The heron-crested British brand has been on a roll the last few years, its bikes consistently scoring well in our tests. The Elite is the second most expensive in the Mustang range, and comes with SRAM 1x11 and hybrid brakes. According to Raleigh, Mustangs ‘live on a diet of tarmac, potholes, mud and gravel’, which makes it ideal for this test. Road during the week, on- and off-road adventures out of working hours.
The TRP Hy/Rd brakes combine cable actuation at the levers with hydraulic reservoirs at the brakes. While we had reservations when we first tested the setup – reservoir placement, potential cable softness – none of these appear to be justified. And though not quite on a par with the full hydraulic setup on the (much more) expensive Specialized, we reckon it’s the best non-hydraulic system around.
Another way that the Mustang differs is that it has thru-axles – axles that screw into holes in the fork and frame rather than axles that fit into dropouts. It results in a very positive connection between wheel and frame and helps to make the most of the disc brakes.
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The other significant feature is the SRAM single-ring 1x11 drivetrain. This may limit the number of gears available to you, but doesn’t reduce the gear range, and if you want higher gearing – for faster riding – or lower, for fully laden touring, you just change the chainring.
No need to worry about front derailleur placement as there isn’t one. The transmission is stealthily silent when you pedal, which contrasts with the very loud freewheeling.
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