Every muscle is tensed, and his eyes are focused purely on what lies ahead. Adrenaline courses through his veins and his surroundings have ceased to exist. Tunnel vision. The Haibike XDURO Dwnhll can be defined as one term: extreme – and in more ways than one.
As anyone who’s familiar with one of Germany’s best and most well-known mountain bikers knows, Guido Tschugg is a true Bavarian export: good-natured and always a laugh, he’s a guy who sticks to his convictions, exclusively putting his name to things he actually loves. And now that he’s a family man, e-mountain biking was the perfect extension of this extreme sportsman’s repertoire, having already taken part in the legendary Red Bull Rampage. After retiring from pro racing, e-MTBs struck him as the optimal time-efficient resource to still have a sick time riding bikes. And naturally, he wouldn’t just ride any bike – he needed one that could match his needs. Together with Haibike, they’ve created his own signature custom bike based on the XDURO Dwnhll PRO.
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More travel = more fun?
Haibike’s current slogan is ‘the next big thing,’ which is a pretty apt way of summing up the newest creation from the Schweinfurt-based company. With no less than 200 mm travel at the front and rear (!), this is the first e-downhill bike from the e-bike pioneers. The production model is going to feature the SR-SUNTOUR RUX R2C2 WERX fork and a RockShox Vivid R2C rear shock. Both suspension elements are capable of some serious tweaking and fine-tuning to suit the individual rider, and they’re both equipped to soak up any size hit. Our test bike came with a SR-SUNTOUR prototype rear shock. The union of the motor’s low centre of gravity, the masses of travel, and the slack geometry (featuring a 63.5° head angle which can be adjusted +/-1° with an angle set) gives the bike a serious sense of riding on rails, urging you to let off the brakes, hold onto the bars, and give full gas. Too steep? Too technical or too gnarly? These are attributes that just don’t exist any longer. Thanks to its weight, the XDURO Dwnhll keeps stable once in the air, although compared to a regular bike it does need more exertion to lift it off the ground. But take our word for it – you’ll get used to it. The handling package is balanced, and the bike takes some mean corners – providing the ground is steep enough. On mellow, flat trails, the bike is massive, hugely over-sized and not able to play out its strengths. Manualing takes some energy out of the rider, as the prototype SR-SUNTOUR rear shock had a tendency to bottom out.
When it comes to the spec, it’s clear that Guido chose everything with his priorities at the top of the list. The super-strong Shimano Saint brakes have massive 203 mm rotors, providing secure and satisfying braking, and the short Thomson stem adds directness to the steering. The grippy Kenda Honey Badger tyres bite firmly into the ground and offer outstanding traction.
Bikes featuring such extreme downhill-oriented geometry have only ever existed in the non-pedal assist market before – so riding uphill on them was a completely foreign concept. Downhillers and freeriders have always heaved their bikes up climbs, or lugged them on board chairlifts or shuttles to ease the burden. However, the XDURO Dwnhll PRO can now mark the end of this dogma, and our thanks go to the powerful Bosch Performance CX motor, steep seat angle, and the dropper post. No matter how steep the ascent, the riding position is efficient and upright and you can force on up the climbs. Naturally, it’s not designed for all-day, distance rides, but long fire-road grinds won’t be a problem.
Details of the Haibike XDURO Dwnhll
Conclusion
The Haibike XDURO Dwnhll PRO really is ‘the next big thing.’ Lifts and shuttles are now redundant; it has redefined the downhill performance of E-MTBs! The only weak link with this bike could come from your own courage – so be prepared to dig deep and push your limits.
Strenghts
- Super-smooth
- Plush, generous suspension
- First-rate, well-chosen spec
Weaknesses
- Under-challenged on easy trails
- Just a means to an end on climbs
More information on the Haibike website
Words & Photos: Christoph Bayer
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