Devinci’s latest addition to its fleet, the Django, stepped into the limelight back in March. This short-travel bike looks similar to Devinci’s current model, the Troy, which we tested in our May issue; however, these two bikes have their own identities. The Django sports 20 millimeters less travel with a much more progressive suspension package suited for an entirely different type of terrain. To call the Django a short-travel version of the Troy would be wrong. The Django is a trail ripper in a category all its own.
WHO IS IT MADE FOR?
The Django is quick out of the saddle and ready to charge any ascent or descent. Its slack head tube and short chainstays give it a playful and capable feel, while its peppy and efficient suspension motivates riders to push hard to the top of any climb. The Django was built for the kind of person who ditches the elevator to take the stairs—the kind of rider who feels the need to pedal up to earn his or her way back down. Simply put, it’s a trail rider’s bike through and through.
WHAT IS IT MADE FROM?
Peace and quite: The Django uses rubber inserts for its internal cable routing to help dampen noise. A quiet bike makes a happy rider.
The Django is built around a Split-Pivot suspension system with 120 millimeters of travel, a Boost 148 rear hub and an asymmetrical swingarm construction to improve torsional stiffness. The RockShox Monarch RTC rear shock is tuned for a more progressive feel, and the entire suspension platform pivots on enduro bearings. Up front the Django has a tapered head tube and a 130-millimeter-travel RockShox Pike fork. The Django is also graced with a low standover height, creating a lower center of gravity, and has adjustable high- and low-geometry flip chips built into the seatstays. To top it all off, the Django has internal cable routing with rubber inserts to help dampen unwanted cable noise.
WHICH COMPONENTS STAND OUT?
1x only: Devinci believes 1x is the future of drivetrain systems, so much so that they removed the front derailleur mount on their carbon models; however, our 11-speed cassette provided us with a low-enough range for any climb.
Devinci chose components that are made to shred trails. The RockShox Pike, even with shorter legs, still provided us with the same excellent feel we’ve become so fond of. The dropper seatpost (a must-have on any trailbike) gave us a lower center of gravity. The 1x drivetrain is quickly becoming the future, so the carbon version of the Django was stripped of a front derailleur mount for a cleaner look. The Django offers riders all the essential components they need to party on the trails.
Short and sweet: The Rockshox Pike, with only 130 millimeters of travel, provided our test riders with a plush yet pedal friendly feel. Out-of-the-saddle climbing with the fork set to open posed no lack in pedaling efficiency.
HOW DOES IT PERFORM?
Split-Pivot: The Devinci Django uses a Split-Pivot suspension design to achieve its lively feel. The Monarch rear shock plays a major role in the Django’s characteristics by offering a tune that is more progressive than Devinci’s longer-travel models.
Setting sag: The Django’s suspension tends to ramp up quickly, so our bike was set up with 40-percent sag in the rear and 30 percent in the front. Our RockShox Pike had two air-volume reducers, which made the suspension feel a tad bit stiff on our trails, but after removing one token and running a few extra clicks of low- speed compression, we were very satisfied with our fork’s dialed-in feel. The rear shock only required us to adjust our rebound and occasionally switch between the Pedal and Open settings.
Moving out: The first thing we noticed about the Devinci Django was its comfortable and modern feel. The Django’s cockpit has a 60-millimeter stem and 760-millimeter-wide handlebars. This suit- ed the majority of our test riders and enhanced their confidence. The Prologo seat and Devinci’s house-brand grips also added comfort and contributed to the overall feel. A big pet peeve of ours is noisy cables, but Devinci managed to keep the Django quiet and rattle-free.
Made to climb: The Devinci Django offers riders a stiff platform made to climb. This little trailbike almost loves going up as much as it loves going down.
Climbing: The Django has no problem going out for a long climb, but its true character is revealed on steep, punchy climbs that lead to fast, ripping descents. Out of the saddle the suspension stayed stiff and efficient, and urged us to get to the top as quickly as possible. Considering the Django is a trailbike, it’s unlikely it will be as fast up the hills as a cross-country bike, but we can promise it will be a lot more fun on the way back down. Overall, the Django has a great platform and is capable of rocketing past many other trailbikes climbing the mountains.
Feel the flow: Devinci designed the Django to blast through berms and fly off jumps. If hunting for flow is your goal, then the Django may be right for you.
Cornering: The Devinci Django is well equipped to speed through corners. Its short, 16.75-inch chainstays provided a nimble feel, and its low standover height helped riders get more aggressive on the bike. The handlebar and stem combo played a big role in the Django’s cornering abilities, with quick steering enabled by the short stem and tons of control coming from the 760-millime- ter-wide bars. Suspension is a key factor for smooth cornering, and the Django’s progressive suspension kept our bike high in its travel throughout the turns, providing a quick and snappy feel.
Descending: The Django lives for flowy trails with a mix of smooth jumps and mild rock gardens. Its shorter legs do a fine job of handling chunky sections, but this bike is more about getting into a rhythm and flowing downhill. Riders will need to plan their lines more carefully than they would on a plusher bike like the Troy, but don’t get us wrong, the Django holds its own on technical trails, and it handled everything we threw at it. Still, it’s a slightly rowdier ride at higher speeds. On flowy trails, however, the Django is an amazing rig that loves to be tossed around.
Little ripper: The Django is a small-travel bike with a big attitude. It may be the little brother in Devinci’s lineup, but it isn’t afraid to hang with the big boys.
Braking: The Django comes with a powerful set of SRAM Guide brakes, but its stopping performance doesn’t end there. Devinci’s Split-Pivot suspension design did a great job of delivering braking forces to the ground by maintaining traction and preventing the rear tire from skidding. The Guide brake levers offered a handy reach-adjust knob as well as a contact adjustment. Overall, the controls felt good and braking seemed powerful.
Stop on a dime: SRAM Guide RSC brakes provided our test riders with tons of stopping power and comfortable controls. As an added bonus, our Reverb remote bolted directly to our brake’s handlebar clamp.
TRICKS, UPGRADES AND TIPS?
Our Django test bike came with a few upgrades over the $5000 Django SX model. These upgrades included carbon handlebars, upgraded brakes and a full XO1 drivetrain. The Django’s SX model uses an X1 drivetrain and SRAM’s Guide R brakes. The overall component quality of the Django SX build kit offers great bang for your buck. Although we appreciated the upgrades, we didn’t think they played a major role in bettering our trail-riding experience. In fact, the standout features of the Django are its modern geometry and efficient suspension. The upgrades were merely a bonus and not a necessity.
BUYING ADVICE
The Django is built to balance climbing efficiency with downhill performance, and it does that well. Riders who favor long climbs with huge rewarding descents might find the Troy more suited to their riding style; however, rolling terrain with pitchy climbs and ripping descents are right up the Django’s alley. If you pity the fool who rides a 6-inch-travel bike, then hop aboard the Django and don’t look back. The Django is a short-travel trail shredder that will stand toe to toe with all the rest.
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