Sonder Evol

[2ky]

Does anyone have an experience with Sonder bikes, especially the Evol?

Local store has one for sale with the following kit just under £2000, any thoughts about the spec?:

RockShox Lyrik fork
Rear Shock: Rockshox Deluxe Select+ RT, 210x55mm
SRAM SX Eagle 12-speed
Sonder Nova 29" wheelset

Thanks

[anonymous-user]

Good spec sheet, Alpkit are a good bunch and don’t seem the sort to flog stuff they wouldn’t use themselves so if it fits it’s a great bike for the money

[2ky]

Popped in to Alpkit yesterday to have a look and it seems like good value.

The basic EVOL has a dropper post and Rockshox 35 silver R forks (I think they're low spec?), The EVOL I have my eye on is identical but I doesn't have a dropper post and they've fitted a Rockshox Lyric fork.

I'm paying £100 more than the basic EVOL but getting the Lyric fork and no dropper post.

The SX drivetrain doesn't have the best reviews but I'm coming from an old bottom of the range Cannondale SL4 with 26" wheels so anything is an improvement!

Really not sure whether to go for it or chip in a tiny bit more to get a basic Trek, Giant etc. But I probably wouldn6t get as good kit.

Any advice?

[fredd1e]

I'd avoid the 35R fork If its the one with Steel fork legs as its blooming heavy and not the best damping, so will /could be an expensive parts swap later. SX kit can be swapped later when it (soon?) breaks /wears out. The SX RD is likely to snap as soon as it brushes something approaching solid & if there are replacement freehubs (XD/Microspline) from the hub maker/sonder allowing a swap to better quality SRAM or Shimano Cassettes. The other key item to consider is availability. Seems the Sonder is available now? is that a factor in your choice?

[2ky]

Yes the Sonder is available now but theres only one! I'm in no rush, I mainly ride road bikes but fancy a change, especially as the roads are so busy near me (Around Snowdonia) are crazy at the moment and I have some good places to ride.

The 35 forks on the basic Evol seemed a bit basic but the bike I've seen with the Lyric fork (which after a quick Google costs around £600?) seemed like a good bike to start with and as you say possibly upgrade the SRAM stuff as and when it breaks.

I know a bit about road bikes and groupsets etc. but I'm lost with all the MTB kit available!

[2ky]

Messaged Alpkit to see if changing the groupset was an option on the bike I was interested in as it sounds like the SRAM SX groupset is awful, unfortunately they're unable to change the groupset as the bike is an ex demo (doesn't look like it was ever used) and they're selling them as they are.

Did a bit of research today about the cycle to work scheme and with the £3000 limit we have at work I could get and Evol XT which has a slightly lower spec fork (Rockshox Yari Vs Lyric) but everything else is better than the Ex-demo I was originally interested in, best of all it's about £7(!) more with the substantial saving using the C2W scheme!

I always assumed the C2W scheme was too good to be true and I'm still a bit sceptical but it seems like a great deal!

[2ky]

Managed to arrange a test ride on the Sonder Evol and a Cortex around the Marin trail.

I was told the Cortex was an ex demo bike used for a magazine shoot, it has the usual Cortex XT kit (XT groupset ETC.) but it also has an upgraded fork (Cane Creek Helm MK2 air fork). To be honest this wasn't the bike I was originally interested in but it really surprised me, it climbed well, managed on the trails and inspired confidence. The forks felt great, sssoooo smooth!

Next I took the Evol out and after the Cortex it felt heavy and slow but it just rolled over everything, not very exciting but capable of going anywhere. It was a weird build as it has a Lyrik fork, SRAM SX groupset, cheaper own brand wheelset and no dropper post. The front tyre was a knobbly Good year tyre, looked like it was a wet mud tyre rather than dusty trail tyre and I lost the front on one corner. I did one of the bigger jumps and it felt good but everywhere else it was a bit disappointing, maybe a bit too capable and even boring?

I've been offered the ex demo Cortex for around £900 less than a new bike with same kit(including the Helm fork). I was originally going to buy one with the C2W scheme but I could only get it with the Deore groupset and Rockshox pike fork but it would be slightly less than the XT.

[Hugo Stiglitz]

That's depressing what 2k gets you nowadays. It's a bargain basement looking frame designed by on one ex designer?

[wullie_t25]

3 of my bikes ran SRAM and are fine, 2 x SX and 1 x NX.

I upgraded 2 of them to GX (£130 for derailleur) and are much better, swapped the NX on to an SX bike. The biggest issue with the SX is no clutch, so rattles about in the rough, compared to NX/GX.

Dropper post, I have Brand X on my bikes, £110-130 and works fine.

The front end washing out, could this have been tyre pressures? I have 2.8s on my main bike and have been using it mainly on pavement following the wee one about on his balance bike with 40psi, done a few trials last week and didn't drop the pressures and it was all over the place, dropped to 25psi and it was great again.