We’ve been hearing from Mondraker for a bit now that they had something revolutionary in the works. It would be ultra light weight, and most likely made in Germany. Well, after months of speculation, we finally got the first look at the F Podium Prototype, and it seems to have been worth the wait.
Apparently, this is the same bike that has been spotted under the Primaflor Mondraker XC racing team, though it is one of the first times it has been shown as the official model. The F-Podium RR SL will be a 100mm travel XC race bike with an impressive frame that will supposedly bring a new level of carbon fiber production technology to the world of mountain biking.
We weren’t actually told who would be producing the bike, other than that it was the 2nd largest carbon manufacturer in the world who has produced parts for companies like Boeing and Porsche, BMW, and others. A quick glance at the downtube however suggests that the frame is manufactured by the 3C Composite Company.
Evidently, the owner of the carbon company approached Mondraker with the desire to create the best and lightest full suspension bike in the market, and it is their first time making a bicycle. Based on the weight of the prototype at 18.52lbs as shown without pedals, it seems like they’re not far off.
The F-Podium uses the same suspension design as other Mondrakers, though the frame is said to have a slightly higher anti-squat kinematic for XC racing.
Currently, only 10 bikes have been produced with 6-7 of them devoted to their race team for testing. Mondraker hopes for the production model to be available by 2019, though it’s possible it might end up being a 2020 model as well. As it sits, retail value will be over $11,000, so don’t expect it to be cheap.
