We rode the Devinci Troy a couple years ago at Outerbike in Moab, Utah, and really liked it. So when news of the Spartan broke, we were excited to find out how it compared. That chance came at Interbike.

This is Devinci's 165mm enduro machine with a Dave Weagle designed split pivot rear suspension. Beyond that, Devinci really has its act together when it comes to aesthetics with neon yellow accents on flat black paint and nice clean lines. The angle of the sloping top tube flows into the chain stay which drives the laid down Monarch Plus Debonair shock into the downtube via a sleek U-shaped "Control" link.

This allows for a nice long 8.5″ shock and low leverage ratio and lateral rigidity, but no accommodation for a water bottle mount inside the front triangle. That's not a big deal for me because I always wear a pack, but for some of the bottle-carrying enduro crowd it may be a deal-breaker.

This particular RockShox Pike was the epitome of sweetness. Mmmm. Very buttery good. Julia Childs would've approved.

This particular RockShox Pike was the epitome of sweetness. Mmmm. Very buttery good. Julia Childs would've approved (click to enlarge).​

Other features of note include a carbon main frame and seat stays, aluminum seat stays, Pike RTC3 Fork, internal cable routing with large ports for easy set up and maintenance, DT Swiss E1900 Spline 27.5″ wheels, and RockShox Reverb Stealth adjustable seat post.

So with fresh legs and no shuttle running we started our climb. My test partner Nate rode this bike most of the way up, but we did switch back and forth a few times on tricky tech sections so we could see how the Spartan handled. Nate felt the Spartan squat some into its travel on climbs and with its higher bar, described it as a bit "choppered out."

The seat tube angle is slightly slack at 72.4 degrees in the low setting, but can be steepened up to 73 degrees with a switch to the Hi setting. This also steepens the head angle to 66.4 degrees. The switch from Hi to Lo is accomplished by simply flipping an eccentric insert at the rear shock mount.

Continue to page 2 for more of our Devinci Spartan First Ride Review »

[IMG alt="Excellent SRAM Guide R brakes took some getting used to for this Shimano XT-loving rider with their more gradual ramp up to full power but once adapted they worked well. These grips were a little fat for my preference but "gripped" well."]https://reviews.mtbr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Devinci-Spartan-8-1024x768.jpg[/IMG]

Excellent SRAM Guide R brakes took some getting used to for this Shimano XT-loving rider with their more gradual ramp up to full power but once adapted they worked well. These grips were a little fat for my preference but "gripped" well (click to enlarge).​

I noticed the taller stack but it didn't seem to hinder me on the two tech sections I rode, cleaning the first one easily and the second, more difficult 4′ step up with a small dab. It did have more spacers under the bar than necessary so it could be adjusted down some if desired. Both the front and rear suspension felt very plush on the climb up, smoothing out all the square edge ledges and rocks with almost no sensation of hanging up or stalling either wheel.

The rear wheels hugged the ground on loose and rocky sections allowing good traction which translated into forward motion. The Pike on the front of the Spartan was especially sweet. Small bump compliance was stellar, mid-stroke support was good and ramp up was not too abrupt yet still prevented harsh bottoming. Though not its strong suit, the Spartan climbed well, especially in technical terrain.

The other thing it did well was keep its rear tire glued to the ground on loose short climbing sprints when the rear wheel is somewhat unweighted. No wheel spin was noted on the same sections that caused other bikes we rode to struggle a bit, though suspension movement did make it feel slower and less spritely on those same sprints.

[IMG alt="The wrap-around "Control Link" keeps things moving and laterally stiff in the middle. Geometry is adjustable via this neat eccentric insert in the rear shock mount. "]https://reviews.mtbr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Devinci-Spartan-3-1024x768.jpg[/IMG]

The wrap-around "Control Link" keeps things moving and laterally stiff in the middle. Geometry is adjustable via this neat eccentric insert in the rear shock mount (click to enlarge).​

Once at the top we pointed it down the enduro timed stage on Skyline. According to Nate the Spartan handled the square edges and rocks of this technical trail smoothly and with poise. When I rode it further down the hill on the less technical but still rocky West Leg trail I noticed immediately the pillow like plushness of the Spartan. Standing sprints and throwing it into corners felt perhaps a bit sluggish, though.

Bottom line, the Devinci Spartan is a serious contender in the super competitive six inch enduro category with its slick looking design and graphics, appropriate but not extreme enduro geometry (TT = 24.68″; HA = 65.8; CS = 17″; reach = 17″ in size large and in the low setting), plush and active Split Pivot suspension design, and beefy , stiff carbon frame. Pricing is also very reasonable with builds ranging between $4300 for the XP build up to $7000 for the top of the line RR that we rode.

For more information visit www.devinci.com.