Haibike XDURO NDURO 3.0 Review

02 Aug Haibike XDURO NDURO 3.0 Review

I recently got a chance to review the Haibike Xduro Nduro 3.0, Haibike’s downhill enduro bike with a Bosch Performance Line CX motor and and PowerTube 500 battery setup. Now, in years past, Haibike used number levels to delineate component levels with the higher number being the best. All of that has been thrown out the window this year, and this 3.0 is no low level bike. That being said, the components are just as top tier as the electrics, so let’s jump right in. The Nduro 3.0 comes in 4 different frame sizes and 1 frame style, this approachable high-step. The frames are beautifully hydro formed and there is just 1 color choice. The bike overall weighs just 56.3lbs (rated for about 265lbs) and retails for $5,299. The tires here are high end Maxxis Minon’s that measure at 27.5” x 2.6”, so the starting point for a plus size tire. These come tubeless ready and even have puncture protection right out of the box, which helps make them very capable. You also get strong boost hub spacing with 110mm in the front and 148mm in the rear, each combined with sturdy through axles. The front suspension is a RockShox Yari air fork with 180mm of travel, 35mm anodized stanchions, and it also features lockout, compression, and rebound adjust. The rear suspension is also RockShox, a Super Deluxe air suspension with a rebound adjust dial as well as compression adjust. This is also rated for 180mm of travel and gives the bike a great feel for difficult downhill trails. As you can imagine, it has quite an angled head tube and a longer wheel base, but this is common to make that downhill riding more sturdy. Looking around the bike, you see a lot of Haibike branded components like “TheStem” and “TheHandlebar”… these are all ++ rated parts, so you can tell they went all out on this bike. Another feature is this modular rail system, for example, you can attach this $59 magnetic water bottle or other accessories like locks and such… Speaking of locks, the bike comes with an ABUS locking core, so you can get all locks on the bike ‘keyed-to-like’ so you are only carrying one key for all the locks. There is also a dropper seat post here, an XLC post with 100mm of travel. Before I move on, I really need to call out this massive rubberized slap guard, this is so encompassing, it is almost like part of the frame! Very cool! Other features include flat rubber locking grips and internally routed cables to give the bike a clean look.

Driving this electric bicycle is a trail optimized mid-motor from Bosch called the Performance Line CX. It’s rated up to 75 newton meters, considerably more than the standard Performance Line and Performance Line Speed, which peak at 63nm. Given the slightly longer wheelbase of this bike, it’s a great choice. It probably inflates the price a bit, but you do benefit from a special eMTB drive mode that only the Bosch CX offers. In this mode, which is the third step up just before Turbo, the motor performance can operate from 120% to 300% based on how hard you push. The other modes (Eco, Tour, and Turbo) have more limited power bands. This drive mode was introduced as a way to make motor performance more automatic and intuitive for mountain bikers who might be focusing on trail obstacles and gear shifting. For the Nduro 3.0, which has SRAM shifting and is designed for trail riding, eMTB mode is just one more way that the bike can be ridden without distraction or thought. Just hop on, arrow up to eMTB, start pedaling, and the bike will respond naturally based on how hard you pedal. All current generation Bosch Performance Line motors weigh roughly 8.8lbs, which is more than Shimano, Yamaha, or Brose drive units. The CX produces more noise, especially in high power and a higher pedal speeds, and it also uses more energy… but it’s known for being reliable and having a good network of certified repair shops. This motor responds based on three signals: rear wheel speed, pedal cadence, and pedal torque. It uses some of the most advanced sensors and can even sense when gears are being shifted. At 20mph, this bike is rated as a Class 1 Ebike, so you can really take advantage of a lot more trails. Mechanically, the bike the bike is operated by this 11 speed cassette at 11-42 tooth range and it comes with the SRAM NX derailleur that has this roller clutch feature. It’s great because you can lock it in an upright position to keep the chain out of the way and get to some maintenance. In the front you have the Bosch CX proprietary 18 tooth narrow wide chain ring. Its equivalent to 45 tooth or so setup and it has this extra thick steel guard on the outside. I also love the little sprocket equalizing pully here with a narrow wide tooth pattern to keep the chain from slipping with the rear swing arm if you’re going over bumps and stuff. Stopping the Nduro 3.0 are these awesome set of Tektro Orion quad piston hydraulic disc brakes with a large 203mm rotor in the front and 180mm in the rear.

Powering the bike is a Bosch Powertube 500 lithium ion battery pack. It is rated for 36v and 13.4ah, so almost 500 watt hours which is a pretty good capacity. The PowerTube 500 fits neatly inside the downtube of the bike, completely out of view… aside from the lightweight plastic shield cover. This is a big win for the bike aesthetically. The PowerTube battery keeps weight as low as possible on the frame while still being removable and somewhat universal. I’m actually sort of mixed on the PowerTube batteries because they weigh almost a full pound more than the older PowerPack batteries (6.3lbs vs 5.7lbs) and are not as easy to swap between bikes because each company has designed a different cover system. But at the end of the day, this battery is reliable, can be charged on or off the frame, and the frame charging port is positioned high up on the right side of the downtube where it won’t interfere with the crank arms or require you to bend down as far. Big win! Charging is done with a speedy 4amp charger, and I am told Bosch also makes an optional 2amp charger for traveling too. It uses that same Abus locking core and comes with a card so you can match the key to other locks you may have for the bike. One final note on the battery, and really any lithium-ion pack, is that extreme temperatures can be harmful to the cell chemistry and allowing it to drop below 20% can decrease the overall lifespan. For this reason, it’s great that the pack is removable, so you can bring it into your office or home for safe keeping and convenient refills.

Activating the drive systems on this ebike is fairly straightforward. You charge and insert the battery then press the power button on the top edge of the little display panel, which is mounted within reach of the left grip. The Bosch Purion display/control pad is compact and easy to navigate. It keeps the handlebars open, and may not get damaged as easily if the bike tips or is parked at a crowded rack… but it’s not removable and lacks some of the deeper menus found on the Bosch Intuvia. Even though the display is a bit smaller than some competing models, it’s intuitive enough that you might not look down that often to read it and the really important readouts are fairly large (speed and assist level). I have grown to accept the Purion, but do have a few tips for use as follows. The + and – buttons, which raise and lower assistance, are designed to click in at an angle towards the right. They are attached near the left edge of the control pad and pivot in towards the LCD. With practice, I have found that the right edge is really the sweet spot for consistent clicking. Sometimes the lower left and middle areas can be inconsistent or non-responsive. The screen itself glows faint white at all times, which shouldn’t draw much power. Holding the + button would normally turn lights off and on if this bike had them. By comparison, the larger Bosch Intuvia display has a dedicated light button. Holding the – button will cycle through trip distance, odometer, assist level, and range. And, the range menu is dynamic, so you can see the bike calculate how far it thinks you can go before the battery completely drains based on the last mile of riding, your current state of charge, and the chosen level of assist. This helps to make up for the very basic 5-bar charge indicator on the left side of the battery and the display which isn’t as precise as a 10-bar or percentage readout seen on some competing displays. On the lower edge of the control pad is a walk-mode button. Press it once and then hold the + button to have the motor slowly assist you when walking the bike (you must be in Eco, Tour, Sport, or Boost for walk mode to work). It’s useful for crowded non-bikeable areas like parks, or if you get a flat tire, and not all companies have it enabled, so props to Haibike for this.

The Nduro 3.0 is a really a fun bike that excels at downhill action. But it may not be for everyone if you weigh the tradeoffs. For example, there are no bottle cage bosses anywhere which is somewhat common on full suspension ebikes, but there is that modular rail system to add stuff in. Also, the Performance Line CX motor has some drag to it, especially if you are riding the bike unpowered. Probably the most significant tradeoff is possible consumer desires. A lot of people want an aggressive mountain bike and many have made them work as commuters. With a bike such as this, it has an intended purpose, and may not be as fun for you if you take it out of its element. All things considered however, it is still an amazing bike if it falls under your consideration. Haibike has been around for years and sells through a network of dealers as well as offering warranties and support. Haibike’s reputation for excitement and quality is alive and well and I want to thank them for letting me check out the Xduro Nduro 3.0

Pros:

• An enduro mountain bike with full suspension, it uses one of the best motor and battery systems available, Bosch CX with the PowerTube 500, and is available in 4 sizes for improved fit and ride comfort
• The motor is very responsive and right there for you immediately, I was impressed how it handled the terrain I got to take it on in the video, very much a capable machine
• The tires are the starting point of plus size, which works nicely, a set Minion DHF 27.5” x 2.6”, these come tubeless ready and even have puncture protection right out of the box
• Quality drivetrain with a nice range, a roller clutch feature to keep the chain out of the way, a little sprocket equalizing pully as well as an steel chainring protector and sturdy alloy guide with narrow-wide sprocket so you should never struggle with drops, chain slip, or chain suck (which can sometimes happen in muddy conditions on the proprietary smaller Bosch chainrings)
• Both suspensions feature 180mm of travel, and a lot of configurations options like rebound adjust and compression adjust, the front suspension has 35mm stanchions with black anodized coating
• Both the motor and battery pack are positioned low and center on the frame, this improves handling, reduces weight compared to hub motors, and I feel that Haibike has done an excellent job blending both items into the tubing design of the frame so they look good
• The cockpit is very clean and sturdy, you get the compact Bosch Purion display panel, and there’s plenty of room for the triggers
• Both wheels offer boost hub spacing, with 110mm in the front and 148mm in the rear, each combined with sturdy through axles
• I love the attention to detail here with features like the XLC dropper seat post, extra long and thick rubberized slap guard, seamless battery, and pully wheel to keep the chain in line
• This Bosch charger is one lightest and fastest models around, offering 4amp output and weighing just 1.7 lbs, it doesn’t require any dongles to connect and charge the battery off or on the bike
• The Bosch CX motor offers a lot of zip and torque, up to 75 Nm with nearly 570 watt max, it’s one of the most reliable mid-drive systems around and now features an eMTB mode with variable power output based on pedal torque… so you can leave the assist setting alone and focus on shifting gears and steering, this is particularly useful on soft terrain
• It’s nice that Haibike designed this frame with a sloped top tube to lower stand over height because sometimes if you jump off into sand or snow, your feet could sink and you might rack yourself on a higher tube
• The Nduro 3.0 has quite an angled head tube and a longer wheel base, this is common to make downhill riding more sturdy and capable and it really works well in this application
• The battery lock core is made by ABUS and comes with a code card so you can purchase locks “keyed-alike” and have fewer keys floating around causing confusion
• Features a modular rail system, you can attach a magnetic water bottle or other accessories like locks and such
• Bosch designs all sorts of sensors and mechanical hardware for the automotive, home appliance, and tools categories and is one of the few companies to offer shift detection on their ebike motor systems, this is designed to protect the chain, cassette, and derailleur as you ride and shift gears and is especially relevant and useful with the high torque Performance Line motors like this

Cons:

• The Performance Line CX is an extremely impressive motor, but it does weigh more, creates more noise, and adds some drag if you are taking it to the max or are riding with the electric system off
• While the Bosch Purion display panel is less vulnerable, because it’s small, the screen isn’t as easy to read as the lar