Revel Ritual Long Travel Enduro Review: Playful Or Pure Plow? [Video]

Words by: Trevor Mejia

Intro

Back in April 2025, Revel launched a new long travel enduro bike, the Ritual. The idea of this bike is that it is now the newer, bigger brother enduro bike of the Colorado brand, replacing and reviving the Rail 29 that got so many enthusiasts to fall in love with CBF. Revel has been through a lot since that initial release, from VC financial troubles and shutting down, to the original CEO and our good friend Adam rebuying the company and taking matters into his own hands, bringing Revel back to its humble roots. They sent us this bike back in September and I was able to bring it on a trip for 3 abusive days in the Whistler Bike park, running everything from jump lines to single black and double black tech, trying to see where it shines and where it starts to feel out of its comfort zone. If you are wondering whether the Revel Ritual is a one bike solution for park laps, shuttle days, and enduro rides, keep reading for more info below.

Frame

Revel has always had a long travel option in the lineup. The Rail started as a 27.5 bike which modernized into the Rail 29. Those bikes helped establish the Canfield Balance Formula suspension layout as the core of the brand, with a reputation for efficient pedaling and composed descending. 

The Ritual is the next step. Rear travel goes to 165mm, paired with a 170mm fork. Geometry gets longer and slacker than the Rail 29, frame storage has been added and the linkage gets an update. The suspension bearings now sit in machined alloy links rather than in the frame, giving tighter tolerances, a stiffer structure and longer bearing life. It is now much easier and safer on the frame to swap bearings which is good news for home and shop mechanics! Along with the frame storage is the addition of an externally mounted accessory mount. Frame protection was also updated, with a thick downtube guard and thick chainstay protection. All of these small updates are much welcomed compared to the prior models that were lacking a bit in that department. 

S and M sizes come as a mullet setup while L and XL get a full 29 wheelset. As a part of their Ratio fit philosophy, riders will get very similar ride characteristics out their appropriate sized frames because of size specific chainstays and kinematics. 

Specs: 

• 165mm rear 170mm front travel

• Carbon Frame

• MX wheel size S&M / 29” Wheels L & XL

• Shock Size: 230x65 

• Colors: Quantum Race / Dark Matter 

• Buildkits: Basecamp, Treeline, Summit (Tested) 

• Frame storage / accessory mount 

• Internal routing tube & tube 

• UDH compatible 

Geo

I was aboard a size large which felt just right for me, coming in at 6’1. The important numbers for me came to the reach at 480mm, chainstay length at 438mm, effective seat tube angle at 7 degrees, and the headtube angle at 64 degrees. Size specific chainstays go from 434mm on a small to 441mm on XL which is how Revel keeps their weight balance similar across the size range. 

On trail, the large felt appropriate. The reach provided plenty of room without forcing me into a cramped or stretched position which proved important at the Whistler Bike Park. The rear end felt short, relative to other big travel enduro bikes which made itself known in corners and on jumps. 

Test Setup

Whistler is about as good a test as you can give a long travel enduro bike without rolling into a World Cup track, although Whistler has that too.. Over 3 days I rode a mix of pro line jump trails like A-Line, D1 and Dirt Merchant as well as fast and rough single black to tech double black trails that are scattered all over the bike park. Admittedly there is not a lot of climbing being done in the bike park other than pedaling from chairlift to trail entrance but it was enough to get a general feel of how it would perform. More importantly I wanted to know how the bike would fair after some proper days and some serious vert descended being put down.

The setup was pretty straight forward. I set the Vivid Air shock at 30% sag and the ZEB fork a little less, running stiffer than what they recommend. I swapped out the bar, stem and grips to what I know in some Trail One Components. For reference I was running a 20mm Crockett Carbon Bar cut down to 760mm with a 40mm Rockville Stem and hellsgate grips.  For brakes, the bike came with Mavens but they had organic pads so those were changed to sintered metallic before the bike was ridden and the brakes were bedded in. I also swapped out the wheels to a TrailOne Shed wheelset and tires to Maxxis DH casing. Little things like this keep bike testing consistent across the board, eliminating variables that could alter how I feel about the frame itself. The large frame comes with a 170mm dropper post, and with a long inseam, I could easily run a 200mm or longer, but I just slammed the post and it worked out great for the bike park. 

Pedaling

The steep seat tube angle combined with a relatively shorter rear center puts you in a comfortable spot for seated efforts. You feel centered between the wheels rather than hanging off the back. On flatter connectors the bike rolls along easily without needing a firm compression setting or lockout. CBF has always been known for a good mix of traction and support under power, and the Ritual continues that theme. Even with big volume tires and a heavy duty build the bike does not feel like a wallowy couch when you spin up short climbs or push across rolling terrain. You can feel that it is a big travel bike and it will never be confused with a light trail machine, but for the travel and intent it pedals very well. If your normal rides involve long fire road hauls followed by one huge descent, or punchy technical climbs laced into the loop, the Ritual will handle that without making you regret your life choices. Just keep in mind that you are on a bike that prioritizes downhill performance first and pedaling efficiency second.

Descending

From the first lap the bike felt easy to understand. After a warm up run down 'Crank It Up' I was already comfortable pushing into lips and throwing the bike sideways. There was no awkward “getting used to” period where I was guessing how it would react. The reach on the large felt spot on once the speeds came up. The front wheel stayed where I wanted it on steeper sections without feeling like I was hanging over the front axle, and I never felt trapped in the cockpit. A lot of big travel enduro bikes have become so long and slack that they mainly want to smash straight lines. They are amazing when the trail is wide open and rough, but they can feel lazy and dull anywhere else. The Ritual lands in a more balanced place. There is enough wheelbase and slackness to keep things calm when it gets fast and rough, but the shorter rear end and supportive suspension keep it lively. On jump trails the bike pops easily and is happy to whip. It is not the kind of enduro bike that feels like tossing a downhill race sled around. Support in the midstroke lets you pump through rollers and push out of berms instead of simply sinking deep into the travel. The bike rewards an active, playful riding style.

One of the nicest traits of the Ritual was how easy it was to change lines. On rough black and double black tech you are constantly avoiding square edges, holes, and awkward roots. Some long travel bikes with very long rear ends make it hard to adjust once you have committed. On the Ritual it was easy to set up high, change line mid section, and drop back into the rut you actually wanted. The rear wheel was willing to step out just enough when I asked it to, which made backing it into corners and sliding through loose turns feel natural rather than sketchy.The suspension feels supportive but still sensitive enough to take the sting out of smaller chatter and brake bumps. I never felt like I was blowing through travel unintentionally, and there was enough progression in the last part of the stroke to deal with harder hits and over jumps.

In the roughest parts of Whistler a true downhill bike still has the edge. Extra travel and even more relaxed geometry will always buy you a bit more margin. The Ritual occasionally felt like a very sharp knife at a gunfight on the most violent sections. Our laps started chill until we were accompanied by some top level pro riders on downhill bikes that pushed the pace and limits of my bike and rider! Going that extra level is where I found the limit of what was possible. This is not how I ride normally however so I was fine pushing myself for a few laps everyday. For riders who want one bike to bring to Whistler a few times a year but also ride at home, that trade off makes sense. You get a bike that feels stable enough in the park yet does not feel like a boat anchor on normal trails.

Component and Frame Performance

The stock spec is clearly thought through by people who ride and are enthusiasts of the sport. The SRAM components across the board were a highlight. I was seriously impressed by the Maven Silver brakes with 200mm centerline rotors front and rear. Paired with sintered metallic pads, the proved to be enough power and modulation for Whistler which cannot be understated enough. SRAM transmission was flawless and quiet. The chain stayed on and shifting was consistent the whole time. Not much more to report there. I felt dialed in with the TrailOne cockpit. Whistler was the ultimate test for the TrailOne shed wheels which I was still testing and I wouldn’t have wanted any other tires but Maxxis DH Assegai and DHR2. The rockshocks suspension worked so well. It was quiet and so easy to set up. All that was needed to was add a bit of compression as the speeds started to get higher and change the rebound to remain comfortable jumping and over rough terrain. My main nitpick was dropper length but because I had it all the way slammed it was not a big deal. 

Whistler is not gentle on bikes. Three days of laps are enough to expose a lot of creaks and loose hardware if the design and build quality is not dialed. The Ritual stayed impressively quiet No linkage play, creaks or door rattle. The new pivot system with the bearings in the links proved to be a great solution and doing its job. Frame protection is well thought out with the chainstay protection keeping drivetrain noises at bay and staying secure on the bike while the downtube protection added some insurance in some loose rocky terrain. 

Who is this bike for? Final Thoughts

The Revel Ritual is for riders who live on the more aggressive side of mountain biking and want one bike that can handle almost all of it.

It makes the most sense if

• Your local riding includes proper descents, not just mellow singletrack

• You take regular trips to bike parks or shuttle spots

• You want a bike that is playful and lively rather than a pure plow machine

• You still value decent pedaling manners because you actually ride to the top sometimes

If your normal rides are long days with mellow trails and big climbs, something like a shorter travel trail bike will probably feel better. On the other hand, if you only ride lifts and never pedal, a dedicated downhill bike is still the ultimate choice. For the large group of riders in between those extremes, the Ritual is a compelling option. It is capable enough for serious tracks, fun enough to keep you smiling on jump lines, and efficient enough to survive big pedal days.

Revel set out to build a modern long travel enduro bike that stays true to the CBF DNA but adds more capability, modern features, and durability. After three days in Whistler bike park, the Ritual feels like a successful evolution. It climbs well for its travel, descends with a rare blend of stability and playfulness, and the frame details show that Revel listened to what riders have been asking for. The new linkage, in frame storage, size specific geometry, and smart build kits all add up to a bike that feels very considered. If you want a big travel bike that loves bike parks and steep trails but does not feel dead on normal rides, the Revel Ritual should be on your short list.