Mondraker Foxy Carbon RR

Its distinct lines advertise there’s something different about the Foxy Carbon RR. Its ride reinforces it. Mondraker’s Foxy Carbon RR is one of the longest trail bikes on the market, sporting a 1,241mm wheelbase. And Mondraker stresses a forward riding position intended to position the rider over the pedals while preserving the long, low, and slack narrative. The result is a competent climbing ability coupled with ruthless downhill shredding.

Mondraker’s been around since 2001 and it really hit its stride when it developed Forward Geometry sometime around 2013. The Spanish company was prescient in this regard, since many companies have since trended in that direction. Forward Geometry basically means a long top tube (which creates a long front-center), and a shorter stem to accommodate the increased reach. This creates a lot more stability on high-speed descents because the bike is, in essence, much longer, without moving the position of the handlebars relative to the front wheel. The rider’s weight should also be further back, creating stability and rear-wheel control.

Here in Colorado, every ride starts out with a pretty stout climb, so trail bike weaknesses are usually revealed quickly. You’ll wait a lot longer to spot any weaknesses when you ride the Foxy uphill, despite that Forward Geometry concept. That’s notable given the Foxy has more travel — 150 millimeters front and rear — than many bikes in the trail category. But it is less adept at popping up and over steep obstacles on climbs. That’s to be expected.

Now the fun part: descending. It’s a very, very long bike with a slack front end (66-degree head tube). And unsurprisingly, it’s a riot going downhill. Short 425mm chainstays keep it flickable despite the super-long wheelbase. It pops out of corners with some eagerness too. It takes some coaxing in tight switchbacks where trail bikes with tighter dimensions would lithely navigate, but everywhere else on the descents, the Foxy excels.

The rocker arm has a wide stance. This perhaps helps with lateral stiffness that gives the Foxy a carve-it-out feel in wide, sweeping turns, but it also happens to be wide enough that it’s very easy to knock the inside of your knees on it. It’s a minor concern but if you tend to shift your weight dramatically, it can be distracting.

The Foxy is a tough bike to categorize. It trades on its incredible stability on descents, but its geometry makes it a polarizing choice. It’s important to test ride this one before taking the plunge. If you’re after a unique ride with stability to spare on the descents and don’t mind sacrificing some climbing ability to get there, the Foxy has a lot to offer.

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