Mondraker Dune Carbon 2024

There is no better place to introduce a new Mondraker Dune than on a real sand dune.
For the spectacular press photos, with which the former full-throttle enduro bike re-emerges after a four-year catalog hiatus as a light E-enduro, the distant planet Dune... uh, Morocco, was recommended. However, for a launch camp, this would have been a wholly unsuitable spot on Earth. How would House Mondraker have looked, had it thrown an unsuspecting throng of journalists to the sandworms for devouring?

So off to Portugal! Because not far from Lisbon, in the picturesque Cascais, there is an equally magical place: a hotel right on the beach, and right behind it, a mighty sand dune rises.
But what really topped off the location of the press event was the lush green hills of Sintra with their colorful flowers and the spicy scent of Portugal – or was it the scent of Spice? Along its slopes, the legendary Sintra Trails snake towards the sea. And they offer everything a biker's heart desires.

Nearly 20 media representatives from near and far were invited by Mondraker to come, not to expose them to a hallucinogenic drug; but to indulge in the intoxicating effects of speed and flow on the "Superenduro-Light-E-Bike". And although a significant portion of the euphoria that overcame us came from an electrical outlet: it's not just electricity that makes the new bike an ideal harvester for the trails of the world.
What a place, and what a bike, this new Mondraker Dune!

So proud are the Spaniards - the sparkle in their eyes revealed it, always, when its name was mentioned - of the completely new, different Dune: In the obligatory product presentation, they were refreshingly terse.
Instead of bombarding us with bold claims and complex discussions about curves, Mondraker's developers unanimously suggested: "Go ride it and have fun!" All the more noticeable was that during the succinct lecture, one word was repeated several times - that of trust, which the Neat's already second Light-E-Bike from Alicante is supposed to convey.
Beyond that, only the most essential numbers and facts were mentioned, such as:

Geometry

Fundamentally, the bike adheres to the principles of Forward Geometry originally established by Mondraker as groundbreaking, whereby the reach should be long for stability, the head angle flat for downhill performance, and the seat angle steep for efficient climbing nonetheless.
The Mullet setup is noticeable, meaning: a 27.5" rear wheel and a 29" large front wheel. A 29" rear wheel is not planned because, according to Mondraker, the MX equipment has proven to be the best choice during the many test rides.

The chainstays are consistently 445 mm long across all four available sizes and allow for up to 2.6" wide tires. The travel of the installed dropper ranges from 125 mm (size S) to 200 mm (size XL).
The head angles are very fitting for a purebred enduro bike at 64° (for models with a 170 mm fork) or 63.6° (for the XR with 180 mm of travel). The effective seat angle is 77.1 or 77.5 degrees, which guarantees a central seating position for good uphill riding.

Regarding the design: The clear lines, emphasized edges, and the characteristic window behind the head tube leave no doubt that this bike is a Mondraker. The color accents of the top model reflect the color of the desert.
Compared to the Fullpower models Level and Crafty, the Dune appears significantly slimmer, more straightforward, and less bulky. It's no coincidence that the Spaniards have borrowed heavily from the Neat Light-All Mountain, which was introduced in 2023 with TQ power, for the new E-Enduro.

In keeping with the clean look of the Boost frame with 165 mm travel, UDH rear derailleur hanger standard, and post mount brake fitting, the cables run through the head set into the interior of the frame.
Externally, all sorts of rubber and plastic protect the chassis, which is completely made of carbon up to the rocker, and its parts. Particularly striking is the nearly circumferential chainstay protector. Two small mudguards on the rear triangle protect the shock from harsh environmental influences, while a bash guard covers the motor.
Underneath the top tube hides a Fidlock mount, which can be used to mount an additional bottle holder, for example.

In the rear suspension, a revised version of the Zero Suspension Design is at work, which will adorn other Mondraker models in the future.
With the new shock linkage, not only has the bike's center of gravity moved further down. The new design is also more compact and therefore lighter than before.

The kinematics have also been fine-tuned. The rear suspension should now be more sensitive at the beginning of its travel and provide good support for big hits. Moreover, the Dune is also meant to be efficient and dynamic to pedal.
It should be mentioned in advance about the riding impressions: The concept really works well in practice.

All of this is made possible by the current generation of shock absorbers - by the way, in the future they plan to use an installation size of 205 mm instead of the previously used 185 mm - and their meticulous tuning. They claim to have worked with Öhlins for ten months on the perfect setup for the flagship model. But even with the entry-level model and its Fox suspension system, it's not chance that's at work, but an individually tuned mix.

Speaking of flagship and entry-level: There will be three equipment packages and a frame set available, with the base being formed by the same Stealth Air carbon frame throughout. In the top model, however, as already mentioned, this will be combined with a 180-mm fork, while the others will have 170-mm forks.
What all the complete bikes share are the Maxxis tires (Assegai 29x2.5” WT EXO+/Minion DHR II 27.5x2.4” WT DD) on 30 mm wide hookless wheels from e*thirteen's Grappler series and the Fizik Terra Aidon Slim X5 saddle. At the cockpit (Krypton Alu or Carbon) and in two out of three cases also on the dropper (Pija), the logo of Mondraker's component label Onoff is prominently displayed. And braking is consistently done with 200-mm rotors and 4-piston brakes from Sram (Code Ultimate or Bronze, DB8).

The lineup starts with the silver-red Dune R at 7,999 euros. As the only model, this one comes with a Fox suspension system (38 Float 3P Perf. Grip/Float X Perf. EVOL). Shifting is handled by a mix of Sram GX and NX. E.13 contributes an E*Spec Plus crankset and Grappler Core wheels.
The Dune RR at €9,499, in stylish gray-bronze, already features prestigious Öhlins springs (RXF 38 M.2/TTX Air), and for wheels, there's an upgrade to Grappler Race, with electronic gear shifting (Sram GX).
The Dune XR finally switches to carbon for handlebars, wheels, and crankset (Onoff Krypton, E.13 Grappler Race, E.13 TRS Race) and to a coil spring for the shock absorber (Öhlins TTX22M.2) – which, in combination with the 180-mm fork (also Öhlins RXF 38 M.2), highlights its hardcore orientation. Paired with AXS functionality for the gears (X0 Eagle) and dropper post (RockShox Reverb Stealth), the result is an RRP of €11,999.

The Frameset not only shares the coil shock with the top model but also the new, chic color "Mars" in the Mondraker universe. Including an Acros headset and OnOff stem, the DIY base comes to 6,799 euros.

What immediately stands out upon first sitting on the bike is this feeling of, let's call it, security.
The Dune feels as if one has been riding it for years. No initial strangeness, no special adjustment needed. You can simply start riding and have fun, just as the development team recommends.
Often, e-bikes in this suspension travel category feel sluggish and heavy. Not so with the Dune. Its mere weight of just under 20 kg, along with the balanced weight distribution, which is also positive when carrying or lifting the bike because it is neither front- nor rear-heavy, is more reminiscent of a normal bike. This makes switching between an e-bike and a push-bike particularly easy - just to my liking!

The new Bosch SX drive system contributes to the bike's very "natural" feel. Only the subtle sound of the small, yet fine motor reminds one that they are indeed sitting on an e-bike.
The power and performance of the compact helper will be sufficient for most; its riding characteristics fit very well with the character of the Dune. But more on that later.
For now, we want to focus on the bike itself.

Dune Carbon XR

The Dune XR was tested, which is the top model with carbon all over and the suspension layout for rough terrain: coil shock in the rear, 180 mm in the front. And although the test rides were my first trail days this year, the suspension travel was not just once fully utilized down to the last millimeter.
Fast flow trails, tight paths on loose ground, rocky terrain, and hard enduro lines... the terrain around Sintra left nothing to be desired in terms of trail riding. And the Dune? Likewise. You simply can't find any obvious weaknesses!

The bike instantly gives you confidence, including a big grin on your face. No matter what you throw in the way of the rolling sandpile: It handles it and delivers pure riding fun.
High speed, big jumps and drops, rocky sections, tight turns – the Dune shines in practically each of these situations.
Even at the parking lot in front of the hotel, it was noticeably easy to balance and very easy to ride hands-free. Over stone steps, this results in a very secure feeling of control, it can be steered precisely over tight and high rock steps, it does not know the word 'tippy'.
It's strikingly easy to lean the Mondraker into a turn. Too active turning of the hips is not necessary.

Through scree fields, choosing a direct line is made easy thanks to the stable and calm front end. Even if the trail throws rough stones in your way: The Dune finds its way straight through and conveys full control.
The suspension is so accommodating that you can let it run without any concern for losses. Despite the abundance of carbon, the test bike also does not feel harsh or uncomfortable.
Uphill, there is no annoying bobbing even with the shock open, and thanks to the steep seat angle, pedaling is very comfortable. The damping works perfectly. The Mullet setup also integrates harmoniously into the overall concept.

A few more words about the Öhlins suspension: It feels very solid and has a fine response. The fork is sensitive but not hypersensitive and provides good feedback from the terrain.
In the middle of the suspension travel, the RXF 38 remains stable, which gives one a good feeling in fast corners and over steps. The fork absorbs large impacts really well, making seemingly hard landings reduce to a purely visual impression.

The setup could hardly have been better. Here, thanks are due to the diligent mechanics from Mondraker. Especially since I would have been almost overwhelmed by the countless adjustment options on the shock and fork had it not been a good fit.

The TTX22M.2 shock in the rear performed just as well thanks to the appropriate spring stiffness and also fits perfectly with the design of the bike visually.
Pedaling while seated worked excellently thanks to the outstanding rear suspension, it felt efficient and smooth. But even when standing, although the suspension visibly compressed, there was no annoying bobbing while pedaling.
However, what was noticed: The rear wheel occasionally got a bit hung up on stones or roots. However, this could be due to several factors, would need to be tested more extensively, and should not tarnish the more than positive overall impression of the Dune at this point. Especially since the Mondraker was really impressive in all other situations, especially on hard landings.
Long story short: One can only tip their hat to this bike! Or as the Mondraker engineers mentioned during the product presentation: Confidence, it is omnipresent on the new Dune.

A lot of development time has been invested in the software to further improve rideability and battery management. With regular updates, which can easily be done via smartphone, one can look forward to a bit more additional performance in the future.
Some noise from the motor has to be accepted, but smaller (and differently constructed, sealed, etc.) in this case also means quieter, especially since the noise level in the Mondraker generally remains low.

A great feature is the intercompatibility between all Bosch products and displays. If someone doesn't like the standard Bosch Kiox 500 display on the Dune, they can confidently swap it for a Bosch display of their choice. Or even leave it out altogether, because the SX System Controller in the top tube already shows the battery status and support modes.
The following modes are standard: Off/Eco/Tour+/E-mtb/Turbo. These can be individually adjusted via the eBike Flow app as needed.

My conclusion after two great days on the trails in Sintra: The new Mondraker Dune is a technical trail all-rounder. Every scenario, from fast to curvy to rocky, is simply fun. In all typical trail situations, the E-Enduro conveys calmness and an absolutely secure handling; it gives you that crucial extra dose of confidence.

The relatively low and well-balanced weight is a big plus and will be especially accommodating to lighter individuals. The new Bosch SX motor fits perfectly into the overall concept and offers a great mix of lightness, compactness, and power.

Indeed, the Dune is thus the first E-bike that won't let me go and makes me wonder whether my next rough-terrain bike will still be a conventional one...