Test: At a price of well under €1.500, the Haro Shift R3 is a 120mm fully that costs less than some suspension forks or wheelsets. We put the bike to the test on the trails around Lake Garda - and we were surprised.
Mountain biking is an expensive hobby. You can easily pay €1.000 for a modern hardtail, while double or more is quickly due for a fully. Of course, there is also a cheaper way: Unfortunately, these inexpensive bikes are often not suitable for sporting use, especially not in demanding terrain. A dilemma for beginners of all ages: Either spend a lot of money without having the certainty of staying with this sport in the long term. Or save on the purchase and nip any fun in the bud due to defective material.
Now and then, however, there are these wheels that are able to solve the dilemma mentioned. US manufacturer Haro promises to have just such a thing in its range with the Shift R3. For an RRP of just €1.349 (until the end of May for less than €1.200 directly from Haro!) there is a 120mm fully with a very reasonable and suitable equipment - in addition, a stable frame is promised, which can also withstand loads beyond what it is for a 120mm fully is designed to withstand.
As part of the Riva Bike Festival, we borrowed a Haro Shift R3 test bike to test it in the material-intensive and extremely demanding terrain around Lake Garda. Even on the notorious #601, the cheap fully had to prove itself.
Haro Shift R3 – The frame
The frame of the Shift R3 is made of solid aluminum and uses a classic four-bar linkage at the rear. You have to do without extravagance in this price range, but the workmanship is consistently solid to high quality, even the cables and lines run completely inside the frame. The frame is designed for 27,5″ wheels and the hubs have space for the modern Boost standard. Speaking of space: the Shift R3 comes standard with 2,25″ wide tires, but the rear end also offers space for 2,35 or 2,4″.
Even though our test bike was equipped with a 1-speed drive, the frame also offers the option of mounting a front derailleur with the appropriate cable routing. We really liked details such as the adapted and integrated chainstay protection, which is certainly not a matter of course in this price range.
Overall, the geometry of the Haro Shift R3 is quite modern – with one exception: the steering angle. At 68,5°, this is steeper than many modern marathon bikes and should not necessarily be conducive to smooth running. However, the other dimensions are state-of-the-art: the main frame is nice and long and offers enough freedom of movement, the seat tube is not too long.
Geometry Haro Shift R3
XS | S | M | L | |
seat tube (in mm) | 368 | 406 | 457 | 520 |
Top tube horizontal (in mm) | 565 | 585 | 615 | 630 |
head tube (in mm) | 100 | 110 | 120 | 130 |
chainstay (in mm) | 440 | 440 | 440 | 440 |
Wheelbase (in mm) | 1101 | 1123 | 1159 | 1179 |
Steering angle (in °) | 68 | 68.5 | 68.5 | 68.5 |
Seat angle (in °) | 75 | 75 | 75 | 75 |
Reach (mm) | 390 | 413 | 445 | 461 |
Stacks (in mm) | 582 | 593 | 603 | 612 |
Haro Shift R3 – The equipment
frame | 6061-T6 Alloy |
suspension fork | RockShox Judy Silver 120mm |
Suspension shocks | RockShox Monarch R |
Wheels | Pivit Boost / Weinmann U-26 |
Tire VR | Kenda Honey Badger 2,2 |
Tire HR | Kenda Honey Badger 2,2 |
derailleur | Shimano Deore M6000 |
Gear levers | Shimano Deore M6000 |
Crank | Suntour Zeron Boost 30t |
Front derailleur | without |
Brake | Shimano M365 |
Brake discs | 180 / 160mm |
Seat post | Pivit Alloy 31.6 |
Saddle | WTB Rocket Sports |
Stem | Pivit Alloy 55mm |
Links | Pivit Alloy 720mm |
Sure, in view of the low price you have to make compromises when it comes to the equipment of the Haro Fully. But the trick is to save in the right places. The RockShox chassis, consisting of the Monarch R damper in the rear and the Judy Silver fork in the front, is many times better than what you usually get on full-suspension bikes in this price range. Of course, the damping of the Judy, for example, is rather simple, and because of the 32mm stanchions, it is also not a miracle of stiffness - but both should not be too important, especially for beginners.
As already mentioned, a solution without a front derailleur is used for the drive – also unusual in this price range. The new M6000 Deore group with the 11-42 cassette and the new Suntour Zeron crank with a 30t chainring are used. So you don't get a bandwidth miracle, but the cassette should be sufficient for most terrain, especially since you should also be able to conquer steeper climbs with the 30 chainring. Always better than a cheap drive with a rattling and poorly functioning front derailleur.
The brakes also come from Shimano and here we have to turn up our noses a bit: The M365 is one of the cheapest hydraulic brakes from the Japanese and is otherwise more at home in the trekking sector. With 180mm at the front and 160mm at the rear, you choose the usual sizes for touring fullies, which, however, do not offer too much leeway in terms of braking power and resistance to fading.
With a width of 25mm, the rims offer enough support even for slightly wider tires. The latter come from Kenda on the Shift R3. The Honey Badger is a well-known all-rounder that seems well chosen for a bike in this travel class. OEM parts from Pivit are trusted for the cockpit: the stem is nice and short at 55mm, but the handlebars are pretty short at 720mm. Larger drivers in particular will probably have to improve here. In contrast to the series, our test bike was also equipped with a 100mm dropper post. We would recommend this upgrade to any buyer who wants to hit the trails regularly, especially since there are now suitable dropper posts for around €150.
Haro Shift R3 - On the trail
Admittedly, we didn't really know what to expect from the Shift R3 on the trail. In the difficult terrain around Lake Garda, we gradually approached ever-increasing challenges for riders and bikes. Despite its rather high weight, the bike performed more than decently on the climbs. The four-bar rear triangle is efficient, at the latest after actuating the damper lockout there is complete silence, even with regard to bobbing.
The seating position is quite modern - you sit quite centrally on the bike and with the saddle lowered you have plenty of room to shift your body weight. That was also necessary, because after a short palpation it got serious and we took the first rocky and blocked trail under our wheels. The Haro did surprisingly well here, the chassis was nice and active and even invited to play a little. Unfortunately, the steep front had a negative impact quite early on, which made the bike a bit nervous at high speeds. The narrow handlebars also played their part here: Beginners should definitely try a wider model.
On the other hand, there was absolutely nothing to complain about with the drive, which worked very well and was in no way inferior to that of much more expensive bikes. The fact that you have to cut back on the bandwidth didn't matter too much to us: With the lowest gear of 30-42t you have reserves for steep ramps, downhill you can "only" pedal effectively up to 30km/h, but who needs it on an MTB seriously more?
On longer descents, the brakes also reached their limits and the manual effort required increased. We were pleasantly surprised by the very stiff frame, which never felt unsafe and gave enough security even when jumping. In view of the very positive impression we had of the Shift R3 during our test, the 120mm bike was even allowed to let off steam on the infamous 601 trail at the end.
High steps, countless rocks, loose scree: even one or the other enduro bike reaches its limits here. The Haro was definitely at the limit here, but always remained manageable - even if it certainly requires a suitably experienced driver. However, the most important finding at the end: Even after these hardships, we could not find any play on the frame or any damage.
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