Test Moustache Dimanche 29.4: The French company's first e-gravel bike is dynamic and powerfully motorized with the Bosch SX and is also very comfortable. Whether commuting or off-road tours - riding fun is guaranteed with this comfortable speedster, which is also impressive in terms of weight.
One of the providers who are completely dedicated to electric bikes is Moustache from the Vosges. Founded in 2011, the company gave itself the name of a classic handlebar shape, which can also be found in a modernized form on the brand's first product, the Lundi. The visually very distinctive city bike is still in the range, which has been gradually expanded and today includes pretty much all common types of bike, from e-tandems to full-suspension everyday bikes. The French market leader offers comparatively inexpensive models in many areas. The highlight of the range is the J. with a cast aluminum frame made entirely in France, which follows the company's claim to produce as sustainably as possible with aspects such as a short supply chain and environmentally friendly powder coating. And the Moustache Dimanche 29.4 e-gravel bike also has something to offer in this regard: its frame is made in Portugal instead of the Far East.
Moustache Dimanche 29.4: E-Graveller from the French market leader
The Moustache Dimanche 29.4 is the French company's first e-gravel bike; its name alludes to Sunday cyclists who ride for fun at the weekend. The e-gravel bike has some practical aspects: for an additional charge of 200 euros, it comes with mudguards, a carrier and a front light; a version with a flat bar instead of a racing handlebar is also available. The e-graveller introduces another innovation at Moustache: it is the brand's first bike with the Bosch SX motor; a "light e-MTB" (which is what the SX was designed for) is not currently in the range.
The two-kilo mid-engine with its 400 Wh battery has changed a lot since it was introduced a year ago: E-gravel bikes in particular are now being equipped with this unit, where rear engines were previously the norm. The advantage of the SX over these is its comparatively high torque of 55 Nm, which provides up to 600 watts of power at a high cadence and thus extremely strong propulsion. Only trail-oriented E-MTBs need more power; in normal off-road use and on asphalt, however, the SX shines with harmonious support and also makes the most of its low system weight. An E-gravel bike like the Moustache weighs just 18 kilos, without any attention being paid to weight. The frame looks solid, the carbon fork is designed for high stability and the bike rolls on 50 mm wide tires. There are also two not-so-light comfort features built in - more on that later.
The drive of the Moustache Dimanche 29.4 offers no surprises: it is as dynamic and powerful as we know it from other e-gravel bikes with Bosch SX; climbs of 20% are no problem as long as you keep your pedaling frequency fairly brisk. Moustache equips the Dimanche with a "Kiox 300" display, whereas other providers rely on the use of a smartphone or bike computer. The system controller on the top tube is only used to switch the bike on and off; the selection of the driving modes and operation of the display are done via a button block to the left of the stem.
Interesting: The power meter function of the electronics
The display's wide range of functions also includes a power meter that shows the rider's performance in watts. If you switch back and forth between the riding modes, you can see how much effort is required for more or less strong drive support; it is also interesting to see how the strain feels at the same power level, depending on whether you are riding in a lighter or heavier gear. On the hill, the display shows when you should shift down; but it can also happen that the twelve-speed cassette is already maxed out. Especially since the gear ratio with a 44-tooth chainring is rather long - the 11-50 tooth sprocket of the SRAM Apex Eagle is normally combined with a 40-tooth chainring.
With this gear ratio, you can quickly move out of the motor support area. Then you can easily maintain your pace with the Dimanche and also ride longer distances without motor - another aspect that makes the Bosch SX a good choice for an e-gravel bike.
Suspension dropper post with lots of comfort
The components work perfectly: the gearshift is precise and the brakes are strong and easy to control; the levers are ergonomically well designed. They are mounted on a handlebar that is quite wide at the top at 50 cm, but is comfortable to grip given the more upright sitting position. This is where the comfort features mentioned come into play: Moustache equips the E-Graveller with a suspension stem and a lowerable and suspension seat post. The elastomer in the stem can be pre-tensioned and thus adjusted to be softer or harder; even with a soft setting, the shock-absorbing effect is not particularly noticeable. The stem is only noticeably pushed down when pedaling in a saddle.
The seat post on the Moustache Dimanche 29.4 is extremely comfortable: with an adjustment range of around 8 cm, it has 4 cm of suspension travel, which noticeably cushions road bumps and vibrations. The dropper post lever, located under the left brake lever, is quite easy to reach and does not cause any discomfort; lowering the post increases riding safety on steep downhill stretches.
Unusual placement of the charging socket
Moustache has come up with something special for the charging socket of the drive battery: it is located under a flap under the down tube; the plug must therefore be plugged in "blindly" just above the bottom bracket. With a little practice, this works quite well; the idea is that the cable of a range extender can be routed close to the down tube in the bottle holder.
Fast, stable and comfortable - that's how the Moustache Dimanche 29.4 can be described in a nutshell. At 4.699 euros, it's in the usual range of what specialist brands charge for a Bosch gravel bike, although it can also be 1.000 euros more expensive (29.6 with electronic SRAM Apex AXS and Mavic Allroad wheelset) or cheaper (29.2 with flat bar handlebars and eleven-speed gears). All three variants are interesting - not least for Moustache itself, as the brand can now also set an example in the sporty sector. Incidentally, there is also now an e-racing bike that is based on the same drive and frame and combines both with narrower tires and a shorter gear ratio.
