2024 Mondraker

CRAFTY RACE

As the most successful bike in Mondraker’s substantial range of e-bikes, the new Crafty has big shoes to fill. ‘Don’t mess it up!’, or slightly stronger words to that effect, probably rang in the ears of the development team as they worked on updating this crucial model, then. But they had a pretty good starting point. Read our review of the Crafty Carbon R from the E-Bike of the Year test last summer and we pointed out some areas that could be improved. Such as the fully integrated battery that couldn’t be removed for charging. The lofty BB and lack of a flip-chip. And the high levels of anti-squat and mismatched suspension feel front to rear. Oh, and not forgetting the headset routed cables that made for sluggish shifting and a stiff lever action. Plainly the team at Mondraker has been doing its homework, because all of these areas have been addressed with the new design. Let’s get stuck into those changes, starting with one area we didn’t complain about – the Bosch Performance CX motor. Mondraker Crafty Carbon RR need to know Mondraker’s top-selling e-bike boasts 160/150mm travel and 29in wheels Fitted with the new Bosch Performance CX motor – no more rattle, better response, and new, lighter 800Wh battery Carbon front triangle with alloy swingarm on the RR model, although there are also full carbon models with the smaller 600Wh battery Reconfigured Zero suspension layout and revised kinematics (higher initial leverage rate and less anti-squat) Room for water bottle and a range extender Cables enter the frame via port in the head tube, not the headset Six specs and a frameset option from £5,799 XR build gets 170mm fork and coil shock Claimed complete bike weights from 21.1kg Motor and battery Bosch has been producing its flagship MTB motor – the Performance CX – for 10 years now, slowly improving its weight, power and response with every iteration. It even coined a new phrase to capture the terrain that was unlocked as the calibration became ever more sophisticated. ‘Uphill flow’ might not have the slick ring of an American marketing campaign, but it neatly encapsulates Bosch’s search for the ultimate control, rather than just chasing raw power. And this gen 5 Bosch Performance CX found in the new Crafty takes that to a new level Two new inertia sensors in the motor provide info on gradient and trail surface, which feeds into data about cadence, pedal pressure, and speed, to help meter out the 85Nm of torque and 600W peak power exactly when you want it. So while hot new systems like the DJI Avinox in the Amflow PL Carbon are grabbing the headlines on power and torque, Bosch has been knuckling down to the details, making sure you can deploy that power with fingertip (should that be toe-tip?) control. There have also been changes to the size, weight, and mounting pattern to make it easier for bike brands to package the motor around their suspension designs. Bosch …Continue reading »

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