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!
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.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
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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