CHASSIS

Having tried the large I swapped for the medium because at 5’ 10” regularly find myself in between sizes. The Dixon features adjustable geometry via an axis link, and although the bike arrived in the lower position it stayed that way as I saw no need to steepen things up by the stated half a degree. The ‘ZF44–56 standard’ front end features a tapered head tube with an internally mounted headset which gives you the option of running the front at a variety of heights. A burly 12mm x 142mm rear bolt–through axle (remember to pack an adjustable spanner) can be converted to a 135 QR back end through the purchase of a £40 kit.

The frame is hand–built in Canada and comes with a lifetime warranty (this doesn’t cover hardware or bearings) and features the Dave Weagle patented Split Pivot suspension platform. All very well engineered, the frame is solid in high stress areas and uses large bearings throughout for dependability. That said, after a few months the paintwork is starting to look a little beaten up already, but apparently the laws surrounding the use of paint in Canada prevent Devinci from providing a more bulletproof option and this can be taken care of using some well placed protective stickers. Tyre clearance is good up to 2.3”, but is said to be better on the 2012 models.

CLING ONS

Although the Dixon comes in three full build options we went for a bespoke build with the main priorities being a 1×10 drivetrain and a dropper post. We went for dependable and proven kit with longevity and reliability taking precedent over weight. ZTR Flow rims on Hope Pro II hubs. An e*thirteen LG1+ guide for a simple 1 x 10 set–up. Short 50mm Truvativ Holzfeller stem with some Funn Fatboy bars. Shimano SLX crankset, some Straitline flat pedals. Sram X9 shifter and derailleur. Some impressive Avid Elixir 5 brakes and not forgetting the equally notable RockShox Reverb adjustable post. The full build with pedals came in at just under the 30lb mark. The bike can be built up a lot lighter with the 2012 SL complete said to come in around the 26lb mark with pedals, but hell will it cost ya!