We’re the world’s only magazine that had the privilege to fly to Barcelona and test the new 2022 UNNO MITH Race. In this first ride review we’ll tell you what the radical € 10,000 full-carbon eMTB is capable of with its unique looks and Bosch motor, and why UNNO Bikes hope to be copied by other bike brands.

You can immediately see that the 22.7 kg UNNO MITH is something very special with – or despite – its rather standard Bosch Smart System motor and 750 Wh battery. The Barcelona based bike brand are blazing their own path with the eMTB’s unique look and smart features. Not just that, the € 10,000 MITH Race also heralds an entirely new era for UNNO and could set a new trend amongst other bike brands.

UNNO MITH | Bosch Smart System/750 Wh | 170/160 mm (f/r)
22.7 kg in size S2 | € 9,995 | Manufacturer’s website

Founded in 2016, the Spanish brand have only produced analogue bikes until now, and they did so entirely in Barcelona – from the design to manufacture and the finished builds. All done by hand, of course! You’ll find a detailed behind the scenes look in our sister magazine ENDURO. After things started going a little quiet around UNNO bikes – not least because all previous bikes have sold out – the boutique brand are back at it: with a new logo, new design language, new pricing policy, new distribution channels, and numerous new models that are ready to hit the trails at full speed. The MITH Race isn’t just their first eMTB, but also the first bike of their new generation to see the light of day, turning heads with its radical and unique design.

18,200 metres of altitude?

Nada – it’s not about the realm height of the bike originally called UNNO BOÖS, but the height of the former namesake of this E-MTB.

18,200 metres – no, this isn’t the elevation range of the bike originally called UNNO BOÖS but the height of the former namesake mountain after which this eMTB was named. Each Unno model was named after a mountain on each continent. As the UNNO BOÖS is the 6th model, UNNO have run out of continents, so looking to the universe for inspiration, they named their latest bike after the third highest mountain in our solar system. The South Boösaule Mons is located on Jupiter’s moon Io and let’s just say it makes Everest look small.

Cesar Rojo, CERO Design, UNNO Bikes, DEUX – The most important background information

UNNO bikes are like an iceberg – you can only see the tip while the majority of it is hidden underwater. If you want to understand UNNO bikes, there’s one man to talk to: Cesar Rojo – successful ex-World Cup downhiller, serial entrepreneur, designer, engineer and visionary, who has developed or at least heavily influenced some of the most radical DH, enduro bikes as well as eMTBs that we ride today.

Cesar Rojo …
… and a still raw BOÖS test bike.

Cesar has introduced the mountain bike world to new design languages and geometry concepts, which we find on numerous brands today. If you’ve read the previous lines carefully, you might’ve noticed that Cesar had already developed eMTBs before and the UNNO MITH isn’t his first! There are good reasons for this: if you visit UNNO bikes, you end up at CERO Design. The brand name CERO is made up of the first two letters of CEsar and ROjo and it’s the first company that the now 41-year-old Spaniard has founded. With the launch of the UNNO MITH on 17 April, Cesar made his own birthday present: ¡Cumpleaños feliz Cesar!

The world’s most understated entrance – this staircase leads to high-tech offices in an old industrial building in Barcelona.
Cesar Rojo and Nil Pastor in one of CERO Design’s three open-plan offices with the first production model of the UNNO MITH!

CERO Design is a multidisciplinary design and development company with more than 90 (!) engineers and developers. And they’re very busy! For example, CERO’s customers include KTM Motorcycles, Husqvarna Motorcycles and numerous other brands. Among others, they’ve worked with several bike brands, too, as you can see on the website of CERO Design. During our visit to the sacred halls of CERO Design and UNNO in Barcelona, we saw many motorcycles, bikes and motorcycle parts standing side by side. Well, this was our guess at least, as we couldn’t see much because they were all covered up and we weren’t allowed to have a peek at what was underneath. Undoubtedly, however, this is where a lot of magic was hidden away!

Jack of all trades, Cesar Rojo: on our exclusive trip, we didn’t just meet Cesar in the CERO design studio but were also invited to his home. Bikes and motorcycles stand side by side in his workshop, reflecting his passion as much as his professional activities. Just recently, Cesar competed in a motorcycle rally in Abu Dhabi. His next goal: the Dakar Rally!

The connection to CERO and being able to use their resources is a big strength for UNNO Bike. That level of development power is unique for a company of their size and even exceeds the manpower of some of the bike world’s biggest players! If you do not consider the CERO development team, there are currently only three people working on UNNO: founder and visionary Cesar Rojo, manager Nil Pastor, and Martí Ràfols who’s in charge of marketing and communication. The team is currently looking for reinforcements, so if you’re looking for a cool job in Barcelona, get in touch with Nil!

The old UNNO logo.
UNNO’s new logo is intended to usher in a new era for the Spanish bike brand.

The new UNNO models are no longer manufactured in Barcelona but in Asia. This is due to the larger quantities and the decision to offer bikes that are more competitively priced but no less exclusive. Until now UNNO have been considered a very expensive boutique brand, and this is something Cesar and his team want to change a little bit, making UNNO a little more accessible. Especially considering the fact that (e)bikes are becoming more and more expensive and that they want to offer good value for money, UNNO claim that relocating production was their best option. However, the bikes are assembled in Germany.

Those who can count to three in multiple languages will notice the numerical system of Cesar’s companies: CERO isn’t just an acronym, but also means zero in Spanish. UNNO is a modification of “uno”, i.e. one. Cesar’s latest brand, DEUX, comes from the French word for two, which he founded to develop and market components.

With the launch of the new UNNO MITH, another brand sees the light of day: the component brand DEUX.

The first DEUX products include an innovative headset cover, which allows for internal cable routing via the headset and is said to trump all existing systems on the market with less stress for cables and easier assembling. They’re also releasing a one-piece stem and handlebar with a new type of clamping mechanism.

One of the highlights is an innovative internal cable routing system for the headset that doesn’t kink or damage the cables.
Thanks to the open design, it promises to be significantly simpler in terms of assembly and service than other solutions currently on the market.

The new 2022 UNNO MITH Race in detail – Smart features, unique design

“DISRUPTIVE. ADVANCED. AGGRESSIVE.” These are the three words that UNNO use to present their new MITH eMTB, aiming to be anything other than conventional and ordinary. In developing the MITH, the brand from Barcelona aimed to create an eMTB for maximum trail fun and rough terrain, capable of conquering every trail while also offering a decent range with its 750 Wh battery.

With this bike, the comment you’re highly unlikely to see on bike forums is “It looks like a Session”. At first glance, the UNNO MITH doesn’t resemble anything else on the market, guaranteed to attract envious looks and turn heads wherever it goes! One of the most striking design features is the seat tube with its specially developed seat post clamp, which is highlighted on the MITH Race model with metallic gold paint.

The integration of the 750 Wh Bosch PowerTube is visually pleasing – we haven’t seen a more slender Bosch-equipped bike before! This is partly due to the fact that the battery isn’t removable, which is acceptable considering its capacity. Moreover, the brake and dropper post cables can be routed through the top tube of the UNNO thanks to the specially developed DEUX headset cover. This saves space in the down tube, allowing UNNO to keep it slim – the only bulge you see on the down tube is due to the space required for the bottle cage bosses.

The Bosch Kiox 300 display is nicely integrated in the top tube of the UNNO MITH while remaining removable.
On the Trek Rail, the Bosch Kiox 300 display sits on the top tube and can be easily removed.

Another highlight is the sleek integration of the Bosch KIOX 300 display, which seems like a refinement of the display mount on the Trek Rail: the display is recessed in the top tube and can still be removed.

The large and exposed remote of the Bosch Smart System doesn’t match the integrated look of the UNNO MITH.
You’ll be able to fit a bottle in the front triangle. However, it rubs slightly on the frame, so we recommend using a bit of protective tape. It’s still unclear whether UNNO will be shipping the bike with protective film as standard. It’s also important to choose the right bottle cage that allows you to remove the bottle diagonally forward/upward. You won’t be able to use FIDLOCK bottles with a magnetic twist lock.
The charging port is located in the front triangle, directly above the motor. Accessing it is easier with the water bottle removed.
Enduro Bearings MAX double-row ball bearings are intended to provide increased stiffness and durability.
Lots of attention to detail: the elaborate chainstay protector…
… has a catch for the chain to prevent it from slapping the chainstay in the first place.
The UNNO MITH features a full carbon frame and, depending on the model, the carbon rear end comes with or without shifter cable ports to ensure an even cleaner look. Due to availability, the rear end on our test bike had the version with cable ports even though it was specced with a wireless AXS drivetrain. However, that makes no difference in terms of functionality.
Thanks to the dropped top tube, the bike doesn’t just have a lot of stand-over clearance, which can increase the rider’s subjective feeling of confidence…
… the UNNO MITH doesn’t need a steering block either. The shifter and brake levers don’t come near the carbon top tube, neither does the fork crown to the down tube. So there’s no chance they’ll damage it, as is the case with some other bikes.

Components and price of the new 2022 UNNO MITH Race

In line with its potential and intended use, the 2022 MITH Race is sensibly and functionally specced throughout, weighing in at just 22.7 kg in the medium size S2 without any hidden efforts to save weight.

UNNO MITH Race

€ 9,995

Specifications

Motor Bosch Smart System 85 Nm
Battery Bosch PowerTube 750 Wh
Display Kiox 300
Fork FOX 38 Factory 170 mm
Rear Shock FOX Float X2 Factory 160 mm
Seatpost FOX Transfer Factory 150 mm
Brakes Formula Cura 4 220/203 mm
Drivetrain SRAM GX AXS 1x12
Stem DEUX Enduro Bars 40 mm
Handlebar DEUX Enduro Bars 800 mm
Wheelset Crankbrothers Synthesis E 29"/27.5"
Tires MAXXIS ASSEGAI EXO+/ MINION DHR II DD 2.5"/2.4"

Technical Data

Size S1 S2 S3
Weight 22.7 kg
Perm. total weight 140 kg
Max. payload (rider/equipment) 117 kg
Trailer approval no
Kickstand mount no

The FOX Factory suspension suits the bike perfectly, consisting of a 170 mm travel FOX 38 fork up front and a FOX FLOAT X2 Factory shock controlling 160 mm travel at the rear – the only downside is that you can’t reach the low-speed rebound dial.
Setting up the rear suspension, measuring the sag or pumping up the shock is somewhat difficult as it’s not easily accessible. Unfortunately, you can’t reach the low-speed rebound dial of the FOX FLOAT Factory X2 shock at all, so you must remove the shock to do so. Quick suspension adjustment on the trail? Eek!
The wireless SRAM GX AXS drivetrain relies on a 10–50 t cassette for the gears.
UNNO save themselves the extra charge for a wireless RockShox AXS dropper post and rely on the FOX Transfer Factory model instead. Due to the limited insertion depth offered by the seat tube on the medium size S2, the MITH Race comes with a 150 mm travel FOX Transfer Factory dropper, bumping up to 170 mm on the size S3.
Braking power for experts – the four-piston Formula Cura brakes offer heaps of stopping power together with the 220/200 mm rotors, but you have to be careful with the modulation!
Perfect tire choice – maximum grip up front…
… and good puncture protection and brake control at the rear!

The tires offer more than enough grip, consisting of a 29 x 2.6″ MAXXIS ASSEGAI up front and 27.5 x 2.4″ MAXXIS Minion DHR II on the rear, and the casings have been sensibly chosen. Brilliant: instead of expensive carbon rims that are more prone to complete failure, UNNO rely on aluminium Crankbrothers Synthesis E rims instead.

Yes – the world needs more alloy rims on high-end eMTBs!
UNNO specify a maximum tire clearance of 2.6″ at the rear, but that’s pushing it. There’s enough clearance with the fitted and very aggressive 2.4″ MAXXIS Minion DHR II, though.
The specially developed, rather tall DEUX Enduro Bars stem and handlebar unit has a stem length of 40 mm. Shortened to 780 mm on our test bike, the stock handlebar is 800 mm wide and has a 20 mm rise.

Geometry and sizes of the UNNO MITH Race

The UNNO MITH is available in three sizes: S1, S2 and S3. The geometry is generally progressively but not extreme. With the MITH, UNNO aimed for balanced handling, placing equal importance on agility and composure to strike a good compromise between the two. Like the Kellys THEOS F90, the top tube on the UNNO MITH is extremely low, but a huge difference between the two models is the seat tube and its angle. On the THEOS, the effective seat tube angle and thus also the rider’s position change significantly depending on the extension of the saddle, but they remain relatively constant on the UNNO.

The top tube of the UNNO MITH is extremely low.
The only bike with a similarly low top tube is the Kellys THEOS F90 with a Shimano EP8 motor and 725 Wh battery.

In general, it’s difficult to compare geometry data between different manufacturers since the measurement methods can be different and the effective geometry depends on numerous factors, such as how much the suspension sags with the rider aboard the bike. For all you nerds out there, see the geometry table below. 😉

size S1 S2 S3
Seat tube 440 mm 460 mm 490 mm
Head tube 107 mm 120 mm 145 mm
Head angle 64° 64° 64°
Seat angle 77° 77° 77°
Chainstay 450 mm 450 mm 450 mm
BB Drop 30/15 mm 30/15 mm 30/15 mm
Wheelbase 1,224 mm 1,265 mm 1,316 mm
Reach 435 mm 470 mm 510 mm
Stack 630 mm 540 mm 663 mm

Availability of the MITH Race and other models: UNNO MITH Elite and Factory

The UNNO MITH Race is already available for pre-order and the size S2 will be ready for shipping from the end of May/beginning of June in Europe. Worldwide shipping of this and all other sizes will follow shortly thereafter. The bikes can be purchased online as well as through selected retailers. UNNO want to increase their presence in bike shops in the future, as they believe these are essential for the bike community, service and sales!
At the end of 2022 and the beginning of 2023, two further models will become available: the more affordably specced UNNO MITH Elite and the exclusive UNNO MITH Factory model.

Ready for shipping – the components are already there; UNNO are just waiting for the carbon frames!

Why UNNO want to be copied by other bike brands

All plastic parts of the frame, such as the motor cover, are currently still 3-D printed, but they’ll be made from recycled plastic and rubber on the production models.

Anyone who’s read the Design & Innovation Award article we wrote on the megatrend of sustainability knows how critical we are about ocean plastic and the very popular marketing hype around supposed sustainability. It all sounds very good at first, but if you dig a little deeper, you’ll often find yourself disenchanted, learning that much of it is nothing more than greenwashing and occasionally even counterproductive!

UNNO don’t make a big fuss about it, they are taking measures but know very well that their impact will be very small, but there’s a lot more to it! On the new UNNO MITH all plastic parts on the frame are made of recycled plastic and rubber and they’re one of the first brands in the bike industry to do this. The supply chains and recycling shares are comparatively transparent and traceable via Oceanworks. Unfortunately, this is seldom the case at present – we know it from the fashion industry, where products recycled from ocean plastic are well and truly advertised, but their real share is within the 1% range. So, we asked Cesar and did our own research to dig deeper and get some hard numbers.

UNNO have ordered slightly more than 1 ton of raw materials for the plastic parts of their frames, with 23% of the TPE and 80% of the nylon coming from nearshore ocean plastic (see chart for classification). Now, you could say that the impact on the environment is minimal considering the comparatively small amount, but this is where things become interesting: where do you start with sustainability, where do you stop? And do you even start? Especially with a product like a carbon eMTB, which is subject to wear and tear – whether we’re talking about tires or other components such as the brakes or drivetrain.

Cesar has a very clear opinion on this: what ultimately counts is what everyone can do today. Even if the initial impact is small, you have to start somewhere. Recycling will only pick up and make a lasting difference when there is demand and it becomes profitable for businesses to collect ocean plastic and intercept ocean-bound and coastal plastic before it even reaches our seas. As a small brand, the direct impact isn’t huge, but they can set a trend that gets other, larger brands and the future-oriented market to follow suit. By approaching recycled materials thoughtfully, in ways that can be refined and scaled further, small brands can help get the ball rolling. Cesar certainly hopes that he can inspire others to do the same. UNNO are starting with 1,000 kg of raw material, but what would that number look like if Specialized, Trek, GIANT or SCOTT made similar efforts? The quantities ordered by the big players and thus the effects would be in a whole different league! In this sense, we join Cesar in hoping that UNNO’s approach will be recognised and copied!

The new 2022 UNNO MITH Race in review

We had the opportunity to test a near-production prototype exclusively on Cesar Rojo’s home trails in Barcelona. The bike itself was left unpainted and had this fitting raw carbon look. It already had over 1,200 km on the clock, some parts like the suspension even considerably more kilometres. After a somewhat more difficult setup – because the rear shock is not the easiest to access – it was time to hit the trails!

First off, the new UNNO MITH eMTB is not a plug-and-play bike. You have to understand and get to know it before you can unleash its full potential. This is partly due to the rear suspension, which is very soft at the beginning and then becomes quite progressive. UNNO recommends between 30 and 40% sag – this is considerably more than on almost all bikes, which are usually ridden with a SAG of 25% to 30%. We rode the UNNO MITH with 35% sag.

The tall front end puts you in an upright and comfortable riding position – so you can simply enjoy the view of Barcelona…

It is very comfortable uphill, you sit quite centrally and you get this genuine touring feeling – simply perfect for us to enjoy the view of the megacity Barcelona! Here, the bike is also very easy to handle for beginners.

In short steep uphill sections where you have to change your riding position, the rear suspension starts to bob in some situations and the handling becomes a bit less precise.

According to Cesar, there are two reasons for having so much sag and keeping the initial bit of travel so soft. On the one hand, the rear suspension is designed to work well with naturally very linear coil shocks, and, on the other, UNNO want to provide significantly more traction and a plusher ride on the descents. And they’ve achieved what they set out to as the UNNO MITH simply swallows all impacts and bumps, offering excellent traction and sensitivity without feeling undefined. The rear suspension becomes significantly more progressive mid-stroke, which means that you always have enough reserves, and the suspension offers excellent mid-stroke support as you hit berms and compressions, resulting in precise handling. As a result, experienced riders will find the bike to be very responsive and the UNNO MITH allows you to easily pop off obstacles and boost the jumps.

On straight high-speed sections, the eMTB born in Barcelona truly shines, absorbing big hits with confidence and riding as if it’s on rails – you just have to let it do its thing. You’ll be surprised how fast you can go!

Regarding traction, the tire choice is on point. The 2.5″ wide MAXXIS ASSEGAI provides all the grip you need up front with its soft 3C MaxxGrip compound and Exo+ casing while the 2.4″ MAXXIS Minion DHR II offers a good level of puncture protection in technical terrain and a defined feel with its thick DoubleDown casing and hard-wearing 3C MaxxTerra rubber. In general, the steeper the terrain and the faster you blast down the trails, the more the MITH feels at home. Ever felt like you might go over the bar? You won’t even get close to that on this bike! However, you’ll need to actively weigh the front end through tight turns and any kind of flat, open corners to prevent it from understeering. This is partly due to the combination of the 64° flat head angle and the relatively high front end, and partly due to the sandy, slippy character of the trails around Barcelona.

When it comes to cornering, we also have to mention the very snappy Formula Cura 4 brakes, which are paired with a 220 mm rotor up front and a 200 mm version on the rear. Beginners might find them difficult to modulate, making it hard to get the braking right through the corners. That said, experienced riders should love them.

Helmet POC Kortal | Glasses 100% Glendale | Hippack Thule | Jersey POC MTB PURE LS | Shorts Specialized Enduro Pro | Kneepad POC VPD Air Legs | Shoes Crankbrothers Mallet E | Socks On Vacation Club Paradise Tennis Socks

So, what does the trail Buddha say about the MITH? Though the bike has a beginner-friendly and comfortable riding position, it turns out that the UNNO MITH Race is made for experts only! It loves speed and prefers steep terrain – in fact: the steeper, the better! The relatively tall cockpit and rather slack 64° head angle are somewhat inappropriate on flat terrain, which becomes most evident through the corners where you must actively weigh the front end. Moreover, setting up the suspension on the UNNO MITH requires patience and skinny fingers!
We really liked the downhill performance of the bike on the trails around Barcelona – although the shock and fork of the near-production prototype weren’t in the best condition, as they had already clocked in quite some mileage without a service. That’s why we are all the more excited to chase the final production bike over our home trails and the Alps for further tests and to add to our first riding impressions!

Conclusion

The UNNO MITH Race is a high-speed, big hitter for experts and those who want to be one. It takes a few rides to understand the character of this bike, but then there’s no holding it back. It’s super composed and plush, allowing you to blast down the gnarliest trails. The steeper, the better! The MITH features innovative and smart details, consistently well-chosen components and a unique design – it’s guaranteed to turn heads! But bear in mind that the design also comes with some compromises in usability. The recycled materials used for various components and covers certainly won’t save the world, but they make a statement and could mark the beginning of major changes in the bike world!

Tops

  • unique design, cool integration
  • very composed and stable handling
  • good value considering the amount of innovation
  • lightweight despite sensible and solid components
  • setting a statement for more recycling in the bike world

Flops

  • dropper post could use more travel
  • shock is difficult to access

More info: unno.com


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Words: Robin Schmitt Photos: Robin Schmitt/Cesar Rojo

About the author

Robin Schmitt

Robin is one of the two founders of 41 Publishing, a visionary and go-getter. While he now enjoys every second on the bike – whenever his busy schedule allows – he used to race against the clock at enduro events and a few Downhill World Cups. Besides that, Robin practises kung fu and Zen meditation, plays the cello or with his dog (which actually belongs to his girlfriend), travels abroad and still reviews numerous bikes himself. Progressive ideas, new projects and major challenges – Robin loves exploring undiscovered potential and getting to the bottom of new trends.