Mondraker Crafty Carbon Review: A Bosch-Powered Trail and Enduro EMTB

Introduction

The Mondraker Crafty Carbon is a 29-inch electric mountain bike built around 150 mm of rear wheel travel, the latest version of Mondraker’s Zero suspension system, and Bosch’s fifth-generation Performance Line CX motor. It sits in the space between trail and enduro, with geometry and components that lean toward aggressive riding rather than gentle cruising.

Two battery options, five spec levels, and a chassis that keeps Mondraker’s signature linkage while packaging a full-size Bosch drive unit make the Crafty Carbon one of the more flexible platforms in the powerful eMTB class. Prices start at £6,299 or $6,799 and rise to £11,799 or $11,999 at the top of the range.

Who This Bike Is For

Riders who want a full-power eMTB that can be ridden hard on steep, technical descents will find the most to like here. The 150 mm of rear travel, 29-inch wheels, and slack front end put the Crafty Carbon in the same conversation as longer-travel enduro machines, while the Bosch motor takes care of the climbs.

It also suits riders who like to choose their own configuration. Battery capacity, rear triangle material, fork travel, and drivetrain all change between spec levels, so the platform can be tuned toward a weight target or a budget instead of forcing one setup on every buyer.

Motor and Battery: What Bosch Brings

The fifth-generation Bosch Performance Line CX motor sits low in the frame and produces the same headline figures as the previous generation: 600 W of peak power and 85 Nm of torque. The meaningful change is in character, with better ride feel and less noisy chatter than the unit it replaces.

Hill hold is a genuinely useful addition. Holding the minus button keeps the bike from rolling backwards before you start pedalling, and it also works in walk mode, which helps on steep, loose climbs where getting going again is awkward.

Battery capacity is one of the biggest decisions on this bike. Mondraker offers a 600 Wh or an 800 Wh Bosch PowerTube battery hidden in the down tube, both removable and shielded by a carbon cover. Unusually, the smaller battery is not reserved for cheaper models: the top-of-the-range Crafty Carbon RRL uses the 600 Wh pack alongside a lighter fork to save weight.

Whatever model you choose, an optional Bosch PowerMore range extender adds 250 Wh. It mounts in place of a bottle cage, and Mondraker has left enough room for two bottles, or one range extender plus one bottle. There is also a handy tool mount on the underside of the top tube.

On the handlebar, the Bosch Purion 400 display uses a 1.6-inch high-resolution, high-contrast screen for readability. It shows speed, range, and battery life along with the selected mode. Four assistance modes are available, and all of them can be customised through the Bosch eBike Flow app.

Suspension and Geometry

The biggest design change is the new Zero suspension layout, which places the shock noticeably lower in the frame. The linkage now dissects the seat tube, and a moulded plastic mudguard sits between the gaps in the frame to keep water and trail grime away from the shock. Mondraker says the new position lowers and centres the weight of the linkage and the shock, a move aimed at optimising handling.

The Zero system itself keeps its familiar structure. Two swing links do the work: one joins the seat stays to the seat tube, and another joins the chain stays to the bottom bracket. The shock floats, driven at the bottom by the lower link and at the top by the upper link. A flip chip in the linkage slackens the bike further for steeper terrain.

Frame construction varies by model. Premium versions use Mondraker’s Stealth Air carbon fibre front triangle, and the higher-end models extend composite construction to the rear end. Most models use the brand’s Stealth alloy structure for the seat stays and chain stays. Cable routing can run through the headset for the cleanest look, or through more traditional ports on the head tube for riders who prefer that approach.

Geometry is an evolution of the previous Crafty rather than a clean-sheet design. The head angle has slackened from 65.5 degrees to 64.5 degrees in the standard setting, and the linkage adjustment can take it to 64.15 degrees. The effective seat tube angle is 77.6 degrees in the slack setting, which keeps seated climbing comfortable. The bike is 29-inch wheel specific with clearance for tyres up to 2.6 inches.

Sizing has grown to five options: small, medium, medium large, large, and extra large. The new ML size gives the range more room at the extremes while keeping fit accurate in the middle. Reach on a large has increased by 10 mm to 500 mm, and chainstay lengths are size specific: 455 mm on small, medium, and medium large, and 465 mm on large and extra large.

The Model Range and Pricing

Five spec levels cover a wide spread of budgets. The Crafty Carbon R pairs a carbon front triangle with an alloy rear, a Fox 38 Performance fork with 160 mm of travel, a Fox Float X Performance shock, an 800 Wh battery, SRAM GX AXS transmission, and Maven brakes, at £7,699 or $7,999.

The Crafty Carbon RR keeps the same suspension but moves to a 600 Wh battery and a carbon fibre rear triangle, adding XO Eagle AXS transmission, silver-spec SRAM Maven brakes, and Mavic E-Deemax S wheels at $8,999.

The Crafty Carbon XR steps up the aggression with a full carbon frame, an Öhlins RXF38 fork with 170 mm of travel, and an Öhlins TTX22M.2 coil shock. It uses the 600 Wh battery, the XO drivetrain, silver Maven brakes, and the same E-Deemax S wheels, at £9,399 or $9,999.

At the top, the Crafty Carbon RRL costs £11,799 or $11,999 and focuses on weight. It swaps the 38 mm stanchion fork for a 36 mm diameter Fox Factory 36, which brings the claimed weight down to 21.4 kg. E thirteen carbon hoops and a top-flight XX level SRAM transmission contribute to that figure.

Things to Consider Before Buying

The first thing to weigh up is battery capacity against weight. The 800 Wh pack suits long days and big climbs, while the 600 Wh option trims mass and can be topped up with the 250 Wh range extender when needed. Which one makes sense depends on how and where you ride.

Fork travel and shock type matter too. The R and RR models run a 160 mm fork with an air shock, the XR moves to a 170 mm fork with a coil shock, and the RRL returns to a 36 mm fork in the name of weight saving. Each of those choices changes how the bike feels on steep terrain, so it is worth deciding whether you want maximum composure or a lighter, livelier front end.

Budget is the other consideration. Prices climb steeply between the entry model and the range-topping build, and the differences are concentrated in frame material, suspension, drivetrain, and wheels rather than in the motor or the suspension design itself.

Buying Advice

Start with the motor and battery, because those are the parts you cannot easily change later. The Bosch Performance Line CX motor is the same across the range, so the real decision is whether you want 600 Wh, 800 Wh, or a long day out built from the smaller pack plus the range extender.

From there, pick the spec level that matches your terrain. Riders who spend most of their time on flowing trails and long climbs can be well served by the lower spec levels, while anyone chasing steep, rough descents will get more from the longer fork and coil shock on the XR. The RRL is the choice for riders who care about the number on the scale and want a lighter build with premium components.

Finally, check sizing carefully. The addition of the ML size and the size-specific chainstay lengths mean fit changes meaningfully across the range, and reach on a large has grown to 500 mm. If you are between sizes, the ML option is worth a look before defaulting to a medium or a large.

Conclusion

The Mondraker Crafty Carbon combines a proven Zero suspension layout with the latest Bosch Performance Line CX motor, two battery capacities, and a spec range that stretches from sensible to weight-obsessed. Its 150 mm of rear travel and slack geometry make it a capable descender, while hill hold, removable batteries, and range extender support make it easier to live with on real rides. For riders who want a powerful eMTB that leans toward enduro without giving up climbing ability, it is a platform worth shortlisting.