Review: 2020 Mondraker SuperFoxy RR

Jul 20, 2020
by Dan Roberts  



A while back, around 7 years ago, Mondraker were one of the founding fathers of the geometry we currently ride. Along with some other influential industry folk, they pushed the boundaries of what people thought was rideable and in doing so sparked a bit of a revolution in geometry that has only very recently really started to calm down.

Head angles were slackened and reach was extended to a point that made other brands using the long/low/slack marketing tag look like they were almost scared to change their geometry. Mondraker also saw success at the races on their bikes, none more so than in DH racing.

Superfoxy RR Details

Intended use: Enduro
Rear wheel travel: 160mm
Fork travel: 170mm
Wheel size: 29"
Material: Carbon fiber main frame, rear triangle & upper link. Aluminium lower link
Sizes: S, M, L (tested) & XL
Colours: Deep Blue, Light Blue & Flame Red
Weight: 13.9kg / 30.64lbs (L, w/o pedals)
Price: $10,399 or €8,999.
More info: Mondraker Website

It’s been a long few years since the Forward Geometry concept was introduced, and many a brand has now seen the light and the geometry of modern trail and enduro bikes is all the better for it.

So where does that now leave Mondraker? Are they still at the forefront of the geometry movement with many more rivals now coming toe to toe? We took their Superfoxy RR enduro bike, with 160mm rear travel and a 170mm fork, for a long-term test to see how it rides in its own right and if the Spanish brand that was at the beginning of the revolution is still up there today.







2020 Mondraker Superfoxy RR Photo Kifcat Shaperideshoot
The main frame splits and wraps around the shock, which is driven from both the top and bottom short links.
2020 Mondraker Superfoxy RR Photo Kifcat Shaperideshoot
The Superfoxy sports Mondraker's signature design around the head tube with a large hole and sharp design lines.

Construction and Features
The Superfoxy Carbon RR is the top tier bike in the Superfoxy line. It is almost indistinguishable from the Foxy in terms of looks and layout, but adds 10mm of travel to either end to have 160mm rear travel and 170mm fork travel, putting it in a Super Enduro class. That might not mean much to anyone outside of Europe, and might be seen as yet another category. But the Italian Super Enduro series is well known on this side of the pond and gives a good indication of the bike’s intentions.

As the name suggests, the majority of the Superfoxy is made from carbon fiber composite. The front and rear triangles and upper link are all composite while the lower link is aluminum.

The Superfoxy uses a 157mm rear hub and Super Boost spacing to bring some more space around the critical tire/chainstay/chain ring overlap area in development. It does mean that the back of the bike is a touch wider than a traditional Boost spaced bike, though, with more potential for heel or tight terrain contact.

2020 Mondraker Superfoxy RR Photo Kifcat Shaperideshoot
The Superfoxy RR uses a SuperBoost rear hub and chainring spacing, which does make more space around the tire and chain ring, but widens the frame when compared to a traditional Boost hub spacing.
2020 Mondraker Superfoxy RR Photo Kifcat Shaperideshoot
There's ample soft protection on the chain stay and upright, although the seat stay has no protection from the chain hitting it.

There’s internal cable routing through the front and rear triangles, with the cables bridging the gap underneath the bottom bracket. Bolt on plastic guides up at the head tube and under the down tube clamp the cables, but there’s no protective foam over the cables inside the main frame.

The Superfoxy has adjustable chain stays and achieves this with a separate derailleur hanger piece to switch between the 440mm short and 450mm long settings. The non-drive side and brake mount can simply be re-mounted to change the chain stay length, but it is Mondraker’s own brake mount that comes in 200mm rotor size out of the box. For a bike of these intentions though, it’s nice to see that size come stock.

Chain stay and rear triangle upright are nicely covered with moulded rubber protection with the chain stay sporting the commonly used raised ridges to provide some good damping to the chain slap. But the seat stay has nothing, and our test bike had some pretty substantial battle scars in this region and many signs of contact with the chain.

2020 Mondraker Superfoxy RR Photo Kifcat Shaperideshoot
The strong design line from head tube to drop out goes towards making the Superfoxy a good-looking bike.
2020 Mondraker Superfoxy RR Photo Kifcat Shaperideshoot
Adjustable chainstay length is possible with the flipping and swapping of the drop out pieces, which all come with the bike.

The frame design is very low slung and uses a very strong design line from head tube to dropout, flowing along the top tube and seat stay. Showing the bike to friends, their first reaction was always that of appreciation for the looks of the bike. It’s easy to see why many bike designers chase this design line, as it does make a good-looking bike.

Mondraker also use their signature design trait of a hole at the head tube, and the whole top tube is incredibly thin. Whether this was done for purely design or for actually generating some longitudinal flex is unknown. It does mean that a region prone to banging your legs and knees into the frame is on the sharper side of things and could get damaged more easily on this fine edge.

The Superfoxy comes with a -1° angled headset installed, with nice marks on the frame and cups making it a doddle to line the two up. Zero-degree cups are included if you fancy making the head angle a little steeper, or you can turn the angled cups around for even more head angle change. Tinkering may not be for everyone, but it’s nice to have these options on a bike for the people who like to adjust a bike to their riding and surroundings, and a bike with these options offers little deficit to those who prefer to set and forget.





2020 Mondraker Superfoxy RR Geometry

Geometry & Sizing
The Superfoxy comes in four sizes from S to XL ranging from a 450mm reach to a 510mm reach, still following the Forward geometry idea with the reach numbers being between 10mm to 30mm longer than some other brands depending on size. People on the S size should be conscious of this, as it’s quite a big bike for the smaller riders.

All sizes do come specced with a 30mm stem, also following the principle of the Forward Geometry, combining an extended reach with a shorter stem. There are no growing chain stays with size, but the ability to adjust them means that the balance of the bike and wheel grip can be adjusted somewhat as the bikes change size.

Head angle is 65° out of the box with the angled headset installed, and can go as steep as 67°, but I doubt there are many people who would want to go that steep on such a bike. Compared to a few other bikes in the same category, the Superfoxy isn’t quite the slackest bike, with others going as low as 63°, and many a trail bike now having 65°.

It's worth noting that the bottom bracket height is very high - compared to some other bikes in the same category and with the same travel, it’s up to 22mm higher. 357mm from the ground is a long way.

Another point to mention, and one where I pick up Mike Kazimer’s megaphone, is the seat angle. Virtual seat angle is 75.5° for all sizes and the actual seat angle is much slacker at 70.5°. The same effective angle on all sizes and the generally slack angles hints that as rider size and seat height increase you would actually have a much slacker real-world angle.

Seat tube length is also a bit longer than some other bikes at the moment, with our L sizes 470mm length being around 25mm to 35mm longer than some competitors.

The head tube is also very short for a bike with such aggressive intentions. For riders living in steep terrain, or aggressive riders preferring a high bar, the on-paper reach is reduced with all the stem spacers you need. Although our test bike could only allow 10mm of stem spacers to be fitted on the short fork steerer.





Suspension Design
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The Superfoxy uses a four-bar suspension system with two short co-rotating links connecting the rear triangle to the main frame and dictating the instant center position.

Unlike many other brands, Mondraker connects their shock to both of the links and in doing so it gets compressed, or extended, from above and below. This can reduce the amount of load bearing you need on the main frame, as the shock isn't connected to it. But the shock force does need to go somewhere, and the links and their connections to the main frame need to be able to withstand the loads.

The shock is a 205mm x 65mm size with the trunnion mount up at the top link and running on bearings C-clipped into the link to make sure they aren’t going anywhere.

With the Superfoxy's adjustable chain stays, it's not only the geometry that would change. A longer chain stay would mean a longer lever and so raise the leverage ratios and make the bike feel a bit softer for the same spring rate. Alternatively, if you'd set the bike up in the long chain stay setting and switched to the shorter, it would feel a bit firmer for the same spring rate.





Specifications
Release Date 2020
Price $10399
Travel 160mm
Rear Shock Fox DHX2 Factory
Fork Fox 36 Factory Grip 2 170mm
Headset OnOff Titan Angleset
Cassette Shimano XTR M9100 10-51
Crankarms Race Face Next R SuperBoost / S & M 170mm / L & XL 175mm
Bottom Bracket Race Face BSA / 73mm
Rear Derailleur Shimano XTR M9100 12-Speed
Chain Shimano XTR M9100 12-Speed
Shifter Pods Shimano XTR M9100 12-Speed
Handlebar OnOff Kripton / 780mm Width / 12.5mm Rise
Stem OnOff Krypton 30mm
Grips OnOff Desert Lock On
Brakes SRAM Code RSC 200mm Front / 200mm Rear
Wheelset DT Swiss EX1501 Spline ONE
Tires Maxxis Minon DHF 2.5 WT EXO+ Front / Maxxis Minion DHR II 2.4" WT EXO+
Seat SDG Fly MTN
Seatpost Fox Transfer Factory S 100mm / M 125mm / L & XL 150mm


2020 Mondraker Superfoxy RR Photo Kifcat Shaperideshoot





Bike Setup
Personal preference can sometimes get the better of me, and I already see things that I want to change in the setup or spec based on past experience. But to silence myself, and keep my bosses happy, I set out for a first ride on the Superfoxy in standard spec, although the spec we received didn’t entirely match the quoted spec.

Our test bike came specced with a 2.5” Minion DHF up front but a 2.3” Aggressor out back, both in EXO casing. This differs from the quoted Minion DHF/DHR combo with EXO+ casings. Nevertheless, I kept them on for the first ride.

The bike arrived in the midst of our season change. Spring time often delivers fantastically dry weather followed by a good dollop of the wet stuff, and the first ride on the Superfoxy was on nicely damp trails littered with rocks and roots that demand the most of a bike to maintain speed and hold lines. This really highlighted the need for grippier, wider and thicker tires. I’m sure the light Minion and Aggressor combo will work for some people, but a bike like this, especially one designed for enduro race usage, should have been spec'd with burlier tires.


photo
Dan Roberts // Technical Editor
Age: 33
Location: Champéry, Switzerland
Height: 188cm (6'2”)
Weight: 78kg (165 lbs)
Industry affiliations / sponsors: Garage Bike Project, former engineer at Scott Sports
Instagram: @le_crusher
Test Locations: Switzerland: Champéry, Morgins, Plaffeien & Leysin

Suspension setup out of the box seemed straightforward with the Superfoxy, with there being an online guide going through both the fork and shock, although some of the recommended settings are a little different to what Fox suggest and what I measured in the real world. Mondraker also measures damper clicks from fully open, as opposed to the normal from fully closed position, so it’s good to be aware of this.

L size normally ships with a 450lb spring, although for my weight I looked to be tickling the border of a softer 400lb spring, so I had both to switch between.

For my all kitted up weight of 78kg the 450lbs spring gave 21.5% sag, which was a lot less than the suggested 30 – 35% range. The 400lb spring gave slightly more sag, at 22.3%, and left me wondering how low I was supposed to go to reach their recommended sag range.

The Fox 36 was easy to set up, not just because I already knew my settings, but also for the first-time user using the recommended settings printed on the lowers as a starting point. I started at 80psi, 2 volume spacers, 5 clicks of low-speed and high-speed rebound, 7 clicks of low-speed and 12 clicks of high-speed compression, all measured from fully closed.

I also started with the stock 12.5mm rise bar, but this was also one of the first things to be swapped out. A higher rise bar helped shorten the saddle to bars measurement while also bringing my hands higher up for a nicer descending position. The short head tube and low-rise bars really reminded me of a very racy XC setup. I had to use a much higher, 38mm rise bar as the steerer tube is cut quite short, giving a small range to play around with stem spacers.

2020 Mondraker Superfoxy RR Review Photo Kifcat Shaperideshoot

Climbing
Jumping on the Superfoxy to go ride, it straight away felt long when I was sitting on the saddle. Even with the short 30mm stem the bike feels very stretched out during seated climbing, a feeling that comes from the slack seat angle. Shunting the saddle all the way forwards in the rails helped reduce the 'kid on their Dad’s bike' feeling, but it’s still there and means you find your way onto the nose of the saddle as soon as the terrain starts to really point upwards.

After that initial bit of fiddling, the seated position was better, but going back-to-back with bikes having a much steeper seat angle really highlighted that even at the limits of adjustment the Superfoxy still doesn't have the comfiest seated position.

2020 Mondraker Superfoxy RR Review Photo Kifcat Shaperideshoot

Pedalling on smooth sections of road or trail only results in only the smallest amount of suspension bob. Reducing that smoothness, in the pedalling or on the trail, does up the amount of suspension movement going on, with the bike being incredibly sensitive in its initial stages of travel. Using the lockout lever on the shock does firm things up to assist with climbing, but the amount of firmness added isn’t a whole heck of a lot, and with some out of the saddle climbing up slower, steeper and techier trails it loses a bit of its efficiency.

Out of the saddle, the bike’s stretched out feeling is gone, but the 30mm stem does up the amount of twitch at the front end when compared to something like a 50mm stem, especially when your weight is really forwards on a steep climb, and it does make it feel like you’re fighting the bars a bit more.

The Superfoxy made it to the top of all the climbs, but it's stretched out seated position and really short stem made it more conscious work to manage the bike and I was often having to really concentrate on keeping a good position or choosing a line that would upset the bike less.

2020 Mondraker Superfoxy RR Review Photo Kifcat Shaperideshoot

Most of the bikes I ride at the moment are around the 470 – 490mm reach measurement, and go round tighter corners just fine. The Superfoxy can go around them too, it just needs a bit of planning beforehand and some shifts in your body position and line choice.

The Superfoxy’s low weight is noticeable, especially with the stock tires, but it’s not enough in combination with the pedalling position and sensitive suspension to really make it feel like it darts up the climbs faster than other bikes in the same travel range and intention. It’s not like pedalling through glue either, but compared to what I’ve heard about other bikes in the Mondraker range it didn’t feel like the rat up a drainpipe that I was expecting.



2020 Mondraker Superfoxy RR Review Photo Kifcat Shaperideshoot

Descending
That initial ride on the Superfoxy initiated quite a few changes on the bike. As mentioned, the tires and bar were swapped out to give more grip and a better rider fit. With one of the popular spring riding spots being a steep, funicular accessed hill side littered with steep soft gullies a set of double Dirty Dans in Ultra Soft compound and DH casing were on the bike for the first portion of testing, changing to Magic Marys once conditions were dryer and more of the lift accessed trails opened.

Descending on the stock setup, especially with the low bar did make for some interesting moments. The L and XL sizes come with a 150mm dropper post, which with the feet up hands down position constantly gave a not-so-reassuring pat on the undercarriage when the going got rough. For my seat height, and lower, it wouldn't be possible to fit a 175mm drop post on the Superfoxy, which in today’s norm of big drop posts is a limiting factor.

2020 Mondraker Superfoxy RR Review Photo Kifcat Shaperideshoot

The main defining characteristic of the bike is the bottom bracket height. Up at 357mm, it dominated the riding experience for me and made the bike harder to corner, both at lower speeds with more bar turn or at higher speeds with more leaning. It really gives the bike an on-its-toes nervousness, and despite me adjusting my cockpit to raise my hands it left me searching how to lower it to bring more stability and confidence to really open the speed up.

I swapped out to the softer 400lb spring and maxed out the high-speed compression in an attempt to dynamically lower the bike when riding, hoping that the hydraulic support would help me out with the softer spring. To some degree it worked out on the trail, with the bike sitting more into its travel and bringing some added composure to match the long front end that wanted you to let off the brakes.

Unfortunately, the 400lb spring made it possible to bottom out the bike in the car park with just a good heel kick, and this was also present on the trails with bigger hits and compressions finding the end of travel all too often. I'm really not sure how Mondraker suggests 30 - 35% sag when the 400lbs spring was so easy to bottom out with relatively low sag.

The softer setup also allowed the bike to be more prone to larger chassis movement shifts when braking hard or pulling on the bars. In high speed, hard braking situations, with sharp pulls and releases on the brakes the bike wanted to rise and compress more than I wanted underneath me. Good pulls on the bars were met with more suspension compression that wheel lift, making the bike feel longer than it actually is. Needing to get the wheel up in a hurry or just pulling a manual on the roll home required a more concerted effort.

2020 Mondraker Superfoxy RR Review Photo Kifcat Shaperideshoot

It’s a shame that one really off measurement could stand so front and centre in the riding experience, especially with a brand with such heritage in getting modern geometry to where it is today. By comparison, their own Summum DH bike has a lower static BB height, and with more travel would be even lower at sag.

Each time I grabbed the Superfoxy from the shed I got excited looking at it, and come the first descent, I wanted to throw caution to the wind and really open it up. The length of the bike invites you to do that, and the Fox 36 was always up for it too. But soon after you always had a tap on your shoulder to wind it back a bit when the rest of the bike started to be out of its comfort zone. It’s an involved ride experience at speed, and I’m not trying to say that the bike is unrideable, just that you’d better have your skills ready if you want to put it into the speeds and terrain that a long travel 29er bike flourishes in.

Less man-made trails, the kind of root filled brown stripe that meanders through the forest, lend themselves better to the Superfoxy, where its soft feeling suspension can work a lot better over the potentially less g-force inducing terrain. Being more delicate with the bike and your inputs yields faster speeds and more control, but does mean your margin for error is a little tighter. The Superfoxy is more of a finesser than a brute.

Out in the bike parks, for which the Superfoxy is also aimed at, the larger G-forces from the sculpted rises, dips and berms turn the riding experience volume back up. That sensitive approach is once again better, rather than throwing your head at the ground and kicking your heels. But the generally more roller coaster ride begins to upset the bike.

The adjustment possibilities on the Superfoxy are a nice touch, but the head angle comes already slackened out and I’m not sure many people would want to be steepening it by 1° or 2°. Many bikes are already pushing even slacker. While the longer chainstays could bring a touch of added stability, they’re not going to fix the inherent issues I found with the bike. In fact, a longer chain stay would up the leverage on the shock, making it even feel even softer and easier to bottom out.



Maintenance
With the layout of the Superfoxy the shock sits right in the firing line of debris, and the frame shapes around the shock and lower link collect dirt and mud constantly. So, it's best to keep an eye on it to not have the important working of the bike cycling through mud and grit. There is enough space on the uprights to fashion a mud guard though, and protect your investment.

Working on the bike is fairly easy, with most of the pivot bolts using a 5mm hex tool, although the lower link pivots need to be tightened with a larger 8mm for the axle as they use a wedge system to lock the pivots in place. But it’s fairly easy to whip through most of the important bolts on the bike to check they’re all tight. The rear triangle to upper pivot bolts, however, need to be tightened from both sides. But with the main frame blocking access to the inside bolt head, you have to remove the shock to tighten that pivot.

2020 Mondraker Superfoxy RR Photo Kifcat Shaperideshoot
The shock sits right in the firing line from rear tire debris and the tight packaging around it make the bike sometimes fiddly to work on.
2020 Mondraker Superfoxy RR Photo Kifcat Shaperideshoot
The lower link also sits pretty in there too, and takes its fair share of the muck given off by the rear wheel.

There's a brilliant user manual that provides you with exploded views and full part numbers for all the pieces should you need replacements, with lots of the pivots having a kit for all the bearings and hardware associated with them. It also states all the bearing sizes you need for the bike. The upper link bearings for the trunnion mount and seat tube pivot use C-clips to keep the bearings from wandering on their seats, so do make service a little fiddlier. The rear triangle to upper link connection also uses a double row of bearings separated by a washer too.

The link itself is pretty wide, and while I experienced only a few issues when riding from the width, it is in your calf and knee real estate and might cause more problems if you’ve got bigger legs than my bean poles. The shock runs on 22.2 x 10mm hardware and the lower shock bolt is a little soft and started to slowly round out the hex head over the course of the test, needing some careful torquing so as not to completely destroy it while still having it tight enough.

A full strip down without undoing the brake or gear hoses is possible and the user manual is also colour coded to show you where to apply grease and thread locking compound along with torque settings. But the overlapping nature of the frame and links, especially down by the BB does make it a bit fiddly sometimes and a pain for those of us with larger digits and less patience.

2020 Mondraker Superfoxy RR Photo Kifcat Shaperideshoot
The cables and hoses are exposed on the underside of the BB. And the stick-on down tube protector did cover our drain hole, making the mainframe a great place for a goldfish.
2020 Mondraker Superfoxy RR Photo Kifcat Shaperideshoot
There are bearings throughout the bike's pivots, with double rows in some cases. The lower link is mounted to the front and rear triangles with a large aluminum axles that are then locked off with a bolt in wedge system.

Our test bikes stick-on down tube protector covered the BB drain hole, and so the frame easily filled up with water and held it in the frame, with a comical sloshing noise when you moved it around. It's an easy fix but something to watch out for on your own bike. Ideally the main frame internal cables need foam over them to stop the rattling. You can push excess cable inside and then clamp the cable routing parts, but over time the cable tension releases and the bike becomes noisy again.


How Does It Compare?
2020 Mondraker Superfoxy RR Photo Kifcat Shaperideshoot
Mondraker Superfoxy RR.
2020 Nukeproof Mega 290 Factory Photo Kifkat Shaperideshoot
Nukeproof Mega 290 Factory.

Compared to the recently reviewed Nukeproof Mega 290 Factory, the Mondraker has the same travel, is a bit longer up front and a bit shorter out back. Although this can be changed with the adjustable chain stays. The Nukeproof’s geometry puts the rider a lot lower in the bike with the 17mm lower BB height and it has a much more comfortable seated position with the steeper virtual and actual seat angles.

All climbs are possible on both bikes, but the Nukeproof’s much more upright seated position helps out a lot for comfort and balance on really steep climbs, where the Mondraker needs much more body language to keep load over the front of the bike. With the softer 400lb spring fitted, the Superfoxy has more of a spongy feeling when climbing compared to the Nukeproog, especially when out of the saddle.

On the way down, the Nukeproof flies past the Superfoxy with more ease to ride at speeds and move around more instinctively. Despite the shorter reach, your hand position on the Nukeproof is not far off the longer reach but shorter stem of the Superfoxy, and the longer stem is more to my taste with it bringing a bit more calmness when climbing and descending.

With long travel, big wheels and long geometry, both bikes have that initial feeling of wanting speed. But once up to speed the Mondraker becomes a handful while the Nukeproof quietly goes about getting faster and faster with little fuss.

Having both bikes in the garage for the same period, I often grabbed the Mega over the Superfoxy. I always kept giving the Mondraker another chance but, despite a lot of tinkering, just couldn’t get it to feel like the bike it should have been.


Technical Report
2020 Mondraker Superfoxy RR Photo Kifcat Shaperideshoot
The OnOff stem uses bolts at an angle to the bar center axis, which means the face plates slide while you tighten the bolts and distort the stem enough to make it grip the steerer tightly even with the steerer clamp bolts undone.
2020 Mondraker Superfoxy RR Photo Kifcat Shaperideshoot
The top cup of the angled headset rotated while riding to almost 180° from where it should be, causing the bearings to scream and shout.

OnOff Krypton Stem and Bar: With having to change bars early on in the test I discovered that the OnOff stem on the Mondraker is a really bad example of stem design. Usually the front bolts, holding the face plates to the main body of the stem, are perpendicular to the bar axis. On the Krypton, however, they’re at an angle to the axis, and mean as you tighten them the face plates need to slide across the surface of the bar. This marks the bars and also puts so much deforming force into the stem that it clamps the steerer tube of the fork incredibly tight, even when the steerer clamp bolts are undone. Employing a bit by bit tightening process on all the bolts was better, but this is fundamentally just a really bad design. With the Krypton bars, many people perhaps prefer a lower bar height, and for them the low-rise bar and short head tube achieve this. But if you like to run a higher hand setup then you'll need to rely on some high-rise bars to get your hands where you want them.

OnOff Titan Headset: The Superfoxy comes with a -1° angled headset installed, and on arrival the top cup was out of alignment with the marks on the frame. It was an easy affair to push the cup out and re-align it, but within five rides the top cup had spun around almost 90° and with further riding was almost doing a full 180°. As a result, the headset bearings were not a fan and developed a notchy feeling and creaked like an old barn door during riding.

Fox Transfer Dropper: The post worked flawlessly, and the spec choice of the Race Face lever is a good one from Mondraker, with it being a much more robust and positive feeling lever. But 150mm drop on the L and XL size frames is simply not enough. And even 125mm on the M size and only 100mm on the S size highlight the dated geometry and spec of the bike.

Fox DHX2 Shock: Firstly, I have never been singing the praises of the previous generation X2 shocks, as many of you might have commented. And there isn’t much praise for the MY20 unit on the Superfoxy. The bike has an overall very linear feeling to the suspension with the shock's support often lacking in many situations, but I'm not going to attribute all of this linearity to solely the shock. Again, the MY21 X2 shocks are a big step up in performance and would really help the bike out, but unfortunately can't fit on the Superfoxy, with the piggy back hitting the frame at bottom out. Neither too can an Öhlins TTX22M, which I tried to fit as a remedy to the bike's issues.

Maxxis Tires: Tire choice can be about as personal as underwear, but for really riding bikes hard out in Champéry and the Alps it requires something with more meat than an EXO or EXO+ casing. Light tires feel fantastic, from their reduced mass at the furthest point of the wheel. And if you prefer thinner casing, slightly harder compound tires for your trails and riding then they will be right up your street. But if you know you need something more robust and stickier, then it's something to keep in mind for swapping out.

Shimano XTR Drivetrain: Shifting is flawless and stays crisp and consistent with use and in all conditions. The 32T chainring and 175mm cranks gave a great feel for pedalling, and the high BB did allow the use of slightly longer cranks. S and M size come specced with 170mm cranks to reflect the shorter rider height. Maybe a blind test would really show the difference between the top tier XTR and XT, but the feel of shifting and the individual components is brilliant, and looks set to remain like that for a very long working life.




Pros
+ Fantastic looks
+ Bike length encourages speed
Cons
- High bottom bracket and relatively slack seat angle affect performance
- High price compared to other similarly spec'd bikes
- Odd spec choices and stem/headset problems





Pinkbike's Take
bigquotesOne of the originators of what we now see as modern geometry, Mondraker has a lot of heritage in pushing geometry development. But over the past seven years many brands, big and small, have now adopted the same geometry ideas. And in a lot of cases they’ve now snuck up and overtaken Mondraker to bring a modern geometry take to not just the head angle and reach measurements.

The Superfoxy is long and slack, but unfortunately there's more to the modern geometry equation than those two numbers. Add in the high price tag and a few less-than-ideal component choices and the Mondraker's gorgeous looks become a little less appealing.
Dan Roberts







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Member since Apr 6, 2019
137 articles

225 Comments
  • 192 0
 TLDR: It cost a lot of money and wasn't very good up or down
  • 43 0
 It sounds like it was a bit worse than not very good. Looks pretty though.
  • 10 1
 mtbr be like can this bike fit a shock with longer piggyback.
  • 62 0
 Its almost as if reusing a mold that was designed for less travel and stuffing a garbage offset headset cup in it isn't a winning solution.
  • 6 1
 Nice bike Maestro.
  • 6 1
 @hamncheez: I think you nailed it. That BB height completely disqualifies the bike. Then add in the other issues...
  • 4 0
 @jorgeposada: DW (don't worry), there won't be any patent suits.
  • 11 0
 The only thing going on is the weight at 30.6lbs with a coil for a 10mm is quite impressive but totally irrelevant if the ride suckered.
  • 7 11
flag duzzi (Jul 20, 2020 at 9:16) (Below Threshold)
 @ybsurf: Maybe ... the coil adds half a pound to a Fox X2, and here we are thinking that a 30 pounds bike (without pedals) is "light". The reality is that these 29 160/170 slack badly climbing monsters might be good for the bike park but otherwise are overkill for any trail ...

It does look gorgeous. I wish they made a 150/140 27.5 one with a more normal geometry ...
  • 3 1
 @duzzi: totally agree I sold mine 170/160 and got a full dh for park and a 150/130 for trail and couldn't be happier AND both my bikes for pretty much the price of that one... Smile
  • 6 0
 @duzzi: they made 150/150 and 150/160mm 27.5 versions of the standard foxy but discontinued the 27.5 size in 2019 It got a decent review on pink bike when it was released in 2018 .

www.pinkbike.com/news/mondraker-foxy-carbon-rr-sl-review.html

I love my foxy xr carbon 27.5 and got it for a seriously good price back in January about 40% discount.

it's great with the super deluxe on the rear and lyrik on the front but it did take some time to get the rear shock dialled in and needed a gnardog token.
Definitely wasn't the easiest bike I've had to set up but it's certainly the best bike I've owned so far.
  • 4 1
 @theraggyone: I know, they jumped full on the 29 bandwagon last year ... 29s are great but I am so glad other brands (e.g. Ibis) are sticking with nimbler and lighter 27.5 ...
  • 8 0
 @duzzi: "The reality is that these 29 160/170 slack badly climbing monsters might be good for the bike park but otherwise are overkill for any trail ..."

I would say that this rather depends on where you live, what trails you ride and how fast you can ride those trails.

Yes you can ride everything in Whistler on 140/150 bike (especially a well designed one) but the current crop of 150-160/ 170-180 bikes (also very well designed to climb quite well and descend almost as well as a DH bike) make life a lot safer and more fun.
  • 3 2
 I'm still trying to find the 4 bars. Looks more like vpp to me.
  • 5 0
 @foggnm: vpp upper link rotates the other way. This is similar to DW/maestro in that two short links rotate in the same direction. One of them is just hidden by the bottom of the shock tunnel.
  • 1 0
 @friendlyfoe:

Couldnt agree more, what a sexy looking bike. But if it cant walk the walk...then who gives a shit

I think the sexiness come from the "large hole and sharp design lines"
  • 2 0
 @andrewbikeguide: right, at Whistler ... hardly representative of a typical trail. The point is that all we see are bike that are oversized for enduro competition or for place like ... Whistler!
  • 1 4
 @foggnm: definitely vpp
  • 2 0
 @foggnm: PvP has counter rotating links. It's closer to a DW link if anything.
  • 1 0
 @andrewbikeguide: A) I'm totally on the fence with this, but I just took a leap of faith and bought a Orbea Rallon to test the "one bike" idea. So far, it's climbing about as well as my 5 year old shwanky trek fuel ex 9.9 that was 25.5 lbs with 2.4's and 30mm rims, and it does have more travel than I need. Orbea with carbon rims and lightish tires is 29.5 lbs. No real rocks where I live, and it is certainly "bigger" than what I need for my home trails.
Using stock DT1900 wheelset with DH tires for park, but that's a bit of a waiting game here these days . . .and
B) I am certain I would get in trouble at whistler on a 140/150 bike. I know it can be done, but forte not to be limiting you'd have to be kinda badass . . . Us mortals? I'll take all the help I can get for when I over or undershoot . . .
  • 1 0
 @foggnm: Seat tube, upper link, rear triangle, lower link.
  • 1 0
 @dsut4392: that would make all bikes 4 bar suspension. This bike has no bearings (links) in the rear triangle stays. Unless my eyes deceive me. And there's no mention of a hidden pivot at the axle. Granted, I'm completely unscientific in my appraisal. Just saying it doesn't look like Horst to me. It looks more like VPP or dw link as others have pointed out.
  • 111 21
 "As the name suggests, the majority of the Superfoxy is made from carbon fiber composite"

No. No, it doesn't. Maybe it's made from foxes. Super ones at that, too. But nowhere in the term "superfoxy" can one spell carbon, let alone read it...
  • 37 4
 From the previous paragraph: "The Superfoxy Carbon RR is the top tier bike in the Superfoxy line."

So that's the full name of the specific model. The author is just using an abbreviated name in the passage you quoted.
  • 8 0
 I thought the name Superfoxy came from the fact its super boost. They're rubbing it in our face at this point.
  • 14 0
 Wrong. It’s made from superintendents. Cute (aka foxy) ones at that.
  • 16 0
 @powderturns: Wrong again. It's made from old Starfox cartridges for Super Nintendo
  • 1 0
 Thank you!
  • 3 0
 @pmhobson: do a barrel roll!
  • 1 2
 superfoxy is about as feminine as a name can get for an enduro-worthy bike. I think super purty should be their next model or maybe gentle flower or maybe super flower power.
  • 66 12
 Mondrakers are known for being long and slack, there is another long and slack bike, yeah, I'm asking WHERE IS THE GRIM DONUT.
  • 53 1
 $10k for something that is pretty flawed. Ridiculous.

I'm glad that brands such as Privateer are coming onto the scene and shaking up this nonsense that is the bike industry; brands seem to justify to themselves that give figures on a bike is OK when they've overlooked so many fundamental elements of making a good bike.

Even at half the price - which the bike will be within a few months as Mondrakers depreciate so bad - its expensive.
  • 26 2
 Well, at least their customer service is a shit.
  • 2 0
 Do they depreciate that quickly? Serious question I always thought they looked great and therefore would hold their value.
  • 2 0
 @jollyXroger: might be different in the UK because I went through my distributor, but they even helped me with a 5 year old frame that I had bought used
  • 3 0
 @stumphumper92: I wouldn't think they depreciate much quicker than other bikes.. If they do, Its more likely down to the fact that they're not a brand like trek or sc which someone might immediately think to type in the search box on eBay or pb buy/sell
  • 3 0
 @nordland071285: I've seen a ton of them discounted ~50% once the next model year is out. I rarely see more than 30% off on Yeti/SC/etc.
  • 6 0
 @nordland071285: I can vouch for Mondraker service being amazing. Years ago i had a Dune RR which i bent in a pretty dumb crash (went into the back of a landing on a double), I contacted Mondraker via Silverfish and they sent me an ex-demo frame completely free of charge, i just had to pay postage.

Add to this the fact that i was the 3rd owner of the frame i bent, it was totally out of warranty and the only proof of purchase was an ebay receipt. I call that good service. They could have sold that frame for £600-700, it was in mint condition.

It got stolen a year later.
  • 1 1
 @nordland071285: My experience with their distributor is also positive, very positive at that, but Mondraker themselves on the other hand don't even respond to (repetitive) emails, not with a single word. They just let the distributors deal with their crap.
  • 1 0
 @danielstutt: amazing! Sorry it got nicked though
  • 1 0
 @jollyXroger: Customer service has been super for me so far with Privateer. What do you mean?
  • 52 14
 Okay so to summarize. The bars and stem are straight up bad. The headset is crap. whether thats due to the headset being low quality or the tolerance of the hole in the frame (hotdog through a hallway) i dont know. I suspect both. The shocks piggyback hits the frame. Like really? Cablemanagement and frame protection is subpar. The dropper doesnt have enough drop.

Im sorry there is no other way to put this. But this is just lazy, these are problems that i as a designer would not even allow on the prototype. I could kind of forgive the bike these flaws if it rode like the clappers. But it doesnt do that apparently. yet its THAT expensive.
  • 59 3
 "The shocks piggyback hits the frame. Like really?"

No, it doesn't. The *new* DHX2 piggyback hits the frame. I know because I read the article.
  • 4 0
 Except for the piggy back thing, you're spot on on your assertion. It's just a poor execution of a meh concept (at best). The non super Foxy 29 was flawed as well and yet they took little care to improve it, except a little more "conventional" leverage curve.

But the issue here are the consumers. The Foxy looks absolute killer in person, and I guess that's the main selling point, enough that you'll see plenty of them at any enduro event in Iberia. In fact, I'd say (eyeballing here) you'll see way many more Foxies than any of the great alloy sub 2k€ frames or 3k€ bikes currently available which offer better reliability and performance
  • 4 7
 @Arierep:
article = superfoxy
your quote = foxy

superfoxy = average bike
foxy = great bike everyone i know who's on loves. Next year make it look ugly, people will love it anyway.

Got it now?
  • 6 0
 @matiewz: Have you even bothered to read what I wrote?
  • 22 0
 @matiewz: I get that you own the bike and want to defend it. When I had my Foxy Carbon 29 I defended it to the core but after I rode more and more bikes I realized I was just making excuses. The bottom line is that the Foxy Carbon 29 is just not that great. The geo is good for going straight down a smooth trail on the side of a mountain. Other than that there are bikes that do a better job of being bikes. It sounds like the Superfoxy actually got worse. Sucks because they are some of the best looking bikes I've ever seen. They're like a super hot but super psycho, high maintenance girlfriend. You don't want to let her go but she eats at your mental health daily.
  • 8 0
 It appears they reused an old carbon mold (new molds are hella expensive) and did something to increase the rear travel, maybe with revised links, and had to stuff a crap offset headset in there. Not a winning solution.
  • 3 0
 @NotSorry: without actual insider info, I'd say the main driver for the Superfoxy might have been the correction of the original Foxy 29 leverage curve. The original Foxy has a markedly progressive-regressive curve, almost describing a full inverted arch, resulting in something like an initial 2.6 and final 2.5 rate. Not optimal, specially when Mondraker insisted in equipping the frame with coil shocks.

The increase in rear travel might be only the result of the lengthened chainstay length
  • 3 0
 And has the audacity to slap a $10k price tag on it
  • 6 0
 Okay ill admit i wasnt entirely correct on the piggyback. The rest still stands tho. Its stupidly expensive and doesnt go anything really great.

So in short. Buy a Propain or something. does everything this does (if not better) and isnt flawed. Looks better as well.
  • 2 0
 @RecklessJack: buy an aluminium bike. A Propain, or a Bird AM9, or a Privateer or a Ripmo
  • 1 0
 @Arierep: But think of the carbon mold industry! They have families too!
  • 32 1
 Thanks @dan-roberts for the honest review. And trying everything to give the bike a chance. Would the bike perhaps work better somewhere less brutal than Champerey? But then, you don't need a €9k 170mm super enduro bike in rolling hills...
  • 31 1
 @dan-roberts You're reviews are just next level. You are thorough, go in great detail on al aspects of the bike and it's a pleasure to read. Thanks!
  • 20 0
 Goldfish? With all the mud and water in there I'll be bringing my pet frog along for a ride.
  • 20 0
 So in summary for both cash and ride buy the Mega
  • 6 4
 Or two Mega's. This is kind of like when higher trim Corvette's show up and absolutely thrash cars 2-3x the price.
  • 4 0
 Buy a Mega and put a photo of the Mondraker above your mantelpiece.
  • 17 1
 So they've taken an older geo frame, hacked an angleset in, shuffled the sizing on paper (calling an actual M an 'S' to pretend it's fashionably long), left obvious deal-breaking flaws unfixed and someone said "yup, happy with that, this is our $10k flagship". Holy crap. Hilarious that someone's actually gonna buy this bodge job. Nothing against the existence of expensive superbikes, but there's nothing super about this one compared to some other options. It's not even light if the quoted weight is with EXO tyres (I know it's a long travel bike but it's also a carbon 10k bike). Not even some XTR bling for the price. No special parts or unique design bits. Nada.

Just focus on your kids' mini motos, Modraker.
  • 13 0
 Not the revoew I expected.. pitty when it looks this good, but good on you for calling it out.
  • 12 0
 A review on how to kill a product and convince people not to buy it...in a nice way!?
  • 9 1
 I'm confused with this so called modern geometry. Reach on a S sized bike is 450 and only 510 on a XL one. This means that if you're 150cm tall your bike is just 6cm smaller than if you're 200cm tall or taller... It sounds like bollocks but it's just my opinion.
  • 9 2
 Not a fan of the current mondraker foxy/ super foxy gometry.
The ones i rode felt like driving a school bus, only good at high speeds and fast corners. One trick pony not fun for the diversity of my everyday ride or technical and slow terrain.
  • 5 10
flag matiewz (Jul 20, 2020 at 3:35) (Below Threshold)
 they're great bikes mate, maybe not enough forgiving for you though Wink
  • 9 1
 @matiewz: Sure, just my personal opinion based on impression from a few rides. I did compare the Mondrakers to Slayer, Firebird, Wreckoning and Capra and the MR´s just din´t feel good to me. This paired with the price tag, the short dropper and to me no real appealing brand vibe made me shop elsewhere.
But good to hear you like the MR´s
  • 9 2
 Wow. I had the opposite impression of Foxys and Superfoxys. Same height, ride a large. They have an amazing pedal platform. Never cornered any bike as well as a mondy. PRd all my descents. They definitely should all be spec'd with a float X2 for consumers. Very linear bike. If you set it up right, you use all the travel all the time. I think the reviewer @dan-roberts would have a totally different perspective with that bike running a float X2 with some spacers. Easier to setup and has a nice ramp at the end. I am totally biased and drinking the mondy koolaid. Best bike I've owned is the Foxy XR with a float x2.
  • 6 1
 Agree.
I've got my third Mondy in a row. This year it's a Superfoxy. Previous were Dune R's. I am totally satisfied with it, I guess my riding isn't so on limits... I prefer natural trails to bikeparks, but love gravity & speed also.
In despite of all written in the review, the Superfoxy is sold out from the end of May 2020 and was on the market from mid July 2019...
  • 3 0
 @Mermo: Totally. I prefer rough natural steep trails. This bike should not be ridden slow. Haha. One of the most amazing bikes to descend on. I had two friends that rode mine (Foxy) once and one went out and bought a superfoxy the next week and the other bought a foxy a month later. Never met a person who didn't like how it felt so this review is really surprising.
  • 3 0
 Rockshox Superdeluxe tuned by Avalanche with a MegNeg canister makes this rear suspension work so well. The initial harshness goes away but all the efficiency is still there. Can huck big and never feel a bottom out but still using it all. Definitely install the -1 headset. Or if your Foxy didn't come with one buy a -.5 headset. Also move to a 40-45mm stem and the front end sticks very well. The short stem is problematic on flat turns, on any bike. These bikes really need to be set up well to be the best they can be. The frame is a great starting point, but the rest of Mondraker's choices are problematic. Still not sure how Dan showed such a slack effective STA. I've accurately measured mine to center of the seat post extended very high and it's 76 degrees actual and really with how I have my seat positioned, closer to 76.5 degrees actual .
  • 2 0
 @SunsPSD: Nice. Good to know. Have the -1 headset cup with a 40mm stem and it is money in the turns. Yeah. I would agree that the on-off stuff the spec isn't preferred. I built my foxy up and its dialed. Was bottoming out the dhx2 so often that I replaced the bearings in 400 miles. haha. love the float x2 with full spacers. these bikes really are amazing. So easy to service too! Yeah, the seat tube doesn't feel slack to me, but I'm coming from an old wreckoning. lol
  • 3 0
 In my experience, a longer wheelbase can help with climbing traction. Cornering is little tougher, but much more stable at higher speed.
  • 4 0
 I have a 2019 Foxy XR, and feel like a lot of the criticisms are directed at the Superfoxy specifically or the ridiculously overpriced builds. I did a frame up build because I got a great deal on the XR frame - put a 45mm stem, 25mm spacers + 40mm riser bar for more stack height, 185mm dropper, and it's so freaking dialed in. Granted, I'm 6'4 195lbs and the XL feels perfect. Generally, it seems like the Foxy's are better suited towards bigger riders. I have a 500lb SLS on the DHX2 and had no problems hitting ~30% sag while only bottoming out on 4-5ft+ hucks.

I do agree that it has a long wheelbase at any size, and for that reason I opted to keep the 0deg headset cups installed. Granted, I do a lot climbing and descending with only a handful of bike park rips mixed in there. No part of me feels like this bike needs to be raked out an extra degree up front.
  • 2 0
 @graham2017: Nice. I completely agree. My build is nowhere close to 10k. More like 5k. I'm 6'2" and 200-205 lean. I actually ran a 450 around 32% sag on a large frame. I totally prefer the feel of the DHX2, but I was worried about the frame and how fast I was cruising through bearings. I'm a physical rider and push the bike as hard as I can on every descent. The float X2 was a great compromise. Would love to try the superfoxy with the DHX2. My buddy has the super R with the float on it and is absolutely crushing on it.
  • 1 0
 As a previous multiple Mondraker owner, can I ask how many frames have been cracked in this sub-thread of owners?
  • 1 0
 @AlanMck: I'm not aware of any Foxy 29s or even the Goxy 27.5s that have broken.

Have to go back to the pre-boost frame sets to see a bunch of chainstay failures.
  • 1 0
 @AlanMck: 0 for 3 for me. I do get tire rub on foxy when running a 2.5 aggressor in the rear from pushing into turns hard. Other than that, no issues with the frame. I do swap bearings 1-2 times a year, but I'm a 205 lb hack. lol
  • 1 0
 @AlanMck: none of 3 for me too
  • 1 0
 @AlanMck: No cracks on my 19 Foxy XR. I've put around 1,000mi on it so far riding pretty hard in the mountains.
  • 7 0
 Gosh, I’m really surprised to read this really negative review. I’m coming off a 2020 Foxy RRSL 29 to try out the 170mm so I went to the Superfoxy RR and have literally been blown away. Loving the high BB as well!
  • 5 0
 I like higher BB's. 29ers are inherently more stable and I prefer the poppy feel of the 26er wheel/BB ratio. Combine that feel with the trail smashing 29er rubber and im happy, I guess im in the minority. I don't mind dipping the turns a bit more, feels like a monster truck everywhere else...
  • 1 0
 I'm with you. My bike has a +1300mm wheelbase, not super slack head angle, and a not super low bottom bracket and I love it. Almost seems right. Able to weight the front end better and greater ability to make high speed direction changes. Perhaps low and slack came about because it helped within the context of what were shorter wheelbases...???..
  • 5 0
 "For my seat height, and lower, it wouldn't be possible to fit a 175mm drop post on the Superfoxy, which in today’s norm of big drop posts is a limiting factor." It would be possible if you use a OneUp V2 dropper for instance, whose profile is 32mm lower than the Transfer's. So you could run it at 180mm just fine, even if the Fox Transfer post was already all the way down.
  • 4 0
 Ive had the super foxy R since september last year and i love it! Even though the bottom bracket is high it doesn't feel like it to me and I've come off an evil insurgent which has a low one! Maybe the coil isn't a good fit for this bike as the x2 i have feels great and my steerer tube was plenty long enough to put more spacers under it than the couple which was described.
I realise some people dont get on with certain bikes but part of this review is just wrong! The stock head angle is 65 without the angleset (which my bike doesn't have) So rather than putting it to 65 to 67 stated in the review its actually 64 to 66 with the angleset.
  • 2 0
 I don't know where your getting this information, but according to mondrakers website the 65 is with the headset cups installed.
  • 5 1
 If you’re making changes to the bike that allow you to bottom it out in the car park you’re doing it wrong. Maybe rate a bike on a fair list of criteria and not randomly nit pick individual components on a test bike or base your review on your own poor set up choices?
  • 4 0
 Mondy were great, but they have remained static in their development for years now which is why i sold and moved on. They are well behind the pack imo, such a shame but it's all down to them. They will soon lose all relevance i think....the only big brands further behind are the likes of SC lol
  • 2 0
 What do you own? I went from a Foxy Carbon 29 to a 2020 SC Hightower and couldn't have been happier. I also rode 23 bikes last year for fun (traveling to demo days was a bit of a hobby last year). Santa Cruz bikes were always pretty solid with their performance.
  • 3 0
 @NotSorry: SC, Spesh, Trek still have regressive STAs and stack heights, esp. for taller riders. At 6', I use Mediums to get the toptube and stem lengths that work. Compare to Fezzari La Sal Peak.
  • 2 0
 Right on. I may have been more comfortable on the small Foxy. That wouldn't have fixed the suspension though.
  • 3 2
 @NotSorry: fixed? I am on a 2020 foxy. it's the single fastest bike I have ever ridden or owned. i Have had: Patrol, Firebird, spartan, enduro(twice), mega(worst bike imaginable). so funny that someone wouldn't find the foxy to be amazing.
  • 1 1
 @conoat: you're not biased. Please post links to the timed events.
  • 1 0
 @conoat: I didn't find it amazing. I found it overpriced, harsh, and awkward in tight sections. It is a beautiful bike and definitely fast on the right trails but it isn't versatile. I find the new Enduro, which should feel even less maneuverable to feel more maneuverable.
  • 1 1
 @NotSorry: lol. I rode the new enduro for a couple days and found it to be the second biggest turd behind the mega.

Guess we want wildly different things out of bikes.
  • 1 2
 @conoat: Considering no one in the world that has ridden the Enduro feels that it's a turd I have to question your opinion and motive. I see you're selling your Foxy 29, why is that?
  • 1 0
 @NotSorry: you think no one in the world has disliked the enduro? huh? I am not selling my Foxy. I am selling a foxy. it's what I do. My foxy is staying with me for a good while. I have sold about a dozen of them in the last 4 months. the only knock I have heard is that area around the shock/rear triangle does indeed grab trail debris. that's it. every other word has been nothing but praise. I dunno man...I will say, the Enduro is a great bike if you need a bike to bail you out on the rough terrain. It simply has no finesse. it's heavy, dead feeling. much like my Firebird was.
  • 5 1
 Sorry to see Mondraker, which as a brand 6 or 7 years ago truly innovated the geometries of the frames, inspiring practically all the other brands, got lost on the road continuing to always propose the same geometries with the same bikes. Maybe it was better if it remained a smaller but more crazy brand.
  • 5 1
 As a former Mondraker Foxy (model year 2016) owner, I am very glad to see how this review sheds light on some drawbacks that ultimately made me buy another bike from a different brand.
These might be seen as "minor issues" by very experienced and skilled riders who can adapt to anything, but to the average Joe, some things are a bit more disconcerting.
Mondraker should really pull their shit together and adress the following: slack-ish seat angle, way too small stack height and headtube, high BB combined with a linear linkage design, and last but not least, the 30mm stem requires a lot of attention to weight the front wheel, a 40mm or even 50mm stem would suit the bike better.
Although Mondraker were at the forefront of modern geometry back in the day, nowadays there are a lot of brands catching up and doing a better job at fine tuning those traits and offering an overall better ride. I really do hope and honestly wish they'd do some redesigns of their current line-up.
  • 3 3
 This bike has anything but linear kinematics and front to rear balance should be pretty damn good with 440-450mm CS, regardless of stem length.
  • 2 0
 @Mondbiker: indeed!
  • 1 0
 Their entire design strategy is around a longer bike. They use the 30mm stem because it makes the TT and Reach more reasonable while stretching the wheelbase longer. Using a 40mm or 50mm stem might make it too stretch in the TT and Reach, but that would be a personal preference.
  • 1 1
 @tacklingdummy: So, you could size "down" and use this with a 40/50mm stem, right? It would make it on par with other bikes' sizing and handling. The only difference is if you preferred the Mondraker's aesthetics and kinematics, fit and handling.

I mean, you go against their Forward Geometry concept, but honestly, since when did mountain bikers conform to a prescription.
  • 1 0
 @kinematix: I have thought about that too. Perhaps, if you are a size M-XL. I'm a size S, so wouldn't be able to downsize. I'd still rock their size Small, but you just have to know you are getting a long wheelbase bike.
  • 1 0
 @tacklingdummy: My wife rides a small 27.5 Foxy SL with a 40mm stem at only 5'3". She complained right away about the short reach and twitchy steering with the 30mm stem. And the 27.5" have a longer reach than the 29s!

I don't think downsizing is needed at all. Frankly Mondraker sizing is on par with pretty much everything modern these days. Just slide your seat forward and narrow your bars a bit if needed.
  • 6 1
 I am so glad that Mondraker along with others have stop putting hideous bends in the top tube near the head tube. It made the bike look like it had been in a heavy crash.
  • 8 1
 Spec sheet is for the Nukeproof Mega
  • 1 0
 @danroberts
  • 2 1
 Thanks for that. Was one digit off with the product ID
  • 1 0
 Internet!
  • 4 0
 Ouch! That's a pretty harsh review.
Reading between the lines, it looks like Mondraker might have just used the same frame moulds from a different or previous frame and stuck and angle set in... for €10,000
  • 1 0
 Not €10K, price in Europe is 8,499 €
  • 6 1
 How to marketing a new bike model despite nothing is actually new; repaint the old model and add 'Super' before the old name. Bazinga.
  • 6 0
 Yeti (and others)- Our bikes are pretty expensive.
Mondraker- Hold my beer.
  • 3 0
 About the slack seat tube angle. Does any component manufacturers make a seat rail extensions or a saddle w/ extra long rails extending rearward? So instead of the ~1 inch or so of adjustability there could be like 2 or 3 inches? That way one could actually get the seat forward where it’s comfy on bikes with too slack of a seat angle. I know offset dropper posts exist, but they’re expensive just to try it out. Also the moment load on the dropper bushing would increase, which might cause issues. Such an adapter or rail extensions would allow me to use an old bike that is otherwise pretty decent.
  • 1 0
 dropper post with offset?
  • 2 0
 @kyytaM:

KS eten
  • 2 0
 @Saidrick: 9point8 make one too. But it'd be better to run it on a standard dropper. That way I'd be able to use it on other bikes. In my case it's just for an old bike I keep as a back up.
  • 2 0
 @kyytaM: @kcy4130 Which way are you wanting to go? You mentioned getting the seat more forward. An offset dropper is going to move you MORE over the back wheel...
  • 1 0
 @mybaben: I thought there was at least one dropper that can go forward. But now I'm not having much luck finding/confirming.
  • 4 0
 9point8 has a fwd offset dropper. It only goes to 150mm drop though Ergon enduro saddle has extra long rails. I am running one on a fairly slack sta bike, and I definitely appreciate the adjustment . I have also think it would be fairly easy to make an offset clamp system for certain droppers. Started designing one a few months back, but I never finished.
  • 2 0
 @mybaben: I have old Specialized Command post with offset - it can be rotated to forward offset - it uses the dread one bolt seat clamping.
  • 1 0
 @kcy4130: Interesting. I haven't seen anything like that, but it could help.
  • 1 0
 @kyytaM: Interesting, did they have some sort of pivot adjustment, so the clamp didn't just stick up in the air when you rotated it forward? LOL, yes, the one bolts suck.
  • 2 0
 @mybaben: this one - reviews.mtbr.com/specialized-command-post-review

I used it on Giant Trance X with the offset extending the TT. Later, when I passed the bike to my gf, I rotated the whole post 180 degrees - reducing the TT with now front facing offset.
  • 1 0
 @kyytaM: Interesting!
  • 2 0
 I love the SuperFoxy and don't know why this guy is switching out shit on the bike that's good to begin with. I guess he has his opinion, and I completely disagree. The ride is stable, fast, and perfect. The bike is hot as hell, and Mondraker continues to produce some rad bikes. So yeah, I completely disagree.
  • 6 0
 So thats the company promoting electric mopeds without pedals to kids?
  • 2 0
 This reads like a bad film review and reminds me of my bike. an XL enduro from 2018.The steerer is cut to short, the bars are low stock - 38mm rise bars were not enough for me.That's where it ends though, nd mine was a bargain compared to this. Imagine spending $10k on this thing to have all these issues. No thanks.
  • 3 1
 Something about suspension setup issues seems very odd, based on numbers this bike should be very different to what review says it is. So while high BB is (and to an extent always was mondrakers big issue) the suspension issue seems more shock related than kinematics issue. To those who know it might be interesting read linkagedesign.blogspot.com/2019/11/mondraker-superfoxy-2020.html
  • 2 0
 dear Pinkbike testers,
Could you please try to developp more the behaviour of the bike on your tests ?
it looks like now only the geometry numbers are commented
The position and how the suspension works are very important, but also, I think it is interesting to talk about grip, how the bike reacts in off cambers, if the frame is stiff or if it feels tolerant, if it brakes well, how does it brake in steep portions, does braking influences the suspension etc...
  • 2 0
 Don't at all understand the complaint about the dropper being limiting, dude has 6 inches of dropper post sticking out till the collar. That's 210mm OneUp territory all day long.

I run a 175mm dropper at 5'11" on a large and frankly could fit a 190mm.
  • 2 1
 @Dan Roberts
I think you tried the wrong size, I own it in XL, I m 186 tall, and like this bike.
I change the coil for a Float X2, XTR brake to match drivetrain, and 2,35 butcher front and rear (thanks to my shop for the free change)
Try it in XL and rewrite your review, I m curious to read it
  • 1 0
 Late to the party, but have to say that my '18 Foxy 27.5 has much fewer issues than reported here. If I had a bone to pick, it'd be the progressive/regressive LR causing the shock to bottom out on fast hits. Still searching for a solution to that. Otherwise, it's great fun and very fast. Too bad this one got such a bad review.
  • 1 0
 To clarify, the SuperFoxy is more progressive than the Foxy? It seems that the bike still does not work well with a coil anyhow. I'm looking to buy a Superfoxy with air shock. The BB height comment worries me now though, perhaps Foxy is better in that regard, but then you lose the stiffer rear triangle....I had a Dune RR and Summum, both bikes ride really well once you learn how to ride and tweak setups
  • 5 0
 Thats so so so pretty.... but, it's just insane money !!!!
  • 4 0
 Even though I prefer shimano. At over 10k I expect wireless shifting and dropper. Might just be a thing for me though
  • 2 1
 A real shame Mondraker missed the target so much on this bike.
I still love my Foxy 29 but that rear suspension took some know how to get it working really well and the factory spec missed it by a mile. And the short stems suck (on any bike). Will add that my actual STA on a L and a 175mm dropper is 76 degrees.
  • 1 0
 So hows the chainstay protection and rear tyre clearance? :-)
  • 1 0
 @embi: The local Mondraker distributor sent me the updated chainstay protection (as pictured on the Superfoxy) at no cost and the bike runs totally silent now and frankly I don't need any more rear tire clearance than for a 2.35. However I can see if you live and ride in a muddy place additional tire clearance could be needed.
When I bought the bike it was my preferred frame to start with and I would have still made the same decision at that time. Going to ride it till it's worthless as I still really enjoy it and it's well scratched and has a lifetime frame warranty.
The only possible replacement frame I've considered is the Kavenz but not ready to slap on an additional 4# for the riding I do just yet.
  • 2 1
 Man, you have that 36 setup pretty stiff and progressive. 81 psi and 2 tokens for 165lbs is setup is definitely built for a rough ride. How much sag is that for you? That's approaching what the EWS pros are running.

Mondrakers setup values are much more inline with Yeti's setup guide.
  • 1 0
 He's riding in Champery and the recommended pressure for his weight is not much lower than that.
  • 1 1
 @CobyCobie: yeah the Fox recommendations are already really stiff tho. If you look at Pivots and Yetis and Mondrakers...they are all well below what Fox has. Prob better grip/comfort for avg guy like me than EWS pro like Malemed who is about this weight and running like 88psi (which is insanely stiff). But he is just all about support apparently. I'm sure that stiff fork is putting extra pressure on the rear end tho which might be a small part of why he was hitting it harder perhaps.
  • 1 1
 @Svinyard: That's true. He's running a lot of LSC as well if I read it right and seems like that would add up to a stiff fork.

I'm only 10-15lbs heavier and run 87 or 88 with 3 spacers and a lot less LSC. But I definitely prefer higher pressures and less damping compared to most.
  • 1 0
 @CobyCobie: man, 3 spacers! You are definitely hitting it hard! Do you get close to bottoming it out ever? I'm guessing you are around 20% sag or even 15% yeah? I'm only on 150mm spring, I wonder if that makes my PSI experience drastically different than those with more travel (160/170).
  • 2 0
 @Svinyard: I definitely do bottom it out. But it doesn't feel super supportive compared to my buddies that run more LSC so I think that might be a big factor.

I don't measure sag on the front, I just start at recommended and change it based on what feels best. My buddies like steep stuff so I gotta keep that front end up haha.

And I'm not sure how travel affects it. My gut would be that shorter travel is less progressive due to accepting more spacers.
  • 1 0
 I wonder what mtb companies think when PB gives them a bad review. I feel like that's the one company you want giving you a solid review. Hopefully they're thinking that they should try harder next year and be prepared to offer this bike at steep discounts since it likely won't be flying off the shelves.
  • 2 0
 The models 2021 are promoting this days and the orders start in August. BTW, Superfoxy RR 2020 is sold out from the end of May...
  • 3 0
 Wow. Great review. The section on maintenance was a great thought and should be a bigger part of all reviews, like you did. Thanks.
  • 4 0
 Devastating, but honest review. But it did make me want to go out and ride.
  • 2 1
 Quick before my comment is deleted again:
im the same height as the tester, but last weighed 78kg as a gangly teen.
Many of us taller boys are well over a 100kg plus a bit around the middle!
Love Pinkbike but all their testers are featherweights!
Me on the otherhand and all the other big boys out there, when we huck to flat, WE HUCK TO FLAT!
If you want honest testing of durability throw in at least one bruiser heavyweight.
Not all of us are unfit, but look more like footballers and rugby players...
On that note if Mondraker want a really good test and review of their product, please send me one....
Plus a 550lb spring!
  • 4 1
 The only thing that looks super about this bike is the price. That is super high and super unjustified
  • 2 0
 So there is a bike right, the SUPERfoxy, which is made for SUPERenduro, and it uses SUPERboost hub spacing. Could probably use a SUPERdeluxe shock though.
  • 1 1
 I owned the Foxy Carbon 29 and wanted to love it so badly. It pedaled extremely well, very efficient. It was a chore to ride in tight singletrack with repeated turns and felt very harsh in the back with noticeable pull from the back wheel in rough sections. I tried 3 different shocks, one custom tuned and nothing made much of an improvement. The Superfoxy was supposed to improve on the suspension feel and I had hoped it would because I love the looks. Sadly it doesn't seem that is the case. I hope they come back with revised geometry and suspension kinematics someday. I'd own another one if they could produce a great riding bike.
  • 1 0
 Hi Dan, (still reading the article), you mention it being a four bar suspension system. Is this not a VPP variation? Is VPP considered a four bar? Curious and enjoy learning about tech, thanks for the insight. Cheers.
  • 2 3
 VPP (the SC suspension) is a short link suspension with counterrotating links.
Technically any bike that isn't a single pivot is a VPP suspension.
  • 3 1
 Front triangle, upper link, lower link, rear triangle. 4 elements controlling axle path.
  • 3 0
 This is a really detailed review and props for including a maintenance section
  • 1 1
 When crunching the numbers, the Foxy is stretched out but not that stretched when considering that Mondraker uses a 30mm stem. Since, most companies design their bikes around a 50mm stem, if you subtract 20mm off the TT length and Reach lengths, it is much more reasonable actual TT and Reach measurements.
  • 2 0
 Expensive, maybe innovative, but functionally flawed due to insufficient engineering and testing..........did SRAM buy Mondraker!?
  • 1 1
 Out of curiosity - if you buy right now online the latest the greatest there is, you come around 5400 EUR for parts without frame+shock. That shows how insane pricing is for frame+shock. Don't forget we are talking about Retail prices for parts, manufacturers get them at much lower prices....
SRAM AXS - 1600
Wheelset 1501 - 850
Fox 38 Factory - 1500
Code RSC - 320
AXS Dropper - 500
Carbon Renthal Stem, Hadlebar - 200
Seat, grips etc - 500

It just shows that companys are going full crazy with these dentist bikes - sure they will sell a few of them, but they are not helping improving the image of "ordinary" bikes which in reality is their bread and butter, it just give "ordinary" buyer a feeling that company has gone mad....
  • 1 0
 Considering the frame geo hasn't change at all, you should spring for the '19 models. I was able to get an XL Foxy XR frameset for $2,700 USD (included the DHX2 factory) - shipped from New Zealand of all places... Mind you, a new Ibis Ripmo frameset runs $3,000 and the Yeti SB frames run closer to $3,800. Like any boutique bike, you can save a ton of money if you're willing to do a little bargain shopping.
  • 1 1
 I had one of the Foxy 29ers and there were so many stupid design issues that should have been easily spotted in testing:

1) Couldn't fit more than 180mm rear rotor
2) Seat tower 'knob' was too long and ended up cracking where it joined the top tube
3) The frame bulged above the chainring - so your couldn't run a top guide
4) Lower shock bushing rotated a ton on compression, but they specced standard Fox DU bushing that flogged out all the time.
5) Suspension curve already mentioned in article - bottomed out all the time with correct sag.
6) SO MUCH FLEX - tyres buzzed chainstays and bike generally felt like a noodle
7) Related to above, but the linkage is very narrow where it connects the mainframe to the rear triangle. Much flex.
Cool No chainstay or seatstay chain guard! WTF. Now partially fixed on current model.
9) The short headtube, short stem, low rise bars combo on long frames is just silly and doesn't work for any trail type.

Prime example of going for aesthetics over looks. Now on Megatower and wow, what a difference.
  • 1 0
 That thing looks super cool but working on the shock would be a pain. size small should prolly run 165mm cranks, 170 on M/L and 175 only on XL
  • 3 0
 So stem are bar are on-off? Sounds like a perfect brand name here.
  • 3 0
 Ah ! You got to love those Merdrakers ???? ????????
  • 1 0
 The red stripe in the triangle looks to have been forgotten on the main triangle. Every other design feature is carried between the triangles, and the red catches my eye.
  • 1 0
 @dan-roberts is it just me or does it look like you are using an XTR rear mech with a NX Eagle cassette? Or is it just lighting in the photos playing tricks on me?
  • 1 1
 Since the Shimano 12sp mech is basically a clone of the SRAM X-Horizon mech design, minus the Avid wheel.. it's just the lighting.

Why assume NX? Can you see through the cassette to the freehub interface?
  • 1 0
 Wow, 10k +........even my dentist client would pass right now, people are postponing non emergent procedures. Some even emergent ones.
  • 3 0
 Another waste...slack seat angle. No thanks
  • 2 2
 "A higher rise bar helped shorten the saddle to bars measurement"

What? Do you set up the rise direction parallel to the head tube? That's super rolled back, does it even have any effective up-sweep by that point?
  • 1 0
 The reviewer may of meant a higher rise and "higher degree backsweep" bar to shorten the TT length and raise the stack height. I did that. I bought a bike that was slightly too long and had too low of stack height. So, I shorten the seated seated position and raised the stack height with a shorter stem and higher degree backsweep bar with more rise. Really helped the fit.
  • 1 1
 I think what Dan meant was that he put spacers under the stem and kept a low rise bar which shortens Reach. It also creates other handling issues. The proper way is to keep the stem slammed and get a high rise bar so that Reach is maintained. Whatever he meant, dude does bang up reviews.
  • 1 0
 @SunsPSD: Putting spacers under the stem doesn't really shorten the reach except for maybe a couple of millimeters because the angle of the head tube, but is really insignificant. The substantial ways you can shorten reach is by getting a shorter stem or higher backsweep handlebar.
  • 1 1
 @tacklingdummy: 2mm back per 5mm up with a 66 degree head angle: www.google.com/search?q=5+*+cos%2866+degrees%29

Not huge, but not insignificant. Raise stem by 15mm and decrease reach and top-tube by 6mm.

More backsweep is a whole 'nother can of worms. Backsweep shouldn't be used to shorten the effective stem length, it should be only for hand and arm positioning/comfort. If you don't like too much backsweep (I don't), then it's a stupid/wrong way to alter the effective geometry.
  • 2 3
 @just6979: Yeah, agree to disagree. I have experimented with more and less spacers for years and years. Yes, it helps in increasing stack height and changes body position more upright and better for downhill, but don't think it does anything for the reach that is noticeable.
  • 2 0
 @tacklingdummy: A (very fancy and coveted) Buzzworks headset adjusts the reach by 8mm. 15mm of spacers on a 63 degree head tube changes it by almost 7mm. That seems significant.
  • 1 1
 @just6979: Yeah, but in the process the Buzzworks headset slackens the bike quite a bit changing the ride. I like my HTA. 63 degree HTA is way too slack for me. I'm adjusting reach trail/enduro bikes not a DH bike.
  • 1 0
 @tacklingdummy: no it doesn't... and i wasn't recommending you use one, just comparing. they went through the process of doing the buzzworks just for 6mm, so it shows that using spacers, if you have the room for it (in steerer length and appropriate stack height), is a totally valid way of tweaking the reach.
  • 1 0
 People complain about the price of these bikes but at the end of the day there is a market for them - people have lots of money
  • 1 0
 I rode a Foxy 29 and really liked it. I've heard that it's very hard to get the rear suspension sorted. Great looking bikes too bad there are so many problems with it.
  • 2 0
 This is what we need more of, a reviewer who will plainly state that a cheaper bike is better.
  • 2 0
 That's got to be the longest bike review ever!
  • 2 0
 Long effective TT = long review.
  • 2 0
 The brake mount inside the frame looks cool. ...thats as far as I got.
  • 2 0
 So essentially - this bike sucks!
  • 1 0
 Every time I see a Mondraker I just think of the guy riding a 30mm rise bar upside down... Gotta take LLS to the max!
  • 4 3
 When people say that are no real bad bikes anymore Mondraker always seems to come up with something terrible.
  • 1 0
 Where is the slo-mo of Jason hucking it to flat? We want to see that top-tube flex!
  • 1 1
 "Virtual seat angle is 75.5° for all sizes"

At what seat height, for all sizes? Almost useless to tell one and not the other.
  • 2 0
 My dashboard shows a response from @dan-roberts , but it's not showing up on the page...

"Given that Mondraker don’t say, we can’t pass the message on"

Pass the message on the other way. Ask them: they're more likely to respond to media queries than random people emailing them. When they send a geo chart with effective angles, request the rest of the data to make it a useful measurement. If they gave you a pedal to ground clearance measurement, would you report that without knowing the cranks, crank length, and pedals that make up that measurement?


You could also measure it, at least for the size you have on test. You're supposed to be the numbers guy...
  • 3 0
 @just6979: Regarding the last paragraph you wrote, that is too funny, as the whole time I was reading the review I was thinking "You're supposed to be the numbers guy!". Don't get me wrong, I very much appreciated him giving his unvarnished opinion on the bike, and it seemed like he unearthed some real quirks with the bike, but there was a surprising amount of vagueness on both the seat tube issue you pointed out, and also the rear suspension design. He says it's linear and won't sag yet bottoms out, whereas an actual analysis as on the Linkage Design website shows its distinctly progressive, and we know Dan is familiar with how to use those tools. I also found it odd that he seemed to attribute the insufficient drop on the post to the seat tube stub coming up too high, but it looks like he has several inches of exposed post above the clamp. It may well be that he couldn't run a longer dropper, but it seems like it would instead be due to some internal obstruction in the frame.
  • 1 0
 In the parallel universe where I have this type of coin to drop on a bike - I'd get an Unno.
  • 2 1
 Looks like a praying mantis with wheels
  • 3 2
 Stopped reading when saw $10 Wink
  • 2 0
 I got a little farther, "firing line" ended any consideration of this bike. And at 10K it should be AXS.
  • 2 0
 Ten grand?? Jog on Mondy
  • 1 0
 Such a nice looking bike aswell, shame!
  • 1 0
 The only way this review could have gone worse is if the bike had broken.
  • 1 1
 Is the hike-a-bike pic next to the sidebar fore-shadowing the climbing section? Haven't read it yet, just wondering...
  • 1 0
 Anyone who knows the Mondraker Dune R? Same issues?
  • 2 0
 I've had a Dune R 2017 and a Dune R carbon 2019. The MY2020 is practically
the same. The MY2019 much stiffer and responsive, both lack a bit while climbing. Nevertheless, I climb for descending as hard as possible, fast on any terrain, prefer steep and rough, so that was never an issue. Changed right away to DHRII DH 2.4 tubeless, front/ rear and never looked back.
  • 2 0
 And yes, no issues with my bikes at all. Even with the actual Superfoxy RR. I am 184cm, 90kg fully equipped on the bike. The Dunes were size XL, Superfoxy fits L! Original spring for me.
  • 1 0
 Size tested: Shaquille O’neal’s size...
  • 1 0
 Still pushing geometry to greater "Lenghts"...
  • 1 0
 Good to see someone speaking more about geo.
  • 2 2
 A Mondraker review on a pinkbike !?!?
  • 1 2
 Am I the only one who thinks that it looks bad when the top tube and chain stay line up? It just makes it look sort of off
  • 1 1
 You mean like Transition bikes? GiddyUp
  • 2 2
 The Grim Donut's never coming back, huh dad?
  • 1 1
 should have been a fox 38
  • 11 13
 Good to see superboost 157 is becoming popular.
148*12 might be the most useless standard in the bike history.
  • 6 2
 148 was a total waste of our time and $. Should have gone straight to superboost which uses dh parts already in abundance.
  • 3 0
 @jrocksdh: there are plenty of bikes that don't need 157 hubs
  • 3 0
 @clink83: But they are at least better than 148. Although it is named superboost 157, it is actually 100% compatible with old DH 157 standard, to me that is so nice. Some 29ers may require wider flange but the improvement of 148 is just tiny, for 29ers with 170 or 180mm travel (they are replacing DHs, few people are buying DH bikes nowadays), 157superboost is definitely the way to go.
  • 1 0
 @jrocksdh: Exactly! Few people are buying DH bikes now, a lot of super enduro are doing previous DH bikes' job, so why not just use DH parts?
  • 1 0
 @skylinespeed: for people riding in the real world on 100-140mm bikes we should make them stupid wide for no reason other than "148 sucks"? Long travel bikes are a tiny segment of the market.
  • 2 0
 @clink83: So why not just keep 142? How much does 148 really improve compare to 142?
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