Recognized as one of the best VTTAE on the market, the Trail de Mustache was renewed in 2022. The French manufacturer could have settled for a slight facelift or a minimalist update given the relative youth of its model released last year. It has not happened. Mustache wanted to integrate Bosch’s latest system, its new controller and, above all, its enormous 750 Wh battery into its electric mountain bike. Modifications which directly affect the structure of the frame and which require, at the very least, to review its geometry. From then on, what should have been a smooth evolution of one of the best sellers of the brand has become a major risk taking. It was enough to arouse our interest. So we took the road to the Luberon, its magical ochre-tinted singles and its undergrowth full of mystery to get a glimpse of the new Trail de Mustache.
The day of driving on the handlebars of the latest addition to the Vosges brand is certainly not enough to draw definitive lessons from it, which is why, rather than a classic test, we offer you an in-depth handling. of the Mustache Trail, one of the most promising eMTBs of the year.
Last precision, the Trail is often associated with the Game, the brand’s other electric mountain bike with which it shares a large part of its characteristics. We have voluntarily chosen to focus on the more accessible of the two cycles, the Game being undoubtedly slightly more demanding in terms of driving.
Subtle but much-needed design changes
It will take skill to differentiate a 2022 Trail from its predecessor last year. And yet… there are many changes. Subtle, but important. They are mainly the consequence of the introduction of the new Bosh system and its huge 750 Wh battery. This forced Mustache to slightly revise the geometry of its Trail. A few millimeters more here, a few less there, these are essentially adjustments to allow the frame to offer the same dynamics while integrating components of different sizes and weights.
As a result, the design hardly changes or changes very little and only an expert eye will be able to differentiate this Trail from its predecessors at the sole sight of the frame. On the other hand, once you take a look at the on-board Bosch equipment, doubt is no longer allowed.
Bosch Smart System: the big plus of the 2022 version
It is with the geometry the biggest novelty of this 2022 edition of the Trail. Mustache has decided to incorporate the latest innovations from its equipment manufacturer Bosch. The addition of the Smart System is even the main reason why the manufacturer from Épinal decided to review its mountain bike.
The advantage of Bosch’s new battery/motor unit, in addition to the increase in autonomy, is that it comes with a particularly well-designed application part, the “Smart System”. On our Trail, it is based both on a very complete application, but also on an equally efficient controller/display duo. Indeed, unlike the previous version, the cyclist has a new lever on the left of the handlebar, the LED Remote. This allows you to choose the level of assistance, but also the display of the main screen. Particularly well placed, the LED Remote falls naturally to hand and is adopted very naturally. On the screen side, it is the new version of the Kiox 300, its color display and its customizable menus which complete the duo.
But the most amazing part, we mentioned, is on the side of the smartphone. Bosch has completely overhauled its “Flow” app. This is no longer content to locate the bike, it also provides a history of its use, navigation, and above all customizable assistance modes for refined management of engine support.
Equipment that can vary the price
It’s no surprise, the mechanical equipment of the Trail is a model of its kind. This is of course dependent on the level of finish of the bike. It is mainly the level of equipment that justifies the price difference between the most accessible version of the Trail at 5699 euros, and its premium counterpart at 8199 euros. However, even in the “entry-level” version, the user benefits from quality choices, such as the RockShox 35 Gold fork or the Shimano XT 12-speed transmission. Finally, whatever the level of finish, the mountain bike has the “Magic Grip Control” rear suspension manufactured by Mustache and which we had the opportunity to discover during the test of the Speedbike of the brand. Finally, the Trail is mounted on Mustache wheels equipped with 29-inch Maxxis Assagai tires, the essential reference of the moment. Of course, the electrical part is identical regardless of the level of finish.
Engine performance and range: the best of the best
Let’s be honest, the new Bosch engine is not the main argument of the Trail de Mustache. This does not detract from the quality of the Performance Line CX engine, still the benchmark in its class. Let’s just say that the technical developments made by the props this year are quite thin. The torque still tops out at 85 Nm, which is sufficient in all circumstances and the driving modes are still just as well thought out. For our part, we have constantly oscillated between the eMTB mode and the Magic Tour. The first is, in our view, the most natural of riding modes, it adapts to the cyclist’s pedaling rate while preserving the battery. The second is a mode developed by Mustache which works on the same bases, but which is intended to be slightly softer.
On the other hand, where Bosch seems to have progressed is on the freewheel mode, that is to say the times when the motor is not in demand, where the bike works on its inertia. Even if a resistance is always perceptible (the motor never cuts out completely), the sensations are without common measure with the motors of previous generations. The other advantage is that it also becomes easier to exceed 25 km/h once the engine has stopped doing its job.
If the performance of the Bosch engine does not necessarily justify reselling the 2021 version of the Trail, the autonomy may be different. The main argument of this new version of the Mustache All-Mountain mountain bike is to have succeeded in integrating the largest battery in the Bosch catalog, an imposing block of 750 Wh (compared to 625 Wh previously). It is difficult for us to comment on the real gain in autonomy. For example, let’s point out that during our walk of about thirty kilometers in the relatively steep surroundings of Roussillon, we consumed “only” 32% of the available battery, which suggests some great outings in the handlebars of this Trail.
Ride quality: the magic suspension
The risk with a VTTAE at nearly 6000 euros, particularly well equipped moreover, is to face an overly elitist model requiring experience and know-how to offer any interest. The Trail de Mustache is not of that caliber. As soon as it is mounted, it places the cyclist in a very natural and comfortable position. The first laps of the wheels are surprisingly fluid. As for the first obstacles, they disappear effortlessly. The 760 mm handlebar, completely in tune with the All-Mountain segment of the bike, gives the rider confidence. In summary, what we feared did not happen. The Mustache Trail has, on the contrary, turned out to be a very easy to access mountain bike that can be suitable for all types of rider.
However, the cousin of the Game, much more demanding, is nonetheless playful and surprising. Accessible and comfortable, it can also be dynamic and bouncy on descents while remaining particularly handy in curves despite its 29-inch wheels. This rather remarkable balance, Mustache obtains it thanks to methodical work on the distribution of the masses and a now recognized expertise in terms of suspension. It is precisely on this aspect that the Trail surprised us the most. If the RockShox 35 Gold fork suggested good feelings at the front with its travel of 100 me, we were more skeptical about the behavior of the Magic Grip Control, the rear suspension developed in-house by the French manufacturer. But it turned out to be perfect, not only in terms of comfort, but also in the heat of the moment. Uphill, on the D+, it takes advantage of the weight of the bike (25 kg) and the cyclist, to press the wheel to the ground. As a result, you only pitch up rarely and only on particularly demanding portions. Downhill, it turns into a real cushion to provide softness, even in rocky passages.
Ultimately, in terms of riding, the Trail is a very versatile mountain bike that will give cyclists confidence whatever their level. Its strength is undoubtedly its ability to offer at the same time astonishing accessibility and explosive performance for the most demanding users. And even if they have some doubts, there is still the Game, with a more aggressive profile.
Handling Verdict:
The 2021 version of the Trail was one of the stars of last year, even receiving the e-MTB of the year award from our colleagues at “Vélo Vert”. Its successor starts on the same bases with a slightly modified geometry but still as explosive performance. Above all, compared to last year, the Trail de Mustache displays significantly greater autonomy as well as the contribution of the Bosch smart System and its application. Its price (from 5699 euros) does not put it within the reach of all budgets, of course, but Mustache can boast of not having increased its prices and of remaining relatively competitive against much more expensive competitors.
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