The Mondraker Neat RR SL – In out big 2024 trail bike group test

Could an ebike secure the title of best trail bike of 2024? The Mondraker Neat RR SL is one of four eMTBs in our big 2024 trail bike comparison test. Amongst the electric competitors, it’s the only one with a lightweight TQ-HPR50 motor, which delivers 50 Nm of torque. Does Mondraker’s electric trail bike have what it takes to claim the title of best trail bike of the year with its 160/150 mm of travel and lightweight motor

The Mondraker Neat plays pro-level hide and seek, concealing its motor like very few ebikes. The slim TQ-HPR50 motor is tucked away behind the cranks, making it almost impossible to recognise the bike’s electric nature if it weren’t for the small handlebar remote and charging port. With its slim frame silhouette, it’s pretty hard to tell the Mondraker apart from some of its analogue competitors. Combining 160/150 mm of travel, the Neat tips the scales at 18.3 kg but hides its weight pretty well. The high-quality spec, which is trimmed for lightweight construction, brings the price to € 11,999, which makes the Mondraker one of the most expensive bikes in this test.

For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best trail bike 2024 – 15 of the most exciting trail bikes in our 2024 comparison test

The Mondraker Neat RR SL 2023 in detail

Despite its electric motor, the Mondraker Neat RR SL takes on the competition with a discreet frame silhouette, with Mondraker’s proprietary Fast Forward geometry design ensuring a fast look even when stationary. The cables are routed internally through the headset, providing one of the cleanest-looking cockpits in the entire test field – especially considering it’s an e-bike with additional wires. To round off the tidy look, Mondraker rely on SRAM’s new Level Ultimate Stealth brakes, which position the brake lines close to the handlebars, preventing them from forming a wide cable arc. The only drawback is that the fully integrated cable routing makes it harder to service your bike. The frame of the Neat features two bottle cage mounts, one on the down tube and one on the top tube. This allows you to either carry two water bottles or to soothe your range anxiety by carrying a range extender battery in one of the cages, even on the smallest frame size– awesome! The cage mounts are tucked away in a recess in the down tube, which allows you to attach a FIDLOCK baseplate and is also compatible with conventional bottle cages, provided you use the matching adapter. A generously sized chainstay protector covers all of the important bits, effectively preventing chain slap and paint chips, while a small mudguard protects the rear shock from muck and dirt.

The spec of the 2023 Mondraker Neat RR SL

Like ¾ of the bikes in this test, the Mondraker relies on a FOX 36 Factory GRIP2 fork, which allows for countless adjustment options. The fork is paired with a FOX FLOAT X Factory shock, which generates 150 mm of travel and is driven by a Twin Link suspension design with two rocker arms and a virtual pivot point. As the name suggests, the TQ HPR 50 motor delivers 50 Nm of torque, drawing its power from a 360 Wh battery, which can be expanded using the optional 160 Wh range extender. The TQ LED black and white display includes a power button and is seamlessly integrated into the top tube, providing all basic riding data such as the remaining range and battery charge status in %. Together with the minimalist handlebar mounted remote on the left-hand side, this makes the Mondraker an extremely discreet eMTB. The electronic Reverb AXS dropper post offers butter-smooth action and 170 mm of travel, which is on the short side. Shifting is taken care of by a SRAM X0 Eagle Transmission drivetrain, which ensures crisp and precise shifting. The small buttons on the handlebars are extremely easy to operate and the drivetrain shifts smoothly even when you change gears under full load. A bike that wants to be ridden fast should come with a set of powerful stoppers, which, unfortunately, is not the case with the Mondraker. Instead, the Neat comes equipped with SRAM Level Ultimate Stealth brakes, which were developed for XC riding, thus requiring the finger strength of a professional free climber to decelerate. On long, steep descents, they overheat quickly and start fading. Funnily enough, the only undersized brakes in this test are paired with heat-dissipating, 200 mm SRAM HS2 brake rotors front and rear. For the cockpit, Mondraker rely on their in-house component brand ONOFF, combining 800 mm Krypton carbon handlebars and a matching 30 mm Krypton stem. The short stem is an integral part of Mondraker’s proprietary Fast Forward geometry concept. For the wheels, the Spanish manufacturer relies on a Mavic E-Crossmax carbon wheelset and MAXXIS tires, combining a Minion DHF at the front and Minion DHR II at the rear, both in the harder MaxxTerra rubber compound and EXO+ casing. To improve the Neat’s cornering traction, we recommend upgrading to the softer MaxxGrip rubber compound at the front.

If you miss your line, the Mondraker Neat RR SL quickly becomes a wild ride.

Tuning tip: more powerful brakes that do justice to the bike’s intended use

The geometry of the 2023 Mondraker Neat RR SL

The Mondraker Neat is available in four sizes, S to XL, offering a suitable option for riders between 165 cm and 195 cm tall. As usual, Mondraker rely on their Fast Forward geometry concept, which combines a long frame and short stem. Accordingly, our test bike in size L has a long 495 mm reach. Chainstay length is 450 mm across the board and doesn’t grow with the frame size, which could result in unbalanced handling, especially in the biggest and smallest frame sizes. Moreover, the Neat combines a 65° head tube angle with a 77° seat tube angle and forgoes flip-chips and other geometry altering wizardries, meaning that the geometry is set in stone.

The Mondraker Neat RR SL 2023 on the trail

When you sit on the Mondraker for the first time, the position is significantly less stretched than you might expect, and the weight is evenly distributed between the front and rear. While the Neat RR SL is clearly the most discreet ebike in this test, this comes at the price of motor performance. Although the TQ motor delivers the same 50 Nm torque as the Specialized Levo SL, it feels significantly weaker on the trail. Going uphill, the pedal-neutral rear suspension generates plenty of traction and harmonises extremely well with the TQ motor, which ensures predictable, smooth assistance without abrupt jolts. The motor is easy to modulate and always delivers its power sensitively, preventing the rear wheel from slipping out of control, which is what tends to happen with more powerful bikes with FAZUA or Bosch motors. In a nutshell, the TQ motor doesn’t provide a powerful shuttle feeling but makes you feel as if your calves were made of iron. As a result, the Mondraker falls right between the most powerful analogue bikes in this test, like the Scott Genius ST, and the other e-bikes.

When riding uphill, the TQ drive works discreetly in the background, making the Mondraker the most natural-feeling eBike in this test.

When gravity takes over, the Fast Forward geometry concept starts working its magic and the Mondraker really gets going. The Neat RR SL quickly shows its lively side, responding to steering inputs with clinical precision, with the suspension providing more feedback than your average beginner might feel comfortable with, displaying a similar character to the Scott Genius ST. The Mondraker is extremely responsive and wants to be challenged, just like a young puppy playing in the park. As a result, it’s not forgiving of riding mistakes and quickly hits you with a reality check if you get distracted, thus requiring an active, vigilant riding style to prevent mishaps. If you’re focused and precise, however, the Neat rewards you with tons of speed and truck loads of fun. The carbon wheels and handlebars contribute significantly to the direct behaviour, calling for a careful line choice and active riding style, and encouraging you to pump through rollers and berms on flowing trails. At the same time, the Mondraker makes it easy to carve through corners, regardless of whether you’re negotiating wide, open turns or tight hairpin switchbacks. In terms of agility, the Mondraker is on a par with its fellow ebike, the Santa Cruz Heckler SL, or the analogue Trek Fuel EX. And thanks to the motor, you won’t be as exhausted as a little pup after a long day in the saddle.

Who should take a closer look at the 2023 Mondraker Neat RR SL?

The Mondraker Neat appeals to experienced riders who know how to ride fast. Despite being more challenging than other bikes in this test, it’s more predictable than most Mondrakers we have tested so far. The Neat could also be used as a light e-mountainbike replacement for an analogue bike, allowing you to keep up with your fit riding buddies. The Mondraker is also a great choice for design enthusiasts who love to ride in style and want to use their bike as a fancy piece of modern art in their living room in the off-season.

Our conclusions about the Mondraker Neat RR SL

A mean fiesta-machine for experienced riders? The Mondraker Neat RR SL is a potent e-bike for the everyday gnar. If you pick your lines carefully, you’re guaranteed to be the fastest rider on your local mountain. One thing’s for sure: with its agile character, the Mondraker fits perfectly into our trail bike group test, despite having a motor, rewarding experienced riders with tons of fun and feedback. As a result, the Mondraker Neat RR SL places in the upper midfield of this test field.

Tops

• Very direct bike, provides plenty of feedback from the ground
• Discreet, clean eBike look
• TQ motor perfectly suits the trail-bike concept

Flops

• Undersized brakes rob you of confidence on the trail
• Handling can be demanding for beginners

You can find out more about at mondraker.com

The test field

For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best trail bike 2024 – 15 of the most exciting trail bikes in our 2024 comparison test

All bikes in test: Cannondale Habit LT 1 (Click for review) | Cube ONE55 C:62 SLT 29 (Click for review) | Ghost RIOT Trail Full Party (Click for review) | Merida ONE-FORTY 10K (Click for review) | Mondraker Neat RR SL (Click for review) | Nicolai Saturn 14 Swift HRZ (Click for review) | Orbea Occam LT M10 (Click for review) | Santa Cruz Heckler SL XX AXS RSV (Click for review) | Santa Cruz Hightower X0 AXS RSV (Click for review) | Scor 2030 X01 (Click for review) | SCOTT Genius ST 900 Tuned (Click for review) | Specialized S-Works Turbo Levo SL (Click for review) | Trek Fuel EX 9.9 X0 AXS T-Type (Click for review) | Yeti SB140 LR T3 X0 (Click for review) | YT JEFFSY CORE 5 CF (Click for review)

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Words: Julian Schwede Photos: Peter Walker