The Haibike Xduro Trekking Pro and its little brother, the Haibike Trekking RX, are two top-of-the-line German engineered hybrid electric bikes. Both of these are crank drive (center drive) electric bikes, meaning that the motor is mounted next to the pedals and directly powers the crank drive. This makes for good balance and a great “regular bike” feel, as the weight of the motor is centered and low.
I have a Haibike Xduro Trekking Pro, and I think it’s the best bike I have ever had. I LOVE it. This is definitely Haibike at its best – and that’s saying a lot, as Haibike is internationally recognized as a world leader in designing and engineering premium quality electric bikes. Haibike introduced electric mountain bikes, and now dominates that field. This review is about the Trekking Pro, but most of it applies equally to the Haibike Trekking RX (as the two bikes are almost identical).
Here’s a video that shows you how great this bike is:
Notice that I have a Mirrycle rear view mirror on the left end of the handlebar on my Haibike. It is quick and easy to install this rear view mirror on your bike. I absolutely never ride a bike that does not have a rear view mirror (just as I would never drive a car that does not have a rear view mirror). A rear view mirror on a bike is a massively useful safety device, because it lets you see danger coming from behind. It also helps you to be courteous cyclist, because you notice cyclists and motorists who want to pass, and you can move over for them. I highly recommend the Mirrycle rear view mirror, as they are cheap, tough, light – and may save your life.
The Haibike Xduro Trekking Pro is an electric bike for people who love to ride regular bikes, but who are challenged by steep hills or long-distance commutes.
Both the Haibike Xduro Trekking Pro and the Haibike Trekking RX use the Generation 2 Bosch Performance center drive ebike system, delivering up to 60 Nm of torque, and rated as the best in the industry.
The differences between the Haibike Xduro Trekking Pro and the Haibike Trekking RX are mainly in the specs of the components – the basic frame is exactly the same (but a different color). The Xduro Trekking Pro is grey and green; while the Trekking RX is grey and blue. There are no other color options. Both bikes weigh in at around 50 pounds.
Both of these bikes come in low step as well as diamond frame options, plus a range of four sizes starting at 48 cm. This means that – unlike many other electric bikes – you will be able to find a bike that fits you, even if you are only 5 foot tall.
Make sure to test ride it, as I find the diamond frame feels bigger than other bikes of the same size. Haibike Xduro Trekking Pro sizes: 48 cm, 52 cm, 56 cm, and 60 cm. Note that the low step frame is also available in a 44 cm. Related: Should you Buy a Crank Drive or a Hub Drive Electric Bike? If you are going to get a great bike, get a great bike lock. Below is the bike lock we think is the best lock money can buy.
Related: 5 of the Best Bike Locks
27 Gears vs. 9 Gears
In Canada there is one extremely important difference between the two models – the Pro comes with 27 gears, while the RX only has 9. If this is the situation in the country where you are considering the bike, then I VERY highly recommend getting the Pro. The Haibike comes into its own with 27 gears working in synergy with the Bosch motor. Nine gears just do NOT do this mighty machine justice. (You will also get higher specced components, including better front shocks, with the Pro.) The Haibike Xduro Trekking Pro is totally worth the extra money.
It’s tricky to get 27 speeds on a crank drive electric bike, because usually the cranks are where the three front gear cogs go. As the engine is taking up that space, that leaves only the rear derailleur to provide multiple gears. That’s why most crank drive electric bikes only have 3 to 10 gears. However, the Haibike Xduro Trekking Pro has got around that with an ingenious 9-speed Sram dual drive gear system. The rear hub has an internal 3-speed Sram system, which works with the 9-speed cassette to give you a total of 27 gears.
Having 27 gears is very rare and very special on a crank drive electric bike. I really feel the benefit on the steep hills on my commute, and am always so happy that I got the 27-gear system. The multiple gears make it possible to use the motor to its full potential, and make it possible to climb insanely steep, long hills. The other big bonus is that the 27 gears make it possible to keep pedaling at high speeds, so you can achieve greater speeds. With just 9 gears, you would have to stop pedaling at around 30 km per hour, because you just wouldn’t be able to pedal fast enough to help anymore. But the very high gears provided by the third setting on the Sram Dual Drive allow you to keep pedaling at much greater speeds, so they are awesome for achieving high speed. I have got this bike up to 53 km per hour on a flat road (using maximum assist plus hard pedaling). That was on an off-road trail with no traffic.
You will need to check with your dealer to find out what the gear situation is in your own country. I found that the whole situation was just plain confused – even on the Internet. I could not really get to the bottom of the story until I put my money on the table, and was told that I would only be getting 9 gears on the Haibike Trekking RX in Canada. At that point, I changed my order to a Haibike Xduro Trekking Pro, and I am very, very glad I did it. Every time I ride massive hills on my bike, I am happy that I paid the extra money to have the 27 gears.
The Haibike Xduro Trekking Pro is Ready to Tour or Commute
The Haibike Xduro Trekking Pro is a hybrid bike, set up ready to tour or commute with good fenders, rack, stand, integrated and great looking rear and front lights (that run off the main battery), and comfy but stylish saddle. The shocks make it suitable for urban roads (which in my experience are often more bumpy than single track).
Note that the rack is standard gauge, which is not always the case with electric bikes. Some come with heavy duty racks, and in my experience, this can be a problem. I have had panniers fall off because the rack was heavy gauge, so the pannier hooks were not able to clamp on perfectly.
The bottom attachment for your panniers is super safe and secure, but can be a bit annoying when you want to take the panniers off. The Pro has Rock Shox Paragon TK solo air fork shocks with 65 mm of travel that can be locked out with a click of a button on the handlebars, if you are in the rare situation of being on a road with no bumps at all. The forks are combined with a tapered headset for great strength and comfort.
Due to the robust build and the front shocks, you could comfortably take this bike off road as well. This is a versatile, powerful bike that could take you anywhere you want to go!
Note that there is no bottle holder, and no place to mount a regular bottle holder. My solution to this is the SKS Bottle Cage, which fits perfectly on the Haibike Xduro Trekking Pro.
To use the SKS Bottle Cage, you need to get an adapter mount that you attach to the head tube of your bike. You can get both of these quite cheaply on Amazon.
This bottle cage fits perfectly with the SKS Cycling Sports Drink Water Bottle, to provide an easy solution for carrying water on this and other electric bikes. Note that regular water bottles are a bit too thin for this bottle cage.
You could also use a CamelBak. Just do not get the el cheapo TETON Sports Trailrunner 2.0 Hydration Backpack w/ Bladder, which I bought. Nothing wrong with it – except that it takes two hands to release the valve and actually drink from it, thus making it useless for cyclists (except those rare talented cyclists who can ride with no hands). Of course, Amazon makes it easy to return things and get your money back – but I took too long to get around to it, and lost that option too. Anyone want a two-fist-operated CamelBak?
Wheels and Tires on the Haibike Xduro Trekking Pro
The Haibike Xduro Trekking Pro has Schwalbe Energiser Plus Tour Tires, which have a puncture lining to prevent punctures, and are especially engineered for electric bikes, offering faster rolling speeds on robust tires.
Usually when I buy a bike I upgrade to Schwalbe puncture-resistant tires. It’s a tiny bit of extra weight, and a bit of extra expense, but totally worth it. A puncture can ruin your commute, make you late for work, and cause you expense and hassle – but with Schwalbe tires I almost never have a puncture.
Of course, if you do have a puncture, it’s not a problem with the Haibike Xduro Trekking Pro. Changing flats on this and other center drive electric bikes is easy, because the wheels are just like a regular bicycle. With a hub drive bike, you have to contend with the cables that attach to the motor, and some bike shops just won’t touch them for fear of breaking something.
Build Quality of the Haibike Xduro Trekking Pro
This is a very strong and robust bike with all components seamlessly integrated. Although I sometimes ride it at high speed, I don’t worry about it being able to handle the speed and the torque forces.
The whole bike is strong, as you would expect from a Haibike. It features German engineering and build quality, gravity casting motor mounts, and all-round high quality specs. You could take this bike anywhere.
As for the electric system, the quality of these Bosch systems is so high that it is pretty much unheard of for them to break down.
One quibble I have: the handlebars are the same size for every size of the bike. I ended up having a full 10 cm cut off my handlebars. OK, it only cost me $30 … but would it be so hard to have different size handlebars for the different size bikes?
HOW to Ride the Haibike Xduro Trekking Pro
The Haibike Xduro Trekking Pro has a large, backlit, easy-to-read console that sits on the center of your handlebars. You use this to switch on the bike, switch on the lights, change the assist level, and monitor a variety of functions by scrolling through the menu functions.The top half of the console always has your speed in very large type, and underneath that is information about your current menu choice. On the top right you can see what level of assist you are currently using. The little battery icon (top center) of course gives you an indication of how much battery you have left. However, I tend to ignore that as the Range Info setting is much more accurate.
If you are parking the bike in a public place, you can easily remove the console and take it with you.
One of the things I really like is that you can scroll through the menu and change the assist level with a remote control that is mounted right next to your left thumb. I appreciate this all the time, as it makes it safer and easier to scroll through the menu and adjust the level of assist (which I do a lot).
Basically I just turn the motor on, turn the lights on (I always ride with lights on, night or day, as it makes it much easier for motorists to see you), select an appropriate level of assist, and start pedaling.
As soon as you start pedaling, the assist kicks in (unless you have chosen the bottom level, that is, no assist). It is perfectly possible and easy to pull off with no assist, as long as you are on a flat road. However, I do like at least some assist to get me going, especially first thing in the morning. I usually choose the highest level, because when I set off from my home I almost immediately have to start climbing an extremely steep hill.
This is a pedelec system, meaning that the amount of assistance you get from the motor depends on how much and how hard you pedal. If you almost stop pedaling, the engine will cut out. The entire system is manufactured to read your pedaling efforts and gear changes and react accordingly to help you move.
Note that there is no throttle mode on this bike – you have to pedal it to make the motor work. For me this is a plus, as one of the reasons I cycle commute is to stay fit. After doing my 25-km hilly commute on this bike, I am always sweaty and tired out!
When you are done riding, you remove the battery (using a key) and plug it into the charger, then plug the charger into a regular wall socket to recharge. It takes around three and a half hours for a full recharge – and costs around six cents.
Related: How to Buy the Best Electric Bike
Levels of Assistance on the Haibike Xduro Trekking Pro
There are 4 levels of assistance, plus you can set the assistance level to zero and ride it as a regular bike. It’s a great ride, even without assistance.
The 4 levels of assistance vary from 50% to 275% assistance, and are:
- Eco: 50% assistance
- Touring: 110% assistance
- Sport: 170% assistance
- Turbo: 275% assistance
Menu Options on the Haibike Xduro Trekking Pro
These are the menu options you can choose from on the console:
- Clock
- Max. Speed. Note that you have to use the reset button to reset this to 0 after a ride, otherwise it just maintains your maximum speed of all time. Of course, you might want this, in which case you would not reset this
- Average Speed
- Trip distance: Shows you the distance on the current trip. Note that you have to use the reset button to reset this to 0 after a ride, otherwise it just keeps adding on to your previous ride
- Trip Time
- Range (This is a great option, as it will tell you the range you have left, based on the assistance level you are riding in.)
- Odometer: Shows you the total distance you have ridden – very motivating
You also use the console to choose your assist level.
How to Reset the Clock on your Bosch Electric Bike Console
The console is not linked to satellites, with the result that it keeps its own time. On my own bike, I have found that it loses about 20 seconds a month – which eventually becomes a problem when it is running several minutes late, and you think you’re on time for work, but you’re not!
Because there are so few buttons on the console, there is nothing at all intuitive about resetting the time, and I don’t think there are many people on earth who could figure it out unaided. Every time I do it, I have to Google it, so I thought I would include it here for your (any my own) easy reference!
- Turn Bosch eBike on.
- Hold the Reset and Info Buttons at the same time for three seconds.
- Use the Info button to navigate to the time function.
- Use the Light button to increase time, or the Power Button to decrease. Tip: Hold the button depressed to fast scroll minutes.
- Once the time is correct, hold the Reset button again for three seconds to save the correct time.
Brakes on the Haibike Xduro Trekking Pro
The Haibike Xduro Trekking Pro comes with good-quality hydraulic disc brakes, offering great stopping power in all weather with minimal maintenance and fuss. These are pretty much a must-have if you plan to commute in wet weather with steep descents – or just like to bike very fast.
Range of the Haibike Xduro Trekking Pro
The Haibike xDuro Trekking Pro has an excellent range. My own commute is 25 km over extreme hills, and I can easily do both ways on a single charge. The manufacturers claim 25 – 35 miles / 40 – 56 km with normal pedaling. This seems fairly realistic to me.
The great thing is that the console gives you a forecast of your range. Just select Range from the choices on the console, using the up and down buttons handily located next to your left thumb. The console will show you how much range you have. If you then change the assist levels, you will notice that the range changes accordingly – obviously, you can expect greater range in Eco mode than in Turbo mode.
This is a very handy feature that can enable you to change your riding modes if need be. For example, if you were down to a range of just 10 km in Turbo mode, but you were 15 km from home, you could decrease your level of assist by one or two steps. I find this a lot more helpful than most electric bikes, which only give you a rough indication of how much battery power you have left, and leave you to do the math.
Related: How to Calculate the Range of an Electric Bike
Battery on the Haibike Xduro Trekking Pro
The Haibike Xduro Trekking Pro has a Bosch 36 volt 11 amp hour (396 Watt hours) PowerPack Battery, offering the greatest range possible on a Bosch powered electric bike. It’s light, compact, and easy to carry around.
You can buy an extra charger for a couple of hundred dollars. I like to have a spare charger at the office, so that I never have to worry about running out of battery power. That said, most commuters should be able to easily get to work and back on one charge. The range will of course vary depending on all the many factors that impact range (such as level of assistance, riding conditions, how well you use the gears, rider weight, wind conditions, how powerfully you can pedal, etc.).
It takes about three hours to charge the battery from flat, and it costs about six cents to fully charge it (a whole lot cheaper than a tank of gas!)
The battery has a LED indicator on the side. Even when the battery is not on the bike, you can push a button and the LED indicator will show you battery level (from 0 to 5 levels). This is handy if you cannot remember whether you have charged your battery, or are wondering if you need to.
What Powers the Haibike Xduro Trekking Pro?
The Haibike Xduro Trekking Pro is powered by the new, improved, Bosch Performance System motor and battery. It’s a crank drive motor, that is, the motor directly powers the cranks, rather than functioning as a hub drive on the rear wheel.
What’s Different About the New Generation 2 Bosch Performance System Motor?
Bosch has made some significant changes to their electric bike motor design.
For a start, it is completely different in shape, with a tiny front sprocket. This gives a much higher ground clearance and makes it easier for other manufacturers to integrate the Bosch motor into their frame design.
The small sprocket on the front is efficient because the drive is geared inside out. As you pedal, you turn a gear inside the motor, which is geared back to the small sprocket on the outside. With each full pedal revolution the small sprocket on the outside turns 2.5 times.
This is efficient; and it also improves performance because it allows the sensors to measure gear changes much more precisely. As you change gears the motor detects this and reduces the speed so that the gears change smoothly. This reduces wear and tear on the motor and chain significantly, creating a more durable and long-lasting system.
The small sprocket also makes it much less likely that the chain will come off, and helps keeps your pants clean as the chain is more tucked out of the way as it runs on the tiny sprocket.
The new improved Bosch motor has improved internal sensors to monitor power, cadence, and speed. This amazing motor processes one thousand readings PER SECOND, making the ride even more smooth and efficient. All of these readings are processed by a new, more modern 32-bit processor.
With the new system, the battery is also lighter and slimmer. Overall, the new Bosch system is more efficient, more powerful, more technologically advanced, and neater, smaller, and lighter.
For example, Turbo mode previously assisted by 250%, but now assists by 275%.
The new system is compatible with after-market dongles that make it possible to override the (IMO ridiculous) 32 km per hour speed limit. I will accept limitations on bike speeds when there are similar speed limitations on cars. I don’t get why it is OK for a 16-year-old to drive a Porsche capable of doing 200 km per hour, but bike riders of all ages are restricted to a maximum of 32 km per hour. Speeding cars can do a whole lot more damage than speeding bikes. How many people do you know who were killed or injured by being run over by a bike?
That said, with great speed comes great responsibility, and personally I only travel over 32 km per hour when it is safe to do so. The last thing I want to do is endanger other road users.
This photo zeroes in on just the control system – the console on the right, plus the remote control used to control the motor while riding. This is not a Haibike, but it is the identical Bosch controller system.
How “Stealth” is the Haibike Xduro Trekking Pro?
This is not what you would call a stealth electric bike. People who know bikes will know immediately it is an electric bike. The battery is clearly visible, and the bottom bracket is larger (as it houses the motor). That said, it is a very good-looking electric bike, and attracts a lot of compliments and admiration on the road from other cyclists.
The motor is NOT completely silent all of the time – there is a soft but high-pitched whine at times. With normal traffic noises, no one will notice this. A BionX hub-drive system is quieter than this electric bike. Of course, the minute you stop pedaling, there is no sound at all.
Related: Complete Review of the New BionX Kits
Problems with the Haibike Xduro Trekking Pro
Shortly after I bought my Haibike it started CREAKING. It sounded like a $200 bike that had been left outside for 20 years. In fact, it was downright embarrassing. It took my supportive electric bike shop a bit of head-scratching to figure it out, but they didn’t give up until they figured it out and fixed it. (Which is why, as always, I recommend that you buy your electric bike from a local reputable bike store, so that you have support if anything goes wrong.)
Related: How to Buy the Best Electric Bike
Turns out that the motor was not properly set up by Bosch before it was shipped out. As a result, the insulating film around the motor mount had been destroyed in just a couple of weeks, and had to be replaced. Should you find that your bike with a Bosch engine is creaking, this will most likely be the problem. The insulating film eliminates the contact between the drive unit and the frame, and if it is dirty, damaged or destroyed, you will hear creaking sounds every time you turn the pedals. The solution is to replace the film, and to have your bike shop check with Bosch for the precise torque specs to fasten it down.
Note that since this correction was applied, I have never had the problem again.
Bottom Line on the Haibike xDuro Trekking Pro
I bought this bike to be the ultimate commuting bike for my very long, very hilly commute – and it has turned out to be just that. I highly recommend this bike for tough commutes over pretty much any terrain. It would also be great for touring, thanks to the long range and the 27 gears. I would love to take it on a long bike tour one day, and I most likely will do that some time. It would be easy to do about 30 to 70 km per day, on just one charge.
I feel light and athletic and daring on this bike. It is funny how the bike you ride (or the vehicle you drive) influences the WAY you ride. For example, when I had small kids I drove like a senior citizen in my big family van. But I had to restrain myself from driving like an idiotic speed freak when my wife had a Mustang. On my BH Emotion Neo City I drove sedately and calmly, because it was that sort of bike. On my Emotion electric race bike I sometimes cycled like a speed freak. And on this Haibike Xduro Trekking Pro, I ride like a confident, skillful, powerful cyclist, because that is how it makes me feel.
This is a top quality, absolutely premium electric bike that comes set up with all of the options you need for bike commuting and touring. It’s certainly not a cheap option, but it does offer a complete, durable, all-weather solution for people who want to bike commute but are challenged by hills and long distances. With world-class German engineering, great range, and a “regular bike” feel, this bike stands out from the competition and is very highly recommended. Also, a small detail, but it can be important: the paint job is very durable, very resistant to scratches – so the bike just keeps on looking brand new, even after riding thousands of miles on and off road. The Haibike definitely deserves our Gold Bike Star award!
Haibike Xduro Trekking Pro Specs
- Motor Bosch US Performance System
- Battery Lithium-ion, 400 Wh
- Display Bosch Intuvia LCD multi-function display with variable boost modes and other functions
- Speed 20 mph / 32 kph
- Range 25 – 35 miles / 40 – 56 km with normal pedaling
- Frame Aluminum 6061, hydroformed tubes, gravity casting interface
- Fork Rock Shox Paragon TK, Poploc, Solo Air, 65 mm travel
- Headset FSA No. 57, semi-integrated, tapered
- Shift lever SRAM trigger for Dual Drive
- Rear derailleur SRAM Dual Drive
- Crankset Xduro Alu
- Cassette or freewheel SRAM PG 950, 11-34T, 9-speed
- Pedals XLC CNC
- Chain KMC X9
- Hubs ft/rear XLC Evo Disc w/SRAM Dual Drive rear
- Rim Rodi Airline
- Spokes Sapim Leader
- Tires Schwalbe Energizer Tour, 700x40c
- Brakes Shimano M615 hydraulic disc, 180mm/160mm
- Brake Lever Shimano M615 hydraulic
- Handlebar Xduro Lowriser Alu
- Stem Xduro Alu, A-Head
- Grips XLC Sport with locking rings
- Saddle Selle San Marco Milano
- Seatpost Xduro aluminum 31.6mm
- Accessories Haibike headlight LED 60 Lux, Trelock LED taillight, Rack, SKS fenders, Pletscher Comp kickstand
- Weight 51 lbs.
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