Revel Bikes El Jefe: Employee Bike Check With Jared Erickson

Words & Photos by Jared Erickson

There's something about riding a hardtail mountain bike that just brings you back to your roots as a mountain biker, makes you feel like a kid again, and gives you a feeling of pure joy. As a two wheeled enthusiast, I enjoy bikes of all kinds from gravel bikes to full on DH sleds, and I also appreciate bikes that have all the newest tech and gizmos. However, the simplicity of a hardtail is always refreshing to experience, and to me, they are like a bike palate cleanser when you ride them. Enter my Why Cycles/Revel Bikes El Jefe.  

I have long lusted after titanium hardtails, and after owning a titanium Why Cycles R+ gravel bike in the past, I knew I would once again have a titanium bike in the quiver. The raw titanium finish combined with perfect looking welds and overall clean design aesthetic creates a timeless look that's appreciated by bikers and non bikers alike. I tend to gravitate towards things that have a timeless look and the Jefe is no different. With all that said, let's dive into the details of this phenomenal steed.

Overview

For those who don't know, Why Cycles was the sister brand of Revel Bikes up until March 2023 when the brands decided to "smush" and from then on out, all the Why Cycles models were now Revels. This was done in an effort to consolidate the two brands and their offerings and make things simpler for consumers. The El Jefe is a bike that was developed with and named after legendary bikepacker Jefe Branham, who has famously claimed the record for the fastest time of completing the Arizona Trail Race on a singlespeed MTB, completing the grueling 800 mile race in just 10 days and 9 minutes. His namesake steed the El Jefe resides on the more conservative side of the geometry spectrum as it's primarily intended for use as an XC/Bikepacking hardtail. The key geo numbers you might be interested in are the 29" wheels, 67.5 degree headtube angle, 474mm reach on the size large, and 420-435mm sliding adjustable chainstays. Other important details include the integrated 42/52 headset, threaded bottom bracket, UDH/Eagle Transmission compatible, and your typical internal cable routing, thankfully not through the headset. 

Components

When it comes to the components I chose for my El Jefe, I went for a slightly more trail capable bike as opposed to a fast XC machine, complete with a 130mm Fox 34 Performance Elite fork and Code RSC brakes. As far as the drivetrain components go, I've gone fully mechanical on this machine with a SRAM XX1 cassette & chain, X01 shifter, GX derailleur, and a RaceFace ERA crank with an AbsoluteBlack chainring. A Wheels Manufacturing Bottom Bracket keeps the cranks spinning smoothly. The goal here was to keep the weight down but maintain a good level of durability.

I've continued the mechanical theme with a good old fashioned Crankbrothers Highline dropper post paired to a trusty Wolf Tooth ReMote mounted to a 20mm rise OneUp carbon bar. A custom, pre production 32mm Trail One Rockville stem keeps the bars on the bike and T1 Hell's Gate Grips keep my hands from falling off. Eagle eyed readers will spot the extra bar tape on the handlebars in between my stem and grips. I've wrapped the bars with this tape in order to have another position to hold onto during long rides and to get a little more aerodynamic if needed. Also, I had some extra bar tape the last time I wrapped the bars on my gravel bike and thought this would be an appropriate use of the spare tape after seeing something similar on a bike I saw on Bikepacking.com, naturally.

The whole shebang is rolling on Revel RW27 FusionFiber rims laced to Industry Nine Hydra hubs via BERD Spokes wrapped in Maxxis Rekon 2.6 EXO Maxxterra tires. These wheels are lightweight, they spin up quickly, and they have a great ride quality to them which make them a perfect match to the hardtail. When you combine those characteristics with the high volume tires, it makes a bike that's quick, eats up the miles, yet glides over rocks and handles the technical stuff. Pretty much everything I was going for with this bike. 

Ride Impressions

Being the first hardtail I've owned in the last 20 years, it took me some time to get accustomed to this bike and how different it is than a full suspension MTB. One thing that struck me right off the bat was how incredible this bike is in the corners. The super short chainstays and balanced geometry culminate in a bike that is comfortable in the tightest of corners and feels incredibly maneuverable on tight tracks. Even with the rear end in it's fully extended position how I've been riding it, the bike eats corners for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It's difficult to put into words quite how telepathic this bike feels on the descents, especially when you allow yourself to drop your heels and really carve with the bike and flow with the trail.

It might be assumed or even widely known, but it's worth revisiting the fact that this bike is an absolute beast when it comes to climbing, speed and efficiency. The ability of hardtails to directly translate your power to the ground is something that has captivated hardtail lovers for decades. I've had my El Jefe equipped with 2.6" Maxxis Rekons for about a year now, and they have proven to offer a good combination of rolling speed and all around traction while cornering, braking and descending. While they aren't the fastest rolling or the lightest tire out there, I've found I really like the higher volume tire on this bike. Plus, who isn't a fan of some massive tan walls on a titanium hardtail? I typically run 20psi in the front and 21 in the rear and have found this to be the sweet spot for me with these tires on this bike in my area. It seems to offer the best possible combination of traction, compliance and suppleness. If you were really trying to get this bike down to its fastest possible configuration with some semblance of grip, I'd recommend a 29 x 2.4 Rekon/Ikon tire combo as well as a 120mm fork. In fact, I've recently installed a similar tire combo (2.4 Forekaster Front/2.35 Ikon Rear) with the addition of a Vittoria Air Liner Light tire insert in the rear and it has completely transformed the bike into an absolute speed demon. I have been extremely impressed with the speed and grip of this tire combination - it's noticeably more efficient than the aforementioned 2.6s yet has a surprising amount of grip with the new Forekaster up front. Even though it's not as supple as the 2.6s, it's one of my favorite combinations I've experienced on this bike. It doesn't encourage me to take irresponsible lines as much as the 2.6 tires would and it requires a bit more precision, yet if you are willing and able to provide that precision, you are indeed rewarded.

One thing that caught me off guard in a great way was how well this bike can attack technical sections of trail. From fast, chunky sections to low speed tech, the El Jefe never ceases to amaze me. Part of this is certainly attributed to the slightly beefier rubber I've mostly been running or even the 130mm Fox 34 as opposed to the 120mm fork that typically comes stock. However, if you are trying to just have fun and aren't as worried about speed, I'd recommend setting it up with more voluminous tires for more smiles. I've been able to tackle rocky, technical black diamond descents with this bike in this configuration and would do it again anytime.

The way that hardtails bring you back to your basics is something that I especially appreciate about them. If I'm feeling off or if my form isn't on point, you'll be exposed and that's when things go badly. When dropping in to a challenging section of trail I can feel the bike reminding me to prepare my body position. It's like a refresher course on how you are supposed to ride a bike. You could ride a long and slack enduro sled down almost anything with poor form and get away with it, but a hardtail demands it's user's skills to be polished. If they aren't, it will help you hone those skills and will allow you to translate them to other bikes.

One thing that stands out about this bike and how it rides is simply how energetic it feels, yet with that subtly damped ride quality that titanium gives. When you pump over bumps or in and out of corners, you are rewarded handsomely with more speed and energy on the other side. It's hard to describe or quantify, but compared to a carbon hardtail it just feels more energetic and soulful, despite the slight amount of added weight. Compared to a bike like the Yeti ARC, it's not quite as spry on the climbs, yet when it comes to the descents it just has that je ne sais quoi and is exactly why I keep coming back to ride it all the time. 

Final Thoughts

All things considered, the Jefe is a bike that now that I've experienced it, it's hard to imagine life without it. It just scratches that particular itch that few other bikes can. From local loops to all day epics and bikepacking missions, this bike is down for it all and will surely look great doing it.