E-mountain bikes: Haibike SDURO FullSeven 8.0 – fun trail e-bike with reserves

Test: In the minds of most cyclists, Haibike is the number one brand for e-mountain bikes. The Schweinfurt-based company has earned this status by co-founding the e-mountain bike category. We tested the 2018 Haibike SDURO FullSeven 8.0.

The Haibike brand, which was founded in 1995 and is part of the Winora Group, has established itself in the EMTB sector with the ancestor of electrified mountain bikes, the eQ XDURO, which was presented in 2010. The model range grew and grew and was expanded in 2014 with the SDURO model series, which has always been equipped with Yamaha drives. In the same year, the SDURO HardNine SL was also named the most important eBike in the German specialist trade, an accolade.

The legendary SDURO series from Haibike now offers a wide range of EMTB models with 120mm travel and 27,5" (650B) wheels from narrow to wide to choose from. We were allowed to test the current Haibike SDURO FullSeven 8.0, which is located in the upper third of the SDURO series.

Modern geometry with technologies from motorcycling!

The SDURO series starts with the SDURO FullSeven 5.0 at a RRP of 2899 Euro and goes up to a RRP of 4999 Euro with the SDURO FullSeven 10.0. The Haibike SDURO FullSeven 8.0 we tested has a recommended retail price of €4299 and is available in matte silver, orange, and olive. Four different frame sizes, from S to M to L to XL, are offered, so there should be a suitable frame for (almost) all body sizes. We tested frame size L with a body height of 180cm, which was a perfect fit. 120mm of suspension travel at the front and rear is ideal for an e-tourer; the inherent damping of the 27,5" Plus tires even increases this travel slightly.

The heart of the framework is the GravityCasting Interface. This casting technology, adapted from motorcycling, connects the drive, damper and the rest of the frame in a stable and light manner. An M12 148mm, i.e. Boost, thru-axle on the rear wheel holds the wheel on the aluminum 6061 frame with the four-joint rear triangle system. A Rock Shox Deluxe RT air damper is almost hidden in this rear triangle.

Unfortunately, due to this integrated design, the adjustment ring and the SAG scale are very difficult to read, but the driving impression confirms the concept again. The SR Suntour Aion 35 LO-R lockout suspension fork, which is mounted on the front, also has a boost plug-in front axle, which offers enough space for the built-in plus tires. Post-mount brake standard and a tapered head tube round off the standard interfaces.

A 67° head tube angle and 74° seat tube angle invite you to touring on the flat, comfortable uphills and moderately difficult downhills. Thanks to the compact rear end with a chainstay length of 455mm and a top tube length of 590mm, the Haibike SDURO FullSeven 8.0 is manoeuvrable and agile on the trail. Nevertheless, a wheelbase of 1183mm conveys sufficient safety and driving stability, even on faster downhill passages.

The bottom bracket has been lowered by -25mm in relation to the axles and still offers enough free space on the motor for rockier and more technical trail sections. The Yamaha motor is additionally protected by the Haibike SkidPlate, a light but still effective protection made of impact-resistant plastic.

The Haibike SDURO FullSeven 8.0 is extensively equipped

The cockpit of an EMTB is usually always a bit fuller than that of a muscle-powered bicycle. However, the 740mm wide Haibike Components TheBar++ handlebar of the SDURO FullSeven 8.0 is already very full. From left: brake lever, front derailleur trigger, drive control, display, seat post lever, rear derailleur trigger and another brake lever. This extensive equipment does not leave much space or many options for the individual arrangement of the control units, but the angles can be easily and independently adjusted.

The stem, a Haibike Components TheSem++, is inclined by 6° and accommodates all common handlebars with a diameter of 31,8mm. In addition to the stem and handlebars, many attachments are made and labeled by and for Haibike, including the grips, the crank and the wheel hubs. The latter are centered on the eyeleted aluminum Tryp 35 rims by RODI using DT Swiss Industry spokes. These are in turn fitted with Schwalbe's Nobby Nic Evo SnakeSkin Addix tires with a width of 2,8 inches.

The 23,1kg EMTB is decelerated by a Magura MT4 brake system with a 203mm disc on the front axle and a 180mm disc on the rear axle. The total of four pistons (2 front, 2 rear) of the brake system are, as the later test also showed, with a system weight of over 100kg in our case, not generously dimensioned. In technical and fast passages, enormous effort is required to slow down the bike and rider. With a permissible system weight of 120 kilos, we would wish for more power here. Why not, for example, an MT Trail Sport with four pistons at the front?

What was striking about our test bike was the very short brake line, which could tear off if the handlebars were twisted (e.g. due to a fall). However, we do not know such an assembly condition from other Haibike bikes and this is probably an isolated case, we got the bike very early in the season.

The potent trail bike is powered by a Yamaha PW-X system with 250 watts of power and a torque of 80 Newton meters. The drive is powered by a Yamaha lithium-ion battery with 500 Wh, which according to the manufacturer is fully charged in 3,5 hours with the Yamaha 4A quick charger. Everything is clearly visible on the display and the Select button can be used to conveniently switch between the individual pieces of information.

From the SDURO FullSeven 8.0, the Yamaha system is also supplied with the Haibike eConnect function. This makes it possible to read significantly more information via Bluetooth and smartphone app. In order to bring the power of the engine to the trail with the right gear ratio, depending on the situation, a 34 and 44 leaf FSA aluminum chain ring are linked by a Shimano Deore M6000 Rapidfire front derailleur. On the rear axle, the KMC X10e chain is pivoted using a Shimano Deore XT M786 Shadow Plus rear derailleur via the SunRace CSMS2 cassette with a range of 11-40 teeth.

Finally, you make yourself comfortable on a Selle Royal Rampage saddle, which is mounted on an XLC AllMtn Temote telescopic support. The stroke of 125mm is sufficient for the trail rider and offers enough freedom when the saddle is lowered. The Haibike SDURO FullSeven 8.0 is delivered with simple but functional aluminum platform pedals. So the EMTB is pretty well equipped all around, in addition to the brakes, which are too small for heavier riders, you can only deduct a small point in the aesthetics, due to the externally routed cable routing for the seat post and the external routing on the rear triangle. A small plus is the fender on the front wheel, which is already installed ex works, so that the face remains as dirt-free as possible even in muddy conditions.

Grinning uphill, fun downhill!

Plug the battery into the socket, fully charge and hit the trail. The Yamaha drive handles the first few kilometers over tar and forest roads with a slight incline in a playful way. Even level 2 of 5 (Eco) was enough here to make progress at a speed of 25 and with reasonable effort. The lock at 25 km/h is gentle and the loss of support was hardly noticeable - except for increased effort. Even without assistance, the bike moved forward well, but there was always a slight resistance from the motor.

When the first trail meters opened up in front of us, we quickly switched to level 5 of 5 (Exp). The steeper it got, the bigger the grin on my face got. Up to our ears, almost laughing, we played our way up the 6 kilometers and 450 meters in altitude and were done in a record-breaking 15 minutes. However, the battery status quickly brought the euphoria to a halt. After a total of 12 kilometers and 150 meters in altitude, 40% had already been used up. House keeping was the order of the day. However, the moderately steep climbs could also be mastered without sacrificing fun with level 3 or 4 (hours or high).

Starting uphill went smoothly in the different support levels and the Yamaha PW-X was immediately present and provided plenty of propulsion. The geometry as well as the overall handling cut a good figure in this section of the route, which was also steeper at times, and are ideally suited to trail use.

Single trail ahoy! After the almost gone uphill, it's downhill. Narrow trails with partly loose ground, where the grip and agility of the Haibike SDURO FullSeven 8.0 pay off. The 2.8 inch wide tires clawed into the loose ground. The bike also circled through technical and narrow passages without any problems, without demanding the highest level of technical ability from the driver. Only in the more exposed sections was there concern about the low motor/bottom bracket height, but the built-in protection fully served its purpose here. In fast passages, the bike still conveys sufficient security and directional stability, for racers or those who want to become one it will probably be too little.

As mentioned before, we noticed that the deceleration was simply not enough during long or hard braking manoeuvres. It takes an enormous amount of effort to bring the bike, with its system weight of more than 100 kg (incl. rider), to a standstill. If the "small" Magura brakes were already installed, alternative brake pads could have been used here. With an economical driving style and enough residual power, after the downhill it's another short but crisp 150 meters uphill and back to the editorial office through flowing single trails.

Short climbs followed by short descents demanded drive and rear derailleur. Shifting was clean and reliable with no major incidents. Thanks to the Shadow Plus technology, the chain didn't clatter too much, even when going through roots. After a total of 28 kilometers and 800 meters in altitude, mostly with full support, the battery is empty. The range can be significantly increased by choosing lower support modes. In the approximately 200 test kilometers through the hilly landscape of the Bavarian Forest, we had to connect the bike to the mains five times to charge it.