Madonna V3
The Madonna V3 is the most capable, adjustable, and durable bike we’ve ever built. It’ll take on the roughest tracks, the longest rides, all the while never shying away from a climb.
While we haven’t lost our focus on durability, we’ve added adjustability to make it even more versatile. The fourth iteration of the Madonna will have your back, no matter what.
Capable
The Madonna V3 is very capable and balanced on everything from singletrails to bikepark tracks. It’s ready when you are and will always have your back. The 160 mm of rear wheel travel is paired with a 170 mm fork and the 29” front wheel can either be combined with 29” or 27,5” in the back.
Adjustable
Fine tuning and setting up your bike exactly how you want it is now possible with the Madonna V3. The geometry can be modified at the BB height, chain stays length and head angle. The suspension comes with progression adjustment and two rider-weight-specific rocker links, but don’t worry, all mid-settings out of the box are what we’d recommend.
Durable
Bikes should be ridden hard and put away dirty, that is what we believe. The Madonna V3 comes with double sealed pivots, hardware that can take a beating and external cable routing. And when the time comes, you won’t need a degree in science to give your bike some love back.
In-Depth Video
Technical Specifications
Travel rear/front 160 / 170 mm
Wheel size 29” (740–755 mm) (27,5” rear option)
Max tyre width 2.6” (66 mm)
Rear hub 148*12
Shifting One-by only, boost, 36t max (UDH / T-Type option)
BB 73 mm BSA / ISCG05
Brake 203 mm post mount
Seat tube diameter 31.6 mm inside, 35 mm outside
Internal seatpost routing Yes
Seatpost max insert S 220 mm / M 245 mm / L 268 mm / XL & XXL 294 mm
Headset 56 / 56 Zero stack
Cable routing All external
Shock hardware Ball bearings and hardware included
Bearings main pivot 2 x 6906-2RS1 (47*30*9)
Bearings rocker pivot 2 x 6002-2RS1 (32*15*9)
Bearings other pivots 8 x 6902-2RS1 (28*15*7)
Recommended fork dimensions ATC 587,7 mm – Offset 44 mm
Shock dimensions 205*65 / 205*60 – Trunnion
Weight 3.9 kg (incl. all hardware, w/o shock, size M)
Material AL 6066 T6
Finish options Matt Black and raw with matt clear coat
Factory Grade Support included
If you ride a Madonna, you'll never ride alone. Your frame comes with comprehensive documentation and a direct line to the team that created it for any questions or problems you may encounter.
Geometry
The Madonna V3 is available in five sizes, from S to XXL, to accommodate riders from 158 cm to 208 cm. Reaches and chainstay lengths, as well as head and seat tubes, grow with the frame sizes to achieve a balanced and predictable ride no matter the frame size.
| S | M | L | XL | XXL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reach | 430 | 455 | 480 | 505 | 530 |
| Stack | 637 | 650 | 664 | 677 | 677 |
| Chainstay Length | 445 | 445 | 450 | 455 | 455 |
| BB drop | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 |
| Seat Tube Length | 395 | 420 | 445 | 470 | 470 |
| Virtual Seat Tube Angle | 77 | 77 | 78 | 78 | 78 |
| Head Tube Angle | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 |
| Wheelbase | 1216 | 1248 | 1284 | 1320 | 1346 |
| Body Height in cm | 158 - 170 | 167 - 180 | 177 - 190 | 186 - 199 | 195 - 208 |
(all dimensions in mm except for angles)
Media
The often-invoked balance between the front and rear wheel is set to a new benchmark here. You stand deeply integrated and upright on the bike, thanks to the high stack.
MTB-News
Review
When I reviewed the previous version of the Madonna, I said that it was one of the best cornering bikes I'd ever ridden. I've spent time on dozens of bikes since writing those words, but it turns out that's still the case with the updated model. Its ability to hold a line through a rough, chopped up corner is remarkable – it's calm and stable, while still delivering an engaging ride.
Pinkbike
First Ride
Zero adjustment period, 100% traction. The highly sensitive suspension clings to everything it encounters under its knobs without sagging or reacting harshly at the end of the suspension travel.
MTB-News
Review
The handling of the V3 is composed and intuitive enough for beginners to remain in control over roots and rocks even after a long, hard day of riding. Advanced riders can push the bike’s limits up to the final descent of the day: if you misjudge a corner and start washing out, the bike will let you correct and regain control.
ENDURO Mountainbike Magazine
First Ride
The Madonna lets you ride through the most challenging conditions like a lunatic while feeling like a superhero.
MTB-News
Review
Balance, traction, and stability in abundance - the RAAW Madonna V3 is a top-notch speed machine that doesn't get flustered easily.
MTB-News
Review
The handling of the Madonna V3 thoroughly impressed us. Those looking for a full-throttle machine brimming with grip will be happy here
MTB-News
Review
Suspension Design
While developing the suspension for the Madonna V3 we had the clear goal of consistent progression. The amount of force needed to compress the suspension increases smoothly over the entire travel, resulting in a very predictable rear end. Wherever you are in travel, the suspension will feel defined and it won’t go off doing its own thing and leave you second-guessing what it might do next.
For the Madonna V3, one major improvement is the ability to start compressing from zero travel. Every time you get light on your bike and the suspension has to start moving, it’s now buttery smooth, while still maintaining support and composure.
When you pedal the Madonna V3, seated or stood, we maintained a great level of chassis support that keeps the bike efficient, predictable, and allows you to winch up technical slippery climbs with ease. And when you yank on the brakes, the bike uses an increased level of chassis support while still balancing grip and feel of what’s going on at the rear wheel.
Rocker 60 & Rocker 65
The Madonna V3 uses a four-bar rocker link suspension layout with two different rocker links. The 160 mm of rear wheel travel comes from a 205 x 60 mm shock with the Rocker 60 or a 205 x 65 mm shock with the Rocker 65.
The higher leverage ratios of the suspension with the Rocker 60 are better suited for riders under 90 kg, with the lower leverage ratios that come with the Rocker 65 are best suited for riders over 90 kg.
Adjustability
Countless hours of riding and tinkering over the years have resulted in the geometry numbers and suspension design we offer with the Madonna V3. But we’ve also learned that terrain, conditions, and personal preference can require different setups. With two full Downhill World Cup seasons aboard the Yalla! under our belts, we have proven our toolbox concept, which now finds its way onto the Madonna V3.
From the base, out-of-the-box, geometry, we offer different lower shock mounts, the same mounts as on our Yalla!, to adjust the BB height by 3 mm, up or down - Subtle changes that have a huge impact on the overall character of the bike.
The rear suspension progression can also be adjusted by the same modular lower shock mounts and offers 3% more or less progression from the 26% that comes as standard. It’s also possible to combine the BB and progression adjustments.
All frame sizes come with the rear wheel axle in the mid position. For S and M size frames that’s 445 mm, L is 450 mm, and XL and XXL frames are 455 mm. From there, the chainstay length can be adjusted to 5 mm shorter or longer with separate rear wheel axle kits.
The straight, 56 mm diameter head tube opens the door for easier head angle adjustments with headsets from the likes of Works Components, or any other brand offering 56 mm angle headsets. Accurate marks on the head tube make aligning the headset cups a piece of cake.
Hardware
The Madonna V3 features an entirely new, but very familiar, main and rocker pivot design. Both now feature wider and stronger bearings and axles that go straight through the inner races of the bearings, reducing complexity and the stack up of tolerances that can give the potential for creaky noises in these highly loaded areas.
The BB of the Madonna V3 now comes with a removable ISCG05 mount, leaving the option of a chain guide and bash guard up to the rider.
SRAM UDH & Transmission
The Madonna V3 comes delivered with our RAAW axle system that locks the two seatstays into each other while also offering adjustable chainstay lengths. But now, we also offer Sram UDH and Transmission compatible seat stays that work with regular X12-axles. With the UDH seatstays, the chain stay length will always be in the mid position for that frame size.
Design
There isn’t much “design” forced on the Madonna V3. We want our bikes to look like it just all makes sense, like nothing is out of place and with everything just visually working together, all following a performance driven ideal.
We’ve given the Madonna V3 a more aggressive, low-slung look. And it’s no surprise that our Yalla! was the catalyst. But the lower top tube, smaller rocker link, and a more tucked-in down tube came from giving the rider more space around the frame to move and giving the bike more clearance when the ground comes at it. We also worked to have this same clean and aggressive look on all sizes, from S, all the way up to XXL.
Cable Routing
What seems to be such a simple thing tends to be overlooked - Cable routing. From the beginning of the development process, we aimed for the smoothest and simplest external cable routing we could make. On the Madonna V3, it’s not only very easy to assemble, but the lack of tight bends and kinks in the gear cable means that mechanical shifting is guaranteed to be a treat for your thumbs.
With the current trend of cables being routed through headsets, stems, and the frame, we were very eager to show what a regular mechanical Sram GX or Shimano XT drivetrain can do in terms of shifting performance. But, our bolt-on cable guides also allow for a very clean aesthetic in case you go for wireless shifting.
Tubing & Frame Protection
The new downtube is the backbone of the Madonna V3. Its straight lines and carefully designed intersections to the BB and headtube go together with improved clearance for all shocks in all frame adjustment settings.
The frame comes with a set of protective pieces made from a soft rubber compound. The downtube protector covers the full width of the downtube and offers 5 mm of cushioning buffer to absorb impacts before the frame needs to.
The chainstay protector now integrates the gear cable routing and also protects against heel rub on the frame. The frame protection is finished with coverage on the seat stay and chainstays as well as a set of pre-cut clear protective film to cover most of the exposed frame surfaces, keeping your Madonna V3 looking fresh for years to come.
Water Bottle & Storage
All frame sizes offer space for a bottle cage. Size S and M will take up to a 500 ml bottle and from size L on, you can easily fit a 750 ml bottle. The top tube also features mounting points for a gear strap, pump or any other accessories that use this mounting system.
Dual Crown Fork Compatibility
Although a 170 mm single crown fork is our first choice for the Madonna, we’ve now added dual crown forks into the equation. The Madonna V3 fits the fork bumpers from the Yalla! to absorb impacts from the fork stanchions on the frame. The maximum axle-to-crown measurement of 598 mm should not be exceeded, but this translates to a 180 mm travel fork and we believe this to be the best fit when it comes to DC forks and the Madonna V3.
Five Year Warranty
To reinforce what we stand for, we offer a five-year warranty for the first and second owners and also continue our five-year crash replacement program for when things don’t go your way.
Buy the Madonna V3
Learn more
RAAW Deep Dive: Madonna V3 Hardware, Cable Routing, Dual Crown
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RAAW Deep Dive: Madonna V3 Wheel Size Options
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RAAW Deep Dive: The Toolbox Concept of the Madonna V3
Read more