Unno Burn 2023
Reviews / Enduro Bikes
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The Burn is Unno’s answer to the demand for a high end, exclusive 160mm travel enduro machine. With a unique look and well thought out design the Spanish brand has created a showstopper. Price: 3995 EUR frame or from 8395 EUR complete
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The product
For those around long enough to remember the early days of World Cup DH racing, the name of Cesar Rojo should ring a bell. Currently the engineer and mastermind behind the Unno brand, but back in the day he was a fierce contender for the podium.
With the Burn, Unno designed an enduro frame from the ground up. It had to be a bike that loves demanding and big hitting trails, the stuff that makes you wear your full face. There are three sizes available, offering the bike to riders from 160cm up to 195 cm. Instead of the traditional S, M and L Unno opted to go for S1, S2 and S3.
Wheelsize-wise Cesar went for a Mullet setup, 29’’ in the front and 27.5’’ in the rear. A popular combo that makes for easy cornering and a strong rear wheel, with a bigger front that rolls over the rough stuff.
When checking the geometry, the numbers are fairly middle of the road when it comes to the head angle (64 degrees) and seat tube angle (76.5 degrees). One thing does attract my attention, and that is the stack height. With a whooping 644mm in the S2 size (for riders between 175 cm and 185 cm) this is quite high in the front end. Chainstay length is fairly long with 445mm offering that stability at speed.
On the frame tech side of things there are some cool details. Like many other bikes these days the Burn comes with a nice stash compartment for a minitool and a Cliff bar, and internal cable routing through the headset. Also the seat clamp is integrated into the frame and hidden by a rubber cover, very tidy! They also integrated the chain guide right onto the frame for a perfect fit.
The suspension linkage and shock tucked away right above the bottom bracket, so you are ensured of a low center of gravity. The Burn can be ridden with either an air or coil shock, but from factory they are delivered with the Fox Float X2 Air shocks. Unno advises you to run 35% sag, and the suspension curve is nice and progressive.
Sustainability is another item on the Unno wish list. Cooperation with Oceanworks, they managed to add 200 grams of recycled plastic in each Burn. The plastics recovered from the ocean can mainly be found within the resin mix that is used to hold the carbon layup together.
Spec wise, there is the option of the Burn Race (8935 Euro) or the Factory (10895 Euro). We got our dirty paws on the Race version, equipped with Fox 38’s, Fox Transfer Post, Formula Cura 4 brakes and Sram’s GX AXS groupo. Crankbrothers wheels finish the ride off with some Maxxis rubber making sure you have plenty of traction.
Out on the trail
After the initial setup laps, we managed to find the sweet spot in the suspension. First thing we noticed was the high front end. It took me some laps to get used to the new position, and the one piece integrated stem/handlebar combo didn’t help with this, as you could not rotate the bars to get the desired rise and sweep. If you can’t get used to this combo it is easy enough to swap to something more of your liking.
Built for razzing down, it comes as no surprise that the Burn doesn’t get you the latest KOM in the climbs. With the smaller rear wheel you tend to sit more upright and struggle when things get either steep or technical. That said, the suspension doesn’t budge on the climbs, and if you stick to fire road climbs you’ll have no problems reaching the top of the trail.
Pointing the Burn down, that’s where this ride shines. The big front wheel paired with the Fox 38’s makes for a very point and shoot style ride. Combine that with the high front end, and you can handle the steeps with confidence. Mixed wheel sizes always rail berms like no other, and the Burn is no exception. Rock sections and big brake bumps were handled well by the suspension system, but I do believe that a 29-er still trumps a mullet on those sections. On wide open and flat corners you really had to remind yourself to shift your weight forward, in order to keep traction.
Verdict
For anyone looking for a head turner that loves riding steeps and rail berms, the Unno Burn should be on the top of your wishlist. The frame has a unique look and handles the specific style of trails like a boss. From a technical standpoint, you get a top notch carbon fiber Enduro machine, but in this price range, it really comes down to if your heart starts pounding faster when you look at it.
This review was in Issue 76 of IMB.
For more information visit UnnoRelated
By Jarno Hoogland
Jarno's life has revolved around two wheels ever since he swung a leg over his first BMX at age 4. After a BMX and DH racing career, he moved on to work for bike shops, distributors and brands before ending up in the editors seat at IMB. Based in the ultimate testing ground in the Swiss mountains, he runs his guiding operation and makes sure every IMB issue is filled with top notch content.
