EBike market: Young, wild, uncompromising, Haibike SDuro - the Lower Franconian bicycle manufacturer is presenting its new ePerformance line. The new collection will include twelve eMountain bikes, one trekking bike and one cross bike, all driven by a powerful Yamaha motor with 70 Nm of torque, double chain ring and zero-cadence support, which provides support from the first turn of the crank. Ideally matched components, a fresh design and an unbeatable price also make the new SDuros interesting for a young target group. The highlight of the collection is the SDuro AllMtn Pro, the first eBike that draws energy and sensors for the electronic suspension control (e:i shock) from the existing Yamaha drive.
"Say hello to the new SDuro" This was the motto under which Haibike presented the new ePerformance collection to a select specialist audience on July 19, 2014 in Schweinfurt. The line completes the XDuroseries in terms of technical innovations, possible uses and price points, from the entry class to the high-end area. And with that, Haibike is once again asserting its pioneering role in the eBike segment: "An ever more differentiated market requires the product range to be rounded off in order to be able to offer attractive new target groups an offer in a region that is affordable for them without having to compromise on performance.", says Susanne Puello, Managing Director of Winora Group.
Photo: Christoph Bayer.
With the SDuros, Haibike primarily serves young, dynamic mountain bikers who enjoy fast off-road slopes but also want to use the bike for everyday rides.
Accordingly, the bikes are a mixture of powerful performance and cool design, without sacrificing innovation. “The new SDuro line offers sporty eBikes with the uncompromising performance that is typical of Haibike. It is aimed specifically at drivers who are looking for a dynamic driving experience.", says Christian Malik, Senior Product Manager at Haibike.
Photo: Christoph Bayer.
Accordingly, during development, careful attention was paid to a balance of high-quality, high-performance components and a reasonable retail price. Haibike offers SDuro models starting at just €1.999 Euro.
Photo: Christoph Bayer.
Powered by Yamaha
For the SDuros, Haibike is using a drive system from Yamaha for the first time. The Japanese manufacturer is considered a pioneer of eBike drives and has been producing in large series since 1993.
“With Yamaha we have found a perfect partner for our SDuros. Because the engines convince above all with very good performance values and a high standard of performance suitability"., explains Felix Puello, Head of Product Management at Haibike. In addition, model-dependent software adjustments are possible with the Yamaha system for the first time.
Photo: Christoph Bayer.
Photo: Christoph Bayer.
All SDuros use a powerful and reliable mid-engine with a maximum torque of 70 Nm, which supports the driver with the first turn of the crank. The so-called zero-cadence support is a great advantage, for example, in difficult, slow-moving passages. The possibility of using two chainrings on the front crankset increases the off-road suitability even further.
Thanks to the so-called Gravity Casting Interface (GCI), the engine is completely enclosed by the frame. The removable and replaceable SkidPlate protects the drive during tough operations in rough terrain.
Photo: Christoph Bayer.
The Yamaha Li-Ion battery, harmoniously integrated into the frame, has a capacity of 400Wh. The battery can be charged, locked or removed directly on the SDURO. Thanks to the lateral removal, the battery can also be used in the smallest frame sizes, such as the 35 cm hardtail and 40 cm fully. The compact design and low weight of just 6,4 kilograms round off the Yamaha drive package.
Exciting: the Yamaha battery can be removed to the side. The display is large, tidy and shows a lot of useful data.
The driver has everything in view thanks to the detachable, centrally positioned display. Thanks to an innovative holder system, the display position can be ideally adapted to the needs of the driver via two axes. Permanent backlighting enables legibility even in changing light conditions. With the remote controller, the driver controls all functions of the system from the handle: 4 driving modes, total and daily kilometers, clock and driving time, maximum, current and average speed.
This information can even be read when the display is removed. The built-in pushing aid is particularly practical in rough terrain - difficult passages on the mountain are easily mastered with the help of the control button on the remote control.
Photo: Christoph Bayer.
"The close exchange with Yamaha was the basis for many new ideas and important innovations for the creation of the SDURO line. As early as the research and development stage, we were able to mutually use the synergies of our two development departments.", explains Felix Puello. The kinematics were specially designed for the needs of an ePerformance Fullie.
In terms of riding characteristics, the SDuro is very much based on non-motorised fullies: the Yamaha system offers the possibility of installing a double chainring for the first time. "The double crank is a big step forward in the eBike sector in terms of gear ratio range and shifting comfort", says Ingo Beutner Senior R&D Engineer Haibike. "Previously, the translation bandwidth was around 327 percent, this has now been increased to 455 percent." For example, a suitable spider for two chainrings was developed together with the Japanese drive manufacturer.
The specially developed SDURO interface is the center of the mid-engine frame and has to fulfill various tasks. The central, load-bearing frame elements meet there and at the same time it serves as an interface to the new Yamaha drive. As with the XDuro, the Haibike engineers have used a casting process from motorcycle chassis construction: the so-called gravity casting process.
Negative molds made of pressed sand are stored in large molds, which are swiveled in precisely calculated axes after the aluminum-zinc alloy has been poured in. A uniform wall thickness of the cast part is achieved by gravity. After cooling, all components are individually checked for any inclusions or defects using X-rays. The resulting components are not only light but also extremely stable.
Photo: Christoph Bayer.
The tube set of the aluminum frame is manufactured using the proven hydroforming process. This technique allows material-friendly deformation and even wall thickness distribution. This creates significantly lighter and much more stable frames that allow for a more individual design language.
Special multi-purpose cable inlets also reach into the large frame opening, making it easier to lay and replace the cables. The openings are divided into two and cover all common cable and line types.
Even the industrial bearings have been reconsidered in the SDuro models: Only full complement industrial bearings, so-called High Force Bearings, which are specially designed for high loads, are used there. This avoids bearing damage that occurs quickly and extends the service life.
Washers or rings are also a thing of the past with the SDuro, because the development team did not use them at all. Instead, the manufacturing precision has been increased so that the frame parts are supported directly on the bearing seats and are only secured by screws or bolts. Complicated and time-consuming bearing changes and difficult assembly work are therefore superfluous.
All fullies have 142/12 millimeter thru-axles at the rear combined with a post mount for the rear brake for 180mm brake discs. This means that adapters are no longer necessary.
The SDuros all offer the option of retrofitting a rear stand. Fullies can also be used perfectly in everyday life.
The SDuro models
