​​Lauf Elja – Icelandic XC and trail MTB on review

Hot price, extraordinary looks and interesting technologies – not only is the Lauf Elja the Icelandic manufacturer’s first mountain bike, but also a very unique specimen. We’ve already tested the new Lauf Elja extensively, both in Iceland and in the Dolomites. Read the full review to see what it’s capable of, what new impulses it sets and what compromises it calls for!

What makes a good XC full-susser or a down-country bike? A sophisticated rear suspension? The lowest possible system weight? The best components and suspension elements? Or is it something totally different? When developing the new Elja, Lauf’s engineers asked themselves many questions and questioned many things. The result is an XC race/downcountry bike that not only breaks new ground in terms of specs, but also on a technological level. According to the Icelandic manufacturer, the Elja has all the winning qualities of a XC racer and at the same time delivers more fun on the trail than many other bikes.

At first glance, the Lauf Elja is somewhat idiosyncratic in terms of design, and reminiscent of bikes like the Ibis Oso and other creations from Orange, Marin and GT. In contrast to many other XC bikes, it’s rather beefy and voluminous. But how does the Lauf Elja flagship model, which retails at around € 8,600, fare against the competition? We were the only European magazine to test the new Lauf Elja in the land of fire and ice, where we had the opportunity to ride both the Trail and XC variants, and to test the latter version in direct comparison with some of the most recent cross-country race bikes on the breath-taking trail of the Dolomites. But what is the Lauf Elja is capable of?

Who the hell are Lauf Cycles?

Until now, Lauf Cycles were only known amongst drop bar enthusiasts. The Reykjavik-based manufacturer, which specialises in direct sales and has always stood for very good value for money, was founded by Benedikt Skúlason in 2011.

Lauf is currently the only Icelandic bike brand,and until now only offered gravel and all-road bikes as well as an innovative gravel suspension fork. So it only stands to reason that they’re now launching their first MTB. After all, many Lauf employees, including Benni, are extremely passionate about mountain biking.

In 2022, the Lauf True Grit secured victory in the gravel vs mountain bike group test of our sister magazine GRAN FONDO.
Although the brand is from Iceland, meaning that you can see many Lauf bikes over there, the brand’s most important market is by far North America, which accounts for over 90% of the sales. This is also the reason why the assembly plant is located in Harrisonburg, Virginia. In the future, there are plans to open further sites in the UK and the EU.

What sets the new Lauf Elja apart from the competition?

Nomen est Omen – Before we delve into the technical aspects of this extraordinary machine, with which the Icelanders want to set new standards and impulses in the cross-country world, we’ll start with the name choice: Elja (pronounced Elja) is Icelandic and means ‘perseverance’, ‘endurance’ or ‘stamina’. These are all qualities that you’ll need to conquer mountain peaks, win races, realise your dreams, build a company or simply brave the elements. If you fancy an Icelandic adventure, be sure to read the Blown-Away story of our sister magazine GRAN FONDO.

How do you develop the best suspension system?

We weren’t expecting this: when we were told that Lauf would be launching a MTB full-susser, we had expected a soft-tail or a wild leaf spring construction, like the one of the Lauf Grit gravel suspension fork. Well, it was completely different but pretty wild too! At the centre of the Icelanders’ development work was one question: how can Lauf Cycles develop the best suspension?
The short answer: they can’t. Founder and CEO Benni is convinced that pretty much everything has already been done, or at least tried, and that modern suspension is more a matter of taste than a question of better or worse. BUT: the people at Lauf are convinced that they can achieve the end result more efficiently and, above all, score points in terms of weight, ease of maintenance and durability. The result is a single-pivot suspension design with 120 mm of travel and a few technical refinements. Lauf call it LSP, which stands for Lauf Single Pivot.

No specific anti-squat or anti-rise target values were at the centre of the Elja chassis development. This is especially true since these depend heavily on various variables such as the rider’s centre of gravity and chainring size. More specifically, in the case of anti-squat, the gear you’re riding in and the exact weight distribution play a decisive role. And the anti-rise behaviour, i.e. how the wheel behaves under braking, is influenced by how far forward or backward the centre of gravity is and how much braking force you apply to the rear or front wheel. Instead, the full focus was on the positioning of the pivot point. The Icelandic engineering team positioned this quite far forward and slightly higher than many of their competitors, which, according to their own statement, is supposed to minimise brake shudder.

However, the special feature is the raised swingarm, which extends above the chainring to the downtube and uses a standard DUB bottom bracket as the main bearing. This is meant to improve durability and facilitate maintenance. Funky: if you look at the bike from above, you can see two identical bottom brackets for different purposes.

The asymmetrical rear triangle is designed to be very stiff from the pivot point to the dropout. The struts that connect the swingarm to the shock, on the other hand, are very thin, which is meant to reduce the lateral forces on the shock itself. Another special feature of the swingarm is that it offers significantly more tire clearance than most full-suspension rear triangles, allowing you to run tires up to 3.0’ wide.

Lauf Elja – Are the tires more important than the suspension?!

For Lauf, this isn’t a question but a statement: wider is faster! In recent years, wide tires have become increasingly more popular in XC racing – and not only in the road and gravel bike sector, but also in the XC World Cup. Nino Schurter was a trendsetter in this regard, riding ever wider tires at lower pressures in the XC World Cup – and the medals in his living room prove him right! Nevertheless, most manufacturers in the XC segment are quite conservative: whether it’s the Specialized Epic or Canyon Lux – 2.35’ is the current standard. And Lauf want to change that.

How wrong we can be… NHV likes to take the piss! We’re familiar with it not only from cars but also from bikes, whereby carmakers have a technical term for it: NHV, which stands for noise, harshness, vibration. The bottom line? What feels fast isn’t usually fast at all, and what is actually happening is that you’re reaching the technological limit. Just like in a modern sports car, you’ll have to drive illegally fast to feel fast. It’s no different with bikes.

Not only are tires essential for traction, but also form part of the suspension, helping to absorb shocks, vibrations and unevenness. The Lauf Elja comes standard with 2.6‘ Goodyear Peak TC tires in 120 TPI casing. Of course, Goodyear can’t work magic and the tires are heavier than a comparable 2.4” variant. If you brake and accelerate a lot, the extra mass of the bigger tires will definitely be an issue. On the other hand, if you ride consistently, you won’t notice it as much. Whether wider tires make a noticeable difference, you’ll find out later in our riding impressions! If you want to turn the Elja into an “almost-fat bike”, you could do that: at the rear, the Elja has enough clearance for 29×3.08‘ wide tires, while at the front, the limiting factor is the suspension fork: around 2.6’ for the RockShox SID and 2.8’ for the RockShox Pike.

According to Lauf, the reason why there aren’t as many XC bikes with wider tires around yet, is that there are hardly any speed-oriented tires in these dimensions available on the market – Goodyear and Lauf want to change this! Other factors might be that many manufacturers either turn a blind eye to the NHV phenomenon, can’t design rear suspension systems with more tire clearance, fear the extra weight or see the air pressure sensitivity of larger-volume tires as a problem.

High-end or robust? At 1960g (size M, without hardware), the Elja frame is comparatively light – especially considering that it’s supposed to be robust and offer plenty of tire clearance. Plus, it forgoes high-modulus carbon fibres, which are found on most top-tier XC race bikes. The Icelanders achieve the low system weight through a few clear decisions:

1. Simple LSP rear triangle
2. No storage compartment in the frame
3. Wireless drivetrains only
4. Titanium bolts

The decision to use non-high modulus carbon fibres not only saves lots of money, but should also increase the frame’s durability, as the high modulus fibres are more brittle and therefore more susceptible to impacts. But crashes are bound to happen during a XC race and trail ride. At the end of the day, the Elja XC in size L with a RockShox Sid fork tips the scales at 11.68 kg. The Elja Trail with RockShox Pike fork weighs almost 400 g more.

The different spec variants of the 2025Elja: Elja XC and Elja Trail

The new Lauf Elja cross-country bike is available in two variants, as a XC bike and a trail rig. Both variants will be available for pre-order from September, with deliveries starting in Q1 of 2025. The main difference between the two models is the suspension fork, which also accounts for the difference in weight. The XC variant comes with a race-standard 120 mm of travel, while the Trail variant generates 130 mm. The entry-level Elja retails at $ 4,590. If you’re into racing, you can buy the top-tier model with a race entry for the legendary ‘The Rift’ race in Iceland – but then you’ll have to fork out a whopping $12,790. That’s a lot of money, but then the race entry alone costs $5,500, meaning that you’ll save $1,000 if you buy it together with the bike.

The Elja Trail is available in four different versions. The Weekend Warrior and Race models forgo the RockShox Flight Attendant, so you’ll have to change the riding modes manually. The Race Flight Attendant and Ultimate Flight Attendant models are as exciting as their names suggest. All variants come equipped with SRAM’s electronic Eagle AXS dropper post, but use different versions of SRAM’s Transmission drivetrain.

If you’re interested in the XC model, you only have the choice between two different models: Race Flight Attendant and Ultimate Flight Attendant. The difference? Hardly any. Carbon wheels, suspension with Flight Attendant and electric dropper post are standard on both models. The Race variant relies on a SRAM Eagle AXS X0 Transmission drivetrain and single-sided power metre, while the Ultimate version comes with an XX SL groupset and dual-sided power metre. With its chunky 2.6’ Goodyear tires and wide 780 mm handlebars, the Elja looks pretty beefy in the otherwise slim cross-country world.

The specs our Lauf Elja Trail Ultimate Flight Attendant test bike

The Elja Trail Ultimate Flight Attendant we tested is the top-of-the-range model, retailing at around € 8,600. The RockShox Flight Attendant suspension of the Trail version consists of a 130 mm Pike fork and 120 mm RockShox SIDluxe Ultimate shock. The two Flight Attendant control elements are connected to the dual-sided power metre in the crank axle and switch between the three riding modes depending on the cadence and power output: Lock, Pedal and Open. This way, you’ll never have to worry about maximum efficiency on climbs and transfers on level ground, and you’ll never drop into a trail with a locked suspension again – awesome! Lauf also rely almost exclusively on SRAM for the rest of the spec, combining SRAM Level Ultimate four-piston brakes with 180 mm brake rotors and a lightweight, electronic SRAM Eagle AXS XX SL drivetrain. The American component giant also supplies the RockShox Reverb AXS dropper post, which offers 150 mm of travel in frame size L, ensuring freedom of movement on the trail – which seems generous in the cross-country cosmos, but is still a bit limited on gnarly trails.

Weight, sizes and geometry of the 2025 Lauf Elja

The Elja is available in four sizes,S to XL, and boasts a geometry that reflects modern standards. Short stems – 35 mm in size S and 50 mm in the bigger M, L, and XL sizes – ensure agile handling. All bikes feature Lauf’s in-house Mountainbar handlebars, which are 780 mm wide and feature a 35 mm bar clamp. The head angle varies depending on the fork, measuring 66° with the SID and 65.5° with the Pike – values that fall within the average values of last year’s trailbike group test. The short 435 mm chainstays and 29” wheels ensure agile handling, while the 76° seat tube angle makes for a sporty riding position. The Elja XC in size L tips the scales at 11.68 kg, while the Elja Trail weighs around 12.1 kg – the only difference between the bikes is the suspension fork, which affects the weight.

The geometry of the new Lauf Elja Trail

Size	S	M	L	XL
Seat tube	406 mm	443 mm	453 mm	463 mm
Top tube	415	445	476	503/td>
Head tube	95 mm	106 mm	117 mm	127 mm
Head angle	65.6°	65.6°	65.6°	65.6°
Seat angle	77.1°	76.4°	75.8°	75.3°
Chainstays	435 mm	435 mm	435 mm	435 mm
BB Drop	37 mm	37 mm	37 mm	37 mm
Wheelbase	1153 mm	1187 mm	1222 mm	1253 mm
Reach	415 mm	445 mm	476 mm	503 mm
Stack	599 mm	608 mm	619 mm	628 mm

The new 2025 Elja Trail on test – what is Lauf’s first MTB capable of?

Jump on and ride off? You can do that with the Lauf Elja too if you want. However, we recommend playing around with the setup of the RockShox Flight Attendant suspension and above all with the air pressure of the 2.6’ thick tires. Not only did we have the opportunity to test the Lauf Elja Trail and the Lauf Elja XC, but also to compare them against other modern XC race bikes, some of which have not yet been released – that’s why we’re not telling you which ones ;)

Let’s start with the XC version: you only realise how fast the Lauf Elja XC is when you compare it directly with other bikes: the Lauf Elja is very composed and generates plenty of traction for a bike in its class. The 2.6”Goodyear Peak TC tires have good damping qualities and, together with the suspension, ensure a plush ride, inspiring huge amounts of confidence in the process. No question about it: NVH is real!

While the rear suspension isn’t the most efficient out there, the electronic RockShox Flight Attendant suspension makes the Elja a very efficient climber. The tires come into their own on technical climbs and on rough terrain – they are efficient and offer significantly more traction than narrower tires on a comparable XC bike. However, it’s important to use the right air pressure: for a 70 kg rider, we started with 18/22 psi and then went down to 14/18 psi – on reasonably rocky terrain with berms. We didn’t suffer any punctures during our test, but, of course, this strongly depends on your riding style and line choice. Our tires lost some air over time, which is why it’s important to check the pressure regularly – or you’ll risk punctures and rim damage!

The tires are great for cross-country riding, while the SRAM Level Ultimate CC brakes do a great job on medium and shorter descents too. Thoroughbred racers will find the 150 mm travel of the SRAM AXS dropper post acceptable for a size L frame, but the dropper is comparatively heavy – it would be easy to save over 200 g in weight here.

Lauf always try to keep the number of specs and model variants as low as possible. Fewer variants means less effort in production and administration – keyword SKUs – and perhaps the higher purchase quantities also result in better purchase prices from suppliers. This is important if you want to achieve the very attractive price point Lauf offer. Nevertheless, this also calls for a compromise: the only difference between the Lauf Elja XC and the Lauf Elja Trail is the suspension fork, which is clearly evident in the handling: the Lauf Elja Trail is a little slower uphill and feels less nimble, and not as light-footed and reactive – which undoubtedly brings a plus in downhill qualities. However, the rest of the spec isn’t trimmed towards downhill performance. In particular, we would like to see more travel on the RockShox AXS dropper post and possibly more robust tires for trail use. Incidentally, the RockShox Pike Flight Attendant feels different from the Sid: it doesn’t lock out completely and is designed for trail use, which provides a little more comfort and goes well with the bike’s intended use!
For more info, read our RockShox Flight Attendant review.

While the Goodyear tires generate good traction in open corners, they tend to break away on loose gravel, although they hardly tend to wallow, even in fast berms – cool! However, depending on the air pressure, you can lose some steering precision. The 780 mm, in-house Lauf MTN handlebars inspire tons of confidence and encourage you to open the tap. We like!

There’s room for two small bottles in the frame triangle of the Elja (from size M). You can also attach a large bottle to the down tube, but this is always exposed to mud. The bottle positions are quite high overall, which is not beneficial to the bike’s centre of gravity. Annoyingly, the Fidlock bottles rattled loudly throughout our testing session!

If you have bigger feet or tend to turn your heels inwards on the pedals, your shoes will rub against the wide frame.

Who should take a closer look at the Lauf Elja and who shouldn’t?

The Lauf Elja is the right choice for tech-savvy riders who are up for something new, whether you’re an XC racer or a trail adventurer. The Lauf Elja isn’t only extraordinary visually, but also technically – and sets new standards. The price is hot, but the spec calls for compromises, whether you’re using it for XC or on trails. However, depending on your preference, you can use the bike as a basis for individual upgrades.

However, with the complete SRAM spec, it’s debatable whether you want four separate AXS batteries on your bike that always need charging. The same applies to the pressure-sensitive tires, which require regular checking. In other words, you have to take care of the bike! There’s no doubt that the Lauf Elja is really fast, both up and downhill. In this respect, the Icelanders’ concept is a real success!

Conclusions about the Lauf Elja 2025

Lauf are on a roll! The Elja isn’t just hot in terms of spec and price, but also in terms of performance! Visually and technically, the bike is anything but standard, and is setting new trends for the XC sector. The balancing act between the Lauf Elja XC and Trail versions isn’t perfect, which is mainly due to the components, so we recommend upgrading single components to adapt the bike to your needs and riding style. Read the adventure story ‘Blown away by Iceland’ from our sister magazine GRAN FONDO to find out whether the Elja lives up to its name.

For more info, visit laufcycles.com

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Words: Robin Schmitt, Julian Schwede Photos: Antoine Daures, Robin Schmitt