Issue #018, Review - December 29, 2015

Mondraker Dune Carbon XR Review

“I can’t, I’m not allowed, I shouldn’t…” – seriously, this is old news. The change is too risky, the route too hard, the political correctness too correct. For issue #18 we threw all those concerns overboard and got hold of the absolute sickest bikes money can (not) buy. We at ENDURO are convinced: Dreams can come true!

This article is part of our magazine feature: Dreams Come True – 7 Incredible Bike Builds.

Mondraker Dune Carbon XR

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Could this bike be the bridge between fine art and cycling? If you ask us, you can keep your Mona Lisas and your Michelangelos, as we’re more than happy to be shredding the Mondraker Dune Carbon along the world’s toughest enduro tracks. With such a distinctive design, edgy lines, and the Zero rear end, the Dune is surely the work of an artist at his or her easel. But will the Dune Carbon XR’s performance on the trails match its appeal in a gallery?

Stood alongside a throng of other downhill bikes, the Dune Carbon XR catches your eye, more a Picasso’s Guernica than the overshadowed Mona Lisa. The Mondraker is long, slack, and it looks damn fast even standing still.

The wheelbase is 1243 mm (large frame), a whole 10 mm longer than the workhorse of the downhill dominator Aaron Gwin! This is the result of an extremely long frame (top tube length 655 mm) with a slack head 66° head angle. On paper, the relatively short chainstay seems unremarkable – but in reality it’s a godsend! Clambering aboard you feel much like the captain of an ocean liner, but once you’re used to the bike, it’s astonishingly precise and agile to steer. Reaching this state of zen does take a lot of shifting about on the saddle, and perhaps even altering your own riding style. If you tend to ride in an upright manner towards the rear of the bike, you’ll soon discover that handling this sled requires more of a motocross weighting of the front wheel around corners (think sliding your groin up the gas tank). On slow, narrow sections, you’ll need to ensure the front has sufficient pressure, and don’t lean back into the ride until you’ve brought up your speed. This long wheelbase makes for a gentle ride, and the Fox suspension, consisting of a 36 Float fork and the brand new Float X2 shock, iron everything flat while delivering decent feedback to the rider. Fancy a bunny hop at Mach10 speed in a rock garden? Not a problem on the Dune XR! The Spaniard’s affinity with form and colour is revealed once more as you peruse the spec list – each part is perfectly chosen to complement the sum of the parts so that the Dune Carbon XR can be viewed as a fully-functioning, aesthetic beauty.

The Dune may require some adjustments to your riding style.

Details

Sexy: Can it get better than this! The transition of the toptube and downtube into the head tube is a true masterpiece. — **Sexy:** Can it get better than this! The transition of the toptube and downtube into the head tube is a true masterpiece.

Maximum performance: The new Fox X2 damper has been designed in collaboration with World Cup downhill riders, and you can tell! It stays planted to the ground and delivers masses of traction without ever losing definition. — **Maximum performance:** The new Fox X2 damper has been designed in collaboration with World Cup downhill riders, and you can tell! It stays planted to the ground and delivers masses of traction without ever losing definition.

Well protected: Mondraker’s own bash guard protects the chainrings from any unwanted debris. We’d have liked to have seen a chainguide too. — **Well protected:** Mondraker’s own bash guard protects the chainrings from any unwanted debris. We’d have liked to have seen a chainguide too.

Clean: The entirely internally-routed cables complement the Mondraker Dune Carbon XR’s outstanding design. — **Clean:** The entirely internally-routed cables complement the Mondraker Dune Carbon XR’s outstanding design.

Specification: Mondraker Dune Carbon XR

Fork: Fox 36 Float Factory HSC LSC 170 mm
Rear Shock: Fox Float X2 Factory Kashima 160 mm
Drivetrain: SRAM X01
Brakes: SRAM Guide RSC
Seatpost: RockShox Reverb Stealth
Stem: ONOFF Stoic FG 35
Handlebar: ONOFF Stoic UD Carbon 780mm
Tyres: Mavic Charge XL / Crossmax Quest Xl
Wheelsize: 27.5″
Wheels: Mavic Crossmax Pro Xl
Price: € 8,999

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Strengths

Calm and collect to ride.
Super suspension.
Beautiful.

Weaknesses

Demands a particularly active style of riding.

Conclusion

The Mondraker Dune XR is like any good piece of art; it splits opinions and can start wars. Requiring a distinctive riding style – and possessing a unique frame design – the Dune XR will break or make hearts, so it’s definitely one that needs a serious test ride before you buy it. The Dune hasn’t been designed for lazy afternoons on flow trails with your mates – it’s a hands-down race machine that shows no mercy. It’s made for maximum speed, providing you’ve got the guts to go with it and the skills to control it. Too much? Either the bike’s too strong or you’re too weak…

For more information on the Mondraker Dune visit the Mondraker website.