The Devinci Django: the biggest of the small bikes
On March 15, Devinci introduced the new Django, an aggressive 140 mm-travel trail bike. While you might expect a bike with this much travel to be more “cross-country,” Devinci instead chose to make it a more “trail” bike, creating a machine that will appeal to a wide range of riders. The Django is available in 4 build kits and two frame options, aluminum and carbon. Prices range from $3,199 to $9,999. In our case, we tested the Devinci Django Carbon XO1, which retails for $9,999.
The Devinci Django shares a similar look to its big brother, the Devinci Troy, and the similarities don’t end there. The component groups between the Troy (150 mm of travel) and the Django (140 mm) are almost identical, and the sheer size of the tubes will make you feel like you’re on a bigger bike than you actually are. The Django is the kind of bike that will make you question whether you really need a long‑travel bike. Its progressive geometry and aggressive component choices, such as the 140 mm Fox 34 and Race Face wheels, help deliver a confidence‑inspiring ride both on the climbs and on the descents.
At first glance, it’s clear this bike draws heavily on gravity-bike DNA. Just look at the oversized tubes, massive bottom bracket shell and rear triangle and you’ll know this frame is going to be very stiff. Frame stiffness is definitely a selling point we hear about too often and feel too rarely. In the Django’s case, just a few pedal strokes are enough to understand what a truly stiff bike feels like!
The geometry Devinci chose is what gives the Django its aggressive, unshakable personality. Like the latest Troy, the Django also gets a very roomy cockpit while keeping a short rear triangle and a sensible head angle of 66.5 degrees in the “Lo” setting and 68 degrees in “Hi.” In the end, this wheelbase—nearly 2 cm longer than that of the Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt BC Edition—gives the impression that the bike is firmly planted on the ground. Every time you decide to tackle a section more aggressively, the bike will give you an extra dose of confidence.
Handling
The very short rear triangle made possible by using a 157 mm-wide Super Boost rear hub (vs 142 mm) makes the Django a bike that handles tight turns well despite its rather long wheelbase. At the rear, the high-volume Fox Float shock manages small impacts well but keeps plenty of mid-stroke support, which makes it easier to pick up speed in flowy sections and lets you pop the bike off jumps with ease. In addition, the bike stays high in its travel on technical climbs, which makes the Django an excellent climber.
“After our test ride, we can tell you this bike is a great fit for a huge number of cyclists in the Quebec City area!”
I’ll admit it: before trying the Django, I was one of the skeptics. A 140 mm bike with such aggressive specs—who could this bike possibly be for? After our test, we can tell you this bike is a great fit for a huge number of riders in the Québec City area! For all riders who want a bike that inspires more confidence on descents but still lets them go on long rides without holding back, the Django will be an excellent choice. Want a bike you can race in a marathon event and also ride down the most technical trails in the region? The Django is one of the rare machines that can tick all those boxes.
