Introducing the Devinci Chainsaw 1

It's hard to articulate the impact Stevie Smith left on mountain biking. Between his aggressive and thrilling style, charismatic personality, and relentless drive to be the best in the world, Stevie was a true gift to downhill racing. Your favorite rider's favorite rider, his legacy has continued to live on through the current generation of fast elite Canadian downhill racers. 

Thinking back, it's difficult not to picture Stevie aboard anything but a Devinci. Spending over five seasons with Devinci Global Racing, he was integral to the Canadian brand's success in gravity racing. So what better way to honor his legacy than with a bike built for anyone who wants to let off the brakes and haul ass. Just like Stevie made you want to get out and let loose on the trails, Devinci's new Chainsaw was designed for the masses, with a bombproof aluminum frame offered in an enduro or downhill configuration with reasonable build kits that lower the barrier to entry. 

Highlights

• 6061-T6 aluminum frame made in Canada
• 29-inch or mixed wheel configuration
• Enduro configuration: 170mm of rear wheel travel // 170mm fork travel
• Downhill configuration: 170mm of rear wheel travel // 190mm fork travel
• Split Pivot high pivot suspension design
• Size-specific chainstay lengths
• 62.1/62.9-degree head tube angle
• Internal cable routing
• 12x157mm super boost rear hub spacing
• Universal derailleur hanger
• Threaded bottom bracket
• 2-bolt ISCG 05 chain guide mount
• Sizes: S-XL
• MSRP: $3,899 - $4,999 USD

Overview

Devinci's main goal with the Chainsaw was to create an adaptable long travel bike that would honor Stevie's legacy by inspiring more people to get into gravity mountain biking. The naming of the bike was obviously a delicate topic, and Devinci made sure they had the blessing of Stevie's mom, Tianna, during development. A grand homage to an individual who did so much for the sport, Devinci will donate a percent of all Chainsaw sales annually to the Stevie Smith Legacy Foundation, ensuring the continued growth of up-and-coming Canadian gravity riders. 

A bike that dons such a nickname better be ready to take on anything. The 6061-T6 aluminum frame is made in Devinci's Canadian factory and offers maximum durability, stiffness, and a competitive strength-to-weight ratio. It also comes with a lifetime warranty. The Chainsaw uses Devinci's high pivot iteration of their Split-Pivot suspension design (same as their Spartan enduro bike) that separates acceleration and braking forces, keeping the suspension active under braking. The design is quite progressive and functions well with a coil shock (as seen on the GX DH build below). The frame is also compatible with a longer stroke shock, allowing riders to jump from a 225x70mm to a 225x75mm shock to increase rear travel to180mm. 

To compensate for the rearward axle path of the design, there is an idler pulley hidden inside a thermoplastic cover that protects the idler from the elements and helps with chain retention. The idler uses a low friction bearing to maximize pedaling efficiency, and all frame pivots use long-lasting Enduro double-lip sealed bearings.

Build Kits

The Chainsaw is not just a race-focused downhill bike or a freeride enduro bike. It can be configured as either option, but Devinci wanted to give riders a platform that could adapt to match their riding style. Devinci offers the Chainsaw in three build kits or as a frame only. Of those three builds, two feature 170mm single crown forks with 12-speed drivetrains, a dropper post, and dual 29-inch wheels, while one uses a 190mm dual crown fork with a 7-speed drivetrain and a mixed wheel setup. A flip chip in the lower shock eyelet preserves the geometry with either rear wheel size, and both configurations provide 170mm of rear wheel travel. To really push the narrative home that the Chainsaw is targeted at the masses, riders only need $3,899 to get on the SX 12S build. The GX DH build is the most expensive at $4,999.

We received the mid-range GX 12S build that retails for $4,699, and is highlighted by a 12-speed SRAM GX drivetrain, SRAM G2 RE 4-piston brakes, TranzX seat post, and a RockShox Zeb fork and SuperDeluxe Select R shock. We aren't going to argue that riders can find other bikes in the market with higher-end components and a lower price tag. But, Devinci did a good job speccing each build with appropriate components for the bike's intended use while keeping the MSRP relatively affordable.  

Geometry

The Chainsaw features similar geometry to Devinci's Spartan but employs a slacker head tube, steeper seat tube, and slightly longer front and rear centers. Glancing over the geometry chart, nothing jumps out as odd or peculiar. The bike is definitely slack and has a steep seat tube angle, which should make tackling near-vertical descents less death-defying and pedaling uphill more enjoyable. Because Devinci offers the Chainsaw in two wheel configurations, each has its own geometry package. Lastly, each size has a unique chain stay length that increases in 5mm increments from 425mm on a size small to 440mm on a size X-large. 

Review To Come…

Our Chainsaw test bike arrived just in time to capture some crisp bike photos and stoke my excitement to have something else to test other than an e-bike or short travel trail bike. There is something about an aluminum, long travel bike with mid-tier components that pulls me back to being 14 years old, stacking jumps in the dirt lot at the end of my street. My on-bike impressions were thus far exclusively gathered on my driveway, but from sitting on the Chainsaw, the seat feels noticeably pushed forward, and the front axle felt like it was a mile in front of me. Needless to say, I'm excited to spend some time on the Chainsaw as it will force me to seek out trails and features I've mostly avoided in recent years. Full face mode engaged. Stay tuned for a full review as we head into summer!

For more information on the Chainsaw, please visit devinci.com.

View key specs, compare bikes, and rate the new Devinci Chainsaw in the Vital MTB Product Guide.

About The Tester

Jason Schroeder - Age: 28 // Years Riding MTB: 16 // Height: 6' (1.8m) // Weight: 175-pounds (79.3kg)

A once-upon-a-time World Cup downhill racer turned desk jockey, Jason has spent years within the bicycle industry from both sides of the tape. A fan of all-day adventures in the saddle or flowing around a bowl at the skatepark, he doesn't discriminate from any form of two-wheeled riding. A SoCal native who doesn't spend too much time in any single place, you can find Jason camped out in his van most weekends somewhere on the West Coast.