My test ride of an Enigma Evoke titanium road bike

One of the great things about working at Red Kite Cycles is getting to try out some really exceptional bikes. So I was delighted to be given the opportunity to take a titanium road bike – the Enigma Evoke – out for a ride out one sunny September evening. 

I have an Enigma of my own, the steel Elite HSS, so I’m familiar with their precision engineered, hand-built metal bikes. A small family business of bike aficionados, Enigma’s devotion to cycling heritage and to British craftmanship sets them miles apart from other brands. Their finishes and paint jobs are also stunning, and I’ve drooled over the artistry of their frame painters over the years. 

I’d not had the experience of riding an Evoke so I was eager to take one out for a spin to get a really in-depth experience. Evoke is Enigma’s fast endurance bike made for riding long distance on the roads. It’s famous for its precision handling and the unique smoothness only titanium can achieve.

I picked a familiar 33-mile route, a club ride that I’ve ridden literally hundreds of times over the years.  It’s a mixture of quiet country lanes, some of which were a bit muddy, taking in Hockley Heath, Lapworth, Packwood House and Lowsonford.  

My verdict? It’s one hell of a bike! It’s almost as though it floats, while at the same feeling really sure footed. I flew around the route 2 mph quicker than I usually do. Its geometry and wide tyres were truly confidence inspiring. I felt glued to the road.

The combination of the smooth titanium and 30mm tyres was a super smooth ride. It felt lively, zippy, responsive and it climbed really well. I was surprised to find myself passing a group ride going up a 14% hill. A particularly special feature was how silent it was, absolutely no clicking or creaking. Although its handling was definitely lively, it wasn’t the least bit twitchy. It was just fun, pure unsketchy fun!

Wanting to squeeze as much riding out of it as I could, I used it to commute to work the next day. I wasn’t as bashed around on the canal path as I usually am on my other bikes, it felt reassuringly stable. I reckon you could squeeze more than a 32 mm tyre on it if you wanted to add a bit of gravel to your road rides, but I may be being optimistic!

My evening ride was beautiful – the sun going down, cycling through countryside in the dusk – and on such a great looking bike, I couldn’t resist taking some pictures of the Evoke’s classic straight tubes and satin bead finish. The bike has timeless style that you know won’t ever go out of fashion.

In short: it’s a sure-footed and fast, magically smooth road bike. The only down side is  now I have to give it back!