The Haibike NDURO 7 – In our big 2023 e-mountainbike group test under € 7,000

Haibike have built exclusively electric bikes for the past decade and joined our 2023 group test under € 7,000 with the NDURO 7, which retails at € 6,499 and takes on the competition with a flashy look, Yamaha PW-X3 motor system and a whopping 180 mm of travel. Does it take more than just huge amounts of travel to come out on top of the competition?

**Haibike** Nduro7 | Yamaha PW-X3/720 Wh | 180/180 mm (f/r)
26.50 kg in size L | € 6,499 | Manufacturer’s website

Haibike jumped on the electric wagon a lot sooner than most bike manufacturers, and are considered to have been one of the first big players in the e-bike segment. About ten years ago, the German manufacturer fully committed itself to the electric cause. Their comprehensive portfolio includes anything from powerful S-pedelec bikes to e-trekkers and eMTBs. The NDURO 7 is Haibike’s weapon of choice for the rough stuff, and is the smaller sibling of the NDURO 8 Freeride, which comes equipped with a burly double-crown fork and coil shock. However, both models generate 180 mm of travel front and rear, which makes the NDURO 7 the competitor with the most reserves in this group test. With its beefy alloy frame, the unmistakable kink in the top tube and square-edged swingarm, the NDURO 7 is distinctly recognisable as a Haibike. The huge alloy tubes combined with the exposed weld seams and snap rings make for a very imposing, almost industrial look. The frame forgoes conventional cage mounts and relies on Haibike’s proprietary Modular Rail System instead. This allows you to carry a water bottle, a lock and even a frame bag, but unfortunately it’s only compatible with Haibike’s in-house accessories. Alongside the BULLS SONIC EVO EN-SL 1, the Haibike is the only bike in this test with a kickstand mount and trailer approval. In our 2023 sub € 7,000 test field, the NDURO 7 stands out from the crowd not only for its design language but also through its flashy paint finish and striking branding.

For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best eMTB of 2023 for € 7,000 – 7 budget eMTBs in our eMTB group test

More than you can chew – What sets the Haibike NDURO 7 apart from the competition?

When it comes to choosing the motor for their bikes, many manufacturers prefer to go the safe route, and end up opting for one of the proven Bosch or Shimano drives. German e-bike pioneer Haibike, couldn’t care less about motor monogamy, using drives from different brands throughout their portfolio – from Bosch to TQ, FAZUA and Yamaha. The NDURO 7 is the only bike in this test to come equipped with a rather uncommon Yamaha PW-X3 motor system. Like the Bosch and Shimano drives, the PW-X3 churns out 85 Nm torque, but draws its power from a 720 Wh battery. Once you’ve removed the fiddly plastic down tube cover, you can unlock the battery with a key and remove it from the down tube for external charging. The battery can also be charged directly on the bike, using the easily accessible charging port on the motor housing. Unfortunately, the port’s cover isn’t secured to the frame, making it easy to misplace while charging. The battery charge status and selected support level are shown on a coloured LED display, which is rather bulky for the small amount of riding data it offers. The remote, on the other hand, blends in nicely with the overall look of the cockpit, is easy to reach and provides defined haptic feedback.

**A rare sight**
The NDURO 7 relies on a rather uncommon 85 Nm Yamaha PW-X3 motor instead of using one of the motor top dogs from Bosch or Shimano.

**Finicky**
The 720-Wh battery is secured with a key lock and can be removed from the downtube for charging. That said, reattaching the battery cover can be a daunting mission.

**Bulky**
The LED display only shows the current support level and battery charge status, and is far too bulky for the few small amount of riding data it provides.

The suspension of the NDURO 7 consists of a 180 mm FOX 38 Performance fork and matching FOX FLOAT X2 Performance air shock, which also controls 180 mm of travel – the latter is a real highlight considering the price tag! The Germans also took the safe route with the brakes, combining powerful MAGURA MT7 four-piston stoppers with 200 mm brake rotors front and rear. Shimano supply the 12-speed SLX drivetrain, which is paired with a cheaper DEORE cassette. Alongside components from well-known third-party manufacturers, Haibike also employ several in-house parts, like the stem, handlebars, chainring and dropper post. The latter only has 150 mm of travel, which isn’t enough for a bike in size L, restricting freedom of movement in combination with the long seat tube. The NDURO 7 rolls on a robust, mixed-sized Mavic E-Deemax 30 alloy wheelset with a big 29” wheel at the front and smaller 27.5” at the rear. Fellow Germans Schwalbe provide the 2.4” Magic Mary front tire in Super Trail casing and soft rubber compound, and the 2.6″ Big Betty in the robust Super Gravity casing and soft rubber compound. Sporty riders should upgrade the front tire to a model with softer SuperSoft rubber compound for more traction.

**More is more**
At 180 mm, the FOX FLOAT X2 performance air shock generates the most travel in the entire test field. It’s rare to find such a high-quality suspension component in this price range.

**Size matters**
Haibike’s in-house dropper post comes standard with 150 mm of travel, which isn’t enough for a size L bike. Long legged riders are forced to pull it far out of the frame, which restricts freedom of movement downhill.

Haibike Nduro7

€ 6,499

Specifications

Motor Yamaha PW-X3 85 Nm
Battery InTube 720 Wh
Display Yamaha Interface-X
Fork FOX 38 Performance 180 mm
Rear Shock FOX FLOAT X2 Performance 180 mm
Seatpost Haibike Components Dropper Post 150 mm
Brakes MAGURA MT7 200/200 mm
Drivetrain Shimano DEORE SLX 1x12
Stem Haibike Components TheStem 2 40 mm
Handlebar Haibike Components TheBar 780 mm
Wheelset Mavic E-Deemax 30 29"/27.5"
Tires Schwalbe Magic Mary Super Trail Evo Soft/Schwalbe Big Betty Super Gravity Evo Soft 2.6/2.4

Technical Data

Size S M L XL
Weight 26.50 kg
Perm. total weight 140 kg
Max. payload (rider/equipment) 113 kg
Trailer approval yes
Kickstand mount yes

Specific Features

Modular Rail System

Size	S	M	L	XL
Top tube	574 mm	604 mm	631 mm	663 mm
Seat tube	410 mm	440 mm	470 mm	500 mm
Head tube	120 mm	120 mm	130 mm	140 mm
Head angle	63.5°	63.5°	63.5°	63.5°
Seat angle	77.0°	77.0°	77.0°	76.9°
Chainstays	460 mm	460 mm	460 mm	460 mm
BB Drop	5 mm	5 mm	5 mm	5 mm
Wheelbase	1,245 mm	1,275 mm	1,305 mm	1,339 mm
Reach	425 mm	455 mm	480 mm	510 mm
Stack	644 mm	644 mm	653 mm	662 mm

**Helmet** Troy Lee Designs Flowline SE | **Glasses** Oakley Sutro | **Backpack** POC Spine VPD Air 8
**Jersey** Maloja | **Shorts** Fox Flexair | **Shoes** Five Ten Freerider Pro

Steamroller – The Haibike NDURO 7 in review

On long tours, the Haibike NDURO 7 scores with a relaxed pedalling position and comfortable suspension, which gobbles up bumps and potholes but also bobs slightly, lifting you out of the saddle with bigger impacts. When you challenge yourself on technical climbs, the plush suspension generates good traction. Here the wide, aggressively profiled rear tire helps a lot, in part because the robust casing allows you to run lower tire pressures. Riding uphill, the powerful motor and long chainstays allow you to grind your way to the trailhead – provided you ride in a straight line. On narrow, twisty climbs, you feel like a proverbial elephant in a china shop, and the Haibike requires plenty of input to negotiate tight uphill switchbacks.

**Powerhouse**
Together with the comfortable pedalling position, the powerful 85 Nm Yamaha PW-X 3 motor provides the ideal shuttle companion and keeps on grinding even on technical climbing sections.

**Monster truck**
The Haibike NDURO 7 isn’t too fond of twisty trails, but inspires huge amounts of confidence on straight sections, where it encourages you to plough through anything that gets in your way.

When you drop into a flowing trail, having fun with the Haibike isn’t all that easy! The suspension swallows up the rider’s input like a sandbag, making it hard to generate speed by pumping through rollers, and providing very little feedback in the process. This results in a rather undefined ride, making you feel as if you were sitting on grandma’s sofa. As a result, the Haibike requires great physical effort to perform quick direction changes and spontaneous riding manoeuvres, with the heavy 26.5 kg weight becoming increasingly evident. The Haibike isn’t too fond of twisty trails and prefers to shred its way back into the valley in a straight line. That’s when the NDURO 7 really comes to life, inspiring tons of confidence and encouraging you to open the tap without a care in the world. In fast trail sections, it conveys a real monster truck feeling, ploughing through anything you throw at it. The high front end integrates you nicely into the bike, preventing scary OTB moments, but at the same time requires you to actively weight the front wheel to keep it tracking through open corners. Experienced riders should play around with different spacer-setups under the stem to shift their weight and improve traction upfront.

The Haibike NDURO 7 inspires huge amounts of confidence and encourages you to open the tap.

Who should take a closer look at the Haibike NDURO 7?

The Haibike NDURO 7 is suitable above all for leisurely trail riders and tourers, as well as for inexperienced riders who want to pack their kids into a trailer for the school run, but at the same time want a confidence-inspiring trail bike for the weekend. KOM hunters and seasoned riders, on the other hand, might be better off looking for a bike with more direct handling that provides more feedback from the trail.

Tuning tip: Trail riders should upgrade to a front tire with soft rubber compound to improve cornering grip | Experienced riders should play around with different stem heights

Riding Characteristics

DESIGN

unbalanced
coherent

USER FRIENDLINESS

cumbersome
clever

VALUE FOR MONEY

flop
top

TREKKING & COMMUTING SUITABILITY

low
high

HANDLING

demanding
intuitive

FUN FACTOR

boring
lively

Intended Use

Gravel roads

Technical climbs

Flowtrail descents

Technical descents

Our conclusions about the Haibike NDURO 7

The imposing look of the Haibike NDURO 7 perfectly matches its boisterous character, which inspires huge amounts of confidence regardless of whether you’re a beginner or experienced shredder. However, the plush, undefined suspension and high mass create a rather vague monster truck feeling. If you’re looking for a potent shredding machine for straight trails rather than a nimble trail rocket, the Haibike NDURO 7 might be a keeper.

Tops

Inspires huge amounts of confidence
Good touring comport

Flops

Vague handling
Undefined suspension

You can find out more about at haibike.com

The test field