Review: Devinci Chainsaw - Primed for the Bike Park

Frame Details



Often confused with the Spartan HP, Devinci’s carbon enduro bike, the Chainsaw shares the same suspension design and a similar shadow, albeit less sculpted. The Chainsaw is not just an aluminum version of that bike though. With 170mm of rear wheel travel, 10mm more than the Spartan HP, the greatest differentiator is the slacker geometry and ability to convert to DH-mode.

Devinci also relocates the main pivot on the front triangle of each of the four individual frame sizes to tailor the chainstay length accordingly. Those measure in at 425mm for the size SM frame and increase by 5mm as you move up the sizing chart.

All of the cables run internally and the drive-side derailleur casing takes a route through the enclosed idler guide that is placed below and behind the main pivot. The rear hub spacing runs 157mm wide, which coincides with the majority of DH bikes.

On the lower shock mount is an offset chip. Devinci primarily intended for this to be a geometry corrector depending on the wheel size you choose, the lower for a 29" wheel and the raised offset for a 27.5". In the lower flip-chip setting with a 29” rear wheel and 170mm single crown fork, the Chainsaw’s front center is splayed out with a 62.9-degree head tube angle. Placing the offset chip in the upper position to increase the head angle wouldn't be out of the question. Clearly, Devinci is targeting riders seeking higher bike park speeds and fewer hairpin switchbacks.

To switch the Chainsaw over to DH-mode, you’ll want a 190mm dual-crown fork, narrow range cassette and a fixed seat post. Oddly enough, the rear shock on the DH Chainsaw arrives with a 70mm stroke shock, but that can be bumped up to 180mm of travel by lengthening the stroke to 75mm. A cool aspect of the Chainsaw is that you can mix and match the rear wheel and shock stroke sizes without any constraints.

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Geometry & Sizing

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Suspension Design


Split-Pivot, high-pivot, blind pivot - what does that all mean? Devinci has used Split-Pivot suspension, in one form or another, for more than a decade. It takes a standard four-bar system and combines the dropout pivot to co-rotate around the rear axle.

The Chainsaw continues with Split-Pivot and places the main pivot well above the chain ring. This necessitates an idler pulley to alleviate chain growth caused by the rearward axle path.

A two-piece rocker link compresses the lengthy 225x70mm shock at a lower leverage rate than the Spartan HP too. Strangely enough, there’s no lock-out switch on the RockShox Super Deluxe air shocks that come on the Enduro SX or GX model Chainsaws. What's more perplexing than an enduro bike without a climb switch these days? A DH bike with one. The Chainsaw DH bike comes with a Super Deluxe Coil that does have a lock-out lever and strangely enough doesn't maximize all of the possible rear wheel travel. The stock Super Deluxe Coil arrives at 70mm on the DH model.

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Test Bike Setup


When I set up the Super Deluxe on the enduro bike, I started by matching my body weight to the air spring pressure in empirical units; 170. After the first ride, I bumped that up since the bike rode too deep in the travel for my liking. 175 PSI landed me at 26% sag and the bike became less soggy.

After bolting on the 190mm Boxxer, I pumped it up to 165 psi and played with 400 and 450 lb/in springs to hover on either side of 30% sag out back. Since the reach shortens by 8mm with the longer fork, I installed wider bars too.

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Climbing


Here’s proof that not every enduro bike we test “climbs like a goat”. I never expected a 16.3 kg bike to motor uphill, but if you aren't regularly shuttling or lapping a chairlift, you might want to consider a few component changes.

What’s the first thing you do when you transition to pedal uphill - flick the climb switch, right? There isn’t one to be found on the Chainsaw SX or GX enduro builds. A high-pivot bike with 170mm of rear wheel travel needs all the help it can get to climb well.

Anyone who’s tried a high-pivot bike knows their magical powers for descending. Assuming that the bike also had an idler, it’s impossible to ignore the increased friction, even if that is as little as one percent. Add in a lower pulley that furthers the chain tension and you’ll be keeping your drivetrain meticulously clean for efficiency points, just like Levy.

The saving grace for the Chainsaw’s climbing ability is that you’re not hanging off the back of the bike and the rear tire sticks to the ground. A steep seat tube angle and lengthening chainstay keep you from doing unwanted wheelies.

Unfortunately, that’s a two-steps forward, one back situation because the slack head angle creates a compact seat position, requiring an attentive mind to hold the bars straight. That’s not to say that slack head angles can’t climb well, but pushing those two forward-thinking numbers together smushes the cockpit space.

So what would make the Chainsaw more enjoyable to pedal?

First and foremost would be a climb switch. Strangely enough, the Chainsaw DH model comes with a Super Deluxe Coil Select+ RT, where “T” stands for “Threshold”, or climb switch - go figure.

Next would be a longer dropper post. Heck, I even tried to track down a 39.3mm quick-release collar for less fiddling to change directions on the hill. There’s 270mm of real estate in the seat tube so in theory, a 180mm-travel OneUp Dropper post (267mm insertion length) would do the trick.

I also removed the lower pulley to reduce every machine’s worst enemy; friction. Once that left the chat after the second ride, it felt like the handbrake was released. Over the course of review, I never dropped a chain once. You can expect the chain and ring to wear at a higher rate since it will wiggle side to side with the reduced tension.

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Descending



Enduro Mode: The Chainsaw doesn’t have one foot in because 62.9 degree is aggressive for a enduro bike and I dig it. Really, it’s built for the kind of rider that wants to retire their old school downhill bike and take advantage of all the trails on the mountain. They’ll still prioritize shuttling but with a dropper post and low gearing, getting off to push up the slightest incline won’t be necessary.

If you’re focusing on enduro racing specifically, I’d look towards the Spartan HP. The steeper head angle will respond quicker at lower speeds. With that said, the Chainsaw’s long front center doesn’t feel twitchy at speed and you can correct understeering through slippery corners as if time is slowed down. That will bring confidence for all types of riders in dusty berms and slimy roots.

Countering the negative climbing attributes about the Chainsaw, the descending qualities are top notch. The ride is buttery, quiet, and intuitive. Too much progression or wallowing wasn’t a worry, even with the air shock.

A cloud-like ride is controlled by the lengthy Super Deluxe shock. Often air shocks can have a tough time breaking into the travel smoothly and even taper off the support in the middle of the travel. That’s not the case on the Chainsaw.


DH Mode: I see a lot of riders on full-fledged DH bikes these days that wouldn’t dare sign up for a race and wonder if they’d be better off wielding a hopped-up freeride bike - one with a serious amount of travel that still comes unglued from the trail when directed - like a Chainsaw.

Hanging onto a bike in a downhill race can require serious weight shifts off the back of the bike. Switching out for the smaller rear wheel adds to the backside clearance for those huck-a-buck moments and helps the Chainsaw whip around corners even quicker.

Devinci advises that the fork bumpers contact the downtube. In the case of the RockShox Boxxer, this does limit the turning radius significantly. My concerns here were noticed when I tried to turn the bars and squash jumps or get sideways in the air - never in any corners you’d find on a downhill track, though.

A 50mm stem and 56mm offset was chosen for the Chainsaw DH. On bikes with head angles as slack as this one at 62.1 degrees (DH-mode), I’d prefer the shorter 46mm option that seems less detached from the steering input. A shorter stem would produce more intuitive steering. You’ll also lose 8mm of reach in DH-mode.

Switching out for the Super Deluxe Coil and an extra 10mm of travel is a subtle change. The air is impressively smooth, but the coil does give you a more linear feel through the mid-stroke. Basically, the bike rides a bit deeper and means you’ll have to yank harder to get the bike off the ground if no jumps are present.

I toyed with a 400 and 450 lb/in spring, seeing the benefits of both. Keeping one of each around different tracks or freeride days would be a sensible plan. On the softer side, I took advantage of the hydraulic bottom out dial on the Super Deluxe Coil and ran four fifths of the way closed. It’s enough to take the sting out of flattening the shock slower, whereas the air controls the end of the travel by ramping sooner and has a less mechanical feel.

After logging serious miles on the Chainsaw, there were a few talking points on the durability of the frame and servicing of the drivetrain.

The cable routing is ultra quiet and doesn’t wander as the suspension articulates. Similarly, the chain chatter is non-existent. I’d prefer to have a guide similar to what Norco placed on the Range - a slider that doesn’t put tension on the chain but still protects it.

I did have to keep an eye on the main rocker and seatstay pivot bolts. If this happens on a bike for review, I’ll let it go the first time around. On the second time around, I’ll fully clean the threaded bits and rebuild them accordingly. Luckily, a third occurrence didn’t happen but it’s worth keeping an eye on for the first few outings.

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Technical Report




SRAM G2 RE Brakes: Hitting a certain MSRP can’t be an easy task for a product manager, but everyone needs stronger brakes. Beginners require brakes that don’t fade because they haven’t yet developed practical braking habits. Experts need brakes that deliver the power quicker. Either way, the G2 REs were underwhelming, and to be fair, most brakes on the market are. Sticky pistons caused the pads to rub and the lever to feel inconsistent.

Super Deluxe (air): Looking past the lack of a lockout, the Super Deluxe is a standout component on the Chainsaw. Once the air pressure was dialled in, I found generous support through the middle of the travel and never needed to play with volume spacers.

ZEB Rush RC: This chassis would let you tack on most of the hop-ups to turn the fork into a ZEB Ultimate, like the pressure relief valves, Buttercups, and Charger 3. The performance was primo as is, especially considering the total price of the Chainsaw GX. Singular rebound and compression adjusters let you dial in your settings with less tinkering.

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Which Model is the Best Value?


Since the Chainsaw only has two models in the enduro class, the choice would be straightforward for me. Both build kits use the same rear shock, but nearly all of the other components are bumped up a notch on the GX build.

For an extra $800, there’s a lighter and crispier drivetrain, plus 4-piston brakes. The ZEB fork is also 200g lighter than the Domain and has a compression adjuster.

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How Does It Compare?


Considering that the Devinci Chainsaw and the Norco Range are two high-pivot bikes that are equal in travel, they are worlds apart in terms of construction. The Range’s fighter jet looks while the Chainsaw features a more rudimentary four-bar appearance. One requires carbon construction and a mesmerizing amount of hardware, the other has Canadian-made alloy tubes, fewer bolts, and requires less patience to wrench on.

Even with its precious carbon tubes, the Range is heavier, especially the comparable C3 build. The entry level price of the Range C3 puts it $1,100 USD above the Chainsaw GX, where as the Range C1 is nearly five figures.

Then there are multiple ways to build each bike, or so it seems. Norco has been racing the Range frame at DH races for the last three seasons and despite the fact that aftermarket suspension tuning brands, like WRP and Cascade, have been building linkage components for the Range, no official parts are available. Norco is also insistent that the Range is complex and designed specifically around dual 29” wheels too.

Devinci takes a user-friendly approach with fewer limitations. Other than toggling the flip-chip, no parts are needed to switch between rear wheel sizes. Heck, you could even run the enduro setup with the longer rear shock.

According to both brand’s fit guides, I landed on the correct size for each bike, a medium for the Chainsaw and a large Range. The Range’s wheelbase is massive in comparison to the Chainsaw. 16mm of that lies ahead of the BB and another 12 to the back.

On flatter or flow trails, the Range takes a fair bit of determination to move around, whereas the Chainsaw is less laborious to purposefully pull the bike off the ground. I’d equate that to the shorter chainstays and lower stack which give you more leverage to drive your feet into the pedals and get your hips behind the rear wheel. On the flip-side, the Range is more stable at speed, in particular, how the rear wheel tracks through loose, flat turns predictably since your weight is planted evenly on both axles.

The decked out Range C1 isn’t a light bike, but climbing was more comfortable and balanced. A shorter seat tube and longer dropper was a huge win, plus there is a climb switch on the C3 build as well. One downside of the shocks fitted to the Range was that they are coil sprung. The Chainsaw can run either type of shock and an air spring allows for quick changes depending on the trail appetite, which is useful if you’re riding high jumps one day and slow tech the next.

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Pinkbike's Take

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