Mondraker NEAT RR SL first ride review

The NEAT RR SL is the top-line, mid-weight electric mountain bike from Mondraker that rolls on 29in hoops. It delivers 150mm of rear and 160mm of front travel.

The bike’s sorted geometry, refined Zero Suspension and a parts package that will leave you drooling results in an impeccably balanced ride. It encourages sketchy lines, gap jumps and late braking, before the motor flatters your climbing ability on the way back up, ready for more.

Mondraker has gone to TQ for its electric bike motor. The system’s almost silent drive unit delivers enough power to help you up the hills, without weighing the bike down.

The 360Wh battery, encased in the down tube, might not have the grunt of a full-fat electric mountain bike, but it can be backed up with one, or two 160Wh range extenders.

If you drop the main battery out, each range extender battery may be small enough in capacity to be carried as hand luggage (check with your airline in advance, of course), so this eMTB could join you in foreign climes.

Mondraker NEAT RR SL frame

The new NEAT frameset is constructed from carbon, front and rear, and at the time of writing won’t be offered in aluminium.

This is because Mondraker wants to keep the bike as light as possible. The claimed weight for this model sits at 17.9kg, with plenty of sealant in the tyres to keep you rolling safely.

Though refined, the frame still has a very ‘Mondraker’ aesthetic, with the Zero Suspension linkage holding the shock low, and the small opening around the head tube and top tube junction.

TQ’s motor, which delivers 50Nm of torque and up to 300W of assistance, sits low down, with the main 360Wh battery nestled in the svelte down tube.

Two Fidlock bottle bosses sit in the main triangle, with TW’s Range Extender batteries able to fit with an extra-secure Fidlock locking system. With 160Wh of capacity each, you could have up to 640Wh on your ride.

Mondraker has modified the Zero Suspension linkage for the NEAT. Instead of the shock floating on the two rotating links that join the front and rear triangles, the bottom of the shock bolts to the rear triangle.

This change has been made in order to give the NEAT improved pedalling characteristics.

Mondraker NEAT RR SL kit

At £10,499, or €11,999, it’s no surprise there’s plenty of fancy kit hanging off the frame. SRAM’s XX T-Type Transmission, featuring an e*thirteen carbon crank, is paired with Level Ultimate 4-piston brakes, while Factory-level Fox kit isolates you from the trail – a Float X at the back and a 36 up front.

Mavic is building Mondraker some custom carbon hoops, but while we wait for them to be delivered, Mavic’s Crossmax wheels do the job, wrapped in EXO casing Maxxis tyres.

Mondraker NEAT RR SL geometry

Mondraker was one of the first brands to go long, low and slack, with its Forward Geometry concept, which pairs a short stem with long reaches to give snappy but stable handling on steep terrain.

The NEAT conforms, with long reaches (495mm in a size large), paired with a 64.5-degree head angle.

Mondraker hasn’t slammed the bottom bracket, giving it a 25mm drop below the axles. Because eMTBs are built to tackle technical climbs, the cranks are that little bit further away from the ground here.

The rear end hasn't been shortened too much either, with 450mm chainstays. Mondraker says balancing front-end length gives optimum handling up and down.

Mondraker NEAT RR SL initial ride impressions

Mondraker has built the new Zero Suspension linkage to give peppier pedalling under power, with higher anti-squat meaning your legs waste less energy compressing the suspension as you pedal.

This is noticeable through the pedals, with the NEAT reacting sharply to pedalling inputs, whether you’re inching your way up a technical climb, or adding to the speed the 29in wheels enable you to carry on singletrack.

The TQ motor is as quiet as any, and while low pedalling cadence pick-up isn’t as punchy as some motors, the mid-weight option has your back on climbs if you keep the pedals spinning.

The power delivery comes on smoothly, and once you reach the legal assistance limits, doesn’t seem to drop off a cliff, leaving you suddenly pedalling through treacle.

The three modes on offer are noticeably different, with the least powerful mode making you feel as though you’ve just swallowed an energy gel.

Toggling up through the modes on the small on-bar button, to the top level, leaves you in no doubt there’s extra power on offer – even if there’s no noise to accompany it.

On my test ride, toggling mainly between the top and middle modes on rocky climbs, I ran down the battery completely in 800m of climbing – I weigh 80kg kitted up.

Lighter riders on the same test ride had 20-30 per cent of their battery left. Individual usage profiles will impact on this, so it’s only a guide.

Climbing traction is good, though the Zero linkage doesn’t give super sofa-like suspension – your saddle will still transmit bumps from rocks and roots as you scrabble up terrain.

Fortunately, the aforementioned stability and steep seat angle make the NEAT a tidy climber, while the nicely damped Maxxis rubber keeps the tyres feeling calm and in control.

As we’ve come to expect from Mondraker, the NEAT descends well. The geometry feels sorted, giving ample room between the axles, generating high-speed stability and confidence.

The slack head angle and sturdy fork help absorb frontal impacts, while the tell-tale stubby stem ensures handling doesn’t become sluggish.

The full-sized wheels roll smoothly over chunder – Mondraker decided the speed and stability offered by the 29in wheels outweighed the perceived manoeuvrability from mullet wheels often seen on eMTBs.

Despite this, the NEAT is still super-agile. Once I’d slammed the bars on my test bike (my personal preference), I was more than happy muscling it through tight wooded trails, dropping the tyres onto their shoulder treads, and hoiking the bars round with either a squirt of leg power or a squeeze of the rear brake, to help things out.

If you’re looking for complete isolation from the trail, the NEAT might not offer that. There’s definite feedback through the pedals as you rock and roll over chunder.

The flip side is the mid-stroke is wonderfully supported – you can push hard and generate speed in banked corners, and send it as far as you dare. There’s plenty of pop on the lip, and the back-up to save your blushes if you come up short.

In terms of kit, there’s not a huge amount to comment on. As ever with Fox’s GRIP2 damped 36 fork, I wound all the adjusters as open as possible, before adding a couple of clicks of rebound damping to set the fork to my preference.

I found the wheels a touch harsh for my tastes, but my test bike didn’t come with the custom hoops Mavic is due to build for the bike.

The Level 4-piston brakes are great on a trail bike, but given how hard you can push the NEAT, a switch to SRAM Codes wouldn’t go amiss.