Haibike AllMtn 4 in review – Just for Alpine crossings and long tours?

For 2021, the Haibike AllMtn 4 with Bosch motor and 625 Wh battery says goodbye to the XDURO suffix. Nonetheless, the frame platform has remained unchanged from last year. With its many practical features and optional DualBattery setup, the € 5,299 eMTB should deliver a solid performance both on the trail and during long rides. But does the concept work?

For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best eMTB of 2021 for € 5,500 – 7 budget eMTBs go head to head

It’s clearly a Haibike! With its burly silhouette and countless technical and visual features typical of the Bavarian brand, like the pronounced kink in the top tube, the elegant in-house chainring with matching cranks, the Horst-link suspension system and the angular seat stays, the AllMtn 4 is distinctively recognisable as a Haibike. The bike also features Haibike’s proprietary Modular Rail System. While the alloy frame has remained unchanged, the name has lost the XDURO suffix – the bike is now just called AllMtn. With the new name comes a revised paint finish, though in its resplendent orange, our test bike is still an eye catcher. Nonetheless, it’s a lot more discreet and tidy than its predecessor. Another unique feature is the tilted Bosch Performance Line CX motor, which allows Haibike to place the 625 Wh battery lower in the down tube as well as make room for the optional range extender. With this fitted, the AllMtn4 boasts a battery capacity of 1,125 Wh. The charge port cover is produced in-house by Haibike and the speed sensor is safely tucked away in the brake rotor. For this test, the German brand was only able to provide us with a size M AllMtn 4, but we’re already familiar with the AllMtn 4 in size L. Our size M test bike hits the scales at 25.00 kg, which makes it one of the heavier bikes in the test field. Subtract the mass of the bike from its maximum permissible weight and a fully geared up rider weighing more than 95 kg would already be too heavy for the Leerzeichen fHaibike, meaning you could have issues with any potential warranty claims.

The touring-oriented spec of the Haibike AllMtn 4

For the drivetrain, Haibike combine an SLX derailleur with a matching shifter and a heavy DEORE cassette. The suspension consists of a RockShox Lyrik Select fork and RockShox Deluxe Select shock, both controlling 160 mm travel. Braking is taken care of by MAGURA MT5 brakes with 200 mm rotors front and rear. Unfortunately, the brake lever interferes with the Purion display, making it hard to position the buttons for the support levels within easy reach. Here it would be great to have an adapter that lets you position the display independently from the brake lever. The 29″ front wheel is shod in a MAXXIS Minion DHF 2.5” tire while the smaller 27.5″ rear relies on a super wide 2.8” Minion DHRII. Both tires come in the thin EXO casing, which provides inadequate puncture protection. For the rest of the spec, the German brand relies on its own components: the stem, 780 mm handlebars, dropper post and wheelset are all produced by Haibike. Unfortunately, the latter let us down in our test, leaving us feeling cheated. After just a few laps, the spokes of the rear wheel came loose, rendering it useless. That being said, the replacement Haibike sent us performed without issue. We can only hope that this was just an unlucky coincidence, you wouldn’t want to find yourself in this situation as an end customer!

Thanks to the countless visual and technical features typical of the Bavarian brand, the AllMtn 4 is distinctively recognisable as a Haibike

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The riding position, geometry and range of the Haibike AllMtn 4

With a reach of 430 mm in size M (460 mm in L), the frame of the AllMtn 4 is rather compact. The 65° head angle is middle-of-the-road while the 76° seat angle is on the steep side, producing a modern and central riding position. However, if you’re considering downsizing for more lively handling, you might end up with an overly-compact, front-heavy position that puts too much pressure on your hands on level terrain. We’ve previously tested the AllMtn in size L and while the riding position on the bigger frame is more upright and relaxed, it still puts a fair amount of pressure on your hands. On both sizes, it’s worth pushing the saddle back slightly, even if you’re planning to spend long days in the saddle using the optional range extender.

Size	S	M	L	XL
Seat tube	410 mm	440 mm	470 mm	500 mm
Top tube	567 mm	588 mm	620 mm	654 mm
Head tube	115 mm	120 mm	130 mm	145 mm
Head angle	65.0°	65.0°	65.0°	65.0°
Seat angle	76.0°	76.0°	76.0°	76.0°
Chainstays	455 mm	455 mm	455 mm	455 mm
BB Drop	20 mm	20 mm	20 mm	20 mm
Wheelbase	1,194 mm	1,216 mm	1,250 mm	1,287 mm
Reach	410 mm	430 mm	460 mm	490 mm
Stack	639 mm	643 mm	652 mm	666 mm

The Haibike AllMtn 4 feels most comfortable on long rides and flowing trails.

No matter how sharp the climbs, the steep seat tube angle ensures a central pedalling position, making it easy to negotiate steep ramps and allowing you to stick to your line without too much effort. That’s helped by the front end always staying planted on the trail. Only on very steep sections do you actively have to weight the front wheel to keep it tracking. While the suspension isn’t quite as sensitive as the SCOTT Ransom or Propain Ekano and doesn’t generate as much traction, the Haibike is an excellent climber on technical terrain. It winds its way up the hill in a relaxed fashion and feels most comfortable simply rolling over obstacles, seeing as it’s a little too sluggish to permit quick direction changes and line corrections. The chainline of the Haibike AllMtn 4 is borderline: in the smallest gear, the chain and rear tire are dangerously close. On rough terrain, the chain rubs against the tire, causing annoying rattling.

The Haibike is an excellent all-rounder and convinced us with its solid climbing performance. On the other hand, high-speed isn’t its cup of tea!

Tuning tips: push the saddle back a little for more comfort on level terrain | longer dropper post

Going downhill, the size M AllMtn 4 feels more playful than composed. On flowing trails, the intuitive handling and poppy suspension encourage you to step on the gas and carve through berms at Mach 10. However, this also requires some physical effort. Get it airborne and you’ll notice the bike’s heavy weight and long chainstays. In open corners and on flatter trails, the handling is very balanced and predictable, making it easy to control. Despite the high front, the front wheel stays planted on the trail, making the AllMtn 4 suitable for less experienced riders. On very steep and technical descents, the feeling of safety fades away due to the short-travel 120 mm dropper post (150 mm for size L), which limits freedom of movement significantly. At very high speeds, the Haibike throws in the towel: here it simply lacks composure and freedom of movement in all directions.

Conclusion

The Haibike AllMtn 4 is a great choice for Alpine crossings and sporty tours, provided you weigh less than 95 kg with all your gear. On the other hand, rowdy trail sessions aren’t its cup of tea. With its excellent all-round characteristics and intuitive handling, it’s an excellent riding companion for beginners and intermediate riders, delivering a comfortable and fun ride in the majority of situations. However, the questionable quality of the wheelset and limited freedom of movement curb the fun-factor and cast a dark cloud over the otherwise good price/performance ratio.

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You can find out more about at haibike.com

The test field

For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best eMTB of 2021 for € 5,500 – 7 budget eMTBs go head to head

All bikes in test: Canyon Spectral:ON CF 7 (Click for review) | FOCUS JAM² 6.9 NINE (Click for review) | Haibike AllMtn 4 | INFRONT IF-2.1 Fully (Click for review) | MERIDA eONE-SIXTY 700 (Click for review) | Propain Ekano AL 29 (Click for review) | SCOTT Ransom eRIDE 920 (Click for review)

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Words: Photos: Jonas Müssig & Valentin Rühl