Mustache Saturday 29 Trail: our handling of eMTBs that go everywhere

Mustache celebrated its 10th anniversary in early 2022, and yet it is the Vosges brand that gave us a great gift by presenting a brand new line of electrically assisted mountain bikes, the Samedi 29 Trail and Samedi 29 Game. These newcomers have the difficult task of doing better than their predecessors, recognized among the best VTTAE on the market. As always, Mustache trusted Bosch by integrating the latest generation of its Performance Line CX motors (85 Nm of torque, just that).

This new generation is accompanied by 750 Wh PowerTube batteries, much larger than the 625 Wh accumulators of the previous generation of the German firm. Mustache engineers then had a lot to do to integrate this longer and heavier battery (+ 800 g) in an aluminum frame which must retain its resistance to any test. The Vosges team worked together with Bosch to adapt the Performance Line CX system by modifying certain connectors in particular to save space and allow the battery to drop slightly lower in front of the engine. The result is quite impressive, as the integration of the motor in the bottom bracket and the battery in the downtube could almost go unnoticed.

The Trail and Game’s longer battery induces small geometry changes to compensate for the longer top tube. Small adjustments in terms of seat tube or steering angle that allow them to integrate this battery without upsetting the balance of the whole. Wider also, this new Bosch battery imposes new reinforcements of the aluminum frame, a large part of which is created by hydroforming. The result is a frame with excellent finishes that exudes a certain robustness.

Even though the mountain biker will be less likely to want to extract his battery to recharge it, Mustache leaves the latter very easy to access. It takes a few minutes to easily remove the battery from the frame. This makes it easier to replace and easier to maintain the bike. Lovers of very long journeys can even consider carrying a second copy in their bag to avoid running out of fuel.

The Mustache Samedi 29 Trail are full-suspension e-MTBs. They benefit from 150 mm travel forks that will dig into the Rockshox catalog for the most affordable version, and even aim for the Fox Float 36 Factory. At the rear, Mustache incorporates its in-house Magic Grip Control shock technology for, again, 150mm of travel. The whole thing is completed by the presence of a telescopic seatpost which offers 125 to 200 mm of travel depending on the frame size. The Samedi 29 Game goes even further with 170mm of travel in the front and 160mm in the rear.

Comfort and grip are supported by the choice of 29-inch wheels with rims developed in-house by the French brand. All Samedi 29 Trail are fitted with 2.5-inch-wide Maxxis Assegai tires whose rubber is reinforced on the 9 and 11 versions. uphill.

Mustache entrusts the transmission of the Trails to Shimano with XT 12-speed derailleurs and 10-51 cassettes (XTR 12v for the Trail 11). The Japanese brand is also chosen for the braking part. The Samedi 29 Trail can count on Shimano XT BR-M8120 four-piston hydraulic equipment and 203 mm discs. Only the Trail 5 aims a little lower with BR-M6120s.

Surprisingly easy-to-use machines

The presentations made, the enlightened amateur will certainly have the mouth watering. Off-road beginners will probably be more wary of this abundance of high-quality components. Interestingly, Mustache does not leave them out and touts its Samedi 29 Trail as e-MTBs that can suit novices and experts alike. Our rather modest level in the practice of electric mountain biking was therefore a good master standard.

From the first pedal strokes, the Trail puts us at ease. The transmission is perfectly fluid, the chain goes up and down on the cassette without a hitch. The handlebar offers a width of 760 mm which provides very good stability and the short stem immediately shows its precision. Before having faced the first difficulty, the Trail would almost make you forget its electrification.

However, the latter is present and knows how to make it felt. The Bosch Performance CX motor and its 85 Nm of torque are quite easy to drive. By default, Mustache Trails are equipped with Kiox 300 screens, ideal for taking advantage of Bosch’s Smart System and all the information it can provide. The controls are deported on a box placed on the left side. It allows you to scroll through the information on the screen and to choose the level of assistance required. The choice is left between five levels: without assistance, Eco, Tour+, eMTB and Turbo.

Eco and Turbo modes can be customized to choose the power delivered by the engine in each of them. The first aims rather to preserve the battery at the cost of low assistance, the second is, on the contrary, energy-intensive, but can offer maximum assistance. The Tour+ and eMTB modes are automatic and adjust the assistance according to different parameters (force applied to the pedals, inclination, remaining capacity, etc.). During our test, we mainly rode in eMTB mode. In this one, we completely forget the assistance of the Bosch motor and we retain a rather disconcerting naturalness of pedaling given the power developed despite everything.

This is one of the main strengths of the Mustache Samedi 29 Trail. They make the most of the technology offered by Bosch, without you having to think about it. All you have to do is concentrate on what really matters: the off-road sensations. Sensations, the novice mountain biker will quickly obtain once he has learned to trust the bike. The Trail has everything you need to climb the slopes that seem too steep to us and will be able to take most of the descents that will be imposed on its wide notched tires.

So after only a few tens of minutes, the Trail takes us on the trails cut for the practice of mountain biking in the ochres of the Luberon. The high assistance allows at the beginning not to correctly anticipate gear changes. A pitfall that we avoid on the next climb and where the bike then shows its full potential. We often think of mountain biking as a series of thrilling descents interspersed with frustrating climbs. An eMTB like the Samedi 29 Trail totally erases that. The ribs are swallowed with a smile and we are ready to descend, without even needing to catch our breath.

If the Bosch engine and the Smart System work wonders with the Mustache Trail, the mechanical parts are not left out. The suspensions provide a work of goldsmith to erase the pitfalls. We don’t worry about roots, pebbles or branches. The Trail seems to be able to go everywhere, transporting us in disconcerting comfort down this hill that we did not really think we could descend.

It must be said that the machine is based on a set of hydraulic disc brakes of first choice. With one finger, the dosage is perfect, the precision is surgical. The bite of the four-piston calipers is there to stop the VTTAE – whose weight varies between 24 and 25 kg depending on the version – and its pilot.

A real asset to get started or go further

We could think that gear of such a caliber would not be placed between all the thighs and that novices would not necessarily find their account with such extreme models. However, it is quite the opposite. Certainly, the equipment of a Trail 11 will not be essential for the beginner, but starting with a Trail 5 is already a pleasure.

The powerful motor and its intelligent assistance lift the brake on the terrible climb. The Trail grips the terrain and the ocher sands of the Vaucluse have not been right about its grip. Whether you’re uphill, nose in the stem or downhill, saddle lowered, camped on its two pedals, one wonders what could pick up the Maxxis tires from the ground. A feeling of confidence that quickly allows you to focus on the very technique of eMTB to progress.

Above all, largely erasing the physical barrier, we say to ourselves that mountain biking can become practicable, even without intensive and regular training. If you don’t have time to keep yourself in adequate shape to explore off-trail paths, an e-MTB like the Mustache Samedi 29 Trail very quickly shows its interest.

Finally, the very large 750 Wh PowerTube battery makes it possible to envisage very long outings, without asking the question of the energy consumed by a high level of assistance. When we got started, we covered more than 25 km with almost 500 m of elevation gain. By keeping ourselves at a high level of assistance (eMTB or Turbo 90% of the time), we had 80% range left.

The price of a smile

Unfortunately, as you might have guessed, such a level of fun on two wheels comes at a cost. Count 5699 € to enter the world of VTTAE Mustache Samedi 29 Trail, with the Trail 5, and up to 8199 € for the Trail 11. Bike lovers know that this hobby is not within the reach of all purses, especially if one aims for machines as accomplished as that of the Vosges manufacturer. However, the various crisis-related shortages that the world has been experiencing in recent years are not helping to lower costs.

But one thing is certain, Mustache actually manages to make the practice of eMTB technically accessible to as many people as possible with its Saturday 29 Trail. A test that frankly convinced us and that makes you want to never stick your tongue out again on a steep mountain slope, or to wonder if you are going to cross the roots that dot this descent into the forest.