New UNNO Burn Race 2022 exclusive first ride review – Perhaps the most unique enduro bike currently available on the market?

UNNO are back! With the new Burn Race 2022 enduro bike, UNNO have created not only a radical and unique design but also a genuine trail ripper with exceptional rear suspension kinematics. We had the exclusive opportunity to test the new UNNO Burn Race 2022 with mullet wheel setup.

Looks like a… nope! When ripping the trails onboard the new UNNO Burn, you don’t have to put up with the good-old “looks like” banter, because the Spaniards resort to a unique new design language that no other bike manufacturer has dared to use until now. A few weeks back, the Barça-based boutique brand had already caused a stir with the launch of the new Boös eMTB, which shares many design elements with the new 2022 Burn. The futuristic look, low-slung top tube and striking proprietary seatpost clamp pave the way for a whole new UNNO generation and, together with the brand-new logo, suggest that there’s a whole new model range coming in the midterm.

While the Burn has been an integral part of UNNO’s portfolio for several years, the latest iteration of UNNO’s enduro ripper only shares the name and rear travel with its predecessor. Speaking of which, UNNO like to name their bikes after big, impressive mountains and the Burn gets its name from the 4,996 m Mount Blackburn in Alaska.

The new Burn was conceived as a thoroughbred enduro bike and should therefore offer plenty of reserves, whether you’re shredding the roughest of your home trails, racing tough enduro stages or piling up laps at the bike park. The rear suspension relies on a virtual pivot point and generates 160 mm travel and is complemented with a 170 mm fork. The Burn relies on a mixed-wheel setup with a 29″ at the front and smaller 27.5″ wheel at the rear and will be available only in the € 7,795 Race-Spec variant and the finish shown in these pictures for the time being. The first units in size S2 should be ready to ship within a few weeks while all other sizes will follow later on in August. You can order your bike directly from UNNO’s website and shortly also from a selected number of bike shops.

CERO Design Studio, Cesar Rojo and DEUX

Spanish designer, engineer and visionary Cesar Rojo is the man (and brain) behind bike brand UNNO, which was founded in 2016. Not only is Cesar an experienced rider and successful ex-World Cup downhiller, but also the founder and CEO of the CERO design studio in Barcelona. As you may have guessed, the name is made up of the first two letters of CEsar and ROjo. His multidisciplinary design and development studio now employs over 90 (!) developers and is known among other things for its collaborations with KTM, Husqvarna and GasGas motorcycles.

However, the Spaniards have also worked with many bike manufacturers over the past few years, including Mondraker and Intense, which allowed Cesar and his team to gain a solid knowledge in the development of modern mountain bikes. New component brand DEUX is also part of CERO’s development work and can be found on UNNO bikes in the form of a handlebar and stem unit with a special headset.

The new UNNO Burn Race 2022 in detail

As its unique and distinctive silhouette already suggests, the Burn features a full carbon frame. Particularly striking is the absence of cable ports, which emphasizes the clean look of the bike even further. The brake lines and dropper cable are routed into the frame through UNNO’s proprietary DEUX headset. On our test bike, this partly consists of 3D-printed parts and caused the cables to rattle on rough trails. However, UNNO are aware of the problem and have already found a solution for the production bike.

On the other hand, the seat and chainstay protectors do exactly what they’re supposed to do and are neatly integrated into the frame, thus harmonising with the Burn’s discreet design language. The chainstay protector merges seamlessly into the seatstay just above the chainring, ensuring additional protection on the frame, while a generously-sized TPU plate shields the down tube from impacts. According to UNNO, the Burn is already employing around 200 grams of recycled plastic and this number will gradually increase in the future.

The down tube of the Burn also houses a spacious storage compartment, which can be accessed through a sliding plastic cover. While this requires a bit of strength to open, it closes the compartment securely and doesn’t rattle on the trail, even with a full water bottle mounted on top. Moreover, the compartment comes standard with a pouch for all trail essentials. Although it might seem impossible at first glance, there’s enough room in the main frame to accommodate a big water bottle.

The spec of the new UNNO Burn Race 2022

The new Burn tilts the scales at 14.8 kg and will only be available in the € 7,795 Race-Spec version for the time being. In this configuration, it comes equipped with a FOX 38 Factory fork with finely-tunable GRIP2 damper and FLOAT X2 Factory shock. However, the frame design makes it hard to reach the shock, making it a little fiddly to set up. By the way, UNNO recommend running 35% sag, which is substantially more than the established 30%. The suspension kinematics are also compatible with coil shocks.

Shifting is taken care of by an electronic SRAM GX AXS 12-speed drivetrain. The chain is securely held in place by a chain guide, which is also integrated into the frame very neatly. Formula Cura 4 four-piston brakes with 200 mm rotors front and rear ensure powerful and reliable deceleration. The rear calliper is nicely integrated into the frame and doesn’t require an adapter for the 200 rotor. The only downer is the tool-free lever reach adjuster, which is extremely sticky and therefore still requires an Allen key.

UNNO complement the bling FOX suspension with a FOX Transfer dropper post. This can be inserted all the way into the frame but only offers 150 mm travel – which is on the short side for a bike in this size. For the cockpit, the Spaniards rely on an in-house DEUX 800 mm handlebar-stem unit, which emphasizes UNNO’s unique design language with its hidden bolt connections.

For the tires, UNNO combine a 2.5″ MAXXIS ASSEGAI with EXO+ casing and soft MaxxGrip rubber compound at the front and 2.4″ MAXXIS Minion DHR2 with DoubleDown casing and hard MaxxTerra compound at the rear. Especially with heavy and aggressive riders, it would make more sense to use the tougher DoubleDown casing front and rear. The tires are mounted on a robust Crankbrothers Synthesis alloy wheelset with one special feature: they combine 28 spokes at the front and 32 at the rear.

The geometry of the new UNNO Burn 2022

The Burn employs UNNO’s new reach-based sizing system and is available in three sizes, S1 to S3, offering a suitable option for all riders between 160 and 200 cm tall. Our test bike in size S2 combines 470 mm reach, a very high front with 644 mm stack height and a very long 460 mm seat tube, which restricts freedom of movement on the trails. However, the low-slung dowtube still allows you to move around the bike a fair bit, and as a result, the UNNO ensures more freedom of movement than most bikes with long seat tubes, thus inspiring more confidence on the trail. The 64° head angle and consistent 445 mm chainstay length across all sizes fall into the current enduro geometry standards.

The geometry of the UNNO Burn 2022

Size	S1	S2	S3
Seat tube	435 mm	460 mm	490 mm
Head tube	105 mm	120 mm	145 mm
Head angle	64°	64°	64°
Seat angle	76.5°	76.5°	76.5°
BB Drop	30 mm	30 mm	30 mm
Chainstay	445 mm	445 mm	445 mm
Wheelbase	1219 mm	1266 mm	1311 mm
Reach	435 mm	470 mm	510 mm
Stack	634 mm	644 mm	670 mm

The new UNNO Burn Race 2022 on the trail

As mentioned before, UNNO recommend running 35% sag, which deviates substantially from the established 30% standard but suits the rear suspension kinematics of the Burn best. The UNNO hides its shock deep inside the frame, making it hard to adjust the compression and rebound settings, but once it’s set it you can forget about it. When making your way to the trail head, the pedalling position is rather compact and puts a little pressure on your hands. However, this improves as the climb gets steeper, making the Burn a pleasant climbing companion.

Even without a climb switch, the UNNO is a keen climber, with the efficient and pedal-neutral rear suspension generating sufficient traction even on technically climbs with roots and rocks.

When gravity takes over, the new Burn makes it clear: the steeper the trail, the better! The high front and centrally integrated riding position inspire huge amounts of confidence, taking the edge off steep trail sections. Although the long seat tube and short-travel dropper post can cause the saddle to get in your way, OTB is a foreign concept to the Burn. When you slam on the brakes at the bottom of a steep chute, the Formula brakes pack a punch, ensuring excellent deceleration together with the efficient rear suspension. The latter performs exceptionally well at the beginning of the stroke, where it provides outstanding small-bump sensitivity and generates tons of grip even on slippery terrain, only requiring you to actively load the front wheel in open wide corners.

With its low and central riding position, the UNNO Burn inspires huge amounts of confidence, especially on steep terrain. If you have the right skill set and know how to use the direct feedback of the rear suspension to your advantage, will be able to build up speed.

If you smash into berm and corners at Mach-10, the Burn offers excellent support, rewarding an active riding style with extra speed while at the same time bailing you out with botched landings and huck to flats. Especially in the mid-stroke, the Burn is lavishly progressive but in return passes on plenty of feedback from the ground. Needless to say, this requires good riding skills, making it easier for experienced riders to unlock the full potential of the bike. If you find your flow and know how to move your weight around the bike, the Burn will get you to the valley bottom almost by itself.

Our conclusion on the new UNNO Burn Race 2022

With its futuristic appearance, the UNNO stands out from the crowd of modern enduro bikes but might not be everyone’s cup of tea. The innovative cool features are cleverly integrated into the frame and harmonise with the design language of the bike. Moreover, the centrally integrated riding position and consistent spec keep faith with the “race spec” build-kit name. The progressive suspension ensures top performance but requires an experienced rider who knows how to handle the direct feedback.

For more info about the new Burn visit UNNO-Bikes’ official website.

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Words & Photos: Peter Walker