed to be an all-out brute on the descents, but where does that put it really? Well, it's not the easiest bike to descend on more technical terrain, but it hits that middle ground that opens up a lot of trails. You're not going to be sending every descent and I definitely picked my lines more carefully than if I'd been on a different bike, but it impressed me overall with its composure.
It's not the longest, slackest hardtail around, but it's not too steep either. You can still make it down techy bits, and then have a blast railing corners and accelerating through flatter sections of trail.
That's partly due to the spec that is is well chosen for descending. The tires provide good traction and the Marzocchi Z2 works well. One upgrade you could make eventually for descending is to the dropper post. The medium frame is compatible with a solid dropper post length at 175mm, but only comes with a 130mm on medium, so that's something you could change depending on your riding.
The bike is relatively quiet on the descents and while the protection on the chainstay might be minimal, it does seem to work and I liked the little details like the clips on the cables to keep them tidy and from rattling too much on the descents.
Components The Kobain provides a comfortable frame with a solid trail-focused geometry. What about the spec?
The brakes are Shimano's MT4100/MT410 2-piston brakes with 180mm rotors, but unlike the last Value Bikes Field Test I did in 2021 where I had a couple of near misses, they actually work really well. I think that's my biggest takeaway from this Value Bikes Field Test is how much better the brakes are now and how much of an improvement it is to the overall ride.
Another standout component was the 2.6" Maxxis Minion DHF and DHRII tires that gave me confidence on the wet rocks and slippery roots we encountered testing. It's nice to know you don't have to upgrade those right away.
While it's funny that the bike is named "Kobain Deore 12S" and doesn't have a Deore cassette, opting for a Sunrace cassette instead, at least there's a Shimano chain, and overall the shifting performance was solid.
One minor gripe is the saddle. Saddles are a matter of personal preference, but the sharp-edged one on the Kobain certainly doesn't make the riding a hardtail any more comfortable.
Who's It For? The Devinci Kobain is the perfect bike for someone who wants a good all-around hardtail. This could be someone just getting into riding who doesn't want to break the bank or for someone who wants a fast and versatile pedalling second bike when they want to get out for a quick rip. Overall, it's a solid trail hardtail with a good spec that you won't have to change anything on before you hit the trails. The Kobain is exactly what you expect from a hardtail and is responsive when you put down power on the pedals. While it's capable enough to hit some more technical features, it's not a hardcore hardtail and it's most well-suited to someone with flowier trails in their backyard.
Pinkbike entertain us
Solid fork
Decent brakes
Deore groupset (upgrade the cassette after it wears out)
Decent tires
Modern but not crazy geometry
Canadian made
Hats of to Devinci for a made in Canada bike that is better and cheaper than a similar bike in 2016.
(bring on the, but I got a carbon Santa Cruz chameleon for $0.12...everything sucks responses)
The spec of my bike actually included a 130mm TransX dropper so I swapped out that for a 200mm OneUp v2.
I got good deals on the new brakes and dropper, and sold off the take-off stuff to cover most of the cost of the upgrades.
As someone mentioned, the freehub is HG which is unfortunate and the rear wheel needed a complete re-tension so the wheels are probably a weak spot but otherwise I'm pleased with it and the external cables/hoses are a bonus as far as I'm concerned
I think it makes sense for a lot of people who already have a 16-17kg enduro/park bike, to get a really light and nimble hardtail.
For this, a 1,8kg Al frame makes more sense than a 3,3kg Chromag frame, compliance be damned
It saddens me that the extortionate price mtbs are now has become so normalised that people will accept a hardtail for 2k with entry level component's and down vote people when it is called out.
Also it is $2k USD, not $2k CAD, which is £1575, so please don't change the currency to make your figures look better.
Saracen Mantra Elite is £1.9k new or £1,.3k on sale at the moment.
Merida Big Trail 700 is £2k new or £1.5k on sale at the moment.
Canyon Stoic 4 is £1.7k new or £1.4k on sale at the moment.
So yes the examples I have provided do apply.
What is even funnier is that, as mentioned in some other comments in this thread, Devinci have lowered the spec of the bike and then put it on "sale".
Devinci themselves know the spec of the bike is not worth $2k!!
On the other hand.... some kids will be drawn aggressively to the sport. Want to build skills, learn how to use to body on a hardtail, or just naturally do so without thought. That's fantastic and would put myself in that category as a kid.
Different strokes for different folks sort of thing.
This needs to be on sale at $1,400.
Unless you’re riding jumps and steep things a hardtail shouldn’t really be on, the rolling speed and traction of full 29” is more important.
Also, hardtails benefit just as much as FS from 29" wheels, arguably more. I ride a hardtail and will be sticking with 29ers from here on.