The Revel Ranger already had a lot going for it when it debuted. Its Canfield Balance Formula (CBF) suspension platform is complex compared to some other single-pivot bikes in the category, but gives an excellent pedaling feel, and progressive geometry gives the bike a blend of stability and agility. Revel must have known they had something good on their hands, because the latest update to the Ranger was fairly minimal.
The latest Ranger was given SRAM UDH compatibility, which also makes it compatible with Eagle Transmission. Revel also made the linkage and hardware on the rear triangle bigger, improving lateral stiffness in the rear by 20% without adding weight.
About the Revel Ranger
Other than that, the Ranger is largely the same, aside from two new colors, which isn’t a bad thing. It’s a cross-country bike, with trail bike characteristics. In the rear, it has 115mm of travel and that’s paired with a 120mm fork.
At 5’8″ tall, I’ve been riding a size medium, so I’ll talk a little about the geometry. The seat tube is short for folks who want a longer dropper post, and for an XC bike, the chainstays are somewhat long at 436mm across the board.
The head tube angle is 67.5°, reminding riders that this still is an XC bike with sharp handling. The wheelbase seems pretty moderate–short for a trail bike, but long-ish for an XC bike at 1,170mm. The seat tube angle is fairly steep for an XC bike too at 75.3°. While it may not seem steep for bikes these days, the head tube angle doesn’t really necessitate a steeper STA. Lastly, reach is moderate, and some might say lengthy for an XC/trail bike at 453mm for the size medium.
The Ranger frame is full carbon, from rear axle to head tube. On the latest version, Revel added a debris guard or hard mud flap to keep the linkage clean. This build includes a parts kit with some trail touches, but one that really adds to the Ranger’s cross-country intentions.
We tested the XO Eagle Transmission build which gives it said drivetrain, SRAM’s new Level Stealth brakes, RockShox SID Ultimate suspension, Maxxis Rekon and Dissector tires, and your choice of wheels, starting at $8,499. With a set of Revel’s FusionFiber wheels, builds are priced between $9,000-$10,000.
Climbing on the Revel Ranger
I’m a big fan of the CBF platform ever since my first ride on a Revel shortly after the brand debuted. And I’m on my second owned bike with the suspension design.
For a premium 27lb, full-carbon, 115mm lightweight trail bike, the Revel pedals as you’d expect; delightfully. The bike is juiced to the gills with top-shelf parts too, like Revel’s R27 carbon wheels, which help it pick up speed as soon as you mash on the pedals. Typical of the CBF platform is the feeling that the Ranger has some extra propulsion as your quads hammer on the cranks.
The Ranger accelerates quickly and keeps its speed