Rossignol launch the 2022 Mandate Shift XT eMTB – From narrow skis to wide tires

The French ski experts Rossignol are hoping for their big break in the mountain bike world. With a sporty eMTB, a hard-hitting enduro bike and a trail bike, the portfolio is aimed at sportive riders. We tested the 2022 Mandate Shift XT eMTB featuring Shimano’s EP8 motor to see how it fares on the trails.

If you type Rossignol into the search bar on our eMTB website, you won’t find anything except this post. The French winter sports experts have only been involved in the ebike scene since 2018 and are yet to gain a foothold in this highly competitive market. However, that’s all set to change with the 2022 Mandate Shift XT eMTB. It’s based on a sleek aluminium frame, the proven Shimano EP8 motor and 630 Wh battery. We put the bike to the test to see how it fares on the trail. At the same time, Rossignol launched two analogue bikes, one of which has already had to prove itself in the EWS circuit for a whole season. To find out more about the analogue Rossignol Heretic, check out the first ride review in our sister magazine ENDURO.

The new 2022 Rossignol Mandate Shift XT in detail

For the Mandate Shift platform, Rossignol rely on an aluminium frame with 29″ wheels and 140 mm travel at the rear paired with 150 mm up front. The 2022 Rossignol Mandate Shift XT relies on the Shimano EP8 motor offering a torque output of 85 Nm and powered by Shimano’s standard 630 Wh battery. The SC-EM800 display sits to the right of the stem where it’s well protected, providing all the necessary parameters via the colour display. While the motor is nicely integrated into the frame, the battery can be removed through a large hatch on the down tube. The cover sits quite loosely on the down tube, relying on a simple bayonet catch to keep it in place. Water and dirt can penetrate through the gap in the cover and it rattles loudly while riding. Fortunately, they’ve done a better job of integrating the cables. The cable for the remote leads directly into the handlebar and that of the display follows the rest of the cables into the top tube. From there, all cables are routed internally, though they’re not clamped down sufficiently, leaving them to rattle inside the frame as you ride. At the rear, the cables are secured externally using cable ties, which makes it look a bit messy.

The components of the 2022 Rossignol Mandate Shift XT

The 2022 Mandate Shift XT is Rossignol’s flagship ebike, specced with excellent components for € 6,399. The suspension is supplied by RockShox. Up front, the beefy ZEB fork offers lots of tunability, letting you adjust the high-speed and low-speed compression and rebound settings. On the other hand, the compression settings of the Super Deluxe Select+ are fixed, giving you a simple lockout lever instead. With the shock open, the bike’s suspension should respond sensitively to the terrain, while locking the lever should stiffen the shock and prevent the bike from bobbing as you pedal. Overall, adjusting the fork is easy thanks to the scale that RockShox put on the stanchions.

As the bike’s model name suggests, the brakes and drivetrain are supplied by Shimano’s XT range – except for the cassette, where Rossignol resorted to a slightly lower-end SLX product. The XT brakes are paired with large 203 mm ICE-TECH rotors – excellent! Providing grip, you get a set of aggressive MAXXIS tires with the Minion DHF up front and Minion DHR II at the rear.

Other models and availability of the new Rossignol Mandate Shift

If you’re looking for a slightly more affordable build, you will come across two other Mandate Shift models at Rossignol: the Mandate Shift DEORE 12 and DEORE 11. As the names suggest, they’re equipped with Shimano’s 12-speed or 11-speed DEORE drivetrain. The € 5,399 Rossignol Mandate Shift DEORE 12 is still very sensibly specced with the same shock as the top-end model and a ZEB Select fork with the simpler Charger RC damper, giving you fewer adjustment options. The Shimano DEORE brakes provide decent braking power, though you can’t adjust the lever reach. The most affordable model for € 4,399 is a big step down: instead of the Shimano EP8 motor, it relies on the Shimano STEPS E7000 and a smaller 504 Wh battery. With a maximum torque output of 60 Nm, the little brother of the Shimano EP8 doesn’t pack a lot of punch, but it also consumes less electricity, which should make it use the smaller battery’s capacity more sparingly. On March 1st, 2022, Rossignol will enter the direct to consumer market, delivering the bikes nicely packaged and including some useful accessories. These include a shock pump, torque wrench and tubeless conversion kit, allowing you to set your new bike up quickly and easily. Additionally, the French brand plan to establish an extensive network of test bikes throughout Europe via bike rental partners. That way, those who are interested can simply test ride a bike of their choice before buying.

The geometry of the new 2022 Rossignol Mandate Shift

The frame of the 2022 Rossignol Mandate Shift offers a balanced geometry and doesn’t go to new extremes. The low 25 mm bottom bracket drop combined with short 165 mm cranks in frame size L makes a positive impression, ensuring decent ground clearance.

Size	S	M	L	XL
Seat tube	375 mm	425 mm	445 mm	485 mm
Top tube	582 mm	611 mm	636 mm	660 mm
Head tube	105 mm	110 mm	120 mm	135 mm
Head angle	65°	65°	65°	65°
Seat angle	78°	78°	78°	78°
Chainstay	450 mm	450 mm	450 mm	450 mm
BB drop	25 mm	25 mm	25 mm	25 mm
Wheelbase	1214 mm	1228 mm	1255 mm	1281 mm
Reach	439 mm	455 mm	475 mm	493 mm
Stack	613 mm	617 mm	626 mm	640 mm

The 2022 Rossignol Mandate Shift XT on the trail – Snow carving or trail surfing

The Rossignol eMTB offers a high level of touring comfort, positioning you square on the saddle and putting little weight on your hands. Going uphill, the bike proves to be an excellent climber, allowing you to master steep, technical climbs with ease. The bike’s high ground clearance also adds to this. When it comes to the descents, things get loud on the Rossignol. The loose battery cover and poorly clamped cables are free to rattle, taxing your ears. If you don’t let that deter you, you’ll realise how plush the bike feels on the trail. It only requires you to weight the front wheel slightly through open corners to generate sufficient grip on the tire and prevent understeer. On steep descents, you’ll notice the weight of the front end. It’s difficult to pull up over obstacles or when hitting slow drops, which is partly due to the long 450 mm chainstays. Moreover, the stiff front end makes the front wheel difficult to keep on track when things get very rough and fast, requiring careful line choice and quick reactions from the rider.

Our conclusion on the 2022 Rossignol Mandate Shift XT

The French ski manufacturer’s debut in the mountain bike sector has been a success across the board. The 2022 Rossignol Mandate Shift XT eMTB is an excellent choice for tours and moderate trails, demonstrating some qualities on the climbs. On the other hand, those who like to get on the gas will quickly push the Mandate Shift to its limits on very rough trails. Nevertheless, the bike represents a good compromise between price and well-equipped parts and is definitely worth a look.

For more information visit rossignol.com, and you’ll find our review of the analogue Rossignol Heretic in our sister magazine.

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Words: Julian Schwede Photos: Mike Hunger