Recycled plastic from the ocean, wild geometry and a €9.9k price tag | Unno releases its first eMTB

By Luke Marshall

Published: Sunday, 17 April 2022 at 12:00 am

After four years in development, Unno has announced the release of the BOÖS, the brand’s entry into the electric mountain bike arena.

The BOÖS fits neatly into the enduro electric bike category with its mixed-wheel frame, 160mm of travel and 750Wh battery.

The Spanish brand is known for its striking designs and aims to make its bikes as beautiful to look at as they are to ride. The BOÖS is undoubtedly visually striking with its low-slung, slender top tube and mast-like seat tube.

There will be three sizes available: S1, S2 and S3. Unno intends to release the bikes online, with stock available through selected stores worldwide.

Unno says the initial release will see the S2 size available to pre-order with the brand’s ‘Race’ build kit for €9,995. Unno says other-spec models and sizes will be released throughout 2022 and early 2023.

 

 

Unno BOÖS frame details

 

At the heart of the BOÖS is its monocoque carbon fibre frame that delivers 160mm of rear-wheel travel. It uses mixed wheel sizes, with a 27.5in rear wheel and 29in front wheel. The frame is designed around a 170mm-travel fork.

 

All plastic parts and protection on the frame are produced in collaboration with Oceanworks. These are said to be made from recycled plastic and rubber collected from the world’s oceans.

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The plastic and rubber protection on the frame comes from recycled sources in partnership with Oceanworks.
Unno

The frame uses double-row bearings to increase stiffness and handle axial and radial forces better. This is intended to deliver a more solid-feeling bike than if it used standard-row bearings.

The suspension employs a virtual pivot-point design. A single rear triangle is connected to the main frame with two co-rotating links. Unno recommends a plush 35 per cent sag, so expect the suspension to be progressive.

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The rear suspension uses a virtual pivot point with a one-piece rear triangle and two co-rotating links.

A Bosch CX Gen 4 motor and 750Wh battery deliver the assistance, and are popular choices in the electric bike world. Bosch’s Kiox 300 display is integrated neatly into the top tube. At a claimed 22.6kg for a size S2, Unno claims this is one of the lightest Bosch-equipped ebikes available.

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To keep the design sleek, the frame uses Bosch’s Kiox 300 display integrated into the top tube.
Unno

Further integration includes the brand’s own chain guide and the internal cable routing and seat-post clamp. The cables are routed into the head tube through the headset cups. This is a project with Deux, a new component brand launched exclusively with Unno, which also provides the one-piece bar and stem.

 

The frames feature boss mounts inside the front triangle for tools or a bottle cage, and 2.6in tyre clearance.

 

Unno BOÖS geometry details

 

Unno’s designer Cesar Rojo says: “We’ve found the perfect point between stability and handling. We’ve been testing it to exhaustion, and it’s clear to us that we’ve created exactly what we were looking for.

“It asks to go all out on descents, being super-stable and fun at all times, no matter how aggressive the terrain is”

 

Scanning over the key geometry figures, the BOÖS fits into the enduro genre well. A 64-degree head tube angle and 77-degree effective seat tube angle are on-trend for modern, rowdy bikes.

 

Reach figures increase from 435mm to 470mm and 510mm for the S1, S2 and S3, respectively. These are combined with an effective 40mm integrated bar and stem. There are pretty big jumps between sizes with only three sizes available, but these reaches should suit a wide range of people.

 

Due to the shock position and interrupted seat tube, the seat tube lengths are pretty tall compared to many bikes released lately, at 440mm, 460mm and 490mm for the S1, S2 and S3. This is to be able to fit long dropper posts.

 

The 450mm chainstays are on the longer side, but should offer a stable ride, while the smaller 27.5in rear wheel should add agility. The playfulness is helped by the low bottom bracket, with a 15mm/30mm drop from the rear and front axles.

 

 

Unno BOÖS pricing, spec and availability

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The Unno BOÖS ‘Race’ is a striking bike that might divide the crowd with its looks.
Unno

At the time of launch, Unno intends to have size S2 bikes with ‘Race’ spec ready for pre-order for €9,995, available online and in selected stores worldwide.

 

The brand is aiming to have more retail locations during the following years.

Widespread stock of all sizes should be available in selected stores and via the brand’s website from the second quarter of 2022, when Unno says the S1 and S3 sizes are due to arrive. Also, that will coincide with the brand’s new web platform launch.

The ‘Race’ spec represents the brand’s “perfect” build. The lower-spec Elite and exclusive Factory builds are set to be released in late 2022 and early 2023.

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The Unno BOÖS ‘Race’ build is the top-tier offering.
Unno

Unno BOÖS Race spec

  • Frame: Carbon fibre monocoque, 160mm travel
  • Motor and Battery: Bosch CX Gen 4 and 750Wh
  • Fork: Fox 38 Factory GRIP 2
  • Groupset: SRAM GX Eagle AXS 1×12, e*thirteen e*spec PLUS
  • Wheels: Crankbrothers Synthesis E
  • Tyres: Maxxis Assegai 3C MaxxGrip EXO+ TR 29×2.5WT (f), Maxxis Minion DHR II 3C MaxxTerra DD TR 27.5×2.4WT
  • Claimed weight: 22.6kg, size S2
  • Price: €9,995