2022/23 Mondraker Crafty Carbon - a short review

Bosch delivered a prototype bike so we could finally test the Bosch Performance CX Race motor. Attached to that motor was a Mondraker Crafty Carbon. The specs don’t correspond to any of the 2023 models, so we’ll just call it the Crafty.

Riding this bike reminded us of how much we enjoyed riding the 2020 Mondraker Crafty R alloy back in 2019. So, we decided to do a short piece on the bike too. How well does this bike hold up several years later? See our video or keep reading below.

Geometry​

The Crafty Carbon is similar to the alloy. The seat tube angle is fairly steep at 76*. A head angle of 65.5* isn’t very slack by today’s standards. Not for a bike with 160 mm travel front and 150 mm rear. Chainstays are 455 mm, a very common length for a 29er bike.



Can I say I wish the Crafty was designed as a mullet bike? To allow for slightly shorter chainstays. Anyway. The geometry figures are still good. Wheelbase ends up being 1.265 mm for size L. Long, but nothing extreme, spot-on for the terrain we’re riding.

Riding​

The alloy Crafty R we rode years ago was a 25 kg bike that worked so well on the descents. The Carbon Crafty seems even better when descending. I think it’s mostly down to the Fox 38 fork. Riding bikes with Fox 36 and 38 side by side, one quickly notices the improved precision and stability of the Fox 38.

With the 455 mm chainstays, the Craftys climb very well. The front end feels a tad lower than many other comparable bikes, aiding the weight distribution on the climbs. And the Bosch Performance CX Race motor ads another dimension to climbing.



Our impression is the carbon Crafty is a nimbler bike on the flat and slow trails. We guess it’s down to the bike weight of 24 kg, which is about 1 kg lower than the alloy Crafty R. But it could very well be enhanced by the Bosch Race motor.

Bosch Smart System and Race​

The Bosch Smart System is a bigger update than I initially believed. Riding in Turbo mode, the Bosch Performance CX motors are much easier to control than they used to be. They’re rivaling the Shimano EP8 in this regard. I think the Bosch Performance Race improves the riding experience of the Mondraker Crafty. Much can be said about the Bosch Race, and I will in the upcoming review.


The Carbon Crafty we tested has the 750 Wh battery. Considering the alloy version we rode had a 630 Wh battery and Fox 36 forks, the carbon Crafty is surprisingly light.

Conclusion​

Riding the Carbon Crafty reminded us of how much we enjoyed our time on the 2020 Mondraker Crafty R. And even though the frame geometry is the same on the carbon version, we enjoyed this bike even more. Less weight, burlier forks and the Bosch Race motor are nice improvements on an already great bike. We still love the Mondraker Crafty, after all these years.