2017 Haibike XDURO AllMtn 8.0 Review

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The Haibike XDURO line was always Bosch powered until 2018… and since the AllMtn 8.0 is a 2017 model, it does indeed use a Bosch Performance Line high-torque CX motor, one of my favorite drive systems on the market. The all mountain series has been a popular seller for Haibike because it’s a “go anywhere, do anything” platform. Notice how the fork is angled out to take big hits and the suspension is longer travel with 150 mm front and rear vs. 120 mm or 130 mm on the cross country and trail platforms. Haibike has been using a rating system for their bikes with numbers that communicate trim level and 8.0 is near the top. The AllMtn 8.0 comes with a high-performance inverted suspension fork from Magura and Fox Float Factory rear shock. They both use air vs. springs which makes them lightweight and more versatile to handle heavy and light riders alike. You get compression and rebound clickers as well as some unique plastic shielding to protect the stanchions from rocks and trail obstacles. Inverted suspension tends to be stiffer and reduces unsprung weight compared with tranditional (where the sliders connect to the dropout) and the Magura Boltron offers a 15 mm thru-axle with a magnetically attached star wrench (that slides through the axle) vs. a quick release lever. I’m guessing this keeps the front of the bike narrower and more secure if you take the wrench with you. The rear portion of the bike is also solidly built with a 12 mm threaded maxle that does have a quick release lever on the left side. I love that you can run the included tires tubeless and have enjoyed and come to appreciate the plus sizing which offers some comfort, float over soft terrain, and reduced deflection. You get excellent rolling momentum and the kind of traction and suspension range to go over obstacles with this e-bike vs. nimbling around them. Note how the mid-motor has been angled up to increase clearance, and it has a sturdy plastic skid plate fixed along the bottom in case you do make contact. What I personally appreciate about this bike, and most Haibike mountain models, is that the frame blends into the motor and battery and special attention has been paid to the paint to create a fluid look vs. “tacked on” appearance that some electric bike batteries and motors can have. The Haibike XDURO AllMtn 8.0 comes in four frame sizes for improved fit, but I hear from some shops and consumers that the sizes can run thin as the season progresses. Haibike has been a little late in years past, bringing new models into the USA in time for the season to begin. Anyway, I love how they chose a sporty color pallet here and carried it through the fork, wheelset, and saddle rails. Most of the shifter cables, brake lines, and electrical wires are internally routed and Haibike uses larger openings with removable plastic grommets to make servicing easier for shops. This e-mtb comes with all of the fixin’s for hard core riding as well as a solid two-year comprehensive warranty and access to a wide network of Bosch service centers and Haibike dealers across the US (and Europe).

Driving this bike is one of the most trusted mid-motors on the market today. Bosch was an early pioneer in e-bike drive systems and their Performance line offers the most power, quickest response, and smartest operation of any brand that I have tested. The CX model delivers up to 75 Newton meters of torque and responds primarily to three signals including rear wheel speed, pedal cadence, and pedal torque. It listens for these signals 1,000 times per second while concurrently producing a “shift detection” gap in power to reduce mashing and strain on your chain, sprockets, and derailleur. When paired with the ebike specific eight-speed SRAM EX1, the motor can produce more strain because the gaps between gears are larger. That said, the AllMtn Pro and 8.0 here are higher-end platforms that I would assume more seasoned riders would be going for. There are many other lower-specced Haibikes that cost well under the $7k list price here. What I’m getting at is, you want to ease off a bit when shifting gears so that the motor will back off and you won’t get the hard jumps. Even with shift detection, you can still strain the drivetrain and wear the hardware down faster because of the high power throughput. The wattage range of the motor is 250 or 350 to 570 watts or so. Even though this is an exciting spec to talk about and compare, I don’t dig as deeply because Bosch is using the same motor hardware between the US and Europe (which have different power and top speed limits. In the US, you might get a boost in power and the top speed will be 20 mph vs. 15.5 mph because of our legal framework. The AllMtn Pro 8.0 is a Class 1 electric bike without a throttle, and can be used legally on the widest network of trails, especially in California.

Powering this bike is a 500 watt Lithium-ion battery pack designed by Bosch. Physically, the Powerpack 500 is interchangeable with the older, lower capacity, Powerpack 400. And in fact, the demo model I reviewed here did have the older Powerpack 400 on it. The difference in weight is less than 0.3 lbs but the capacity is 25% higher. These batteries are not as concealed as the upcoming Bosch Powertube 500, but they are easier to take off the bike and cost less. I think Haibike did a fantastic job designing their interface here, and you can see how the Aluminum downtube has a bit of an inset to bring the pack down and there are some metal cuff pieces that protect and surround the pack. On the left side, there’s a sturdy locking core where you can release the battery using the supplied key. And, there is also a rubber plug cover on the left which seats well, and blends in with the black paint. If you open this port, you can plug the charger in and fill the pack without removing it from the bike frame. Charging is relatively quick, even with the larger battery pack, because Bosch offers a 4 Amp charger vs. the industry standard 2 Amp. I often take batteries off of my electric bikes when transporting them, to reduce weight, as well as storing if the bike is to be left out in the cold. Extreme cold and heat can degrade Lithium-ion cells more quickly so a cool, dry location is best for longer term storage. The pack is easy to carry around thanks to a plastic loop handle at the top. There’s a little LED charge level indicator built into the side, which helps you assess state of charge if the pack has been stored for a while. I tend to keep mine between 20% and 80% to reduce strain on the cells, it is my understanding that this is what many battery management systems do on electric cars and portable electronics like smartphones. In summary, this battery is fantastic, and Haibike has done their best to let it blend in and keep it protected while also positioning weight low and center for best handling.

Operating this, and all other, Bosch powered electric bikes is pretty straightforward. Once the battery is seated and you hear the click to confirm that it is locked in (because there is vibration-dampening foam below, make sure you heat it clicked), you press the power button at the top edge of the Purion display panel. The LCD flickers to life very quickly and you are greeted with battery level, speed, and assist level. There are three other buttons to explore with this display, the + and – keys let you increment or decrement assist levels (Off, Eco, Tour, Sport Turbo) and there’s a walk mode button at the bottom edge. The walk-mode feature may or may not work depending on your software version, I believe you can work with your local shop to get it enabled, and if you go to the latest version of software, the Bosch CX motor system will also transition Sport mode to EMTB mode. This new feature (as of 2017) allows you to access the full range of power output in a more fluid way, based primarily on pedal torque. It’s handy for off-road riding where you might not want to think about pressing + or – while also steering and thinking about upcoming obstacles. The display lets you explore other menus such as trip distance and total distance or range by holding the – key for a few seconds. I’m more a fan of the additional i button used on the larger Bosch Intuvia display system, but can appreciate the compact stealthy nature of the Purion. Other compromises include a non-functioning Micr-USB port, buttons that can be tricker to click (press near the display vs. lower for best response), and several removed feedback menus. All-in-all, the cockpit on this bike is clean and the shifters and brake levers work beautifully. Reaching any of the controls is not difficult and there’s reach-adjustment built into the brake levers so you can bring them in if you bought the smaller frame size and have smaller hands.

I have to be honest, this was not the best video review I have ever created. I apologize for not going into EMTB mode and having limited terrain to explore and showcase. Even the bike, which was buzzing due to a loose slap guard, was not in the best shape. I don’t think I did this product justice but I hope the images and different views give you the chance to draw your own conclusions about the bike. Haibike is a leader in the space, the XDURO line is my personal favorite, and even though the AllMtn 8.0 is overkill for my own personal ride style and needs, I could appreciate the hydroformed engineering and gravity cast motor interface that look beautiful and are designed with strength and durability in mind. Haibike is a recognized brand that tends to hold its value and while not everyone will appreciate or need the premium brakes and inverted suspension design, they do make a difference. Weighing in at ~50 lbs, this is not the lightest electric mountain bike but I think this comes back to the full suspension frame with four-bar rear design and the heavier CX motor which has more copper windings to deliver increased power. Compared with similarly specced products from competing brands, I found myself appreciating the pulley wheel “sprocket equalizing system” that raises the chain to reduce slap and will clear debris and reduce or completely eliminate drops on rough terrain. The DT Swiss hubs and wheelset, premium Black Ops Torqlite UL platform pedals and Kind Shock LEV-DX seat post dropper offer performance and durability that help to justify the higher price point. Big thanks to Haibike for partnering with me on this review and providing feedback on specs as I dug into some new hardware. Also, big thanks to Chris Nolte at Propel Bikes in Brooklyn for braving some cold weather and helping me to conduct this review while I was feeling a bit unwell and run down. It brought a smile to my face and his insights and willingness to take a ride and let me demo a bike that was brand new was really great.

Pros:

• Excellent motor system, one of my favorite, the Bosch Performance Line CX offers the highest torque at 75 Nm and is extremely responsive with wheel speed, pedal cadence, and pedal torque measurements coming in more than 1,000 times per second, it also offers support up to 120 RPM while some other motors cut out at 100 or soften more towards 120
• Haibike has pioneered this “sprocket equalizing system” or SES, that’s basically a chain tensioner that raises the chain for clearance with rear suspension setups, both this pulley wheel and the chainring uses narrow-wide tooth to really grab the chain and there’s also a full-surround guide near the SES and alloy guide on the chainring so you should never have an issue with kickback or drops
• The eight-speed SRAM EX1 is an electric bike specific drivetrain with bigger jumps between sprocket sizes so you don’t have to shift as many times to get a wide range of cadence options (11 to 48 teeth), it’s a great setup for when you have mid-motor assistance and since the Bosch motors offer shift detection, you shouldn’t experience as much mashing between gears (though I’d still ease off a bit when shifting)
• I absolutely love the motor and battery integration here, both systems are moulded into the frame, the motor is tilted up to shorten the chain stay distance for snappier ride feel and increased clearance, the battery is very well protected and blends in with the black sections of downtube
• Awesome color scheme with matching accents on the frame, fork, wheelset, and saddle rails, the paint should stay nice thanks to a thick Neoprene slap guard on the right stay and the suspension stanchions are well protected by plastic shields
• The suspension fork on this EMTB is pretty fancy, it’s an inverted fork which provides stiffness and reduces unsprung weight, the wheel is connected with a sturdy 15 mm thru-axle with a magnetic tool, and the hubs are longer Boost setup, the rear wheel has a traditional quick release threaded thru-axle
• Much of the wiring is internally routed through the frame and Haibike uses larger openings to make maintenance easier for shops, note the rectangular plastic grommets
• Haibike is positioned as a more premium brand and this is one of their tier 1 bikes, there are callouts along the frame stating “designed and engineered in Germany, gravity casting interface, hydroformed tubing” it’s just a nicer bike all around, very well engineered (Aluminum surround at the top and base of the battery, foam vibration-dampener below the battery)
• As one of the earliest premium brands to introduce electric bikes into the United States, Haibike has a wide network of dealers to visit, take test rides, and get service and warranty support through, they benefit from the two year comprehensive Bosch warranty and have a five year frame warranty
• Premium Magura MT7 hydraulic disc brakes with adjustable-reach lightweight Carbon levers and quad piston calipers for maximum power, surface contact, and heat distribution
• Proven four-bar Horst Link rear suspension design for reduced bob and reserved travel for big hits, plenty of adjustment on both the fork and rear shock (compression, rebound, air pressure for sagging)
• The battery is easy to charge on or off the bike and Bosch provides a fast 4 Amp charger which is even more useful now that they are offering the Powerpack 500, note that the older Powerpack 400 can still interface with the mount and work on bikes like this (as shown in the review video), I love the rubber cover design that Haibike is offering here because it stays seated, looks clean, and is easy to work with compared to some competitors
• As with most Haibikes, you can get the XDURO AllMtn 8.0 in four frame sizes which provides a better fit and ride, this is something that smaller companies are not able to achieve because they have limited resources
• Most electric bikes come with cheap plastic pedals or mid-level alloy platform models from Wellgo (which are great) but Haibike stepped it up further with the AllMtn 8.0 and offers premium Black Ops Torqlite UL pedals right out of the box, I like the adjustable pins and great surface area and stiffness of these

Cons:

• In some ways, the compact Bosch Purion display is great because it keeps the cockpit clean and makes the bike stealthier… especially for mountain biking, however, it does not have an active Micro-USB power port (the port is there, but just for software updates) and it’s not removable like the Intuvia, I also miss some of the menu readouts and feel that it’s slower and more difficult to interact with because there’s no i button to navigate different menus, the + and – buttons aren’t as easy to click either, put your finger closer to the screen when pressing vs. down towards the bottom or middle
• As nice as the Bosch motors are, these Performance Line models do produce more noise, especially in the higher levels of assist and with higher RPM pedaling, you can hear a high-pitched wine when riding (though it’s mostly obscured by the sound of the big knobby tires on off-road trails)
• It’s neat that you can get the All Mountain model in several sizes, especially because it’s a top-of-the-line model which might sell lower volume, but one gripe is that Haibike has a reputation for running out of sizes pretty early in the season because the number of units for each size tends to be lower… and they have such a vast selection of models to choose from, many people are forced to go with a different trim level to get the correct size later in the season
• I would like to see more than five tick marks to communicate battery capacity, ten bars or even a percentage readout would be much more useful… but at least the Bosch display does have a dynamic range estimator which responds instantly as you navigate through different levels of assist
• The unique, smaller, chainring size means that there is good leverage and excellent grab but a reduction gear makes it spin 2.5 times for every single crank arm revolution and this introduces a small amount of pedaling drag and inefficiency, in my experience it’s not super noticeable and you get super fast start and stop with this design because of the smaller chainring diameter which won’t travel as far as it slows down as a more traditional ring on some other systems

Resources:

• Official Site: http://www.haibikeusa.com/
• More Pictures: https://photos.app.goo.gl/nLp2ecGc1dOzDcgo2