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Photo: Courtesy Evil)
Over the past two seasons, we’ve seen a resurgence of well-rounded mountain bikes with 140 to 160 millimeters of travel. These are the models most mountain-bike riders should consider when shopping for one rig to cover the broadest range of terrain. Evil’s Offering hits the sweet spot, with 140 millimeters of very efficient rear suspension mated to a 150-millimeter fork on 29-inch wheels. It’s a long bike, but its 66.6-degree head angle is not the slackest in the category. That’s a good thing. We’ve found there are limits to how long and slack a trail bike can be before it feels like an under-shocked downhill bike. The best in this category blend frame geometry and suspension to produce an agile yet confidence-inspiring ride. The Offering nails this cocktail. Thanks to that rangy wheelbase, it’s eager to blast through rock gardens, while the moderately slack front end boosts maneuverability and lends an energetic feel on flow trails and jump lin