Here is a new thread to bring discussions, service bulletins, and thoughts on Haibike models eQ Trekking (road e-bike) and eQ XDuro (mountain e-bike) all together under one heading.

I don't think it'll be long before everybody will be fitting aftermarket sprockets so that they'll all be riding round on their Haibikes at 20 mph, Sould be a very easy modification.

 

Hi d8veh, Haibike use a simple hall effect sensor picking up change in magnetic flux as permanent magnet attached to a rear wheel spoke passes it. Final drive sprocket size has no bearing on max speed.

 

Rgds,

 

James

I'm suspicious of the quoted weight of that bike Eddie, I suspect its without batery...

 

Not so NRG,

 

The all-up weight is 20.4kg

 

Rgds,

James

Fair enough James, so many bikes top out at 25Kg its good to see weights closer to 20Kg although there's still some way to go when compared to BH and Cytronex bikes.

Fair enough James, so many bikes top out at 25Kg its good to see weights closer to 20Kg although there's still some way to go when compared to BH and Cytronex bikes.

 

not really comparable? cytronex NO suspension Haibike FULL suspension - and still 20 kg remarkable I think.....

 

 

James: I would like to know. does the Bosch system require any special servicing requirements. and your service package can it be over 24 months? IE one yearly service??

 

EDIT:

I see that you have partially answered this on another thread and answer is NO. but can you please tell without sermonising, does the Bosch system have any special service requirements and if so how often?

Edited May 10, 201114 yr by eddieo

Hi d8veh, Haibike use a simple hall effect sensor picking up change in magnetic flux as permanent magnet attached to a rear wheel spoke passes it. Final drive sprocket size has no bearing on max speed.

 

Rgds,

 

James

 

Good. That makes it easier to adjust the speed, with an electronic device for about a fiver. Should be able to make it with adjustable speed limit. Let's see who's first to get one on Ebay

I knew some body would get it!

 

Interestingly, if you remove the sender the Haibike goes into "safe" or "getyouhome" mode (low assistance).

not really comparable? cytronex NO suspension Haibike FULL suspension - and still 20 kg remarkable I think.....

 

 

James: I would like to know. does the Bosch system require any special servicing requirements. and your service package can it be over 24 months? IE one yearly service??

 

EDIT:

I see that you have partially answered this on another thread and answer is NO. but can you please tell without sermonising, does the Bosch system have any special service requirements and if so how often?

 

Hi Eddieo,

 

Do bear in mind that the £199 Silver service includes evening and weekend delivery by our staff in our vehicles, so its not all about onsite servicing costs.

 

Re service: We're talking about the drive unit only here. As far as I know there are no special servicing requirements. Its built using modular sealed components so if something fails its a simple component swap. No grease nipples, no adjustments or tuning. It's of note (but not worth climbing the pulpit steps ) that the final drive is via the chain wheel, not via an over worked 9 or 11 tooth sprocket like the Panasonic. In our Flyer days these things were fast waring parts.

 

Rgds,

 

James

Edited May 10, 201114 yr by james@justebikes.co.uk

James,

 

Any discount available for members of Pedelecs? (hey, don't ask, don't get) :-)

 

Yes eTim, give me a ring to discuss (haven't thought this through yet so won't commit details here)

 

James

 

Mobi: 07964 352 771

Yes eTim, give me a ring to discuss (haven't thought this through yet so won't commit details here)

 

James

 

Mobi: 07964 352 771

 

 

 

The Haibike seems to have generated quite a bit of excitement in this forum but I'm not altogether sure why that should be.

 

It's interesting, (and very welcome) that there may be a discount available for forum members on a very recently marketed product pitched on to the scene with an enormous price tag. In reality, I suspect there will be very few takers amongst forum members, simply because of the "premium" price of the product.

 

I do find it rather difficult to rationalise ebikes costing over 2 grand, even more so when they're closer to 3 grand than 2 but I can understand it if the technology is such that the product moves the game on to a higher level. Now I haven't ridden the bikes and still haven't seen one other than in pictures, so I'll need some convincing that the Bosch-powered system, allied to a reasonably lightweight frame really does move the game on.

 

The fact that Bosch power tools and lawn mowers compete at the cheap end of their respective markets with the likes of Black & Decker, TorX and so on isn't lost on me so have they made enormous advances in motor technology with their ebike engines? I've used power tools most of my adult life and I've never found Bosch very great. They may be ok for the occasional bit of DIY but for regular, heavy-duty stuff, they come up short. At least their power tools are inexpensive, making no pretence to be premium products so I shall be interested to see how their bike motors fare under heavy use.

 

I look forward to some user feedback in the fullness of time but I'm trying to understand how a Bosch-powered bike can be worth something of the order of 2.5 times the price of the Tonaro Bighit or Compy, both of which have been well received on this forum.

 

Regards,

Indalo

If you are going to make comparisons they need to be rational. While the compy is getting good reviews it is a heavy bike! and bares no comparison I believe with the full suspension, off road and very capable Haibike. and that is the top of the range model, most Bosch powered hybrids coming out are around 2k

 

my teenage son rides a £800 sports bike, some of his friends have bikes costing £2000 - £3000. where we go in Italy most years some of the English teenage lads there ride £3000 + downhill bikes as well....not particularly rich, working class lads, who just value nice kit?

I'm pleased you have the weights of these bikes on your web site James... as Haibike doesn't. I'm seriously interested in the 'eQ Trekking' model (or perhaps the Cross - with mudguards fitted), a bit heavier than the BH equiv's I'm looking at - and a lot more expensive, but these eQ models are seriously good looking, and well specified (even the 'Trekking' mudguards look cool!). Will just have to wait and see if I sell my Whyte 901 on Ebay first.

 

Do you have one available for test if I decide to up my budget? It's a long way to come down to Suffolk from the North East, but it's a seriously expensive investment so I want to be sure.

The Haibike seems to have generated quite a bit of excitement in this forum but I'm not altogether sure why that should be.

 

It's interesting, (and very welcome) that there may be a discount available for forum members on a very recently marketed product pitched on to the scene with an enormous price tag. In reality, I suspect there will be very few takers amongst forum members, simply because of the "premium" price of the product.

 

I do find it rather difficult to rationalise ebikes costing over 2 grand, even more so when they're closer to 3 grand than 2 but I can understand it if the technology is such that the product moves the game on to a higher level. Now I haven't ridden the bikes and still haven't seen one other than in pictures, so I'll need some convincing that the Bosch-powered system, allied to a reasonably lightweight frame really does move the game on.

 

The fact that Bosch power tools and lawn mowers compete at the cheap end of their respective markets with the likes of Black & Decker, TorX and so on isn't lost on me so have they made enormous advances in motor technology with their ebike engines? I've used power tools most of my adult life and I've never found Bosch very great. They may be ok for the occasional bit of DIY but for regular, heavy-duty stuff, they come up short. At least their power tools are inexpensive, making no pretence to be premium products so I shall be interested to see how their bike motors fare under heavy use.

 

I look forward to some user feedback in the fullness of time but I'm trying to understand how a Bosch-powered bike can be worth something of the order of 2.5 times the price of the Tonaro Bighit or Compy, both of which have been well received on this forum.

 

Regards,

Indalo

 

Hi Indalo,

Maybe you are talking about Bosch Green? I've used Bosch Blue professionally for over 20 years and found them, like Metabo and Makita, to be bullet proof.

 

I've not come across a 'Tonaro Bighit' or 'Compy'...a quick google shows up a pic of a bike with what appears to be a windscreen motor attached to the bottom bracket. Is that the one?

 

Having sold hundreds of e-bikes that retail for between 2 and 3.5 grand (predominantly Koga and Sparta and Flyer) I can assure you that there is a market for quality EU made e-bikes, and if anything the Haibike price could be higher that it is. The eQ Trekking version is only £2.2k and is fitted with SRAM Dual Drive.

 

Do come and try one for yourself Indalo.

 

Rgds,

 

James

 

I've not come across a 'Tonaro Bighit' or 'Compy'...a quick google shows up a pic of a bike with what appears to be a windscreen motor attached to the bottom bracket. Is that the one?

 

 

Thats the one! lol Stylish or what....... (or what I think)

I'm pleased you have the weights of these bikes on your web site James... as Haibike doesn't. I'm seriously interested in the 'eQ Trekking' model (or perhaps the Cross - with mudguards fitted), a bit heavier than the BH equiv's I'm looking at - and a lot more expensive, but these eQ models are seriously good looking, and well specified (even the 'Trekking' mudguards look cool!). Will just have to wait and see if I sell my Whyte 901 on Ebay first.

 

Do you have one available for test if I decide to up my budget? It's a long way to come down to Suffolk from the North East, but it's a seriously expensive investment so I want to be sure.

 

Hi MB, over the last 5 years we've yet to sell an e-bike without the prospective customer first taking a good long test ride. In the past this has meant road and track only (Kogas, Spartas etc) but last week an XDuro FS Haibike customer found some rough stuff down a lane not far from our showroom. One and all are welcome to visit and test ride (Aldeburgh Town Steps perhaps?)

 

Rgds,

 

James

M_B you have a PM re your Whyte 901

James,

 

Are you going to sell the eQ 'Cross'? If so, how much? Cause I really don't need the mudguards, lights, rack and stand on the eQ 'Trekking'... and I prefer the bike in 'White'.

James,

 

Are you going to sell the eQ 'Cross'? If so, how much? Cause I really don't need the mudguards, lights, rack and stand on the eQ 'Trekking'... and I prefer the bike in 'White'.

 

We haven't ordered any Cross models MB. I know they've sold out 2011 production now 'cos when we tried to increase our existing order 3 weeks ago for XDuros they asked if they could buy back our pre-order and stock held here for their domestic German market. You could try a German dealer? Alternatively just get an XDuro and set rear damper to max rebound and compression setting to stiffen up the back end, then if thats not stiff enough put 250psi in the rear air spring (max is 275) to lock it up. We have all XDuro frame sizes in stock.

 

Rgds,

James

The Bosch unit is new with all the design and tooling costs associated with that and needing to be recovered. The motor unit in the Tonaros is over 11 year old tech from Yamaha, albeit completly sound, but with the costs long recovered.

 

That of course doesn't alone account for the huge price difference, but clearly the bikes are specced and aimed at quite different market points. Add to both those the price expansion due to the percentage addition method for margins and VAT and you have the difference.

 

If a wealthy consumer still isn't satisfied that the Haibike is dear enough, they have the option of the Flyer X-model which makes the Haibike look a bargain. Altogether a very good thing, more choice for the consumer which I can't see as grounds for criticism.

If a wealthy consumer still isn't satisfied that the Haibike is dear enough, they have the option of the Flyer X-model which makes the Haibike look a bargain. Altogether a very good thing, more choice for the consumer which I can't see as grounds for criticism.

 

 

You'll get no argument from me on increased diversity flecc. I was simply expressing my first impression based on the hype and hysteria which seems to accompany new products and I wasn't actually criticising the bike. In fact, I like the look and the non-budget componentry of the machine and could well be tempted. I baulk at the price though!

 

I shall be interested to read user feedback in due course but will the bikes do things that much better than the current crop using older technology and costing half the money...or less?

 

Only today, I noticed another name I hadn't come across before; Kudos Cycles. They offer, apparently, a range of bikes at easy to accept prices all utilising the Bafang motor. Whether that's a good or bad thing, I don't know but their bikes look ok in the pics. Their batteries seem very reasonably priced.

 

I hope you're mending well flecc.

 

Regards,

Indalo

have a look over on German Pedelec forum? Are there members guilty of "Hype and hysteria"? Various Bosch powered bikes and particularly the Haibike are being very well recieved...

 

Mind you the left crank falling off still seems to be a problem...One of the perils of early adoption I guess!

the final drive is via the chain wheel, not via an over worked 9 or 11 tooth sprocket like the Panasonic. In our Flyer days these things were fast waring parts.

 

James

 

My, "overworked" 9 tooth Panasonic drive sprocket has over 7000 miles on it and is still working fine. The battery and motor combination has proved flawless after nearly 3 years of use. This is probably because the Panasonic system has evolved over a number of years.

 

I'm sure that there were flaws in the Panasonic Mk1 system and I wonder what flaws the early adopters will find in the Mk1 Bosch system.

 

A nice looking bike but a lot of money for an unknown quantity.

I think there is a certain amount of over excitement and enthusiasm on the German forum, the product is new, its home grown and offers a true alternative to the Panasonic system. Its only natural, however, only time will tell, with v2.0 I think if it proves to be better than sliced bread

 

I was simply expressing my first impression based on the hype and hysteria which seems to accompany new products

 

Only today, I noticed another name I hadn't come across before; Kudos Cycles. They offer, apparently, a range of bikes at easy to accept prices all utilising the Bafang motor. Whether that's a good or bad thing, I don't know but their bikes look ok in the pics. Their batteries seem very reasonably priced.

 

I hope you're mending well flecc.

 

That hype etc seems to be a fundamental of modern consumer markets, probably the result of the intensive advertising we all encounter. It's impossible for that not to have an effect, most likely inculcating the impression that new is better.

 

The Kudos arrival does appear very attractive, simple formulaic bikes at low prices, though it will have to enjoy large quantity sales for the low cost multi-model marketing to be viable. Whether the British market is big enough yet remains to be seen.

 

Yes, mending well to the point of fully mended now and final medical cleared. Had an enjoyable chat with the consultant on the contrasts of yesteryear's operations and hospitalisation with today's high speed turnarounds. He was contrasting my operation, leaving the hospital half an hour later and fully back in action in 48 hours with when he started training. Then for the same thing it was commonly a week in hospital, followed by advice to go the the coast for a couple of weeks for recuperation!

 

I'm sure that there were flaws in the Panasonic Mk1 system

 

There certainly were. Main circuit board failures, motor freewheel jamming, outboard motor bearing failures, displaced Hall sensor boards, upper unit support arm failure, switch problems. None of these were frequent enough to classify the unit as unreliable, but with no spares or support and the official solution a replacement unit at £500 plus fitting, still unacceptable.

 

That's what prompted me to create my support site enabling all those problems to be overcome, most by repair, two by pirating parts from old failed units.