Review Haibike Sduro Trekking 4.0 initial impression

Slartibartfast

Pedelecer
Jan 4, 2019
107
45
Haibike Sduro Trekking 4.0, purchased 10th of Jan 2018, mileage covered so far 59 (I would have done more, but it was -3.5 this morning!)

Modifications/additions: Toe clips, camera, panniers

Reviewer: Paul Rainbow

Purchased From: ebikes Direct in Bodiam. Collected it myself from ebikes fully built.

Purchase Price: You can get these between £1700-£1900, less if you are lucky, like I was.

Time Owned: 2 weeks, this is my initial impression before I get to used to it.

Local Terrain: Hilly, trafficy

Selling dealer: Ebikes Direct in Bodiam, Sussex. Got the feeling they are set up more for internet sales and delivering by courier. It is not a glamourous showroom by any means, and they are not sharp suited or trendy surf-dude type gurus, but just the middle age normal blokes that own it. Which is fine by me. They do have a display area and you can go for a spin on a bike. They were helpful, keen, and enthusiastic about the bikes, and it was OK as long as you don’t mind collecting it from a slightly grubby feeling warehouse.
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Strengths:

I purchased this bike as it not only looks great, but the demo felt like it had been hewn out of one piece of granite.

Big, chunky rear rack, nice wide tyres, good seating position. It has a chunky frame, not like a tank or a battleship, but maybe like a large ballerina.

Great LCD display, backlit and easy to use.

Flawless paintwork.

Quick off the mark and powerful up hills.

Feels really well built. Very Germanic.

Plus, it was on a Christmas promo so I got a great deal.

Grin factor, at least 11 out of 10.
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Weaknesses:

That feeling of solid build quality does not extend to the forks though. They just don’t feel that strong, with the front brake on it rocks a fair bit if you gently push the bike back and forth, the pistons in the fork housing can be seen to be moving ever so slightly. It feels like it needs tightening up, and is something I am going to check and talk to the supplier about. For a bike with an RRP of nearly £2500 when new I would have expected better.

Seat is not all the comfy, but that maybe because I have not got used to it yet.

Gears have a habit of delaying changing, so you click, there is a second or two (or more) before any reaction from behind. You really have to plan ahead as you don’t want it randomly changing when powering uphill. It may be user error, but I have been cycling for 45 years and never had that before. May be just set up, with the cable stretching as I am using it. For anyone old enough, it is almost like a Wilson pre-select gearbox on the old Routemasters (I’ll be impressed if anyone gets that!).

The Yamaha motor is very noisy, so much so it attracts attention as you are peddling up hill!

I find the gearing wrong. It needs a leggier gear for speed (30mph and your feet are whizzing around) and the gears 1, 2 and 3 cold easily be dealt with just one gear. I have learned to start off in 3rd, as otherwise I am whizzing through the lower gears before I have even put my other foot in the other peddle.
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Summary:

Don't get me wrong, this is a great bike and I love it. OK, so far it has a few niggles that need sorting, I suspect some of them is me getting used to it though. It’s more the fact I don’t want issues in the future having identified some weak areas now.

However, I love the bike and look for any excuse to go out. I peddle it more than I ever did my standard bike, and I am using it more regularly than my car!

I still get plenty of exercise as I am often peddling more than 15.5mph.

Would I recommend it? Yup, if you are after a trekking bike, have a good, close look at this one.

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Overall Rating (out of 10) :

Currently 7.5/10

PS - drive is being done at the moment, hence the state of it in the photo's!
 

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soundwave

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 23, 2015
15,973
6,292
the forks are imo coil spring and about as cheap as you can get but unless ur spending 5k plus you wont get decent forks like fox ect.
 

Slartibartfast

Pedelecer
Jan 4, 2019
107
45
I thought as much. I have an old Saracen MTB from Halfords that feel about the same as these though, and that is 12 years old!
 

soundwave

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 23, 2015
15,973
6,292
id have a look on ebay for some fox or rock shox forks just make sure the steerer tube is long enough or the same length as what you have as cheap coil forks suck ;)
 
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soundwave

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 23, 2015
15,973
6,292
 
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Slartibartfast

Pedelecer
Jan 4, 2019
107
45
Thanks for posting that video. Weight is not too much of an issue as I load up the bike anyway, and it's an ebike! But the movement is, as is the lack of shock absorption. Never occurred to me, but they are just springs with no real shock absorbers like the car.

Looks like I need to start saving more pennies! This ebike ownership is almost as bad as having a Land Rover Defender!
 

Pugliese

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jan 10, 2019
15
4
Good review Paul.

I test drove that bike at Bodiam 3 times over the past month and I came very close to buying, but like you found those front forks wanting, but I knew that I would be using over some rough stuff, so was super critical of this aspect. I then compared against some air shocks and chunkier tyres and decided an emtb was the better route for me.

I do however think that if you are mainly going on roads and light paths the Haibike Trekking is a great choice, at a really good price. Guys at the Bodiam shack were also super helpful and no pressure at all.

Just one thought, have you tried reducing the tyre pressure a bit, might help although may increase chances of punctures.
 

Slartibartfast

Pedelecer
Jan 4, 2019
107
45
I am more light tracks and roads, so ideal for me. I have found that the gears seemed to lag, not change gear, and suddenly block change after a delay in operating the gearchange - but it is operator error. If I ease up and give it a second for the spring to line the chain up it slots it beautifully. Using it like I would my standard non powered bike and the gear change is not good. Slowing things down and it is fine.

Agree with you about ebikes direct, excellent after sales as well. I have no regrets buying from them at all and would certainly recommend them.
 

Slartibartfast

Pedelecer
Jan 4, 2019
107
45
100 miles in, loving it. The bike feels wobblier than my other standard bikes (a racing bike and a mountain bike). By that I mean if you are peddling in a straight line you can get the bike to 'twitch' much easier than both of my other bikes. It's no real issue, I just need to be aware of it.

Got the gears set up and working better now, I just slow down my gear changing and soft peddle more on gear change.

One thing is missing on todays -6 peddle at 5.30am, a heater!

I am using it more than the car now for the short journies into town - and it is quicker! I am certainly using it much, much more than I ever used my standard bikes.
 

Pugliese

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jan 10, 2019
15
4
I am using it more than the car now for the short journies into town - and it is quicker! I am certainly using it much, much more than I ever used my standard bikes.
How are you securing it when in town?

I am still in that totally paranoid state of 'new bike owner' - spent 5 mins yeterday trying to open my D lock with the wrong key LOL!
 
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Slartibartfast

Pedelecer
Jan 4, 2019
107
45
How are you securing it when in town?

I am still in that totally paranoid state of 'new bike owner' - spent 5 mins yeterday trying to open my D lock with the wrong key LOL!
Still at that stage too! I am very precious about it and will ask hotels I have meetings in to take it inside, plus Tunbridge Wells multi storey car park has individual secure metal bike huts to put it in, and I have the top of the range and expensive Abus D lock with a loop for the front wheel. My wife has the same lock, so I know that one day there is going to be that inevitable 'wrong key' moment!

But yes, I am constantly hoping it is going to be OK when I get back!
 

Pugliese

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jan 10, 2019
15
4
Aha, the grey cages at Victoria Place, I know them well. Alas no such luxury in Hastings. Mind you at least you have the advantage of a subdued colour

Bike.jpg

As you can see it spent some time living indoors, but has now been relegated to the garage.

I think the answer is that as long as you insure it as new for old, follow the insurers security requirements, then just accept that if it gets stolen then you will get a new one. Mind you I do take the battery with me (to lessen the appeal/value and am taking it to Bedgbury to get it dirty and will leave it dirty so less conspicuous :)
 

Slartibartfast

Pedelecer
Jan 4, 2019
107
45
I take the battery and the screen off it. But I do like mine to be nice and clean! House insurance covers it as long as it is a named item, which it is...but that would not lessen my annoyance if if got stolen!
 

Pugliese

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jan 10, 2019
15
4
I remember now, the screen does come off easily on the Haibike - useful for a trekker.
Let's hope neither of us have need to claim!
 

Slartibartfast

Pedelecer
Jan 4, 2019
107
45
600 miles in and this is what I have done to it:

Replaced handlebar stalk with a taller one so I am more upright. I spend a majority of the time cycling in town so viewing forward is much better.
Put on toeclips. Much better!
Put a go pro camera on the front.
Put a soft gel seat cover over the seat.

Problems:
Mostly me not understanding electric bikes - thought it was too noisy, through the rear cogs where broken, though the gearchanges were faulty. All sorted quickly and with huge patience by e-bikes direct.

There are a few rattles appearing - the stand I have had to sort, and the rack needed foam in places, and tightening.

From new it did have a sticky front fork though. it was stick in the compressed position so it didn't work at all. This has now has been sorted makes it so much nicer to ride.

Other than that, I get on and go. Love it. I use it for transport into town instead of the car virtually all the time - if I have a customer within 5 miles of where I live I use the bike and it always gets positive comments. (any further takes up too much time). Furthest in one go was about 28 miles or so, still had at least half the charge left. And Tunbridge Wells is hilly!

The only thing I would say is that it is the tank of the bike world, there is nothing subtle about it so if you want an ebike that looks like a 'normal' bike and not one that looks like an urban fighter-moped on steroids, look elsewhere. But if you want an impressive, tough bike for commuting over potholes one day, doing forest tracks the next, or lugging a ton of shopping home, it's great.
 

Bobajob

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 1, 2019
313
140
Cornwall
I have 2019 trekking 6.0
Front forks are not bad I would say fine for the riding I am doing, road and trails but nothing like mountain tracks.
One gripe I would say is the non detachable Yamaha display.
The motor drag is more than a friends Bosch motored bike when above the 15.5mph.
Motor is noisy but so is the bosch cx
Brakes more than adequate for what I do
adjusted the gears as I had the double change the OP had experienced but good now.
The range of gears would get you home if you had a flat battery

Put on an adjustable handle bar post but will put on an extender when I find out how to make up hydraulic pipes as the front brake pipe is too short.
An old gits seat and now thinking of putting gel cover over that lol
I don't find the bike twitchy etc as someone has said.

I would like now in hindsight the ability to have the rear flashing light for daytime riding

All in all not a startling bike but I am more than pleased with its build and group set

Mind you only 300miles on the clock
 
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