RAAW MADONNA R REVIEW

October 20, 2026

RAAW has had the enduro formula locked down with their Madonna bike lineage for a while now, but their highly adjustable alloy frames came with a price premium. For their latest frame, RAAW wanted to deliver all of the performance we’ve come to expect from a Madonna, but at a slightly cheaper price point.

Enter the RAAW Madonna R, a bike designed to maximize thrills and minimize frills. We were excited to see how it stacked up against the best enduro mountain bikes on the market.

We’d like to extend a huge thanks to the supporting brands who kitted us out and made this series possible. Without their financial support, this eight-bike comparison test would not have happened. Go and show them some love!

Fidlock covered our hydration needs with their excellent TWIST bottle system and neat hip packs. The system allowed us to maximize the hydration capacity on each bike, which was helpful for those long testing days.

Peaty’s provided their Monarch Pro Mushroom Thin grips and new Monarch saddles to give consistent touch points across the bikes. Their cleaning and lubrication products helped to keep the bikes running smoothly throughout the testing.

iXS kitted out our testers with their gear and protection. The Trigger X helmet is amongst our favorites here at TLW, so we were glad to have the opportunity to wear it as we attacked the trails, and their apparel was comfortable and helped us look good.

Pirelli equipped all of our bikes with their new Emperor Hardwall Super Soft and Black Sting DH Wall Soft tire combo. These burly tires offered excellent traction and control to help us push these bikes to the limit.

ABOUT THE RAAW MADONNA R

RAAW has been producing quality, no-nonsense enduro bikes for a while, and it’s safe to say they’ve got the formula and the details fairly well locked down. However, the highly adjustable Madonna V3.2 commands a price premium that may push it slightly out of the reach of some riders. For the Madonna R, RAAW wanted to capture the versatile and effective character of the the Madonna line, but present it with slightly reduced price points to increase accessibility.

RAAW MADONNA R FRAME & SUSPENSION

The RAAW Madonna R is a 165mm rear travel alloy-framed enduro bike optimized around a 170mm fork. It can be run with either MX or 29” wheels thanks to a lower shock mount flip chip, which corrects the geometry. It uses a similar 6066-T6 alloy frame to the Madonna V3.2, but loses the adjustability in the dropouts, shock mount, and headtube, and adds around 300g (0.6lbs) on the scales.

While the Madonna V3.2 boasts incredible adjustability, the Madonna R keeps it very simple, with more of a “run what you brung” mentality. Aside from the geometry adjustment elements, RAAW ensured the R would continue to deliver the finish quality and mechanic-friendly construction that they have become renowned for. External cable routing keeps maintenance simple, with effective bolt-on cable clamps to keep things in check. The pivots are well sealed, with the signature colossal main pivot bearings to give exceptional reliability.

There’s plenty of space to fit the huge Fidlock TWIST 800 bottle with room to spare, much appreciated for the big days out. On the underside of the top tube there’s a tool mount. Dropper post insertion is ample, with the 210mm OneUp slamming without issue on the size Large.

And that’s about all you need to know. The RAAW Madonna R is not a bike that forces you to stress about the details – they are covered already. Instead, it is an enduro bike that encourages you to get on board and start pedaling up to the nearest gnarly descent.

RAAW backs their bikes with a five-year warranty, covering first and second owners for any issues sustained with the frame on the trail.

RAAW MADONNA R GEOMETRY

The RAAW Madonna R is a purposeful enduro bike, and this is reflected by its geometry numbers. There is no adjustability on offer, with RAAW instead delivering the R with the configuration they considered most effective. We found no reason to complain!

RAAW only offers the Madonna R in sizes Medium to XL, with Reach figures spanning 455mm to 505mm, so the shorter and taller riders may struggle to find a good fit. However, our size Large’s 480mm left us in a very comfortable spot. The extremely tall 664mm Stack height means you can achieve a tall front end without a crazy riser bar, and while some more “conventional” riders may complain, there were no issues with weighting the front wheel.

RAAW doesn’t ignore the needs and preferences of different rider sizes, and adds 5mm chainstay length per size, with the Large coming in at 450mm. The 64° Head Tube angle and 78° Effective Seat Tube angle were well selected. The BB height is low at 335mm or 340mm depending on the rear wheel size, but it’s important to note that RAAW recommends 23-29% sag, giving less dynamic BB drop.

For our size Large RAAW Madonna R, the Front Center : Rear Center ratio came in at 1.85, giving a great blend of handling characteristics.

RAAW MADONNA R BUILD KITS

RAAW offers the Madonna R as frame kit for £1,513 / $2,017, or full builds starting from £4,117 / $5,490. Both of these give a choice of colors (Raw or Matt Black), with shock upgrades available for additional charges.

The full builds are available in a Fox Factory or Ohlins configuration for the same base price, and can have the shock and drivetrain upgraded or modified. There is the choice of OneUp dropper post length; stem length and bar rise; and wheel size, for no extra charge.

Our Fox Factory build was spec’d with the latest Fox 38 Factory fork and Float X2 shock. It was equipped with SRAM’s Maven Silver brakes and Eagle 90 drivetrain, offering solid performance. OneUp Components provided the V3 dropper post in a 240mm drop length, and their Alloy bar and stem. We equipped the Madonna R with our control grips and saddle, in the Peaty’s Monarch Pro Thin Mushroom grips and Monarch saddle.

Rounding out the build was the DT Swiss EX1700 wheelset with DEG DF rear hub, which was wrapped in a solid Maxxis Assegai and DHR2 tire combo. However, for this Enduro Group Test, all bikes were equipped with control tires from Pirelli. The new Emperor Hardwall Super Soft and Black Sting DH Wall Soft tire combination offered consistent, predictable traction that impressed across a wide range of conditions.

With the Pirelli control tires fitted, the RAAW Madonna R in size Large came in at 38.6lbs (17.6kg).

THE DIRT

We received the RAAW Madonna R at the beginning of the summer, letting us get some good test time onboard, including a trip to Canada that saw everything from Squamish pedal laps to Coast Gravity and Sun Peaks park ripping. Aside from a rock-induced detonation of the rear wheel (the same rock claiming 8+ wheels that day alone!), it was extremely smooth sailing on this ship.

SETUP AND FINISH | With limited frame adjustability on the Madonna R, we focused on honing in on a dialled setup, and settled in a good spot for the Float X2 rear shock. RAAW recommended some settings for the rear shock to me, based on my weight and their perceived riding aggression. While I had certainly given my best shot at holding on to the wheel of engineer Dan Roberts at Morgins during my Yalla! Test, they overshot my ability to attack my local trails by a good margin. With damping levels significantly exceeding my ability to hang on, the initial testing on the Madonna R delivered limited comfort.

Backing the damper settings to where I would typically set my baseline, things improved considerably, but I never quite obtained the same levels of terrain-ironing goodness that I had experienced on the Madonna V2.2 I fell in love with in the past. I didn’t have a suitable coil shock on hand to test on the Madonna R, but I’m certain that it would have given the boost to comfort and traction that I desired. Even still, the Float X2 spec delivered a great balance of characteristics and gave me limited reason to complain.

Rear shock aside, the Madonna R exhibited the same “get on and GO!” mentality that I had experienced with RAAW bikes in the past. They have a special formula that makes them exceptionally predictable, never leaving you guessing how the bike will react, or where you are in the travel.

The fit of the size Large was comfortable for our 5’10” to 6’2” test crew, though we found ourselves dropping the spacer stack slightly to ensure adequate front wheel weighting in flatter corners. The other geometry figures placed us centrally between the wheels and in a happy spot to winch up the climbs.

As with all of the test bikes in our 2026 Enduro Group Test, Robert set the front Pirelli Emperor Hardwall Super Soft tires to 25psi, and the Blacksting DH Wall Softs in the rear to 27.5psi for his 220lbs (98kg) kitted mass. Graham opted for 21psi front and 23psi rear for his 155lbs (70kg) weight. Although the Pirelli tires only arrived with our crew a couple of weeks before the Enduro Group Test kicked off, we felt instantly familiar and comfortable pushing the limits of bike and body.

RAAW has always delivered bikes with maintenance and mechanic-friendliness in mind. Their bikes have consistently been amongst the most reliable we have tested, never suffering from creaking or coming loose. The Madonna R was no exception, delivering worry-free performance throughout the abuse, and giving peace of mind that it would support hard charging for the long haul.

CLIMBING | The RAAW Madonna R is not a light bike, but it climbed competently. Its combination of pedaling support and geometry gave a neutral pedaling response that simply got on with it. In every gear, the chassis remained relatively neutral under pedaling efforts, but retained enough traction and comfort to get through technical sections with minimal concern. The Madonna R was not a bike that demanded an active shock lockout, happy left open for all but the smoothest fireroad climbs. The lockout lever was easy to reach when we wanted to obtain a boost of efficiency.

The geometry placed the rider centrally between the wheels, with minimal attention needed to weight the front wheel on steep pitches. The tall stack and mid-steep seat tube angle balanced this comfortable centered position without loading the hands excessively. All said, the RAAW Madonna R was a solid climber, if not the most spritely in the enduro market.

DESCENDING | RAAW makes bikes that simply get on with the job, delivering excellent performance without any strongly pointed characteristics that require a special riding approach. The Madonna R was an exceptionally easy bike to ride. Whether we were pushing hard or cruising, and whether we were on a bike park-style run or a rough and rugged enduro trail; it delivered well-rounded performance that ensured we never had a bad tool for the job.

Neutrality was the name of the game with the Madonna. Its geometry balanced stability and agility extremely well, placing the rider squarely between the wheels and in a relaxed yet aggressive position. The support and comfort balance of the suspension was excellent, generating speed effectively through pumping efforts, yet trucking through the rough with confidence. The frame felt stout without being jarring; running quietly and remaining tight.

On the brakes, it was predictable. Under huge compressions, it was predictable. In the turns, it was predictable. It was never the fastest on a singular trail section; never the most playful, and never necessarily the most exciting. But the RAAW Madonna R blended into the background in the best way, and let us focus on the trail and the surrounding nature. We could focus on our riding technique and the nuances of our inputs. We could fully immerse ourselves in the riding experience, instead of being distracted by the spec sheets and geo charts.

RAAW made a bike that delivered quality notions from the get-go and held onto them until the end. It ran quietly and smoothly; begged for more abuse, and asked for nothing else. For the price tag of the complete bikes on offer, the value proposition feels excellent, with sensible component selection and a frame construction that feels built to stand the test of time.

THE RAAW MADONNA R PERSONALITY

The RAAW Madonna R is an exceptionally well-rounded enduro mountain bike, with neutral climbing and descending performance that make it a great machine for any ride and rider. It’s fairly supportive yet suitably plush, with a muted and damped feel to keep things comfortable and planted, retaining suitable precision to push hard.

WHO IS THE RAAW MADONNA R FOR?

The RAAW Madonna R is for every enduro rider. A rider who wants a versatile enduro bike that is highly predictable and delivers exceptional durability and reliability.

Buy this bike if you prioritize neutral handling and worry-free performance.

Consider another bike if you are looking for a sharp, playful or “exciting” hyperbike.

The Wolf’s Last Word

The easy-going nature of the Madonna R makes for an easy bike to recommend, especially when you consider the value proposition. That said, it’s not necessarily the most inspiring, and doesn’t stand out above the rest in any singular aspect. It’s a real “rider’s bike”, providing consistent and dependable performance that’s likely to stand the test of time. In five years, you could pick the RAAW up used and feel confident that it’s going to put up a solid fight against the most up-to-date enduro bikes on the market.

Price: £4,410 / $5,952 (Fox Factory w/Float X2)
Weight: 38.6lbs | 17.6kg
Website: Raawmtb.com

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