The Spanish brand Mondraker has updated its 2023 catalog with the Dusty range, made up of three electric gravels both cut for the road and the paths. Their particularity: a very contained weight.
Seriously positioned in the eMTB niche, the Iberian manufacturer Mondraker seeks to cover other non-urban practices, such as gravel. As a reminder, this type of bike is halfway between a mountain bike (it has the tires) and a road bike (it has the geometry and the frame), to feel as comfortable on paths as bitumen.
The new Dusty 2023 range responds exactly to this problem. In total, three models make up the offer: the Dusty R, Dusty RR and Dusty XR. This trio shares a common characteristic: their frame is made of carbon fiber, a material particularly renowned for its resistance and lightness.
Less than 14 kg, in any case
Therefore, one of their great strength lies in their very contained weight: 12.8, 13.1 and 13.8 kg, respectively. Other same components have been installed on these three models, such as the Mahle X20 engine (55 Nm of torque) or the 350 Wh battery, the autonomy of which is not specified on their technical sheet.
Source: Mondraker
Source: Mondraker
Source: Mondraker
Equipped with a group supplied by SRAM, the Dusty R and RR will mainly differ in the choice of transmission: the second is equipped with a slightly more upscale version with 12 speeds, against 11 speeds for the first. The bikes also have the same 28-inch Maxxis Rambler tires.
More upscale, the Dusty XR beefs up its game on several points: the presence of a suspension fork in particular, a RockShox Rudy Ultimate with 40 mm of travel. This has the merit of boosting comfort, thanks to a fork capable of absorbing a minimum of front shocks.
Salty prices
To compensate for the addition of this element and therefore a slight weight gain, the Dusty XR opts for carbon fiber rims… but also wider tires to provide better grip on the ground. The SRAM transmission is also more accomplished, with 12 speeds in total.
According Hybridos and Electricos, the respective prices of the Dusty R, Dusty RR and Dusty XR are 5000 euros, 6300 euros then 10,000 euros for the most expensive. The gap between the mid-range and high-end model is simply gigantic, for improvements that do not seem so huge.
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