Evil Bikes Chamois Hagar Gravel Bike Frame

The Van Halen-inspired Chamois Hagar Gravel Bike

Anyone who is inspired to make the best puns possible will feel thrilled flipping through some of the bike names at Evil. And if you are also particularly steeped in rock anthems as well as inclined to ignore the French pronunciation of “chamois” and instead rely on the very American “shammy” then your heart will no doubt flutter at the Van Halen-inspired Chamois Hagar gravel bike that Evil Bikes has created. Every bit the iconoclast of guitar-smashing rock and rollers, this is a gravel bike that pushes definitions, encourages exploration, and expands boundaries.

Look at the Chamois Hagar, and it does seem a little bonkers, even for the fervent design minds at Evil Bikes. You can definitely see these are mountain bike aficionados who wanted to make a dropbar bike that they would still get the same level of stoke riding. Take into account the aggressive geometry and the fact it can suit 50mm tires on 700c rims, you may wonder why not just stick with a flatbar mountain bike. But examine the wild number of bottle mounts (seven total, unless you ride a small, then there are just six) and the fact there are mounts for bags and fenders, and you will understand that not only is the Chamois Hagar meant to be super-fun on incredibly technical singletrack, but you can also load it up and strike out on your own multiday bikepacking expedition. This is where the notion of “explore” really takes hold.

If you already have an Evil The Offering suspension mountain bike, then you’ll settle right into the fit and feel of the Chamois Hagar since they used the geo of The Offering as a guide. Taking a road-oriented gravel bike on anything that is not pretty regular and well packed gravel can be a pretty scary adventure, and that is what Evil wanted to avoid. They wanted to feel totally secure on steep, lose trails while still having the option to have a snappy ride on the road. And that is what the Chamois Hagar geometry allows since it has a 66.67° head tube angle combined with a long front to center and reach designed to use a shorter stem that will give a mountain bike feel of stability, especially on rougher descents. The longish 430mm chainstays will also contribute to the feeling of confidence, whether you are chopping your way through sharp, technical trails or raging down a loamy descent.

Custom Fork Design for Enhanced Handling of the Chamois Hagar

To get all this, like the head tube angle and short stem, to work on the front end, Evil decided they needed to custom design the fork rather than take a stock option from other gravel creations. And in doing so, they were able to increase the stability and predictability of the handling with a 57mm offset and a 428mm axle-to-crown measurement. You’ll also enjoy a ton of stand over room, as well as the ability to accommodate a dropper post, so the chance of the untoward knock of your undercarriage is practically nil. What’s nice too is that they aren’t forcing any 1X groupset down your throat but have made it possible to go with 1X or 2X cranks, which will open up all sorts of gearing and groupset options. You can even set this puppy up with Di2 and not worry about muck messing up the innards since the frame is seriously weather-sealed. Evil Bikes is based in the Pacific Northwest after all.

By definition, there is no such thing as an unfun bike, in our book. But there can be bikes that take the fun factor to the next level, and that would pretty much describe the Evil Bikes Chamois Hagar. Its prime mission in life is to make riding everything from city streets to techy singletrack a total blast!

Also check Ibis Gravel Bikes.