Haibike Trekking or Hardtail 29er

[MLWilcox]

I am looking to possibly get a Haibike. I will be riding for fun on mostly country roads and bike paths - no off-road MTBing. I am mostly interested in a bike with great hill/foothill climbing abilities.

The Haibike Trekking appears to be more of a hybrid bike (fully decked out) with more gears. Their Hardtail 29er will have the wider tires for more comfort - I assume?

Can anyone comment on how each rides - the similarity and difference. Does one frame versus the other feel better when climbing? Do you think having more gears will help climb in low mountains/foothills in the Virginia area? Also, I am a 5'8" woman so should I worry about 29" tires being too big if I am not going off-road?

Thanks.

 

[Lenny]

I am looking to possibly get a Haibike. I will be riding for fun on mostly country roads and bike paths - no off-road MTBing. I am mostly interested in a bike with great hill/foothill climbing abilities.

The Haibike Trekking appears to be more of a hybrid bike (fully decked out) with more gears. Their Hardtail 29er will have the wider tires for more comfort - I assume?

Can anyone comment on how each rides - the similarity and difference. Does one frame versus the other feel better when climbing? Do you think having more gears will help climb in low mountains/foothills in the Virginia area? Also, I am a 5'8" woman so should I worry about 29" tires being too big if I am not going off-road?

Thanks.

Both Trekking RX and 29er RX have the same wheel geometry. 700C is another term for 29inch wheel. [it is slightly thinner, generally speaking ]
Both bikes comes equipped with Bosch performance drive (read: superior hill climbing ability)
In fact, the curved top tube makes it very convenient for vertically challenged riders.

In terms of geometry, there is a slight difference. The stack height on the Trekking RX for a smaller sized frame is 62cm, whereas the on the 29er RX is 64.5cm. If you're not into off-road riding, 29er RX is an overkill. Trekking RX on the other hand is decked out with fenders, lights, racks, air pump, kickstand etc. You could certainly use Trekking RX for a quick errand or commuting purpose but on 29erRX, lack of fenders, lights and kickstand will become apparent very soon.
You don't want to shell out extra for fenders, kickstand and lights on a 29er. That's unnecessary. It becomes cumbersome to lean it against the wall or a tree every time if you're out somewhere.
With the addition of a seatpost suspension and slightly wider tires, Trekking RX will be a clear winner for your intended purpose.

So based on what you wrote, we suggest Trekking RX. Both are great bikes, IMHO. Be sure to test ride both and you'll be able to decide.
We have them in stock and if you're interested, give us a call.

Crazy Lenny's E-bikes
https://www.crazylennysebikes.com/
Contact Len @ 608-575-8711

 

[MLWilcox]

Thank you for the great response. The 2015 trekking model has a step through version that I like. I never thought of wider tires. What would you recommend?

 

[Lenny]

Thank you for the great response. The 2015 trekking model has a step through version that I like. I never thought of wider tires. What would you recommend?

Schwalbe Energizer Pro on the Trekking RX is a wonderful tire, specifically made for E-bikes. At 40-622, they are quite good enough.
You could always change them to 45-622 tires like Schwalbe Marathon Plus (the racing Ralph's on 29er RX measure at 57-622, (adds resistance for pavement riding but great for trails)

But, before doing that we suggest a suspension seatpost (Body float or Thudbuster).