MS Mondraker Testing an Aluminium Downhill Bike in Lousa
Laurie Greenland and the MS Mondraker team are out in Portugal doing some pre-season testing in Lousa and we think they have a new aluminium downhill bike with them too. Laurie posted the above picture on his Instagram stories and if you look between the concealing lines, you can see a definite weld on the top tube and plenty of raw, silver tubes, a far cry from the usual Mondraker blue and red.
We've also found this video, which we believe is a clip of the bike in action:
While the current Mondraker Summum is still a race-winning bike, thanks to Laurie Greenland at Val di Sole this year, it's one of the very last bikes on the World Cup circuit that is designed to be run with 27.5" front and rear. The team have been running a mullet set up from Crankworx Innsbruck onwards this season but they were simply putting a bigger front wheel in his regular frame rather than using a platform specifically designed for a bigger wheel.
Of course, we've already seen an aluminium prototype Summum at the Lenzerheide World Cup, where it was happily wheeled past media and spectators, but the renewed secrecy has us wondering if there are some further updates on this version.
From the picture we took back then, we noticed that the wheels were both 29 inch, and there was a new upper suspension link that had no window (the current link is an open triangle). Mondraker also confirmed that there were some geometry updates but nothing too drastic as their riders were happy with the current set up.
We're now just 3 months out from the first World Cup in Lousa, will this aluminium frame be the one we see MS Mondraker riders as the season kicks off? We reached out to Mondraker and their statement is below:
 | We’ve built several different prototypes... 29-29 27-27 and 29-27, which is what Laurie has been recently racing as well. These new bikes also have some improvements, to better suit Laurie’s sizing requirements and also some kinematic updates as well. Our riders will continue testing, the goal is improving our current Summum and we’ll see if we are ready to race in Lousa, MS-Mondraker team riders will decide. We hope to have this new model ready for 2021. |
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In other news, have you blown your wad over the new Carbonjack 29, @WAKIdesigns ?
www.pinkbike.com/photo/18078795
Yeah freeride bikes!
*dramatization
*Frame finish-wise that is.
Tomorrow: "Now that was a bike".
My guess is they may race an allow bike this year. This is no prototype, this looks like a damn near production bike.
www.wideopenmountainbike.com/2019/12/new-mondraker-summum-prototype-spotted-in-portugal
I think it works good but I know others will think not, without even trying it?
As for moto x tyres do not fit bike rims or would have tried them on my E-bike!
If you cant tell the difference then you would know that 26" accelerate faster, but could tell you more, but if you had tried then you would know that!
Could tell you advantages of shorter cranks too or why you dont need a dinner plate size sprocket?
You need to realize it’s not about you or me, and our opinions based on our personal experiences. I’m glad you like your setup. That’s fine - great even! Having fun is what it’s about for most. But don’t deluded yourself or others into thinking that you have the solution for cornering speed with a different rear setup, and this is all just a conspiracy against your ideas. Its not a conspiracy. Plus tires are currently a terrible idea for racing. But for gentle cornering in dry conditions with little that can hurt a tire, go for it.