Mondraker Sly R Review

Bosch is the major motor manufacturer in the EMTB world, alongside Shimano - and it's no surprise, as the SX shows. The developers at Bosch are entering the race with their first Light Motor, the Performance SX. With 55 Nm of torque, the unit sits squarely between Fazua's Ride 60 and TQ's HPR 50. However, it delivers similar power values to the popular Full-Power sibling, the Powermotor CX, with up to 600 watts of assistance. However, the Bosch SX only delivers this power at a very high cadence. To feel the full power, one must pedal at a sporty 100 revolutions per minute. The startup behavior remains harmonious. The entire motor control is very natural. While in operation, the Performance SX is quieter than the Powermotor CX, but still louder than the sometimes whisper-quiet competition from Fazua or TQ. When descending, Bosch has managed to reduce rattling compared to the CX model, although it remains noticeably audible with the SX. Fans of XXL tours are greatly restricted by the Sly R, because of its low range. The integrated battery gives developers constructive freedom when designing the frame. However, to charge it, the bike always has to be brought near an outlet.

Rough descents take away some of the fear thanks to the average chassis. The mid-range brakes from SRAM do their job but could be a bit firmer. The power of the four pistons setup is only average. The drivetrain and components have a subordinate but not to be neglected importance when it comes to EMTB. Even the bike brand product managers know this and don't aim too high with mostly average components. When it comes to the geometry, Mondraker does not go completely crazy. The head tube angle and reach values were chosen with care. The result: A balanced riding behaviour with a good combination of playfulness and straight-line stability. Hell yeah, the geometry is killer! Here the know-how of the Mondraker developers is videly visible. On the scale, the Sly R makes a good figure with 20,9 kg. Most Trailbikes are significantly heavier.