To run the forums, host the website, and travel, I charge a universal service fee for my reviews. This in-depth review was sponsored by Haibike. My goal is to be transparent and unbiased, this video and written review are not meant to be an endorsement of Haibike products.
Haibike has been one of the more established brands in North America and they have gained a lot of popularity due to their exciting, yet high quality offerings. Today, we look at a bike that personifies both of those traits, the Sduro FullSeven LT 9.0. The 9.0 indicates the trim level of the bike, and this is really top of the line, while the LT stands for “long travel”, due to its 150mm all around suspension in front and rear. Xduro this year is indicated as extreme sports, with really just 1 use in mind, where as Sduro, such as this bike, is better for multi-use applications. It’s using a Bosch powered Performance Line CX high torque mid-drive motor and this frame integrated PowerTube battery. Some of the older Haibike models used the external PowerPack design but still managed to pull off an aesthetically pleasing look… but with the integrated Powertube battery, it does so even more now while adding great weight distribution. This is a premium bike priced at $5,599 and comes in 4 frame sizes. It’s a bit on the heavy side as I was able to weigh this one (size Medium) at 56lbs… but some of that weight probably comes from this dual suspension setup. The front suspension here has 150mm of travel and these nice thicker stanchions which makes it a bit stiffer for longer travel and handles the plus size tires very well. A lot of configuration is here from the rapid recovery rebound and the compression adjustment options. In the rear you also have 150mm of travel using a 4 bar link suspension and higher air volume. This also has rebound adjust as well as compression configuration. Both suspensions use this black anodized coating which not only keeps the suspension free of getting chips and debris, but also has a nice look to it. The bike is using boost hub spacing in both the front and rear, the front being a 110mm with 15mm thru-axle and the rear being 148mm with a 12mm thru-axle. The wider hub spacing gives you a sturdier bracing angle, and they both have quick release levers. For tires, you get a set of Nobby Nic tires with nice Speed Addix rubber grip. Really a nice setup, also both are 27.5” x 2.8” which is the middle range of plus size tire. They also both are tubeless ready and have puncture protection. There is some comfort here too beyond the plus tires and full suspension. For example, you get an XLC dropper seat post with 100mm of travel, and these locking sort of semi ergonomic flat grips. Even though they are flat grips, that is pretty standard for all mountain setups and high end mountain bikes. Other features include this really long and thick rubberized slap guard, internally routed cables, and kickstand provisions away from the crank arm if you wish to add a kickstand later. I should also mention this bike uses Haibike’s internal line of high-end components like named with conventions like “The Crank”, “The Stem”, and “The Handlebar”.
Driving this electric bicycle is a trail optimized mid-motor from Bosch called the Performance Line CX. It’s rated up to 75 newton meters, considerably more than the standard Performance Line and Performance Line Speed, which peak at 63nm. Given the slightly heavier footprint of this bike, it’s a great choice. It probably inflates the price a bit, but you do benefit from a special eMTB drive mode that only the Bosch CX offers. In this mode, which is the third step up just before Turbo, the motor performance can operate from 120% to 300% based on how hard you push. The other modes (Eco, Tour, and Turbo) have more limited power bands. This drive mode was introduced as a way to make motor performance more automatic and intuitive for mountain bikers who might be focusing on trail obstacles and gear shifting. For the FullSeven LT 9.0, which has SRAM shifting and is designed for trail riding, eMTB mode is just one more way that the bike can be ridden without distraction or thought. Just hop on, arrow up to eMTB, start pedaling, and the bike will respond naturally based on how hard you pedal. All current generation Bosch Performance Line motors weigh roughly 8.8lbs, which is more than Shimano, Yamaha, or Brose drive units. The CX produces more noise, especially in high power and a higher pedal speeds, and it also uses more energy… but it’s known for being reliable and having a good network of certified repair shops. This motor responds based on three signals: rear wheel speed, pedal cadence, and pedal torque. It uses some of the most advanced sensors and can even sense when gears are being shifted. At 20mph, this bike is rated as a Class 1 Ebike, so you can really take advantage of a lot more trails. Mechanically, the bike the bike is operated by this huge SRAM Eagle 12 sprocket system. I really can’t over exaggerate how large this is with its 11-50 range. That is an almost 500% gear ratio! It looks like its been punched out to reduce some weight and it comes with the SRAM GX derailleur that has this roller clutch feature. It’s great because you can lock it in an upright position to keep the chain out of the way and get to some maintenance. In the front you have the Bosch CX proprietary 18 tooth narrow wide chain ring. Its equivalent to 45 tooth or so setup and it has this extra thick steel guard on the outside. I also love the little pull here with a narrow wide tooth pattern to keep the chain from slipping with the rear swing arm if you’re going over bumps and stuff. Stopping the bike are these awesome hydraulic disc brakes. I love the 203mm large rotor in the front and 180mm in the rear. Having the larger one in the front is ideal for mountain biking and it lets the bike do both uphill and downhill well.
Powering this ebike is the highest-capacity Bosch battery on offer this generation, and it’s also their fanciest. It is rated for 36v and 13.4ah, so almost 500 watt hours which is a pretty good capacity. The PowerTube 500 fits neatly inside the downtube of the bike, completely out of view… aside from the black plastic cover. This is a big win for the bike aesthetically. The PowerTube battery keeps weight as low as possible on the frame while still being removable and somewhat universal. I’m actually sort of mixed on the PowerTube batteries because they weigh almost a full pound more than the older PowerPack batteries (6.3lbs vs 5.7lbs) and are not as easy to swap between bikes because each company has designed a different cover system. But at the end of the day, this battery is reliable, can be charged on or off the frame, and the frame charging port is positioned high up on the right side of the downtube where it won’t interfere with the crank arms or require you to bend down as far. Big win! It uses a Abus locking core and comes with a card so you can match the key to other locks you may have for the bike. One final note on the battery, and really any lithium-ion pack, is that extreme temperatures can be harmful to the cell chemistry and allowing it to drop below 20% can decrease the overall lifespan. For this reason, it’s great that the pack is removable, so you can bring it into your office or home for safe keeping and convenient refills.
Activating the drive systems on this ebike is fairly straightforward. You charge and mount the battery then press the power button on the top edge of the little display panel, which is mounted within reach of the left grip. The Bosch Purion display/control pad is compact and easy to navigate. It keeps the handlebars open, and may not get damaged as easily if the bike tips or is parked at a crowded rack… but it’s not removable and lacks some of the deeper menus found on the Bosch Intuvia. Even though the display is a bit smaller than some competing models, it’s intuitive enough that you might not look down that often to read it and the really important readouts are fairly large (speed and assist level). I have grown to accept the Purion, but do have a few tips for use as follows. The + and – buttons, which raise and lower assistance, are designed to click in at an angle towards the right. They are attached near the left edge of the control pad and pivot in towards the LCD. With practice, I have found that the right edge is really the sweet spot for consistent clicking. Sometimes the lower left and middle areas can be inconsistent or non-responsive. The screen itself glows faint white at all times, which shouldn’t draw much power. Holding the + button would normally turn lights off and on if this bike had them. By comparison, the larger Bosch Intuvia display has a dedicated light button. Holding the – button will cycle through trip distance, odometer, assist level, and range. And, the range menu is dynamic, so you can see the bike calculate how far it thinks you can go before the battery completely drains based on the last mile of riding, your current state of charge, and the chosen level of assist. This helps to make up for the very basic 5-bar charge indicator on the left side of the battery and the display which isn’t as precise as a 10-bar or percentage readout seen on some competing displays. On the lower edge of the control pad is a walk-mode button. Press it once and then hold the + button to have the motor slowly assist you when walking the bike (you must be in Eco, Tour, Sport, or Boost for walk mode to work). It’s useful for crowded non-bikeable areas like parks, or if you get a flat tire, and not all companies have it enabled, so props to Haibike for this. I’ve created an in-depth Bosch Purion review in the EBR forums for more information :)
The FullSeven LT 9.0 is a really a fun bike with a ton of capabilities. But it may not be for everyone if you weigh the tradeoffs. For example, there are no bottle cage bosses anywhere which is somewhat common on full suspension Ebikes, but I do see others making use of the PowerTube 500 design to add things like those bosses in. Also, the Performance Line CX motor has some drag to it, especially if you are riding the bike unpowered. Probably the most significant tradeoff is the price. $5,599 is a lot of money to some folks. Sure, you get a ton of high end parts, but sadly the display is the lower end Purion display which is also a tradeoff. All things considered however, it is still an amazing bike if it falls under your consideration. Haibike has been around for years and sells through a network of dealers as well as offering warranties and support. Haibike’s reputation for excitement and quality is alive and well and I want to thank them for letting me check out the bike and look forward to their other offerings.
As always, I welcome questions and feedback in the comment section below. Whether you own a previous version of the bike, have taken a test ride, or are brand new to the space, my goal is to provide an objective and honest resource. You can also join the Haibike ebike forums and share your own photos, videos, and review updates to help others! Have fun out there, and ride safe :)
Pros:
- A more premium 27.5” bike with full suspension, it uses one of the best motor and battery systems available, Bosch CX with the PowerTube 500, and is available in 4 sizes for improved fit and ride comfort
- The motor is very responsive and right there for you immediately, I have always been impressed with the Bosch setup, it really shines here on this application
- The tires are a set of Nobby Nic tires with nice Speed Addix rubber grip, both are 27.5” x 2.8” which is the middle range of plus size tire and are tubeless ready with puncture protection
- Premium drivetrain with a huge range, a roller clutch feature to keep the chain out of the way, a pully as well as an alloy chainring protector and sturdy alloy guide with narrow-wide sprocket so you should never struggle with drops, chain slip, or chain suck (which can sometimes happen in muddy conditions on the proprietary smaller Bosch chainrings)
- Both suspensions have great range with 150mm of travel, a lot of configuration with rebound adjust and compression adjustment
- Both the motor and battery pack are positioned low and center on the frame, this improves handling, reduces weight compared to hub motors, and I feel that Haibike has done an excellent job blending both items into the tubing design of the frame so they look good
- The cockpit is very clean and sturdy, you get the compact Bosch Purion display panel, and there’s plenty of room for the triggers
- Both wheels offer quick release, which combines with the removable battery to make this bike lighter and easier to transport, I always take the battery off when loading onto bike racks
- I love the attention to detail here with features like the XLC dropper seat post, extra long and thick rubberized slap guard, seamless battery, and pully wheel to keep the chain in line
- This Bosch charger is one lightest and fastest models around, offering 4amp output and weighing just 1.7 lbs, it doesn’t require any dongles to connect and charge the battery off or on the bike
- The Bosch CX motor offers a lot of zip and torque, up to 75nm with nearly 570 watt max, it’s one of the most reliable mid-drive systems around and now features an eMTB mode with variable power output based on pedal torque… so you can leave the assist setting alone and focus on shifting gears and steering, this is particularly useful on soft terrain
- It’s nice that Haibike designed this frame with a sloped top tube to lower stand over height because sometimes if you jump off into sand or snow, your feet could sink and you might rack yourself on a higher tube
- Thru-axle on the front wheel for maximum stiffness and strength, tapered head tube is also stronger and works with nicer forks like the Rock Shox here
- The battery lock core is made by ABUS and comes with a code card so you can purchase locks “keyed-alike” and have fewer keys floating around causing confusion
- Bosch designs all sorts of sensors and mechanical hardware for the automotive, home appliance, and tools categories and is one of the few companies to offer shift detection on their ebike motor systems, this is designed to protect the chain, cassette, and derailleur as you ride and shift gears and is especially relevant and useful with the high torque Performance Line motors like this
- Walk-assist has been enabled on this ebike which means you can get help moving it forward if you get a flat tire or have to hop off on a particularly difficult or steep section of trail, just press the walk mode button at the base of the display and then hold the plus button when in any of the four levels of assist, switch gears to change walk speed
Cons:
- The Performance Line CX is an extremely impressive motor, but it does weigh more, creates more noise, and adds some drag if you are taking it to the max or are riding with the electric system off
- While the Bosch Purion display panel is less vulnerable, because it’s small, the screen isn’t as easy to read as the larger Bosch Purion and it isn’t removable, you get fewer menus and readouts and there’s no Micro USB port built in for charging (just for diagnostics), but some shops can help you upgrade to the Intuvia if you want it
- Small gripe, but there is no kickstand here, but it does have kickstand provisions and it looks like they are mounted out of the way of the crank arm which is nice as that eliminates pedal lock when reversing
- There is no integrated lights here or a Monkey Link setup like some of the competitions bikes, so that seems like kind of a missed opportunity given the strength of the PowerTube 500, however, they do offer a proprietary water bottle
- No fenders, rack, or bottle cage bosses are present, but this is common with all mountain bikes such as this
- I do wish the battery was interchangeable like the previous Bosch battery interface, the PowerPack system, with this system, they are a little more specific to each bike so it makes getting a replacement or sharing batteries harder
Resources:
Ben
5 years agoAnxiously awaiting the 2020 Haibike models, with either the TQ motor or the updated Bosch motors that don’t force you to choose between torque and top end speed and don’t drag you down when you’re able to pedal faster than the motor can assist. A LBS that carries these currently steers people towards the Yamaha powertrained versions due to the current Bosch usability issues.
ReplyOmar
5 years agoBase upon the spec of the tires. Can one upgrade to a 29er Wheelset? And if so what impact would that have performance of the bike?
ReplyCourt
5 years agoHi Omar! I have seen a few plus sized ebikes that allow 29ers, but this review was shot a while back and I don’t have access to it to double check. I’m sorry! Maybe call a shop that carries Haibike just to be sure :D
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