If the mere thought of e-bikes makes that one vein in the middle of your forehead start to bulge, then I highly recommend you watch this Brandon Semenuk edit instead of reading any further. Why? Because today we're going to take a look at the Haibike Xduro AllMtn RX. It has 150mm of travel front and rear and rolls on 27.5" wheels.

The complete bike retails for $5900 and is spec'd with Fox suspension, a KS Lev dropper post, and Shimano XT components. The build also includes a Bosch motor and Li-Ion 36 Volt, 400 wh battery.

The Xduro AllMtn had 150mm of travel and a relatively steep 68 degree headtube angle. For comparison, the 140mm travel Specialized Turbo Levo has a 66.5 degree headtube angle.

The Xduro AllMtn had 150mm of travel and a relatively steep 68-degree headtube angle. For comparison, the 140mm travel Specialized Turbo Levo has a 66.5 degree headtube angle.​

Geometry

For something with the word all mountain in its name, the geometry is surprisingly conservative. For instance, the frame has a 68-degree head tube angle, which is almost two degrees steeper than most bikes in this category. It also has a much shorter reach and longer chainstays. To understand why a call to Haibike was in order.

According to their Senior R&D engineer in Germany, it's not fair to compare the geometry of traditional bikes to those of e-bikes. Due to the motor, electric bikes have longer rear ends. To compensate and ensure the bikes are still agile, Haibike positions the rider further back by shortening the top tube and using a slacker seat tube angle.

The Haibike geometry differs from traditional mountain bikes due to the position of the motor. To help compensate for the longer rear end, they use a shorter front-center to help centralize rider weight.

The Haibike geometry differs from traditional mountain bikes due to the position of the motor. To help compensate for the longer rear end, they use a shorter front-center to help centralize rider weight.​

While this may seem counterintuitive, it helps position the rider more centrally. This works because e-bikes are ridden differently than normal bikes. Due to the power assist, riders will spend the majority of their time in the saddle. Therefore the combination of a shorter top tube, slacker seatpost, longer head tube, etc. allow the rider to maintain the same upper body position on an e-bike as they would on a regular bike.

Where this philosophy breeds confusion is in regards to frame sizing. Rather than employing the conventional S/M/L format, Haibike uses frame heights. This is apparently common practice in Germany and indicates the length of the seat tube. In the future, they'll be moving to more traditional sizing, but for now, it's best to rely upon top tube length to gauge your size.

I ride medium frames that generally have a 23.5" (596mm) top tube. This placed me on Haibike's size 46mm frame which has a 22.8" (580mm) top tube. Their largest model has a 24.4" (620mm) top tube, so riders over 6 feet should definitely try before they buy.

Continue to page 2 to learn more about the Haibike Xduro AllMtn RX »

If your bike has a motor, be sure to check your local laws before heading out for a ride.

If your bike has a motor, be sure to check your local laws before heading out for a ride.​

On the Trail

Despite the curious e-bike specific geometry and sizing, if there's something I've learned over the years, it's that numbers and graphs don't always tell the full story. I never try to judge a bike's handling characteristics until I've ridden it.

To learn more about the Xduro, I met Haibike at an OHV park outside of Moab. In the past, I have ridden several urban and cargo electric bikes but had never experienced an e-MTB on real trails. The main problem, aside from a lack of desire, is that there's no place locally I can legally ride one. This is perhaps the biggest challenge that e-bikes currently face in the U.S., where trail access for normal mountain bikes is already a source of contention.

Back at the OHV park, these concerns were a non-issue. So a group of us ranging from pro level XC racers to desk jockeys (like myself) set out on a 40-mile ride with over 5000 feet of climbing. Normally on a day like this, I'd find myself at the back of the pack carefully conserving my energy and praying for the descent. Instead, I charged out to the front and was able to hold the wheel of much stronger riders.

This handlebar mount allows you to quickly switch between different levels of assistance.

This handlebar mount allows you to quickly switch between different levels of assistance.​

The e-bike is a great equalizer in terms of strength. You can vary the amount of assistance provided by the motor as you pedal, but once you reach 20mph the power tops out. That's okay on descents, but was a source of frustration on flat sections.

Because you have to be constantly pedaling in order to keep the power flowing, you will run into issues with pedal strike.

Because you have to be constantly pedaling in order to keep the power flowing, you will run into issues with pedal strike.​

The key to keeping the power flowing is short shifting. As long as you're spinning you can haul. It also creates a unique challenge when climbing because you need to be in the correct gear, maintain the appropriate cadence, and never stop pedaling. If you do stop, you lose the electric boost and may find yourself having to push a 50-pound bike uphill.

The Haibikes performed flawlessly for our entire group of riders, except for that one time I tried doubling up a rock face and landed hard enough to jar the motor. This caused the electric bike to shut down immediately and required a reboot. Ooops.

The Haibikes performed flawlessly for our entire group of riders, except for that one time I tried doubling up a rock face and landed hard enough to jar the motor. This caused the electric bike to shut down immediately and required a reboot. Sorry...​

As much fun as climbing is on an electric bike, my favorite aspect of mountain biking is descending. Despite the long chainstays and the weight, the Xduro was surprisingly easy to bunny hop and corner. Overall, it was very playful, but the front end felt too steep which lead to unpredictable and skittish handling at higher speeds.

Continue to page 3 to learn more about the Haibike Xduro AllMtn RX »

The FOX suspension was supple off the top but the stock shock tune wasn't progressive enough towards the end of the stroke.

The FOX suspension was supple off the top but the stock shock tune wasn't progressive enough towards the end of the stroke.​

With 20% sag front and rear, the suspension also felt soft and linear. Faster riders would certainly benefit from adding volume spacers to the fork and shock, or being able to adjust the high and low speed compression. A longer travel fork, angle set, or offset bushings could also be used to try and slacken things out.

Battery life from 400 wh battery pack was good, but riders seeking to go further should considering upgrading to a larger battery.

Battery life from 400 wh battery pack was good, but riders seeking to go further should considering upgrading to a larger battery.​

Battery Life

No e-bike review would be complete without mentioning battery life. This will vary depending on a number of factors, including terrain, rider weight, and assist levels. I weigh around 150 pounds geared up and spent the majority of my ride in the middle-to-higher assist settings. Without worrying too much about conserving energy, I was able to eek out almost 30 miles with around 3500 feet of climbing before swapping batteries. In the eco mode, several riders in our group were able to complete the entire 40-mile loop on one battery - albeit just barely.

The e-bike market is still in it's infancy here in the United States, but we expect the competition to heat up in the coming years.

The e-bike market is still in it's infancy here in the U.S., but we expect the competition to heat up in the coming years.​

Conclusion

If you're in the e-bike market and looking for a high-end full suspension mountain bike, there are a limited number of options. Until brands such as Giant, Trek, and others see fit to bring their electric models to the U.S., Haibike's lineup offers some of the best value for your dollar. The German brand not only has one of the widest product offerings, but provides an excellent warranty, which covers frames for fives years and batteries for two.

The e-bike market is still in it's infancy, but there's no excuse for this terrible cable routing.

There's no excuse for this terrible cable routing.​

My complaint is that their bikes seem better suited for novice and intermediate riders due to geometry and suspension. Compared to the market leader, the Specialized Turbo Levo, the Xduro is heavy, loud, has clunky cable routing, and questionable product spec. The average tourist on vacation won't notice these deficiencies, but they are glaring issues for any rider who enjoys going fast.

Before you make a judgment on call regarding e-bikes, you should give it a try. They're damn fun.

Before you make a judgment call on e-bikes, you should give it a try. They're damn fun.​

That said, the Xduro was a lot of fun. If I were visiting a resort with a group of friends who didn't ride, I wouldn't hesitate to rent one. It would also be the perfect rig for my dad or as a "share" bike for beginners who might otherwise struggle to keep up.

For more information, visit www.haibike.de.