MONDRAKER CRAFTY CARBON XR in review – The fastest bike on test?

MONDRAKER have been well known for their extreme geometry for years. How does the Forward Geometry concept of the Spanish manufacturer work with the progressive CRAFTY CARBON XR on the trails? Can the sexy carbon Spaniard be tamed or does it just shoot down the hill in a straight line?

For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best eMTB of 2021 – 25 models in review

**Mondraker** Crafty Carbon XR | Bosch Performance Line CX/625 Wh | 170/150 mm (f/r)
22.50 kg in size L | € 9,499 | Manufacturer’s website

The MONDRAKER CRAFTY CARBON XR has a silhouette to die for: the flat top tube cuts through the air even when stationary and lets you know that the 22.50 kg carbon eMTB was tuned for uncompromised trail performance. At the heart of the 29″ eMTB is a Bosch Performance Line CX motor which draws its power from a 625 Wh battery. The latter is permanently integrated into the frame and can only be charged on the bike. Unfortunately, the charge port sits on the underside of the down tube where it’s constantly exposed to grit, water and mud. Just as inconvenient is the position of the in-house Kiox mount which places the display right in front of the stem, where it can suffered injury far too easily. In our case, it already got damaged during transport. Apart from that, MONDRAKER have taken the subject of integration very seriously: the speed sensor and brake calliper are elegantly integrated into the rear end and all cables are neatly routed through the headset, running from the cockpit into the frame and straight onto the swingarm. The look and feel of the frame are top class. The only issue: during our test, the pivot bolts came loose after only a few days.

The Öhlins suspension is the absolute highlight of the Mondraker

The absolute highlight of the € 9,499 MONDRAKER CRAFTY CARBON XR is the Öhlins suspension consisting of a 170 mm RXF 38 fork and 150 mm TTX air shock. The drivetrain is a wild mix of NX and GX components combined with an X01 derailleur. Unfortunately, it takes more than just an overpriced derailleur to make a lightweight drivetrain. On the other hand, the SRAM CODE RSC brakes with 200 mm rotors are top class. Another unique feature is the OnOff cockpit with a super short stem. The 170 mm PIJA dropper post also stems from Mondraker’s in-house brand. Unfortunately, this is hard to operate and developed some play after a few days. Given the eye-watering price, we’d expect MONDRAKER to deliver a high-end bike with a top-end dropper post. While tires with a light EXO+ casing are perfectly suited for the more touring-oriented bikes in this test, they’re simply too weak for the speeds the MONDRAKER can reach on the trail.

**Battery cover? Nope! Interchangeable battery? Think again!**
Mondraker have integrated the 625 Wh battery into the frame, making it the lightest Bosch bike on test with this battery. Only the Lapierre with its small 500 Wh battery is lighter.

**Fail**
The Mondraker Crafty has the worst-positioned charge port in the entire test field! Inconveniently sitting on the underside of the downtube, it gets constantly covered in mud and water.

**Full Control**
The Öhlins RXF 38 fork might take longer to set up than a fork like the RockShox ZEB, but once you get it dialled, it delivers top-end performance and provides unparalleled grip and control.

Mondraker Crafty Carbon XR

€ 9,499

Specifications

Motor Bosch Performance Line CX 85 Nm
Battery Bosch PowerTube 625 Wh
Display Bosch Kiox
Fork Öhlins RXF 38 170 mm
Rear Shock Öhlins TTX Air 150 mm
Seatpost ONOFF PIJA 125–170 mm
Brakes SRAM CODE RSC 200/200 mm
Drivetrain SRAM X01 Eagle 1x12
Stem ONOFF KRYPTON FG 30 mm
Handlebar ONOFF KRYPTON CARBON 780 mm
Wheelset DT Swiss HX1501 SPLINE 29"
Tires MAXXIS MINION DHF EXO+/DHRII EXO+ 2.6"

Technical Data

Size S M L XL
Weight 22.50 kg
Perm. total weight 150 kg
Max. payload (rider/equipment) 127 kg
Trailer approval no
Kickstand mount no

**Too weak**
The rear MINION DHRII tire with EXO+ casing struggles to keep up with the potential of the MONDRAKER. We recommend upgrading to a more robust tire with a Doubledown casing.

**Twice**
During our test we had to improvise and replace Mondraker’s in-house display mount with a standard Kiox holder. Mondraker’s mount positions the display in front of the stem, where it’s exposed to impacts and breaks easily – twice in our case!

**Unusual**
Not only the geometry and look but also the suspension of the CRAFTY XR is truly outstanding: despite the Öhlins fork and shock sitting deep into their travel, they provide excellent damping and traction.

Given that Mondraker have been using their Forward Geometry for years, it’s no surprise that the Crafty has the longest reach (490 mm in size L) in the entire test field – combined with the shortest stem. The concept was developed to provide more stability and inspire confidence at high speeds, especially downhill. When you sit on the MONDRAKER for the first time, you’ll be surprised by how relaxed the riding position is and how well it’s suited to long distances. Due to the relatively steep seat tube angle and super short 30 mm stem, the bars are much closer to your body than you’d expect from just looking at the geometry. As crazy as it might sound, the CRAFTY CARBON XR lets you embark on long rides in a comfortable and relaxed fashion.

Size	S	M	L	XL
Seat tube	380 mm	420 mm	450 mm	480 mm
Top tube	615 mm	635 mm	660 mm	680 mm
Head tube	110 mm	110 mm	130 mm	130 mm
Head angle	64.5°	64.5°	64.5°	64.5°
Seat angle	75.0°	75.0°	75.0°	75.0°
Chainstays	455 mm	455 mm	455 mm	455 mm
BB Drop	17 mm	17 mm	17 mm	17 mm
Wheelbase	1,235 mm	1,255 mm	1,280 mm	1,300 mm
Reach	440 mm	460 mm	480 mm	500 mm
Stack	632 mm	632 mm	650 mm	650 mm

**Helmet** POC Axion Spin | **Glasses** 100% Hypercraft | **Jersey** LEiWAND Kahlenberg Rosine
**Shorts** LEiWAND Anninger Rosine | **Kneepad** Leatt Knee Guard 3DF 5.0 | **Shoes** Specialized 2FO Clip 2.0
**Socks** Specialized Primaloft leightweight tall | **Gloves** iXS BC-X3.1

How does the longest bike on test fare on the trail? The Mondraker Crafty Carbon XR on the trail

With its 455 mm chainstays, the rear of the MONDRAKER is longer than average too. This compensates for the long front end, makes for a central riding position and integrates the rider between the wheels. In addition, the long rear end prevents the front wheel from lifting or understeering, even on steep climbs. Only on big steps will you have to time your pedal strokes carefully, to avoid clipping the pedals. Apart from that, the suspension generates tons of traction and the Turbo mode of the powerful Bosch motor takes over most of the hard work uphill.

Although the CRAFTY CARBON XR was designed primarily for rough and fast descents, it’s suitable for a wide range of applications!

Tuning tips: different Kiox mount | more robust rear tire with Doubledown casing | Loctite on the pivot bolts | better dropper post

Drop the seat, stand up, feel invincible! Almost no other bike in the test field inspires as much confidence from the get-go as the Mondraker. Despite the massive reach, the riding position is pleasantly upright, extremely low and perfectly integrated between the two 29” wheels. The Öhlins chassis works smoothly, generates tons of traction and offers plenty of support while still offering huge reserves for harsh impacts. Despite the fork and shock sitting deep in their travel, the CRAFTY CARBON XR quickly responds to rider input without losing momentum. That being said, the long bike is easily bored on flowy trails. The harder the track and the higher the speed, the more fun you’ll have. The Mondraker performs at its best on challenging downhill tracks regardless of whether you’re a pro or ambitious amateur and only has to admit defeat to the super-fast Lapierre in terms of agility. The CRAFTY CARBON XR is simply too long for spontaneous line changes, manuals and other tricks.

Riding Characteristics

Agility

sluggish
playful

Stability

nervous
stable

Handling

demanding
balanced

Riding fun

boring
lively

Motor feeling

digital
natural

Motor power

weak
strong

Value for money

poor
top

Application

Forest road

Flow trail uphill

Flow trail downhill

Technical single trail uphill

Technical single trail downhill

Downhill tracks

Conclusion

The longest reach, the shortest stem: the MONDRAKER CRAFTY CARBON XR seems to embrace the extremes in this group test but still covers a much wider range of uses than expected. Both newbies and experienced riders can do anything with this bike, from long tours to high-speed trail sessions, races and even bike park laps. As beautiful as the light Mondraker is, the position of the display and charging port are a total flop.

Tops

incredibly versatile
top trail performance, both uphill and downhill
look and feel

Flops

permanently integrated battery can't be removed
position of the charging port and Kiox display

You can find out more about at mondraker.com

The test field