Mountain bike geometry has evolved over the past few years based on the philosophy that long top tubes, low bottom brackets, a low center of gravity and slack steering angles work best. You can thank Mondraker for that thinking, which has permeated every category from downhill bikes to cross-country hardtails. This Spanish-based company pioneered modern progressive geometry. Many other bike-makers have followed Mondraker’s lead, but it’s almost always better to stick with the original than to go with a copycat version. In the past, the Mondraker has only been available in Europe, but for 2018, Mondraker bikes have made the journey over the Atlantic and will finally be offered in North America. We tested Mondraker’s Foxy trail machine and were impressed with the geometry and performance. With cross-country hardtails making a bit of a comeback, our test riders were eager to get their hands on Mondraker’s Podium R. The Podium R is the company’s dedicated cross-country race bike with a modern geometry aimed at going fast and breaking records.
More details on the Mondraker Podium Carbon RR frameset.
