First Ride Review: Moustache Samedi 29 Trail 2021 – All info on Moustache’s 2021 model year.

In 2021, the Moustache Samedi Trail will be rolling out of the factory on 29” wheels for the first time. We’ve already had the opportunity to test the Samedi Trail 8 model for you. Moustache have also announced a number of interesting updates for the long-travel Game version of the Samedi and other models of their 2021 portfolio. Here’s a first exclusive test of the Samedi 29 Trail 8 and all the most important info about Moustache’s 2021 eMTB lineup.

Already last year, the French eBike experts updated pretty much the entire product range and equipped their bikes with the latest-generation Bosch Performance Line CX motor. We’ve already tested the Samedi 29 Game and the Samedi 27 Trail for you. While the updates for the long-travel Samedi Game mainly consist of minor changes to the spec and other small details, it’s the Samedi 29 Trail that constitutes the real innovation in Moustache’s 2021 lineup. As the name suggests, the wide 27.5” tires were replaced with big 29” wheels. There are also some innovations in the motor department, where Bosch’s latest software update provides the Performance CX motor with 85 Nm torque and a revised eMTB mode.

The new Moustache Samedi 29 Trail in detail

At first glance, the 2021 Moustache Samedi 29 Trail looks almost like a carbon bike. The smooth lines and polished weld seams give the aluminum frame a very elegant and high-quality look. Compared to last year’s model, the new frame hasn’t changed much at all, except for the revised upper link, which is now lighter. Throughout the entire Samedi range, the Bosch Performance Line CX motor draws its power from an internal 625 Wh battery, which, thanks to a special mount, sits deep in the downtube. The speed sensor cleverly integrated into the dropout is just one of the many details that testifies to Moustache’s commitment to integrating the Bosch system into their bikes as neatly as possible. To make another example, the engineers developed a handlebar clam adapter for the Purion display, which allows for better compatibility with current Shimano brake-lever models.

Spec, weight and technical data for the Moustache Samedi 29 Trail 8

Our Samedi 29 Trail 8 test bike, which retails at € 5,999, is not the top-end model of the 2021 model range. That being said, the bike shares the same high-end 150 mm FOX 36 Factory fork as the top-of-the-range model, the Samedi 29 Trail 10. As usual, an in-house Magic Grip Control shock manages the 150 mm of rear travel. Powerful 4-pot Shimano XT brakes with 200 mm rotors front and rear take care of the braking and a 12 speed Shimano drivetrain made up of XT and SLX components handles the shifting. Unfortunately, Moustache combined the XT derailleur with a cheaper SLX shifter, which works fine but doesn’t have a multi-release function (2-gear downshifts). For the wheels, Moustache rely on asymmetrical aluminum rims laced on XT hubs by their technicians in their new factory in France. Unfortunately, the freewheel of the hub develops a very annoying noise, but that’s not just a problem of our test bike. All new Samedi models come with MAXXIS ASSEGAI tires in the harder dual compound, except for the high-end Trail 10 model which comes with softer and grippier 3C compound.

All other Moustache Samedi 29 trail models

The Samedi 29 Trail is available in 5 spec versions, with prices ranging from € 4,599 to € 7,399. The Trail 2 version is the entry model in the Samedi range. With its 11-speed drivetrain, basic brake setup and RockShox 35 fork, it’s aimed at eMTB newbies and tourers. At € 5,499, the Samedi 29 Trail 6, features a FOX 36 Performance fork and very sensible brake setup and is thus a very reasonable option for sporty trail riders. The top of the range Samedi 29 Trail 10 retails at € 7,399 and features carbon rims and a mix of Shimano XT and XTR components both on the drivetrain and brakes. Unlike all other models, which rely on a Purion display, the top-end Trail 10 version features a special handlebar holder for the Kiox display which was developed by Moustache.

The geometry of the Samedi 29 Trail

Like its predecessor, the new Samedi 29 Trail is available in 4 sizes, S to XL. With the help of a flip chip, Moustache’s engineers were able to adapt the existing frame to the bigger wheels. With a reach of 452 mm in size L the bike is rather short but the big wheels make for a pleasantly high front-end (638 mm stack). All frame sizes share the same, strikingly long 460 mm chainstays. Read our riding impressions to find out how these affect the handling and overall balance of the Samedi 29 Trail. And while the 74.7 ° seat angle might look very slack on the paper, the bike delivers a very decent climbing performance.

Size	S	M	L	XL
Seat tube	380 mm	420 mm	460 mm	500 mm
Top tube	571 mm	600 mm	626 mm	651 mm
Head tube	100 mm	110 mm	130 mm	140 mm
Head angle	66.2°	66.2°	66.2°	66.2°
Seat angle	74.7°	74.7°	74.7°	74.7°
Chainstay	460 mm	460 mm	460 mm	460 mm
BB Height	353 mm	353 mm	353 mm	353 mm
Wheelbase	1173 mm	1205 mm	1233 mm	1260 mm
Reach	404 mm	432 mm	452 mm	475 mm
Stack	608 mm	618 mm	636 mm	645 mm

The Moustache Samedi 29 Trail 8 first test

The Moustache Samedi 29 Trail 8 is very comfortable on flat trails and even gravel paths. The riding position is compact and upright and Moustache’s in-house Magic Grip Control shock works sensitively, filtering out bumps with ease, even with the reworked 2021 damping set-up. And while the front-end is now significantly higher, the 29″ version of the Samedi still climbs incredibly well. Even on steep ramps, the shock sits high in its travel and prevents the seat angle from slacking further, generating good traction on the front wheel in combination with the long chainstays. While the ASSEGAI’s are significantly slimmer than the chunky 2.8” tires of its predecessor, the aggressive profile generates more than enough grip to prevent the wheel from spinning out on loose gravel, even despite the increased torque. Thanks to Extended Boost, the newly tuned MTB mode makes for easy climbing on technical trails and demanding terrain.

A more aggressive profile instead of wide tires. Even uphill, you’ll notice the change from the wide 2.8″ Rekon + tires to slimmer but more aggressive 2.5”ASSEGAIs.

Downhill, the good nature of the Samedi 29 Trail 8 shines through. Especially on flat trails, the compact riding position feels balanced and helps you glide through corners intuitively and playfully. The MAXXIS Assegai tires, FOX 36 Factory fork and Moustache’s in house rear-shock, which was developed especially for the rear-end of the new Samedi, harmonise well together and generate good traction. On steep trails, the high front-end prevents you from going over the bars and inspires tons of confidence when riding at moderate speeds. Even when the trails gets fast and technical, the 2021 Samedi inspires more confidence than its predecessor with 27.5 ”tires and FOX 34 fork. Although the shock was tuned to harmonize with the FOX 36 fork, after a few test runs we decided to run a stiffer suspension setup than recommended by Moustache: all of a sudden, the Samedi 29 Trail 8 was capable of handling wild riding maneuvers, which would usually require a more aggressive bike.

Moustache have clearly taken our criticisms about the previous Samedi model on board. The new bike feels way smoother and offers more reserves without losing the playful and good-natured character.

New Samedi 29 Trail 8 our conclusions

While Moustache have revised and improved pretty much the entire range for the next season, the new Samedi 29 Trail is the real star of the 2021 line up. Thanks to the bigger wheels and downhill-oriented spec, the bike now offers even more reserves and a more direct handling without losing its good-natured, intuitive character.

More travel for the Moustache Samedi 29 Game 2021

The Samedi 29 Game is the big brother of the Samedi Trail. Developed for tougher trails and higher speeds, it’s based on the same frame platform but has 160 mm rear travel and from 2021, 170 mm front travel. While the Game model already had 29″ wheels last year, all new models except for the cheapest Game 4 model will come with a brand-new 170 mm Fox 38 fork. Of course, also the motor of the Samedi 29 Game runs on Bosch’s latest software update. The beefier Game model is available in four spec options, which are similar to the Samedi 29 Trail models and cost between € 4,999 to € 7,599. While the high end spec includes a carbon wheelset and Kiox display, the more affordable € 6,199 Game 8 version already comes with a high-end fork – and is therefore our first choice, at least on the paper. One more interesting option is the Samedi 29 Game 4, which features the same 160 mm RockShox 35 Gold fork as its 2020 predecessor and thus bridges the transition between the Trail and the Game models, at least in terms of geometry.

We already had the opportunity to ride the high-end Samedi 29 Game 10 model on a brief test lap – our first impression was very positive. While the Fox 38 Factory fork is a superb match for beefy eMTBs, the tires are too weak to handle the speeds you can reach on a bike like this. A tire with tougher casing, like for example the MAXXIS Assegai DoubleDown, would offer more support and prevent the carbon rims from getting damaged on rough terrain. We’re already excited to see how the Samedi 29 Game performs in a more thorough test.

Even more security and comfort with the Moustache Samedi 27 Wide 2021

The comfortable Moustache Samedi 27 Wide is aimed primarily at tourers with a penchant for small trail adventures. In order to provide more comfort and, above all, inspire more confidence on steep trails, Moustache replaced the 120 mm fork with a 130 mm fork and installed 203 mm rotors front and rear.
Retailing at € 3,999, the Samedi 27 Wide 2 entry model features a smaller 500 Wh battery but also comes with a dropper post – nice one! All bikes come with 2.8” MAXXIS Rekon or Rekon+ tires, which should ensure good traction and lots of comfort.

Find more info about the new 2021 Moustache models 2021 at moustachebikes.com

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Words: Photos: Thibault Linossier