WE DIG
WE DON’T
ABOUT THE REVEL RITUAL
The Ritual is an evolution of Revel’s previous long-travel enduro mountain bike, the Rail. The Ritual also shares its DNA with the ReRun, the Bosch SX-powered SL eMTB that featured in our 2025 SL Shootout. There is 165mm of CBF suspension out back, with a 170mm fork up front. The bike is currently offered in 3 build variations, plus a frame-only option (heck yeah!). At this time, the frame is only available in Carbon fiber, but their direct-to-consumer pricing allows for a killer spec-to-spend ratio.
We had an hour-long chat with founder Adam Miller, going into all the details about the brand, its founding, the private equity changeover, and all that kind of fun stuff. Chris Canfield even joined us to dive into detail on the CBF suspension platform. If you’re interested, go ahead and check that podcast out HERE.
FRAME DETAILS | Revel brings their signature carbon know-how to the Ritual, and honestly, it looks great. The frame has the high-quality finish we’ve come to expect from Revel Bikes. The attention to detail really stands out.
Cable routing is all done through tidy tube-in-tube tunnels, so it’s quiet on the trail and super easy to work on later. You’ve got solid protection across the downtube, which wraps around the bottom bracket. There is extra coverage on the driveside chainstay – both top and bottom – to keep chain noise to a minimum. Inside the downtube, there are mounts for a water bottle, and second set are under the top tube if you want to run a tool mount or small bag.
There’s no flip chip or adjustable geometry on the Ritual: it’s a set-it-and-send-it kind of design, which keeps things simple and dialed. Lastly, the Ritual is the first Revel bike to feature in-frame storage. The storage door has a large lever to actuate the mechanism, and has more than enough room for a tube, tools, and some snack bars.
As a bonus, the frame is approved for use with a Dual Crown fork, so long as the axle-to-crown measurement does not exceed 596mm. Did someone say park laps?
SUSPENSION DETAILS | The 165mm of rear travel is provided by the Canfield Balanced Formula suspension system, referred to as CBF for the remainder of this article. This suspension system was designed and created by Chris Canfield, and offers some unique properties.
The CBF platform operates around the principle of the “Center of Curvature”. The Center of Curvature is the point the rear wheel is pivoting around, and it stays the same throughout the entire range of the rear shocks’ travel with the CBF design. The Canfield Brothers stumbled upon the importance of the Center of Curvature after years of designing big hitting, rampage-ready bikes. In most multi-link bikes, the center of curvature changes location in wild ways as the rear wheel moves through travel, sometimes over an area as large as several square feet when expanded out. The CBF suspension platform eliminates this, keeping the center of curvature locked in the same location.
The CBF platform on the Ritual has two short links connecting the front triangle to the one-piece rear triangle. A 17.5 % progression ratio reads on the low side, but the Ritual proved to have plenty of support at the end of the stroke. Revel approves the Ritual frame to be used with a coil shock, if that’s your preference.
The links are CNC’d out of aluminum, with the bearings set and pressed into the link itself. On the Rail, the bearings were set on the frame, and this change allowed Revel to increase the frame’s rigidity, increase bearing life, and ease the serviceability of the pivot bearings.
GEOMETRY | The Ritual is offered in sizes Small through Extra Large. Sizes Small and Medium get a dedicated MX/Mullet (27.5”) wheel setup, while the Large and Extra Large are built with a full 29” wheel. At 6’1” tall, I went for the size large, which sports a 480mm reach, 635mm stack, 438mm chain stays, and a 77º seat tube angle. Chainstays are size-specific, with minor increases across the size range. All bikes have a 64º head tube angle, which delivers 136mm trail.
BUILD KITS | At the time of writing this article, there are three different build levels for complete bikes, and a frame-only option for those looking to build the Ritual from the ground up. Pricing starts at $5,499 for the Eagle 90 kit (currently on sale for $4,124), and tops out at $10,299 for the XX kit (on sale for $7,724). Our test bike was the mid-level XO build, coming in at $7,299 RRP, but currently available on sale for an impressive $5,474.
Our XO build features top-spec RockShox Ultimate suspension front and rear, Carbon Crankbrother Synthesis Enduro wheels, SRAM Maven Silver brakes, Raceface Carbon Era Bars, and a Bike Yoke dropper post. Even at full MSRP, this is a very respectable build for the price, let alone at the sale price. The only thing left to be desired on this build was the EXO+ casing Maxxis tires. With the aggressive intentions of the Revel Ritual, we would have liked to see Double Down casings fitted, in the back at minimum. Thankfully, it seems as if Rituals purchased now will come with more appropriate Continental Kryptotal Enduro tires.
Revel offers a 30-day money back guarantee on their bikes, and a lifetime warranty for the original owner. There’s even a lifetime crash replacement policy, which is awesome to see.
THE DIRT
CLIMBING | To help describe the sensation of climbing the Revel Ritual, you could search the bike dictionary for all the cliché terms. Seated in the saddle with that CBF suspension platform below you, the performance was nothing short of remarkable. The balance it found between grip and support was impressive, especially when standing up and sprinting. The lack of wallowing into the mid stroke meant the bike had a stellar amount of forward drive. There was absolutely no need for a climb switch on the Ritual; it seemed as if there was almost no power lost when hard on the pedals.
It was only when experimenting with running the shock at 26-27% sag that it could feel a little bit harsh across small chatter rocks and roots occasionally. However, it was a very small percentage of time that was in existence. I settled on running the Revel Ritual at about 32% sag for the majority of the test, which netted great small-bump sensitivity and ample traction, while relying on the shock’s Hydraulic Bottom Out and a volume reducer to manage the end of the stroke on the descents. I valued the increased traction and comfort that the 32% sag figure gave me over the outright support of lesser sag settings. Even with the DH casing Schwalbe Magic Mary tires both front and rear, I was not afraid to spend some big days in the saddle.
Climbing is definitely the means to an end to get down the trail in my world. But the Revel Ritual climbed well above what the 165mm travel on the spec sheet says. The feeling out of the CBF platform on the Ritual had me feeling as if I was on a 130mm trail bike, not a bike capable of tackling any rugged enduro descent or bike park run you could throw at it.
Initially, the bars were a bit too low for my preferences, with more pressure on my hands than I would like when climbing seated. I opted to increase the bar height from 20mm to 40mm, to obtain a more upright climbing position. After a few rides, I ended up pulling a stem spacer, bringing me to roughly 10mm taller than the maximum stock setup. This found a better balance of corner confidence on the descents, with a touch less pressure on the hands on the way up. The 77º Effective Seat Tube Angle was slacker than advertised at my tall saddle height thanks to the 70.2º actual angle. Riders with “normal length” legs should not fret, it’s just that my legs are quite a bit longer than the average rider, sporting a 36.3” inseam. I pedal fairly flat-footed, further increasing my ending saddle height. With the seat fully slammed forward, I was able to find a comfortable position for big pedal days.
The overall weight of this bike begged me to go on longer rides. At 33.36lbs/15.13kg with the stock EXO+ tire casings, it was impressive for a bike in this travel class. Combined with the support from the CBF suspension platform, the Ritual was a highly efficient enduro bike, and a joy to go uphill in all sorts of climbing conditions.
DECENDING | The Revel Ritual was such a joy to get airborne. Thanks to the CBF system, there was a stellar platform to push off on the lips. Combined with excellent composure deep in the travel and a soft bottom out – if you can find it – I found myself eager to send it deep on the Ritual.
That feeling of support and speed on the climb somehow transitioned into a plush, almost bottomless feeling when pointed downhill. The Ritual erased all the big hits extremely well, with a fluttery and active mid-stroke. The top end of the stroke had an ample amount of platform, which begged to be pressed into and to pull for gaps. Running under 30% sag created some underfoot feedback on higher-speed chatter, which led to my 32% sag sweet spot. In the podcast with the guys from Revel, they mentioned running the Ritual up to 35% if you are after the most small-bump compliance possible.
Cornering the Ritual, it reacted quickly thanks to the short 438mm chain stays. However it came at a compromise, and getting used to the weight distribution needed to maximise traction took some time. The short chain stays put more weight bias towards the back of the bike, causing the front end to feel a bit light, especially on mild grade flat corners. Once my cockpit was dialed in and I was more used to what the bike wanted across a variety of trail types, my confidence came back. The lower you run your bars, the more connected to the bike in the corners you will likely feel. Finding this balance took 5 or so rides to perfect, but once that sweet spot was found, no further changes were necessary.
Where the Ritual did not shine the brightest was in high-speed sections of trail with awkward compressions. The 438mm chain stays reduced the stability of the bike at speed, causing my confidence to falter at times. While this may not be an “extreme” issue depending on your terrain, it was worth mentioning. When riding at the edge of my skill level, there was not a ton of room for error. If you are after outright stability at speed, there are better options on the market. However, with longer chainstays, you would lose some of that agility that makes the Ritual so fun across many types of trails. The Ritual would not be my “racers” pick, but it offered a high level of fun factor, and still held its own on most trails.
The Ritual is not a bike that needs to be pointed down the hardest trails possible to have a good time. I feel that Revel has done a wonderful job at balancing many aspects of all mountain and enduro mountain biking in this big-travel bike. It took big hits in its stride and it went fast; and it was plush with a very unique suspension feel. But on the flip side, when going out for a casual ride, it never felt overly lethargic. In our SL E-Bike shootout, Drew said that the CBF platform on the ReRun might just be his favorite suspension platform. That’s quite the compliment from a man who is usually more reserved with his praise.
FINISH AND VALUE | While the Revel Ritual may be amongst the most competitively priced bikes on the market, it did not fall short in overall fit and finish quality. The Ritual’s paint looked great and held up exceptionally well, with just a little bit of heel rub on the brake-side chainstay due to my cleat position. The only bolt that came loose on the bike was the bolt joining the rear shock to the yoke. Once torqued back to spec, it remained tight for the rest of the time we had the bike in our hands.
The fully guided cable routing not only remained quiet, but also made for headache-free maintenance on the brakes and dropper. Overall, there was very little noise from the Ritual on descents, giving a feeling of high quality. The Bike Yoke Revive was a pleasure to use, with one of the smoothest-feeling actuations and high quality throughout. On one of my last rides, I performed the trail-side purge to remove some slack that developed at maximum extension, and it fixed the issue effectively.
One thing I didn’t love was the cable routing, which comes out under the bottom bracket, leaving it somewhat exposed. This was never an issue or thought I had while out riding, but we would love to see the cables protected better. There is the off chance that you could snag one on an oddly shaped root protruding from the trail, but I think you have a higher chance of qualifying for Rampage than that taking place.
Lastly, Revel’s customer service appears to be excellent. You can call Revel with the number listed on their website, and get in touch with a real person. There is something to be said about being able to call the brand and get in touch with a human instead of a robot. They are also really active on social media, so if you shoot them a message, there is a high chance someone will get back to you there. This is something that’s really refreshing to see in this day and age, and makes you feel as if they will have your back should any issues arise. With a lifetime warranty combined with solid customer service, the Ritual feels like a safe purchase, so long as they can keep the company finances in a good space.
HOW DOES IT COMPARE
VS Pivot Firebird
Another long-travel enduro bike I spent a ton of time on this past year was the Pivot Firebird. Both bikes have 165mm out back and a 170mm fork, and both are intended to ride similarly gnarly trails and pedal back up the hill efficiently.
The Firebird offered more of an “in the bike feel”, where my feet felt below the bottom bracket. That’s not to say the Ritual felt tall, but it was amplified on the Firebird. On paper, both bottom bracket height, bottom bracket drop, and headtube angle were nearly identical, so this feeling is purely based on the dynamic ride height that each bike provided.
The Firebird wins on adjustability, providing the option for short and long chainstay positions, Hi/Low geometry, and a Linear/Progressive shock setting. With the Firebird in the short chainstay position, it was very similar to the Ritual in terms of wheelbase and rear center. But the Firebird offered a considerable increase in suspension progression, and the ability to increase stability for faster trails.
The suspension feel was very different between the two bikes. The Firebird’s DW-Link climbed well, but the CBF system on the Revel Ritual was much snappier and firmer under power. The Ritual was also a more agile and playful bike than the Firebird, offering increased fun on tighter flow trails and jump lines. For everyday rides, they were close competitors, with the Ritual being more well-rounded on less aggressive terrain.
When it comes to value and build kits, the Revel offered a significant improvement of spec for the price tag. There’s just no denying that this is a great value for the build kit you are getting.
The Wolf’s Last Word
The Ritual does not require big dedicated jump trails or gnarly double black tech to feel alive. This long travel enduro bike was equally happy on blue flow trails as gnarlier enduro runs, and climbed amongst the best in the category. The top-end support from the CBF system breathes new life into more mellow terrain, while being able to switch gears and party through some seriously challenging terrain. Tack on an epic build kit for the price, and there is little chance of going wrong with the Revel Ritual. 
Price: $4,124 – $7,724 (sale price range)
Website: Revelbikes.com
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ABOUT THE WOLF
Cole’s den is in Spokane WA, where he relocated a few years back. Growing up in the lush, loamy playgrounds of the PNW, his soul is forever tied to steep, rooty descents and that unmistakable squish of perfect dirt. After 19 years of shredding, Cole’s been on every kind of rig out there. Once a die-hard fan of big travel bikes, he’s now on a quest for the mythical short-travel do-it-all machine. And yes, skids may be for kids, but this middle-aged manchild is here to prove they’re also for anyone who loves having a damn good time.
Rank: Professional Amateur
Size: 6’1” / 185cm | 170lbs / 77kg
Social: @adventuresbycole
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