Mondraker Summum Carbon - First Ride

Mondraker have worked hard to keep the details of both their new carbon fiber, 27.5'' wheeled downhill bike and their latest rider signings under wraps until now. With news breaking that Danny Hart and Emmeline Ragot have signed on the dotted line for MS Mondraker, we present this new carbon framed evolution of the 205mm travel Summum that they plan to race aboard in 2015. The carbon frame carries over the trademarks of the previous - and still available - alloy frame, including Mondraker's progressive Forward Geometry and Zero Suspension system, and employs the 'Stealth Carbon' construction process that's used to build their 140mm travel Foxy trail shredder. Enhanced stiffness and precision, along with low weight, are the claims, and there's plenty of adjustment options to be found should you want to tune it to your liking. Sizing options include small, medium, and large, and Mondraker will release two complete bikes: the Marzocchi-sprung model at €5,999, and the Pro Team with FOX suspension that I rode at €8,099. There will also be a frame kit available for those who want to start from scratch. There is no North American distribution at this point in time, and therefore no set USD pricing, but that could change in the near future.










Frame Design

With those strange short stems and hump-back top tubes, Mondraker's bikes have often been love 'em or hate 'em sort of things. The new Summum Carbon frame heads down the path of the Foxy, though, using the brand's Stealth Carbon technology and has looks that will struggle to be disliked by even the most salty of riders. Compared to the alloy version, the top tube flows more smoothly and the lines are seamless, making the whole bike look a lot sleeker than its predecessor. Cables are tided up using the Hidden Housing Guides for both the shifter and 200mm direct mount rear brake, and a carbon fiber down tube protector and robust plastic chain stay guard are used as protection from rock strikes and chain slap. The carbon swing arm itself is formed to act as a mudguard as well as a adding to the structure, keeping the shock free of dirt and avoiding ungodly homemade versions using old tubes and too many zip-ties. Mondraker also believe that this frame is near un-breakable, and they offer a lifetime warranty to back it up. How's that for having confidence in their product?







Well, it isn't quite that simple, because employing a shorter than average stem on a bike with standard geometry will create a very awkward riding package that will feel too short in reach, as well as not place enough weight on the front wheel for proper handling when you're climbing and descending. That's why Mondraker uses longer front-center lengths that are designed around the short stems found on their bikes. Simply put, instead of Mondraker designing the bike around an average stem, they instead added that to the bike's front - center length and then went with a minuscule shorter 20 or 30mm stem to balance it out. The result is that the rider is in the same position, but the front wheel is further out in front of them and the bike's wheelbase is a longer.




Zero Suspension Design - Mondraker employs its 'virtual pivot system' across its entire range, with the rear shock floating between two links and being compressed from both ends. In the 205mm travel Summum Carbon the shock mounts run on needle roller bearings that Mondraker claims ''yields an unknown sensitivity in downhill bikes''. Both versions of the Summum Carbon feature the same Kashima treated FOX RC4 shocks, and Mondraker have developed exclusive settings to compliment their Zero system who's name comes from its claimed ability to neutralize braking and pedalling forces. The Zero Suspension System features new bearings, along with oversized axles and a newly designed lower link that have both been specifically reinforced for added rigidity.

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Thanks to the swift, WWII style uplift at La Fenasosa Bike Park, I managed plenty of runs on varied terrain with mostly sand and gravel under the tires but plenty of jumps, rocks and corners. I'm not going to pass this off as a review despite others possibly doing exactly that - it was too brief to call it that - although I did get enough saddle time to form a strong opinion on Mondraker's new downhill race machine.

I started with middle-of-the-road settings and a basic set-up thanks to some direction from the MS Mondraker Team mechanics. The usual sag, rebound, tire pressure, bar height and the all important brake lever angle were adjusted to my preference and I was off. I felt comfortable after only a few runs, and the pair of FOX's equally matched dampers felt spot on - throughout testing I only strayed a couple of clicks in either direction. The suspension feels near bottomless, with a smooth progression that didn't let on that it might have been getting close to the end of the stroke, and it feels like there is more in the bank when getting involved in the big stuff. Braking has no noticeable affect on the suspension action and pedalling is efficient, up to par with Mondraker's blurb.



Compared to other downhill bikes that I've put some time on recently, the Summum is roughly 6lbs lighter, which is closer to the weight of my current carbon 160mm bike. Bearing this in mind, the weight of the tubed, Schwalbe SuperGravity tires, added robustness of the bike and its monster trucking capabilities, the weight is pretty astonishing. The icing on the cake being that a big slice of the weight that is there is centralized low down between your shins. But what does this mean on the track? Direction changes were sharp and easy despite the slack angles and long footprint, and it's surprisingly easy to move around in the air and accelerate out of corners. Downsides? If your not on-point, deflection from your designated line choice might take you by surprise, it's that light. I experienced this when getting towed up to speed by MS Racing's Innes Graham during a maiden voyage on a new track, but, if you're racing, your path will hopefully be well rehearsed.



The stock geometry was more than capable in the La Fenasosa park, but the frame has enough adjustment to get really extreme if you live somewhere like Champery - remember that Damien Spagnolo rode to 2nd place at the World Champs there on a Summum - or just trying to prove that your's is longer than your mates. My large frame had 1255mm wheelbase in the short setting, which jumps up to 1270mm if you elongate the chain stay, and removing a couple of degrees using the included headset cups might be somewhere near 1330mm. Bottom bracket height is no longer adjustable like older versions of the Summum, but if you're desperate to drag heels then get some off-set bushings.

My usual bugbear of sizing struck again, though, as being 6'1" with silly long arms had cockpit feeling a little cramped for me despite the long (for a downhill bike) 443mm reach. I would have been closer to comfort with a 50mm stem, but this would negate the benefits of the Forward Geometry that Mondraker have worked towards so diligently. This has me thinking that some riders over the 6' mark could be requesting an XL frame option to benefit from the short stem. I didn't ask the question but assumed the generic response from manufacturers is that they sell such a small percentage of XL frames that fabricating another mould simply isn't cost effective. Then again, some brands don't even make frames to fit the multiple tall riders on their rosters.





Pinkbike's Take:

Mondraker
MS Racing
Additional photos by Óscar Santiago

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