RAAW Mountain Bikes is a young German company that popped on the scene in 2017. The brainchild of Ruben Torenbeek, a former engineer at Ghost and Scott bikes, RAAW started as a way for Ruben to provide something he felt was missing. He wanted to create a bike that pushed geometry without going to what he considers extreme while also providing great value and durability.
When the original Madonna was released, RAAW was one of only a handful of brands offering the futuristic geometry we’re now seeing show up industry-wide. It included cleverly designed tool/part stashes and featured some of the biggest bearings seen on modern all-mountain bikes, particularly at the main pivot which boasts 52mm cartridges. After riding with Ruben in the summer of 2019, I realized why durable bikes are a priority; he and his team ride hard, and ride loads, punishing their equipment day after day. If it can last under them, things are looking good.
RAAW has just unveiled its new Madonna V2 for 2020 and on initial inspection, the changes aren’t drastic. The frame has been streamlined and there have been a few minor geometry adjustments but overall, the bike looks similar to its older sibling. I reached out to Ruben for a quick interview to learn more about the changes.
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