Mondraker’s new SLY electric mountain bike takes many of its design cues from the carbon-framed NEAT, sharing everything from the suspension kinematics and amount of travel through to the geometry.

But there are significant differences. For a start, the SLY uses a more affordable alloy frame, making it the first of Mondraker’s lighter-weight electric mountain bikes to do so.

Mondraker has also added an extra size (ML) into the mix, compared to its carbon counterpart – and unlike the NEAT, which uses the TQ HPR50 motor, the SLY is powered by the BOSCH SX power unit.

The SLY is available in two build options, with prices starting at £5,299 / $5,599.

Five things you need to know about the new Mondraker SLY

• Stealth alloy frame, 29in wheels and 150mm of rear-wheel travel
• Five sizes: small, medium, medium/large, large and extra-large
• Powered by Bosch SX motor, which delivers 55Nm of torque and 600W of peak power, with a 400Wh battery (plus optional 250Wh range extender)
• Claimed weight for both build options is sub-21kg
• SLY R will set you back £5,299 / $5,599, while the SLY RR costs £6,199 / $6,599

NEAT DNA but with an alloy frame

Mondraker’s new SLY frame has a lot in common with the mid-travel, mid-power NEAT, although the frame is constructed from the brand’s Stealth Evo alloy, rather than carbon, which helps to make the SLY significantly cheaper.

The SLY uses 29in wheels at the front and rear, and pumps out 150mm of rear-wheel travel, controlled by Mondraker’s ZERO Suspension System. As on the NEAT, the shock is anchored to the upper of the two co-rotating links and rear triangle.

The rear suspension is paired with a 160mm-travel fork up-front.

There are mounts for two bottle cages (you might want one of these to house the optional range extender), clearance through the rear end for a 29×2.6in tyre, head tube rather than headset-routed cabling, loads of rubberised frame protection and an integrated mudguard to better protect the shock.

Plenty of power

Powering the new SLY is Bosch’s Performance Line SX motor, as used in the Whyte ELyte 150 Works that won our 2024 lightweight eMTB Bike of the Year title.

This can produce 55Nm of torque and peak power of up to 600W.

Mondraker has paired this with an integrated Bosch 400Wh Compact PowerTube battery, which it claims will get you around 1,500m of vertical ascent on a single charge.

If you want more, there’s a 250Wh PowerMore range extender that’ll fit into a bottle cage and boost your time on the trail by 60 per cent.

Size does matter

Built around Mondraker’s Forward Geometry, the SLY comes in five sizes (one more than the NEAT), ranging from small to extra-large. The added bonus here is the medium/large, which should help cover a wider range of rider heights.

The medium frame has a reach of 460mm, seat tube length of 410mm, 633mm stack height and a 455mm effective chainstay, which remains constant across all sizes – perhaps not ideal for riders on the smaller bikes.

The head angle sits at a claimed 64.5 degrees in a bid to keep the SLY nice and stable at speed, while the effective seat tube angle is 77 degrees, helping you stay perched quite upright with your weight centralised for comfortable climbing.

At 350mm, the bottom bracket should ensure there’s a decent amount of crank clearance when tackling chunky, technical climbs, helping you avoid nasty pedal strikes.