In the longer-is-better world, where frames grow by a millimeter or three with every iteration, Mondraker has skipped over a few redesigns and gone straight for the “most stable” award. Singletracks co-founder and chief editor, Jeff Barber, had a chance to rip the Foxy a few years back, and felt that “the Mondraker Foxy RR climbs well and it absolutely slays fast, wide-open descents.” The Foxy lineup has since gained a couple of alloy models and a carbon “Superenduro” version with an additional centimeter of travel at the front and rear. I recently received the second fanciest build of the bike, titled the Foxy RR, and I intend to test it thoroughly over the next few months.
The size medium Foxy RR 29er has a 475mm reach, paired with short, 435mm chainstays. I’m waiting for the dad-jokes about the rear of the bike showing up to the trailhead 30 minutes after the fork. For reference, this bike’s reach is a full 20mm longer than most of the long travel 29ers I have reviewed, and it’s 30mm longer than the 27.5″ Merida One-Sixty 700 that I was riding just a few weeks back. A few centimeters may not seem like much until you consider that it’s the difference between a medium and a large for most brands.
DHR II up front means off camber business is on order. 
The Aggressor works well in dry conditions.
By that measurement, this bike has the longest reach I have ever ridden, but it’s not the lowest nor the slackest. The moderate 66° headtube angle and shorter 44mm fork offset are meant to pull the wheel back under the rider a bit, which you may need with a bike this stretchy. The 75.5° effective seat tube angle further helps move the rider’s mass toward the handlebar to make the bike fit comfortably and maintain front tire grip.
A tiny shock fender to prevent rock strikes. 
Proprietary brake adapter 
Matte on gloss black, with a little yellow. Large cable ports for easy maintenance.
Perched second from the top in the carbon lineup, I selected the Foxy RR because it’s the build I would buy if I were interested in purchasing this bike. At €6,599 ($7,200), it’s not the most affordable bike on the market, but the build is worth the bucks. The 150mm of rear axle travel is supported by a Fox Factory DPX2 LV Evol shock, paired with a 160mm Factory Float 36 fork with the FIT4 damper. The damper is the only component on this build that I would swap out, as I greatly prefer Fox’s GRIP2 damper. The full drivetrain is Shimano’s new 12-speed XT gruppo, with a threaded 73mm BB, and XT 4-piston brakes. The dropper, handlebars, grips, and stem all hail from Spain’s Onoff Components, and the whole thing rolls around on a sweet set of DT Swiss E1700 wheels wrapped in a Maxxis DHR II tire up front and Aggressor out back.
I have a few initial observations after descending my local trails over two lunch-rides aboard the Foxy. First, the bike benefits folks who like to ride in a forward and aggressive position. With the extra length, placing weight over the front wheel takes a small reshuffle of your body placement. More than others in its class, this bike feels better the faster you ride, and the broad wheelbase gives it an enjoyable moto feel.
Additionally, I managed to get a far livelier sensation out of the suspension than I would expect from a bike this large, and I am looking forward to seeing how it performs on steeper and deeper tracks around northern Italy. Though it is undoubtedly designed to go fast, its inner jackrabbit can not be confined to the “plow bike” box. Stay tuned for the full writeup once the tires are worn smooth.
0 Comments