Less valued and less sold than the Lundi, the Mardi de Moustache is a rather atypical electric bike, but one that would benefit from being better known. Not quite a city bike, this place is given to the Lundi, not completely an adventurer, it is in reality closer to what some manufacturers have long called VTC, an all-terrain bike, before this name fell into oblivion. This somewhat hybrid status, if it does not help to easily define this Mardi 27.4, nevertheless opens up a ton of possibilities for it. Its versatility and certain design choices make this lesser-known representative of the French manufacturer's catalog an excellent candidate for commuting, or even for longer, more scenic rides.
That's good, because our Moustache Mardi 27.4 test took place in exactly these conditions over the course of long weeks that allowed us to fully assess it. If at first glance, the Mardi 27.4 is not necessarily the most attractive of Moustache’s e-bikes, it could well be the one that suits you best.
Design and manufacturing: signed Moustache
The Mardi's aesthetics don't come from nowhere, a simple glance that is somewhat informed allows you to distinguish several distinctive signs that bring it closer to its manufacturer. Starting with a strange resemblance to the J, the star bike of the Vosges brand that made the event last year and that seduced us so much during its test. We therefore find a somewhat familiar pencil stroke that translates into an open frame (the Mardi does not exist in a closed frame), which facilitates straddling, but this choice has other advantages, such as being able to more easily put your foot on the ground when you like to adjust the saddle quite high, but also greater maneuverability when you have to use your knees to get around certain obstacles.
In return, you will have to be more inventive when it comes to attaching your bike to a fixed point, since you will have to deal with one less tube.
Still on the manufacturing side, Moustache has opted for an integrated battery, modestly concealed by a plastic cover. The latter, while allowing simplified access and quick replacement, lacks a bit of cachet compared to the rest of the VAE. However, it allows for the narrowest possible opening, which also ensures a certain rigidity to the down tube, essential to the bike's behavior, as we will see.
Another notable fact on the design side: the Mardi 27.4 only comes in two colors: a somewhat sad beige gray and a barely more engaging fir green. While it is impeccable in terms of design, the paintwork lacks a bit of inspiration and limits the choice when purchasing. Is this a way to distinguish it more easily from the very colorful Lundi 27? No doubt, but this bias does not seem to us to be the most judicious.
A suitable and versatile equipment
It is rare to find Moustache at fault when it comes to equipment on its bikes. The Mardi 27.4 is no exception to the rule with quality accessories that are perfectly adapted to its practice. The same goes for the fork, an SR Suntour with 100 mm of travel.
This is also the case for all the basic accessories such as the lighting (AXA, NXT, 30 lux), the kickstand (adjustable), the aluminum mudguards or the luggage rack with its QL3 side mounts and a MIK HD compatible system. We also appreciated the presence of an integrated anti-theft device, a classic AXA wheel lock, but which still allows a quick stop at the bakery without having to take out your 5 kg chain. As for the suspended seatpost, it is not the same as full suspension, obviously, but it helps relieve the buttocks, especially during long rides.
In terms of braking and transmission, Moustache offers a choice on its Mardi 27. You will therefore find, depending on the level of finish, Shimano MT200 or Alhonga brakes HJ-472. On our 27.4 version, it was a Shimano system that was equipped… just like for the transmission, a 5-speed Nexus SL-C7000. This choice is undoubtedly the most suitable for urban use as the Nexus is comfortable in the city, allowing gear changes even when stationary and not suffering from any jolts despite the constraints exerted by the central engine. Note, however, that a more classic chain drive is also available and that it will lower the price of the bike by 300 euros.
Bosch on all floors
While waiting to embark on other experiments, and in particular to integrate an MGU Pinion into one of its VAE, the engine at Moustache is still signed Bosch. In this case, it is a Performance Line with 75 Nm of torque which is associated for the occasion with the Purion 200, a small display which is very practical in appearance, but which shows a major flaw. Indeed, the integration of the display, just above the left brake, exposes it enormously to shocks and other falls. Result: several dealers have informed us of the risks of breakage incurred with this Bosch display.
Apart from this inherent weakness in the choice of equipment, the Purion 200 – Performance Line pair works wonderfully on this Mardi 27.4 which does not actually need more power or torque for classic use.
On the other hand, the question of the battery is more legitimate. Should you choose the 500 Wh PowerTube battery, sold by default, or increase the bill by an additional 200 euros to upgrade to a 625 Wh battery? The answer to this question will essentially depend on your usage. In our case, and we will come back to this in the section devoted to autonomy, the Mardi 27.4 was used for long rides and for a relatively long bike commute. In this configuration, our 625 Wh battery seemed the most suitable to us. It is obvious that if you plan to use your e-bike for journeys of less than 10 km, a 500 Wh battery will be more than enough.
Finally, choosing the Bosch ecosystem also opens access to the Smart System and the eBike Connect application which allows you to modify the assistance settings, keep an eye on the use of your bike, but also to secure it more with the SmartLock option or, soon, Battery Lock.
Autonomy: we rode 100 km on a charge
The autonomy of the Mardi 27.4 will depend, to begin with, on the battery version that equips the bike. Moustache offers the choice between a PowerTube 500 Wh and a PowerTube 625 Wh (200 euros more). It is this second one that equipped our test bike and it is this one that allows to reach, in theory, the 115 km announced by the manufacturer.
Of course, this theoretical value also depends on many other parameters such as the size of the cyclist, the outside temperature, the difference in altitude of the route or even the tire pressure. However, we had the opportunity to test the endurance of the battery during a journey of more than 100 km. Starting from a remote corner of Normandy, we took the road to the sea and Dieppe, more precisely. A little over 50 km on the way there, as much on the way back… ideal for testing the autonomy of our Mardi 27.4.
On this “long distance” test, the Mardi 27.4 kept its promise since there was still 3% battery left at the end of the 103.7 km of our ride. We also used the Moustache e-bike many times on our bike-to-work route. This one, about 19 km there and the same on the way back, has a slightly greater difference in altitude (180 m) and was done in colder, even negative temperatures. However, we were able to regularly make two round trips without having to worry about recharging. Useful detail: we systematically favor Bosch's "Auto" mode and we don't hesitate to press the pedals. Ultimately, unless you rely entirely on “Turbo” mode and let the bike do all the work, it seems reasonable to expect around a hundred kilometres of range with the 625 Wh battery.
On the road: at ease despite his weight
The profile of the Mardi 27.4 as well as certain equipment choices certainly make it an e-bike geared more towards comfort than towards performance. Indeed, the total weight of the e-bike (around 29 kg), its large Schwalbe balloon tires, but also its suspension orientations provide as much comfort as they reduce dynamism. This observation is not a criticism, however, because the choices made by the Mardi 27.4 make it a bike very suited to an urban environment, comfortable in small spaces as well as in large curves... without making it inoperable once engaged in a trail. Indeed, what struck us on the handlebars of this Moustache is the versatility of this frame and its ability to be comfortable in the city as well as outside. On this point, it obviously does not reach the performance of the J, the absolute reference in the field, but it comes close, while assuming more urban use, particularly in its version in Shimano Nexus.
Moustache also knows that he can count on a quality engine whose performance will erase some of the bike's laziness and he exploits this vein to make from this Tuesday 27.4 one of its most complete VAE.
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