Moustache Samedi 27 Race 8 Review – On Any Saturday

Live for the weekend! We watch the office clock tick towards that magical hour. Tick-tock, tick-tock… 5 PM. The weekend is here! The laptop slams shut, plans are made, Saturday is dedicated to riding, friends and fun! Can the new Moustache Samedi 27 Race 8 live up to its name and deliver good-times any day of the week?

French brand Moustache is a true eMTB connoisseur, serving up great handling bikes for our group tests time after time. Their 160 mm travel Samedi 27 ‘Race’ series is targeted firmly at the active rider who wants to tackle hard trails, and their top-of-the-line aluminium model is affordably priced at only €5999.

The Moustache Samedi 27 Race 8 in detail

With its polarising ‘acid green’ paint job, the Moustache Samedi 27 Race 8 is a great looking bike. The 6061 alloy frame looks almost carbon like with smooth hydroformed tubes, a no-nonsense demeanour and the clever ‘Hidden Power’ cover, which conceals the 500Wh Bosch battery. The aggressive stance and cowled shock case look muscular and purposeful, and we love the neat cable routing which ensures rattle free riding. The heart of the beast is a Bosch Performance CX motor delivering 75Nm torque, controlled by a compact and unobtrusive Purion display with Bosch’s impressive E-MTB mode. The drivetrain is an unusual mix, but it’s a gamble that pays off. A massive 11/50T Sunrace cassette is paired with a Shimano XT 11 speed drivetrain, and precise shifting does not suffer with this huge range.

Fork FOX E-Bike 36 Float Performance 160 mm
Shock Moustache Grip Control Ultimate 160 mm
Brakes Formula Cura 203/180
Drivetrain Shimano SLX mit Sunrace 11-50 Kasette
Battery Bosch Powerpack 500 Wh
Motor Bosch Performance CX
Seatpost Moustache 120 mm
Handlebar Moustache Just Carbon T700 760 mm
Stem Moustache 50 mm
Wheels Moustache Just Carbon
Tires Maxxis Minion DHF 2.8″ / Rekon 2.8″
Weight 23.70 kg
Price € 5,999

The same cannot be said about the brakes. In a world full of four-piston brakes it was a surprise to see the twin-piston Formula Cura fitted to the Moustache. While very powerful for a twin piston, the brakes do feel a little overworked on steep trails, and excessive noise and lack of modulation is a frequent issue. The contact points of the bike are well considered — the 760 mm Moustache Just Carbon T700 bar has a nice sweep, and is just wide enough. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for the Moustache dropper post, which, while well designed, has only 120 mm travel on the Medium bike which is too short for steep trails on a modern eMTB. The Large comes with a 150 mm dropper which is an improvement, but 170 mm would have been better.

The geometry of the Moustache Samedi 27 Race 8

Size	S	M	L
Seat tube	400 mm	440 mm	500 mm
Top tube	565 mm	600 mm	630 mm
Head tube	100 mm	110 mm	130 mm
Head angle	66.5°	66.5°	66.5°
Seat angle	73.7°	73.7°	73.7°
Chainstays	465 mm	465 mm	465 mm
Wheelbase	1168 mm	1204 mm	1263 mm
Reach	404 mm	436 mm	461 mm
Stack	602 mm	611 mm	629 mm

Riding the Moustache Samedi 27 Race 8

On the climbs, we were very impressed indeed. The physical size of the Bosch motor mount means frame designers must often compromise on rear suspension pedalling efficiency. Not so with the Moustache which has high anti-squat preventing the suspension from bobbing and we never felt the need to reach for the compression adjuster on the rear shock. Over small bumps the high leverage rate and long 465 mm chainstays keep the shock moving, resulting in a very smooth and grip-rich climbing experience. Short technical climbs are so easy it feels like you’re cheating. The only slight annoyance is the Bosch CX’s over-enthusiastic torque delivery, jerky like a bad-tempered horse, which feels dated when compared to the more refined offerings from alternative manufacturers.

“Don’t confuse stability for a lack of agility either, the Moustache 27 Samedi 8 corners like a house fly!”

On the descents, the Moustache is a masterpiece of easy-going confidence, full of French va-va-voom. Txhose long chainstays ensure your weight feels very central and balanced between the wheels; you can basically ride like a lunatic and still stay in total control. Don’t confuse stability for a lack of agility though, the Moustache 27 Samedi 8 corners with the speed of a house fly. The FOX 36 Performance GRIP fork is ebike specific, and with the compression dial turned half-way handles fast hits and tight corners without complaint. We always get a little nervous when we see an ‘own brand’ shock, but the Moustache Grip Control Ultimate rear shock lives up to its name, gripping the ground like a cat running on velcro.

The progressive kinematics of the rear travel ramp up through the stroke, providing composure through big hits. The dynamic rebound control valve surprised us too, even fully open it feels slow bouncing around in the car park, but when you start hitting stuff it speeds up quickly. Moustache’s own 35 mm ‘Just Carbon’ rims handle hard cornering without any unwanted flex or pinging. We know ‘where the front goes the rear will follow’, so we were pleased to see a tester-favourite MAXXIS MINION DHF 27.5 2.8 fitted to the front. The rear MAXXIS REKON 2.8 is not so well-loved but is a good rear tyre for easier trails. Overall, it’s a refined package and one that will suit riders who value a performance-focused bike and are keen to test their limits. We would certainly choose this model over the most affordable Race ‘Carbon’ model with the Suntour AION RC fork.

One potential issue for a prospective Moustache customer is the limited sizing. With only three sizes, Small, Medium and Large, (and no XL option) larger riders may be disappointed. We were sent both a Medium and Large for testing and even our 1.8 m testers felt more comfortable on the Large with its moderate 461 mm reach. Moustache claim the Large is good for a size range of 1.83 – 1.95 m, but at the higher end of this spectrum we think the bike would be very cramped.

Conclusion

If the sizing works, the Moustache Samedi Race 8 is a great package, a sublime handler with sweet looks and a well thought out componentry package. When value is taken into consideration it’s certainly our top pick from the line-up, but the Bosch CX motor does feels a little dated.

For more info head to: moustachebikes.com

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