RIC’S MONDRAKER DUNE2018£3,199

A great bike, that didn’t suit Ric

There’s already a sad-looking empty hook in my shed where once there hung the Mondraker Dune. I say ‘hung’, but its XL wheelbase was big enough for it to touch the floor. With a 1,265mm gap between the axles and a head angle set at 65.5 degrees, the Dune’s intentions were clear from the moment it left its cardboard chrysalis – it’s an aggressive enduro bike through and through.

Once up to speed, there’s no doubting that you’re aboard a platform worthy of upgrade – but only if you get on with Mondraker’s ‘Forward Geometry’. The Dune is kind of an off-road unicycle, in that to access its talents, you really need only ride one wheel – the front. It took me a while to adjust to the 30mm stem and lengthy front centre’s demands. My natural tendency is to be more central or off the back of the bike, and having to constantly recalibrate this never quite became natural. It’s hefty too, and there are better value options out there.

That all sounds more negative than I mean it to. The Dune shows just what a hard-hitting bike you can now get that can still be pedalled to the top. Mechanically, the only gripe has been the SRAM NX groupset’s propensity to drop out of trim. It also remained one of the quietest bikes I’ve ever tested. I’d definitely recommend trying before you buy though. www.silverfish-uk.com