When I was looking for an ebike, I was really focused on getting something that would not be limited to 20 mph. Price was also high on my list of criteria. But after thinking about the test rides I’d taken, I decided that I should give more weight to the responsiveness of the bike. I ride in a fairly crowded, somewhat hilly urban area and to be safe, I realized that I need something that will not hesitate when I’m in a tight spot. The mid-drive Haibikes, and the Urban in particular, seemed better suited to my needs as a city rider.
First of all, the Urban is one of the lightest bikes in the Haibike line, tipping the scale at just a little over 40 lbs. That’s just a couple of pounds more than the Haibike Race and the Superrace which share their frame design with the Urban. Weight is a concern because every now and then, I anticipate having to carry the bike, possibly even up stairs. I’m no athlete and the 40 lbs of the Urban will be a stretch to carry, but 50 lbs just wouldn’t cut it at all.
Like nearly all Haibikes in the US, the Urban uses the Bosch 350 watt drive limited to 20 mph assist. I say limited because for all I can tell, the motor specs are the same as the Superrace which is capable of 28 mph assisted. If you were so inclined, you could install one of the many dongles available from Europe that removes the 20 mph limit on the Bosch motors. You’d then have a bike close to the performance of the Superrace at a substantial savings.
Riding the bike around town, I find that the 20 mph limit isn’t really a problem. Sure, there are times when I could use the extra speed, but 90 percent of the time, it’s not feasible or even safe to go that fast. Meanwhile, the bike is effortless to ride. I don’t have to give much thought to managing the bike. Gear changes are smooth, power assist comes on quickly, and the brakes respond with just a one-finger pull. The display is big and easy to read at a glance. I'm finding this to be an important feature while riding in traffic. At the lowest power setting, I can easily cruise along at 15 - 18 mph all day long on level ground. A tap of the plus button on the controls makes the hills and headwinds a lot easier to deal with.
The Haibikes come with a cool feature that I haven’t seen mentioned elsewhere. The display will show a downward pointing arrow when the system “thinks” you should downshift for better efficiency. I find that it really does seem to improve things to keep the bike going. This indicator is a lot like the one in my car which tells me to downshift for fuel economy. There is also an indicator showing amount of assist the Bosch motor is providing in real time.
It’s not all sunshine and roses. I’ve notice that, while gear changes are not what I would call mashing, they are not exactly as smooth as I might have expected, particularly in the turbo setting. The ride is harsh on the 700c 32 tires. It would be worth changing out the grips to something a bit more ergo. Handling wise, the bike is a bit on the squirrely side. I don’t recall the Haibike RX 29er feeling so jittery for example. Maybe it was the suspension, or the large tires on the RX 29er that made it feel more stable. Or I could just be used to a different style bike.
Still, overall, I really like the bike. I wanted something that would flatten the hills and make those short to intermediate distance trips easier to do on a bike so I could avoid using my car for every little errand. The Urban definitely makes climbing hills much easier and I can maintain a higher speed while climbing and on level ground. It’s a fun bike and I find I’m looking for excuses to get out and ride it.
For a bit more security, I've installed pinhead wheel locks and replaced the Haibike seat and post with something a little more comfortable and common. The quick release for the seat is also gone replaced by a standard clamp. For security, I've added a bike chain/inner tube lock for the seat. I'm looking at insurance too.
First of all, the Urban is one of the lightest bikes in the Haibike line, tipping the scale at just a little over 40 lbs. That’s just a couple of pounds more than the Haibike Race and the Superrace which share their frame design with the Urban. Weight is a concern because every now and then, I anticipate having to carry the bike, possibly even up stairs. I’m no athlete and the 40 lbs of the Urban will be a stretch to carry, but 50 lbs just wouldn’t cut it at all.
Like nearly all Haibikes in the US, the Urban uses the Bosch 350 watt drive limited to 20 mph assist. I say limited because for all I can tell, the motor specs are the same as the Superrace which is capable of 28 mph assisted. If you were so inclined, you could install one of the many dongles available from Europe that removes the 20 mph limit on the Bosch motors. You’d then have a bike close to the performance of the Superrace at a substantial savings.
Riding the bike around town, I find that the 20 mph limit isn’t really a problem. Sure, there are times when I could use the extra speed, but 90 percent of the time, it’s not feasible or even safe to go that fast. Meanwhile, the bike is effortless to ride. I don’t have to give much thought to managing the bike. Gear changes are smooth, power assist comes on quickly, and the brakes respond with just a one-finger pull. The display is big and easy to read at a glance. I'm finding this to be an important feature while riding in traffic. At the lowest power setting, I can easily cruise along at 15 - 18 mph all day long on level ground. A tap of the plus button on the controls makes the hills and headwinds a lot easier to deal with.
The Haibikes come with a cool feature that I haven’t seen mentioned elsewhere. The display will show a downward pointing arrow when the system “thinks” you should downshift for better efficiency. I find that it really does seem to improve things to keep the bike going. This indicator is a lot like the one in my car which tells me to downshift for fuel economy. There is also an indicator showing amount of assist the Bosch motor is providing in real time.
It’s not all sunshine and roses. I’ve notice that, while gear changes are not what I would call mashing, they are not exactly as smooth as I might have expected, particularly in the turbo setting. The ride is harsh on the 700c 32 tires. It would be worth changing out the grips to something a bit more ergo. Handling wise, the bike is a bit on the squirrely side. I don’t recall the Haibike RX 29er feeling so jittery for example. Maybe it was the suspension, or the large tires on the RX 29er that made it feel more stable. Or I could just be used to a different style bike.
Still, overall, I really like the bike. I wanted something that would flatten the hills and make those short to intermediate distance trips easier to do on a bike so I could avoid using my car for every little errand. The Urban definitely makes climbing hills much easier and I can maintain a higher speed while climbing and on level ground. It’s a fun bike and I find I’m looking for excuses to get out and ride it.
For a bit more security, I've installed pinhead wheel locks and replaced the Haibike seat and post with something a little more comfortable and common. The quick release for the seat is also gone replaced by a standard clamp. For security, I've added a bike chain/inner tube lock for the seat. I'm looking at insurance too.
Last edited:
