Haibike are big in Germany, and are now aiming to make an impression on the UK bike market with their well-specced road bikes and electric assist mountain bikes. We’ve already covered their conventional 2013 mountain bikes but here’s a sneak peek at some of the rest of their range.
Road bikes
Haibike are using the lightweight carbon formula with their road models, all of which are made from the black wonder weave.
For £1,400 you can purchase the Challenge SL, which comes with Haibike’s unidirectional carbon monocoque frameset and tapered steerer fork. A mix of Shimano parts makes up the groupset, with 105 shifters and mechs, an R565 chainset and Tiagra chain and cassette. Mavic are the partners for the rolling stock, with Aksium wheels and Aksion tyres. Haibike’s in-house brand XLC take care of the finishing kit.
Next in line is the £1,650 Challenge RC, with a largely Ultegra-based groupset. However, the Challenge RX looks like the real steal – for £2,500 its carbon frame comes equipped with Ultegra Di2. Once again using Mavic Aksium wheels and XLC finishing kit, the RX weighs in at 8kg (17.7lb).
The Di2 battery sits under the bottom bracket
Moving up a notch gets you to the Affair framesets. These use a higher grade of carbon than the Challenges, with the high modulus material lowering weight and improving stiffness.
The range-topping Affair RC will set you back £4,000, but for that you do get the upgraded frame, a full Ultegra Di2 groupset and Ultegra wheels. At 6.7kg (14.8lb) it’s a light bike. However, if you’re willing to give away 300g you could look at the £2,600 Affair SL, with mechanical Ultegra and Mavic Ksyrium wheels.
Electric assist MTBs
Over in Germany, e-MTBs are a massively growing market – there’s even a cross-country race series for those who like to play with a little more horsepower than their legs alone can produce.
All the bikes in Haibike’s e-MTB range, known as 'Xduro', use a 250W Bosch drive unit, attached upside down in the frame to optimise clearance and geometry. The motor assists your pedalling, so you still have to put in some leg work. However, it should make getting the bikes’ considerable weight up the hill a lot easier than it should be!
The Xduro range is broken up into three categories – full suspension 26in-wheeled machines, hardtail 26ers, and hardtail 29ers.
The Xduro RC 29er hardtail comes with a 400Wh battery and can hit speeds of up to 25kmh. With a high-quality parts list including Fox 32 CTD fork, Magura MT 2 brakes and Shimano gearing, this is a serious bike.
The full suspension Xduro bikes run on 26in wheels, with the SL coming equipped with a 300Wh battery and the All Mountain sporting a 400Wh battery. Both can be propelled to 25kmh.
A four-bar linkage rear suspension design on this full suspension Xduro
Once again, high quality components are used, with the SL coming with a RockShox Recon fork and an SLX/Deore groupset. Bolt-through axles are used front and rear to add stiffness, and the frame features a four-bar linkage suspension design.
The All Mountain is the top bike in the e-MTB range, and is dripping with top spec components, from CrankBros Cobalt wheels to a Fox 32 CTD fork. Shimano XT provides the gearing and Magura MT 4s scrub off the speed.
See www.haibike.de and the Raleigh website for more information.
