The Crafty platform has been a staple in Mondraker’s lineup for over a decade. The bike first appeared in the brand’s portfolio, blurring the lines between “trail” and “enduro” categories. Soon after its introduction, the Crafty would adopt a battery and motor, leaving room for new human-powered bikes from Mondraker.
And while we have seen some limited-edition Craftys, perhaps none as unique as the Mondraker Crafty Unlimited Gulf.
Gulf’s Racing Legacy
If you’re not into racing (I’m not) or motor oil history (also not), then you might be asking who Gulf is. Founded at the turn of the 20th century, Gulf was one of America’s largest oil companies. But they are better known for racing.
Like, they’ve sponsored racing teams for so many years that Gulf and auto racing have nearly become one and the same. Their blue-and-orange color scheme has become an iconic symbol in the racing world, and Mondraker uses it on this limited-edition Crafty. But this isn’t the first Mondraker/Gulf collab. The two companies would also team up for a Gulf edition of the Neat and the Dusty.
For the new Crafty, the colors are inspired by a historic race car, the Ford GT40. This would be the first car, in 1967, to run Gulf’s colors: a darker blue and orange. Shortly after, Gulf would choose lighter shades to maximize visibility. These lighter shades are seen on the Neat and Dusty bikes.
For the Crafty Unlimited Gulf, Mondraker, and Gulf chose to use the original colors as seen on the GT40. They also draw inspiration from another race car, the Porsche Kremer 8. Custom component choices, such as the fully CNC’d Trickstuff brakes, are an homage to the craftsmanship found in the Kremer 8.
The Mondraker Crafty Unlimited Gulf
The custom paint job isn’t the only thing that sets the Mondraker Crafty Unlimited Gulf apart from other Crafty options. The bike also features a build spec not found on any other Mondraker bike.
First and foremost, the frame is constructed from Mondraker’s Stealth Air Carbon and features their Zero Suspension System. It’s equipped with the latest Bosch CX-R motor, delivering 100 Nm of torque and a removable 800Wh battery.
While the build is mainly based on Mondraker’s top spec’d Crafty RR SL, there are a few standouts found only on the Unlimited Gulf. It will be the only bike to feature Öhlins suspension, with the RXF 38 M.3 fork paired with a TTX22M coil shock. The fork and shock are set to 160mm and 150mm, respectively.
In addition to the Trickstuff Maxima brakes mentioned above, the Crafty Unlimited Gulf will feature DT Swiss HXC 1200 carbon wheels. A RockShox Reverb AXS dropper post and SRAM XX Transmission with e*Thirteen Helix Race carbon cranks round out the build.
And, numbers are limited. At least, that is what Mondraker says, as they don’t provide actual numbers just yet. In the US, the Crafty Unlimited will retail for only $15,999.
To see more information and the complete spec list, visit mondraker.com.
