One of the cleanest looking full suspension electric mountain bikes with Bosch Powerpack integration I have seen to date, the battery seats neatly into the downtube
Available in three frame sizes for optimal fit, 140 mm air suspension offers a blend of Trail and All Mountain riding, Split Pivot rear suspension handles bumps and braking well
Bosch Performance Line CX motor is responsive, powerful, and efficient, the new eMTB mode offers a full range of dynamic assistance so you can focus on riding
They squeezed in bottle cage bosses! stock dropper post, plus sized tires with Boost hubs, Limited availability through dealers in the US, premium price point
Speed, Assist Level (Eco, Tour, Sport, Turbo), Battery Level (5 Bars), Odometer, Trip Distance, Estimated Range, Clock, Max Speed, Average Speed, Trip Time, Shift Recommendation
Display Accessories:
Independent Button Pad with Tactile Feedback on Left, 5 Volt 500 mA Micro USB Port on Display
Drive Mode:
Advanced Pedal Assist
(Measures Wheel Speed, Pedal Cadence and Pedal Torque, Power Output Relative to Pedal Input: Eco 50% 40 Nm, Tour 120% 50 Nm, Sport 210% 60 Nm, Turbo 300% 75 Nm)
Top Speed:
20 mph (32 kph)
Written Review
It seems like 2017 is the year for Bosch powered electric bikes with neatly integrated downtube batteries… Prior to this year, most models from Felt, Haibike, Bulls, and others had the Powerpack 400 positioned on top of the downtube. This didn’t look great, took up the open triangle space for accessory mounts and lifting, limited rear suspension options, and made the battery casing somewhat vulnerable to contact damage and sun exposure. Some city bikes (mostly step-thru models) had a Powerpack sliding into a rear rack, but of course, the rear rack doesn’t make much sense if you’re looking at $5k+ electric mountain bikes where reducing unsprung weight and maintaining a low-centered mass is key to handling. What Moustache has done with their Samedi 27 Trail 6 is completely lower and hide the battery pack in such a way that it’s still quickly easily accessible. Seriously, bravo! It’s an elegant design with a spring-fitted plastic cover. It’s simple, and it works. In my opinion, one of the best features of the Bosch battery design is that it has been around for several years now and hasn’t changed. The new Powerpack 500, which the Samedia uses, looks the same as the older Powerpack 400 and is even compatible with the same mounting interface. Both batteries fill quickly with the same 1.7 lb four amp charger, both have a handy carry-loop at the top so you’re less likely to drop them (and spend $900 on a replacement), and both are impressively lightweight at 5.4 lbs and 5.7 lbs respectively. The only question mark has been, can the battery become more visually optimized… can it be hidden? When Specialized introduced their Turbo Vado in 2016, using the Brose drive system and a proprietary battery design, it showed us just how good-looking an electric mountain bike could be. But how long will this unique battery setup be supported? I’m not trying to be alarmist but this question is especially relevant to Specialized because they just switched from GoSwiss Drive hub motors on the urban Turbo models to Brose, and some owners have expressed in the EBR forums that they have had trouble getting parts and support for out-of-warranty bikes. In any case… Bosch is definitely committed to their Powerpack design, even with the completely integrated Powertube on the horizon, and the Samedi is one of the best looking full suspension models that you can buy today, that I have seen. It combines the balance of the Cannondale Moterra 2 with the protection of the Lapierre Overvolt AM. The only downside is that it weighs a bit more at ~54 lbs vs. 51 to 52 on many competing models. This is a bike that looks beautiful with matching paint and stickers throughout, protects the rider and components with mud flaps at the fork and rear shock, delivers power transfer with a high-step frame, tapered head tube, and thru-axles, and even manages to squeeze in bottle cage bosses below the top tube. And notice that top tube is fairly steep, providing an extra inch of stand over clearance which could save your crotch in a last-minute bail or stop on the trail. While Moustache models like the Samedi are not available through as many US dealers today, it appears that the company is investing more into the North America market, and I’m floored by their design and style choices.
Driving the bike is a Bosch Performance CX motor with peak torque output of 75 Newton meters. That’s quite a bit given the standard Performance Line offers 63 Nm and peaks out around 570 watts vs. 600 watts here. Numbers aside, if you shift through gears thoughtfully, or even just follow the new shift recommendation readout (a little up and down arrow that lets you know when to shift in order to optimize power use), the bike should be able to climb anything you throw at it… until the tires lose traction. You get an eleven-speed SRAM NX drivetrain which equates roughly to Shimano Deore XT and a smaller 14 tooth chainring which spins at 2.5x per crank revolution equating to a standard 35 tooth chainring. The Samedi 27 Trail 6 is a “Trail” style electric mountain bike but the slightly longer 140 mm suspension travel makes it more “All Mountain” capable. You can take on rougher terrain and enjoy downhill sections that other trail bikes might struggle with. The mid-sized plus tires (2.8″ diameter vs. 2.6″ or 3.0″) provide excellent float, reduce deflection (allowing you to simply roll over obstacles), span cracks and bumps like a 29er, and can be lowered to 17 PSI for soft terrain like thick sand. When you combine the power and quickness of the Bosch CX motor with the “go anywhere” suspension and active geometry of the Samedi, you end up with a whole lot of fun. I would be remiss if I didn’t grip a little bit about the SR Suntour air suspension and in-house Moustache rear shock that I wansn’t sure how to interpret. I’m used to seeing RockShox or Fox and while these two parts performed well on my somewhat limited test ride, they just didn’t wow me in the name-brand department given the price of the bike. Another gripe about this and any Bosch Performance Line motor to date is that the internal gearbox does add some resistance to pedaling unpowered and produces a bit more high-pitched whining sound when driven in higher assist levels and especially at high pedal RPM. Many times, on an electric mountain bike model, I don’t hear the sound as much because of the knobby tires and loose terrain… the sound of leaves blowing in the wind and waterfalls in the distance etc.
I’ve already talked about the nice battery integration and how light, well designed, and probably easy-to-comeby it is. The pack is easy to access for charging, both rubber plugs seated well, and the cover clicks into place easily. I noticed that the matte finish of the grey plastic cover didn’t exactly match the metallic paint on the frame, but they still blend nicely. And I’m guessing that Moustache will sell replacement covers? As a neat-freak sort of guy myself, I wouldn’t be happy with the battery bay uncovered as water, dust, and tiny pebbles could find their way in over time. It’s a concern I voiced with the Lapierre Overvolt All Mountain model recently. So anyway, once the battery is charged, either on or off the bike, and mounted and locked into position, you just press a power button near the lower left corner of the Bosch Intuvia display panel. The large LCD flicks on very quickly and has a faint blue backlight glow that you cannot turn off. By default, the current speed, battery level, assist level, and a little power chart show in the top sections. Down below, you can cycle between trip stats like max speed, average speed, trip distance, odometer and eventually clock and range. The range readout is way more useful than the basic five bar battery infographic at the top of the display because it dynamically updates based on how you’ve been riding for the past mile, how full the battery is, and what level of assist is being used. If you check in on this stat occasionally while riding, it could help you reach your end goal with juice to spare. This system isn’t quite as advanced as the Specialized Mission Control smartphone app which lets you tell the bike where you’re going and then let it calculate on the fly… but it’s faster and easier to use, and it won’t drain your phone. The display can be easily removed for safe keeping and connects with a mini button pad which is mounted near the left grip. This pad allows you to easily click up or down through the four assist levels and cycle through trip stats with a big rubber i button between the arrows. All buttons click nicely, allowing you to intuit what is happening even if your gaze is on the trail and scenery. I love the Bosch Intuvia display + button pad setup but those who want something smaller can pay to have their shop swap it out for the simpler and more compact Bosch Purion. I miss the Micro-USB charging feature and removability but otherwise see why this could make sense as a stealth option, or to make room for a Garmin at the center of your bars.
This review was a bit of an adventure for me, I was rushed while filming because the media event, which featured the bikes, was ending. Anytime you have frame size choices, are getting a bike with a known and trusted drive system like Bosch, and can appreciate design… I feel like you have a good start. But the Samedi 27 Trail 6 becomes a winner when you dig into the drivetrain spec, the large and powerful 180 mm hydraulic disc brakes, the thoughtful geometry, and the solid two+ year warranty. I personally appreciate the ABP Split Pivot rear suspension design with compression adjust on the rear shock because it brakes well and handles bumps well without tossing the chain about. And Moustache really nailed the chain down with this bike. They added a guide at the end of the chainring to eliminate chain suck and have an alloy chainring guard and slotted chainstay to reduce any sort of drops that might otherwise occur on very rough terrain. The bike is clean, unique in a way that is useful, and priced a bit lower than the competition… just a bit. It got me excited and I’d love to see more from the company in the coming years here in North America.
Pros:
High attention to details, I love the paint-matched plastic battery cover, mud guard on the fork, and shock stanchion shield at the rear
Unique semi-ergonomic grips have a bulge towards the center so your hands don’t get numb but still handle like traditional flat grips vs. fat ergonomic grips
With 140 mm suspension you get a mix of Trail and All Mountain capability for rough terrain with a splash of downhill, I love that the rear suspension offers compression adjust (for near lockout)
Boost hubs are wider than traditional hubs which fortify the spoke angle and offer more clearance for 2.8″ wide plus sized tires, I was impressed that the tires can be lowered all the way to 17 PSI for soft terrain riding and maximum grip
The Bosch Intuvia display panel is removable, in case you expect to crash on a rough downhill section, and offers a 5 Volt Micro-USB charging port on the right side so you can maintian your phone, music player, Garmin or other portable electronic device on the go
The latest generation of Bosch Powerpacks offer roughly 500 watt hours of capacity (25% more than the Bosch Powerpack 400) but fit in the same casing and are actually backward compatible, it only weighs 0.3 lbs more
I love that the battery pack is removable so you can charge off-bike or easily swap in a second pack (or an older Bosch Powerpack 400 you might already have), taking it off reduces the bike weight for easier transport and both wheels also have quick release which is convenient
Moustache squeezed in a set of bottle cage bosses below the top tube so you can bring fluids, a mini-pump, or a folding lock without wearing a backpack
A lot of the non-Specialized non-Trek ebikes I have seen recently are using Linkage Driven Single Pivot rear suspension which can translate some braking motion into the bike vs. maintaining smooth contact, the ABP Split Pivot design here offers good bump compliance and braking though there can still be a bit of bob when pedaling so the rear lockout is a nice feature
The wiring on this e-bike is mostly internally routed so it looks clean and stays protected, the dropper seat post is useful for the type of up/down riding you might do
It seems like Moustache was able to mount the motor really high and I like how it looks with the yellow skid plate hardware beneath, you should get good clearance and protection which is important on rough varied terrain
The Bosch Performance Line CX motor is extremely fast to start and stop, it measures rear wheel speed, pedal cadence, and pedal torque and is one of my favorite drive units for electric mountain biking where precision really counts
The 11-speed SRAM NX drivetrain offers good range for comfortable pedaling beyond the assisted 20 mph top speed and the smaller 14 tooth chainring (roughly equivalent to a traditional 35 tooth) makes climbing a breeze
I have heard from some electric mountain bike riders in the UK, where it’s wet and muddy, that the Bosch drive system can suffer from chain suck (where mud piles up on the side of the motor and causes the chain to get sucked up after going through the chainring) but Moustache has addressed that with a plastic guide below the chainring on the Samedi 27 Trail 6
Motor and battery weight are positioned low and center for optimal balance and handling, the larger tires feel stable, the bike blends in a lot better than most Bosch ebikes to date
The bike feels solid and transfers power efficiently thanks to its diamond high-step design, a tapered head tube, and thru-axles on both wheels
The bright yellow accents run throughout the bike including frame paint, the motor protector plate, the rear shock fender, rim stickers, and fork stickers so the bike looks fairly cohesive
Strong, smooth, lightweight braking solution from Magura, the MT4 levers offer adjustable reach and easy two-finger operation, 180 mm rotors dissipate heat well
Some of the other Bosch integrated battery designs flip the pack, expose it to rocks and water beneath the frame, or create a “pregnant” downtube appearance whereas the Moustache Samedia looks a lot more normal to me… the downtube also wasn’t super wide so I had no issues with shoe or calve contact
Rather than use a pulley wheel to raise the chain before entering the smaller chainring, there’s a cutout on the chainstay connection point with a rubber slider and teh chainring guard is alloy and tight so the chain shouldn’t bounce off track or make contact with the chainstay (there wasn’t even a slap guard… but I didn’t see any chips or nicks)
There were some interesting compromises made to lower the stand over height by angling the top tube but raising the seat tube to support the dropper post, it seems to work well
Because the battery is seated into the downtube vs. clamped on top, I think the weight will be positioned even lower, offering a slightly more balanced ride
Cons:
Weighing in at ~54 lbs, this isn’t the lightest full suspension e-mountain bike I have tested but the tires and rims come tubeless ready if you want to shave it down a bit
The Bosch Performance Line motors tend to produce more noise because there’s a gearbox inside stepping up crank arm movement to 2.5x chainring movement, note the electronic whine noise when I’m riding in higher levels of assist at high RPM in the video review above
The handlebar, stem, and suspension hardware seems a bit lower specced, they performed well but I’m used to seeing RockShox or Fox at the ~$5k level vs. SR Suntour and an in house no-name rear shock
Both rubber plug-covers on the left side of the downtube (that protect the locking core and charging port) seated well but you can’t see the 5-LED charge level indicator on the side of the pack when it’s mounted to the frame, this is a very minor gripe because you can just turn on the Intuvia display to gauge capacity and it boots up very quickly
The plastic battery cover piece could get lost, doesn’t match the frame color perfectly (not metallic titanium, just flat plastic grey) and it may fade differently than the frame over time… to me it looked fine though
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As i posted on your youtube video the seatpost remote is different when it os OEM. Mine is much more cheapo and loosethan the one you have on the video.
Also, at least for my bike, it was delivered tubeless. I actually am new to tubeless so before buying a kit i popped out the tire to see what king of tube it had under, and surprise, it was tubeless already.
Dave
3 years ago
These are great bikes. But there are no parts available, and the company (Moustache in France) is unresponsive. So if the smallest thing breaks, the bike may be useless for months.
Hmm, thanks for sharing your experience with them Dave! I love the designs and have great trust for the dealers I’ve visited, who sell them, but I’ve never owned one myself. Sorry to hear that you’ve had difficulty getting parts :/
Forseti
7 years agoCalipers are MT2 and levers are MT4…
ReplyCourt Rye
7 years agoThanks Forseti! I just made the update and appreciate your help fixing this detail ;)
ReplyFORSETI
7 years agoTwo other things:
As i posted on your youtube video the seatpost remote is different when it os OEM. Mine is much more cheapo and loosethan the one you have on the video.
Also, at least for my bike, it was delivered tubeless. I actually am new to tubeless so before buying a kit i popped out the tire to see what king of tube it had under, and surprise, it was tubeless already.
Dave
3 years agoThese are great bikes. But there are no parts available, and the company (Moustache in France) is unresponsive. So if the smallest thing breaks, the bike may be useless for months.
ReplyCourt
3 years agoHmm, thanks for sharing your experience with them Dave! I love the designs and have great trust for the dealers I’ve visited, who sell them, but I’ve never owned one myself. Sorry to hear that you’ve had difficulty getting parts :/
Reply