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Madonna V2 - Refined and Faster

The first Madonna was launched in 2017 and started the journey of RAAW. Since then we’ve been very privileged to meet many riders and share endless kilometres of trails. It’s been an amazing experience so far. And as it goes in life things evolve and change, we gather experience and constantly aim to improve. The Madonna V2 is the result of all the riding, observing and chin-scratching we have done over the past two years.


Geometry

Designed for the roughest tracks in the world the Madonna V2 is built to be fast and predictable. The complete package of all angles and lengths makes the bike stable at high speeds and very controllable in corners. The bike’s predictable behaviour is achieved by using a balanced design from front to back and will make you feel at home straight away.

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S M L XL
Travel (R/F) r:160
f:160/170
r:160
f:170/180
r:160
f:170/180
r:160
f:170/180
Reach 430 455 480 505
Stack 621 643 657 670
Chain Stay Length 440 440 445 450
BB Drop 35 35 35 35
Seat Tube Length 395 420 445 470
Actual Seat Tube Angle 71 72.5 74 74
Seat Tube BB Offset 67 59 50 50
Head Tube Angle 64.5 64.5 64.5 64.5
Wheelbase 1197 1233 1269 1305
Body Height in cm 158 - 170 167 - 180 177 - 190 186 - 199

(all dimensions in mm except for angles)

More geometry details

Four Sizes

Four different frame-sizes give riders between 158cm and 200cm a perfect fit, with room for riding style preferences. The steps between the four sizes are evenly distributed with 25mm reach steps between sizes and 15mm head tube length steps. The four sizes feature three different seat tube angles to maintain a balanced and centred seated position that still leaves some room for the upper body to move.

170mm Fork

The geometry numbers are based around a 170mm travel fork. The option of 180mm travel up front will also fit the Madonna V2 like a dream but would alter the geometry slightly.

A Little More Send

With the Madonna V2 we’ve reinforced what the first Madonna was initially designed for. While being an excellent climber the focus still remains on downhill performance. The head angle is slackened to 64.5˚ and accompanied by a 44mm offset fork. The reach and stack numbers have grown giving the bike an even more planted character.

Dropout Inserts

We use different chain stay lengths between frame sizes because we believe it’s very important to have balance between the front and rear of the bike. But we also appreciate that riders have their own preferences. Therefore, we’ve designed the dropouts with inserts. The different frame sizes come with growing chain stay lengths following what we think fits best. But we also offer additional inserts in our shop so you can change and experiment with different chain stay lengths.


Specifications

Travel front/ back 170mm (180) / 160mm
Wheel size 29” (740-755mm)
Max tire width 2.6” (66mm)
Tire clearance 84mm
Rear hub 148 x 12
Shifting One-by only, boost, 36t max
BB 73mm BSA / ISCG05
Brake 203mm Postmount
Seat tube diameter 31.6mm inside, 35mm outside
Internal seatpost routing Yes
Shock remote routing Yes
Seatpost max insert S 225mm / M 245mm / L 275mm / XL 275mm

Headset 44 / 56 Zero stack
Cable routing All external
Tire to seat tube clearance 10 – 18mm (depending on size and tire)
Shock hardware Ball bearings and hardware included
Bearings main pivot 2 x 61808-2RS1 (52 x 40 x 7)
Bearings other pivots 10 x 91903-2RS1 (28 x 15 x 7)
Recommended fork dimensions ATC 577.1mm – Offset 44mm
Shock dimensions 205 x 60 or 205 x 65 – Trunnion
Weight 3.6kg (incl. all hardware, w/o shock, size S)
Material AL 6066 T6
Colours Matt Black and raw with matt clear coat


Suspension

The ‘four bar linkage’ suspension layout features a large rocker link delivering a consistently growing leverage ratio that ends at just over 20% of progression. This progression leads to great support and uses the 160mm of travel efficiently. The high main pivot is designed around a one-by drivetrain delivering superb pedalling efficiency. A high starting leverage ratio combined with ball bearings on the shock pivots makes the suspension supple in all situations.

The influence of braking on the suspension is designed to be active at the beginning of the travel, allowing impacts to be absorbed while braking. Deeper in the travel the influence of braking ramps up and gives the rider more support when things get rowdy.

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Rocker 60 & Rocker 65

The suspension of the Madonna V2 is designed around two different rocker links, the Rocker 60 and the Rocker 65. Both rocker links generate 160mm of travel at the rear wheel, each with just over 20% of progression. But the differentiating factor is the shock stroke. The Rocker 60 uses 60mm of stroke on the shock to generate 160mm of travel at the rear wheel. The Rocker 65 uses 65mm of stroke to produce the 160mm of travel. This results in a higher leverage ratio for the Rocker 60 that is best suited for riders up to 90kg and a lower leverage ratio for the Rocker 65 that is best for riders over 90kg.

Riders on the lighter end of the scale benefit from the Rocker 60 with more mechanical leverage that helps the damping and adds to the small bump sensitivity. The Rocker 65 enables heavier riders to run a lower air pressure or spring rate and happy damping for the shock.

The different stroke lengths on the shock are fixed internally but based around the same shock. A 205 x 60 shock can be modified to 205 x 65 and vice versa. But this needs to be done directly by FOX.


Shock Choice

We work closely with FOX and have custom tunes. We offer two air and one coil options. Generally speaking, we see a big advantage in air shocks as they offer more and finer adjustability. It’s easier to change a little in air pressure than it is to change spring. Volume spacers in air shocks are also a very nice way to change the shock to the way you want it to feel. The coil shock offers small bump sensitivity that is second to none. But honestly, we get pretty close with the ball bearings on the shock pivots with air shocks as well. Not all 2021 Fox shock options fit the Madonna V2 in size Small and Medium, you can find all the details on the product page.

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FOX DPX2: This is the shock we like most. It fits the character of the Madonna perfectly and is very straight forward in its setup. And it crams an immense amount of party into its deceptively small size.

FOX Float X2: The Float X2 offers more adjustability on the damping over the DPX2 and works with lower air pressure.

FOX DHX2: The coil shock offers small bump sensitivity like nothing else giving the tire all the traction. Compared to the air options, the DHX2 uses a bit more travel (based on the same sag as an air shock) and dynamically rides a bit deeper in the travel. It gives the bike a slightly slacker feel.


Material, Design & Features

Aluminium

For us aluminium is the best material for an enduro bike. It’s light, strong, impact resistant and allows for a very durable design. We use complex and modern production techniques such as hydroforming, forging and CNC machining to create a product that performs and lasts to today’s real-life standards.

Carbon fibre might be lighter and could potentially save around 500g but doesn’t offer the same durability and impact resistance. Weight is important when climbing, but the seated position and pedalling efficiency play a much bigger role in making the Madonna V2 an excellent climber. Once you point your bike down the hill a little more mass adds to the stability and speed of the bike. As with many other aspects of a bike it needs to be in the right balance.

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Design

The refined top tube design reaffirms our core direction at RAAW, where functionality and durability are highest priorities. The straight top tube makes for increased bottle cage space and helps save weight. Two fresh gussets are used to guarantee smooth transitions between tubes in key areas.

Comparing to the previous Madonna, the weight of the Madonna V2 has reduced by 150g. This is down to the new top tube design, allowing for an extended thinner tube section, and by adding the Super Leggero AL7075 hardware as standard.

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Frame Protection

The Madonna V2 features a new down tube protector. The protector is made from soft 5mm thick rubber and can simply be stuck to the frame. It covers the full width of the down tube and extends over the bottom bracket weld.

A new chain stay protector is also made from soft rubber and features a ribbed pattern to silence chain-slap. The ribs are exaggerated towards the front and cover every single bit of chain stay that would otherwise be exposed to the chain. The chain stay protector can also simply be stuck to the frame.

The inside of the right seat stay is also protected with a pre-cut silicon piece.


Gear Storage

The Madonna V2 features an external gear storage solution, allowing different options for the rider. Two bottle cage bosses under the top tube accept mounts from accessory brands, like Wolf Tooth, offering straps and bags for personalized storage.

A bottle cage mount is standard on all sizes. Size small and medium can fit a 500 ml bottle, size large and extra-large have plenty of space for any bottle. Even beer.

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Hardware & Pivots

Durability and performance meet on the suspension’s pivot design. Ten 28mm bearings and two 52mm bearings are fully sealed with a ‘hub-cap-style’ pivot design. Every single pivot is sealed from water, dust and mud and guarantee long term performance. The shock bushings have been replaced with ball bearings and add to the sensitivity of the suspension. The frame’s hardware is designed to work with a single 5mm Allen key and guarantees a simple and easy working environment for maintenance. You won’t need three hands and a degree in science to take care of your bike.
Updated main pivot caps eliminate any potential creaky noises and ensure a quiet bike ride after ride.

The main pivot nut evolves and uses the Shimano Bottom Bracket tool interface for tightening.

The Madonna V2 avoids beating around the bush and comes standard with a 203mm brake mount on all sizes. 180mm brake mounts are also available, if that’s what you prefer.

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Winning Over Media Experts

We can talk for hours about the Madonna V2, but you're probably also interested in what others think. The Madonna V2 wasn't even released yet, when it scored the acclaimed ENDURO Mag "Best Value" tip in the latest group test with 17 enduro bikes. Here's the conclusion of the test crew:

The RAAW Madonna V2 offers an excellent complete package. It’s capable of taming the wildest trails but remains easy and predictable to handle. Whether you’re a pro or a beginner, the Madonna is always a great choice! If you’re looking for a reliable and durable enduro bike that is also versatile, this is the bike for you. On top of that, the RAAW is a great climber and you can configure the build to suit your needs – a well deserved Best Value Tip.

ENDURO Mountainbike Magazine, issue #041, Dec 2019

Read the full review on enduro-mtb.com

You can find more reviews about the Madonna V2 on this page.