[D Bone]

I went and test rode a size L Chisel EVO and was blown away. The fit for me was pretty close even with the 60mm stem and flatish rise bars and all of the measurements I took matched my current Chameleon v8 pretty closely and will be damn near identical once I swap my current components over. I was really surprised just how beefy the frame looks in person and the quality control seems to be easily on par with Santa Cruz.

So.... I just ordered a size L 2026 Purple/Green frame only option! I will post a few pictures here as well as a link to my You Tube channel for my 1st impressions video.

Quick question to those that have done it, are there any tips, tricks, secrets to routing the rear brake hose through the BB / chanistay area? It looked pretty tight and like a few cuss words are going to fly out of my mouth during the build.... any help is much appreciated!

Here's to a longer living lumbar spine and never seeing the OR again.

 

[Daimon]

Not related to cable routing but here's tip I got related to rear brake pad retention pin.

You may need to use split pin (I used Shimano) depending on brake. Standard screw-in pin comes from outer side and gets blocked by frame - you won't be able to remove pads without unscrewing caliper. Using splin pin from the inside allows to remove pads without unscrewing of caliper.

 

[Ogden]

 

[Legoman]

I went and test rode a size L Chisel EVO and was blown away. The fit for me was pretty close even with the 60mm stem and flatish rise bars and all of the measurements I took matched my current Chameleon v8 pretty closely and will be damn near identical once I swap my current components over. I was really surprised just how beefy the frame looks in person and the quality control seems to be easily on par with Santa Cruz.

So.... I just ordered a size L 2026 Purple/Green frame only option! I will post a few pictures here as well as a link to my You Tube channel for my 1st impressions video.

Quick question to those that have done it, are there any tips, tricks, secrets to routing the rear brake hose through the BB / chanistay area? It looked pretty tight and like a few cuss words are going to fly out of my mouth during the build.... any help is much appreciated!

Here's to a longer living lumbar spine and never seeing the OR again.

I don't remember it being that difficult. The manual has a really good section on how to route the cables. Just follow that and it should be relatively painless.

 

[Tyrich88]

those are two sweet builds!


Essentially like my epic/Blur builds currently, but i think its that much cooler on an aluminum bike as good as this one.

 

[ARider]

I went and test rode a size L Chisel EVO and was blown away. The fit for me was pretty close even with the 60mm stem and flatish rise bars and all of the measurements I took matched my current Chameleon v8 pretty closely and will be damn near identical once I swap my current components over. I was really surprised just how beefy the frame looks in person and the quality control seems to be easily on par with Santa Cruz.

So.... I just ordered a size L 2026 Purple/Green frame only option! I will post a few pictures here as well as a link to my You Tube channel for my 1st impressions video.

Quick question to those that have done it, are there any tips, tricks, secrets to routing the rear brake hose through the BB / chanistay area? It looked pretty tight and like a few cuss words are going to fly out of my mouth during the build.... any help is much appreciated!

Here's to a longer living lumbar spine and never seeing the OR again.

For the rear routing, I suggest you remove the main pivot so the chain stay can be pulled up in order to get more room for running the brake line. And use lots of foam tubing. I also put a piece of foam in the plastic portal thing the lines exit the frame from to prevent mud and debris from getting in there.

Have the fork off to help route the lines near the head tube. You can get access to the down tube from inside the head tube.

Not the hardest frame to run lines through, but for sure not the easiest.

 

[zen_]

I'm not unhappy with last years magenta frameset in any way, but that is nice...really nice.

It's like my grandpa always used to say, you have to look good to ride good.

 

[justoc]

I built one of these up for my wife and now I think I want one for next summer’s BCBR. Rides great overall, very quiet. I know they said it won’t but I think it’ll take a longer stroke shock as well, will do some testing with a 42.5mm and a 45mm and report back. Nice cable management on the back half of the bike and comes with foam tubes for the downtube. Right now it’s at 26.75lbs ready to ride, but with some real XC tires and analog components it could be in the ~25lbs range for a medium anyways. I was a huge fan of the regular Stumpy and while this bike isn’t quite that bike I do think it pedals better, obviously more XC oriented. The value is pretty insane, only 1lbs heavier frame vs the carbon. I was going to get the Epic 8 Evo frameset but I’m having trouble justifying the 1800 bucks extra for that 1lbs savings. Don’t care for the swat box so not really sure it’s worth it for me. Anyways, that’s my 0.02. I don’t think anyone would be disappointed with this bike.


@Odd Kiwi tried to answer your question on cables. Let me know if that helps or not.

View attachment 2110843 View attachment 2110844 View attachment 2110847 View attachment 2110842 View attachment 2110845 View attachment 2110846

Hi - did you get one and use it in BCBR? I've just purchased the Chisel Evo, and intend to use it for BCBR 2026. I would appreciate any experience you've had on yours, including if you played with the shock stroke length. Thanks!

 

[justoc]

I built one of these up for my wife and now I think I want one for next summer’s BCBR. Rides great overall, very quiet. I know they said it won’t but I think it’ll take a longer stroke shock as well, will do some testing with a 42.5mm and a 45mm and report back. Nice cable management on the back half of the bike and comes with foam tubes for the downtube. Right now it’s at 26.75lbs ready to ride, but with some real XC tires and analog components it could be in the ~25lbs range for a medium anyways. I was a huge fan of the regular Stumpy and while this bike isn’t quite that bike I do think it pedals better, obviously more XC oriented. The value is pretty insane, only 1lbs heavier frame vs the carbon. I was going to get the Epic 8 Evo frameset but I’m having trouble justifying the 1800 bucks extra for that 1lbs savings. Don’t care for the swat box so not really sure it’s worth it for me. Anyways, that’s my 0.02. I don’t think anyone would be disappointed with this bike.


@Odd Kiwi tried to answer your question on cables. Let me know if that helps or not.

View attachment 2110843 View attachment 2110844 View attachment 2110847 View attachment 2110842 View attachment 2110845 View attachment 2110846

Hi - did you get one and use it in BCBR? I've just purchased the Chisel Evo, and intend to use it for BCBR 2026. I would appreciate any experience you've had on yours, including if you played with the shock stroke length. Thanks!

 

[KiwiJohn]

I sold my gravel bike last month & figured I'd just buy another.
Seeing a lush Cervelo ZFS-5 in the window of an LBS had me thinking of an XC FS bike instead. Something comfortable for all day rides and maybe overnighters as well.
I'm not exactly sure what lead me to the Chisel, but after watching some reviews, I put a deposit on a Comp.
The Evo looked like a lot of fun, but something more XC seemed a better replacement for a gravel bike.
I still have my Banshee Rune when I need a trail bike.
I'm resisting the urge to make any upgrades and just ride it as stock to start with. Unless anyone has any suggestions on anything to replace right away, maybe tyres or a longer dropper.

 

[ermporshe]

I sold my gravel bike last month & figured I'd just buy another.
Seeing a lush Cervelo ZFS-5 in the window of an LBS had me thinking of an XC FS bike instead. Something comfortable for all day rides and maybe overnighters as well.
I'm not exactly sure what lead me to the Chisel, but after watching some reviews, I put a deposit on a Comp.
The Evo looked like a lot of fun, but something more XC seemed a better replacement for a gravel bike.
I still have my Banshee Rune when I need a trail bike.
I'm resisting the urge to make any upgrades and just ride it as stock to start with. Unless anyone has any suggestions on anything to replace right away, maybe tyres or a longer dropper.

Also interesting to know what is the best tyre combo for this bike.

 

[Daimon]

For light XC I'm super happy with double Peyotes 2.4 XC but it requires proper feel - they have good cornering grip but are sketchy if pushed too hard. I recently swapped wheels for stock Purgatory T9 2.4 front and Ground Control T7 2.35 rear. Together with much heavier wheels, those felt like anchors compared to Peyotes - power meter confirmed that as well - but grip obviously was there.

 

[D Bone]

 

[KiwiJohn]

New bike day.
Stock as a rock, well, apart from a longer dropper. Seemed rude not to get one at the checkout while i was there. It will also fit my Banshee, so the Fox Factory dropper on that can get a service.
The only thing I want to change is the rear bake hose. Is it possible to route it out the drive side with the dropper to tidy up the cables a bit?

 

[Mudguard]

The only thing I want to change is the rear bake hose. Is it possible to route it out the drive side with the dropper to tidy up the cables a bit?

Love the colour!!
I wonder if the hose routing is the same as my Stumpy? Looks awful for those with right hand front brakes.

 

[D Bone]

New bike day.
Stock as a rock, well, apart from a longer dropper. Seemed rude not to get one at the checkout while i was there. It will also fit my Banshee, so the Fox Factory dropper on that can get a service.
The only thing I want to change is the rear bake hose. Is it possible to route it out the drive side with the dropper to tidy up the cables a bit?

Nice! Congrats!! That is the exact bike that I test rode to push me over the edge into buying the frame. Yes, you can exit the brake hose through the driveside (look at my video linked above as I ride moto style brake setup). The hoses and cables run through the downtube and it is just an open run that you need to put foam dampers around the lines so they don't rattle.

You would also have to switch the plastic entry ports because for whatever reason, Specialized gave us one port for single cables and one port for double cables. Either port will fit on either side and they have a split designed into them so you should not have to undo any lines to swap them.

They are a beotch to get back in though as fitting the port securing bolt is a lesson in patience, followed by loud cuss word shouting practice.

 

[KiwiJohn]

Nice! Congrats!! That is the exact bike that I test rode to push me over the edge into buying the frame. Yes, you can exit the brake hose through the driveside (look at my video linked above as I ride moto style brake setup). The hoses and cables run through the downtube and it is just an open run that you need to put foam dampers around the lines so they don't rattle.

You would also have to switch the plastic entry ports because for whatever reason, Specialized gave us one port for single cables and one port for double cables. Either port will fit on either side and they have a split designed into them so you should not have to undo any lines to swap them.

They are a beotch to get back in though as fitting the port securing bolt is a lesson in patience, followed by loud cuss word shouting practice.

Thanks for that, just what I wanted to hear. Actually doing it might be a different matter.

 

[Potential Roadkill]

New bike day.
Stock as a rock, well, apart from a longer dropper. Seemed rude not to get one at the checkout while i was there. It will also fit my Banshee, so the Fox Factory dropper on that can get a service.
The only thing I want to change is the rear bake hose. Is it possible to route it out the drive side with the dropper to tidy up the cables a bit?

What dropper did you end up going with. The post it came with is sooo slow and also barely long enough.

 

[KiwiJohn]

What dropper did you end up going with. The post it came with is sooo slow and also barely long enough.

A PNW 175mm.
Though looking at them , they came from the same factory, no doubt about it.

 

[ermporshe]

A PNW 175mm.
Though looking at them , they came from the same factory, no doubt about it.

Would a 180 mm dropper would fit in a size large?