Haibike is a high end German bicycle manufacturer which is part of the Accell group, a Dutch holding company that also owns Currie Technologies (IZIP, eZip and eFlow). They offer a range of mountain and cross country style electric bikes that utilize midmount or mid-drive motor systems. The Haibike XDURO AMT Pro is their top of the line offering with full suspension, ultralight components and an upgraded 350 watt motor and battery system by Bosch. This bike is a strong performer in off road settings with seamless motor control and balanced weight distribution.
Driving the All Mountain Pro is 350 watt mid-drive motor system that senses both pedal cadence and torque to support, rather than drive, the bike in a natural way. Riding this bike truly feels natural and rarely steps out of control. This is quite the achievement because so many other ebikes focus on powering the rider instead of complimenting them. As you could imagine, this is incredibly important in delicate riding situations that one might encounter in off road settings. While bikes like the Easy Motion Neo Jumper and others offer similar power and suspension I’ve often found myself working with the brakes to finely tune motor feedback (brake activation cuts motor output on ebikes). In this way I was able to manage the ride but it required more thoughtful piloting vs. the Xduro AMT Pro and other Bosch driven bikes that respond much more quickly and automatically.
A motor can only perform as well as the battery powering it and the XDURO AMT Pro leverages a 36 volt 11 amp hour cell that provides great range and stays out of the way. The battery pack is removable and sits right where a water bottle might otherwise live on a traditional mountain bike. The one downside here is that there are no water bottle mounting holes in the downtube. Pack that CamelBak! The battery fits seamlessly, won’t hit your feet when pedaling and keeps the center of gravity low. The packs are replaceable and in my experience, if you completely run out of juice or decide to take the pack off the bike still rides very well.
There are lots of high end components working together to make this bike feel special. From the adjustable front and rear Fox shocks to the oversized Avid X.0 disc brakes, Crank Brothers Iodine 3 wheelset (that looks amazing) and remotely adjustable seat post that lets you instantly switch from climbing position to hill bombing or air catching position this bike screams quality. While you only get 11 gears to choose from, in my experience this has been plenty given the electric assist. The Haibike AMT Pro (and other Bosch systems) only offers one front cog and this is where the motor applies force. The negative here is fewer pedal settings when compared with multiple front rings but the upside is that this allows the chain to be tighter and helps to avoid drops. In fact, the Haibike features a pully and guide ring above the front ring that elevates the chain over the chainstay avoiding slaps on the frame and making gear shifting easier. This pulley and the front ring even include built in guides to keep the chain secure. It’s a great system that is quiet, safe and still powerful.
One of the biggest benefits of any middrive electric bike is that changing tires and flats or fixing wheels becomes much easier than on an ebike with a hub motor. The AMT Pro is easy to service and parts are interchangeable with normal non-electric bikes. The other interesting benefit here is that the suspension handles as intended. When you add a six pound rear hub motor to an electric bike, especially one with rear suspension, the rebound changes because there is more weight and thus inertia when riding. This is avoided completely by the Bosch system and yet shifting gears remains relatively unchanged. Any mid-drive system is going to add extra stress to the chain and rear cassette due to the added force of the motor pulling but the speed with which this system starts and stops lets you as a rider be more delicate when shifting and thus more natural, prolonging the life of the components.
If it isn’t obvious, I’m a huge fan of this bike and the motor system powering it. $7,800 is a lot to spend for any bike but you truly get what you pay for here and this is one of the most natural electric mountain bikes I’ve ever ridden. I love the large LCD unit with control switches broken out to be right next to your hand when riding. You get all the standard info such as speed, distance and battery capacity but you also get a special “range” display that dynamically estimates how far you can go if use continues at the same rate. While this bike doesn’t offer drive speeds in excess of 20 miles per hour with this bike, that’s perfectly fine for mountain biking where handling weight are more important. This bike would be perfect for riders looking to go further on trails, keep up with friends who get out more or just be easier on your knees in the uphill sections. It’s a ton of fun and in my opinion, the future of ebike technology.
Pros:
- Battery is removable for charging off the bike
- Super high end components, Crank Brother’s wheelset, Fox shocks, SRAM X01 shifters cassette and derailleur
- Light weight at just over 46 pounds
- Remotely adjustable seat post for climbing or bombing hills (high for climbing, low for riding down or taking jumps to avoid contact)
- Bosch drive system is ultra responsive, creates less strain on components when shifting gears and makes climbing hills feel natural
- Info button and up/down pedal assist buttons are located next to the grip making them easy to use
Cons:
- No water bottle cage mounting points
- No trigger or twist throttle mode, pedal assist only
- Top speed of 20 miles per hour vs. some 28mph pedal assist bikes
Resources:
- Official Site: http://www.currietech.com/haibike/
- More Pictures: https://goo.gl/photos/V4EvnbGgfJsvp5Vs5
Larry Pizzi says
Thanks for the fantastic review Court.
Just a few things that I thought I should point out; The Gen2 Bosch system will be exactly the same on a range of Haibike Xduro mountain bikes that range in price from $4,000 to over $8,000. The cost difference is related to the standard bike components. The AMT RX, same full suspension 150mm font and rear travel is $5500, a 120mm travel cross country bike for $4900 and a 29er hard tail at $4000.
Regarding the Cons; 1) WB bosses are not common of FS Mountain bike and commonly riders use hydration packs like a Camelback, 2) Yes, no throttle but in Turbo mode (most powerful) light pedaling is as good as a throttle, 3) 20mph (32kph) is plenty fast, especially in an off road environment, IMHO. Actually the EU standard is 25kph, top speed which is actually fine for off-road.
Hope that helps to clarify things for those reading the review and again, thank you for the great coverage.
Best,
Larry
John says
Lol buy a bafang bbshd 1000w and a 52v 25 AH battery, slap it on any decent MTB and dominate this overpriced garbage.
Court Rye says
In my experience the Bosch system is much more responsive than a BBS02 unit which is critical for precision trail riding. Both are fun in their own right but the BBSHD 1000 watt unit is illegal on all public trails and paths (except for some areas of Texas). A closer comparison would be the BBS02 500 or 750 which are fun but still lack shift sensing, hang much lower on the frame, expose wires, don’t have a removable display panel which can be useful for bombing down after big climbs (if you’re concerned about falling).