Big News: New Haibike SDURO ePerformance with Yamaha Motors

Young, energetic, passionate, SDURO – the Franconian bicycle manufacturer Haibike presents their new ePerformance line. The new collection will include twelve e-mountain bikes, one trekking bike and one cross bike, all of them powered by a high-performance 70Nm torque Yamaha motor with a double chainring and zero cadence support, which assists the rider from the first pedal stroke. The perfectly harmonised components, the fresh look and the unbeatable price make the new SDUROs also appeal to a younger target group. The star of the collection is the SDURO AllMtn PRO, the first e-bike that draws power and sensor data for the electronic suspension system (e:i shock) from its Yamaha motor.

“Say hello to the new SDURO” – under this motto Haibike presented their new ePerformance line to industry professionals in Schweinfurt on 19 July 2014. The new collection complements the existing XDURO line in technical innovations, fields of application and price range all the way from entry-class to high-end bikes. The new line further cements Haibike’s role as pioneer in the e-bike segment: “An ever-diversifying market requires rounding out our portfolio at the lower end in order provide attractive new target groups with an offering for their respective budgets without having to cut corners when it comes to performance,” says Susanne Puello, head of Winora Group.

SDURO – as young and dynamic as its riders

The SDUROs are targeted primarily towards young, dynamic mountain bikers who love fast off-road trails, but still want a bike for every-day use. Appropriately, the bikes blend powerful performance with cool looks without sacrificing innovation. “The new SDURO line offers sports e-bikes with the characteristic Haibike all-or-nothing approach to performance. It is specifically geared towards cyclists who are looking for a dynamic ride,” says Christian Malik, Senior Product Manager at Haibike. Consequently, the bikes were developed to combine high-quality, high-performance components with a reasonable retail price: SDURO models start at €1,999.

Yamaha motors ensure high-speed performance

The SDUROs are the first Haibike bikes with a Yamaha motor component. The Japanese manufacturer is considered a pioneer in e-bike motors and has mass-produced them since 1995. “In Yamaha, we have found the perfect partner for our SDUROs. Their motors feature top power values and high performance capabilities,” explains Felix Puello, Head of Product Management at Haibike. Furthermore, the Yamaha system is the first one to allow model-based software customisation.

All SDUROs are equipped with a powerful and reliable central motor with a maximum torque of 70Nm, which assists the rider from the first pedal stroke. The so-called zero cadence support is a great help especially for difficult, slow-going trail sections. The double chainring at the front crankset increase the off-road suitability even further. Thanks to the so-called gravity casting interface (GCI), the motor is completely encased by the frame. On demanding rides in rough terrain the exchangeable skid plate further protects the motor. The Yamaha lithium-ion battery integrates smoothly into the frame and boasts a capacity of 400Wh. It can be charged while mounted, locked or removed. The side-mounting system allows the battery to be used on even the smallest frames like the 35cm hardtail and the 40cm fully. What is more, the compact motor assembly weighs in at a mere 6.4kg.

The detachable central display provides the rider with a variety of useful information. An innovative fastening system allows the display to be adjusted along two axes to suit the rider’s needs. The permanent back-lighting makes the display easy to read even in changing lighting conditions. The handlebar-mounted remote controller lets the cyclist control all the display’s functions: 4 riding modes, total and trip kilometers, time and trip duration as well as maximum, current and average speed. This data is still readable even with the display removed. Especially welcome in rough terrain is the integrated push aid – this button on the remote controller lets cyclists overcome difficult up-hill sections with ease.

New and time-proven technologies for more fun on the go

“Our close collaboration with Yamaha laid the foundation for many novel ideas and key innovations. As early as the research and development stage, we were able to exploit synergies between our R&D departments,” explains Felix Puello. These synergies resulted in the kinematics being tailored specifically to the needs of an ePerformance full suspension bike.
In riding qualities, the SDURO closely resembles non-motorised full suspension bikes: the Yamaha system is the first one to allow the use of a double chainring. “The double chainset is a big step forwards in the e-bike world, enhancing the gear range as well as the shifting comfort,” says Ingo Beutner, Senior R&D Engineer at Haibike. “Previously, we had a gear range of about 327%. Now we were able to extend to 455%.” The collaboration with the Japanese motor manufacturer also produced a new type of spider for the double chainring.

The specially developed interface is the centre of the central motor frame and performs several different functions. It is there that the central load-bearing frame elements meet, and at the same time it is the interface to the new Yamaha motor. As with the XDURO, the Haibike engineers have once again employed a casting technique more commonly used in motorcycle chassis construction: the so-called gravity casting technique. In this process, negative moulds of compressed sand are stored in larger moulds, which after pouring in the aluminium zinc alloy are swivelled along precisely calculated axes. Gravity ensures an even thickness throughout the cast piece. After cooling, each component is individually checked for inclusions and faults using x-rays. This process makes the parts light, yet extremely resilient.

The aluminium frame’s tube-set is manufactured using the tried-and-tested hydroforming process, which reduces stress on the material and ensures an even thickness throughout the piece. The resulting frames are much lighter, yet more resilient, while allowing for custom designs. In addition, special multi-purpose cable inlets sit in large holes, simplifying the routing and exchanging of cables. The frame sports two-part holes, which cover all common types of cables.
Even the decision on industrial bearings was revisited: the SDURO models only use full complement ball bearings, so-called high-force bearings, which are designed specifically for high loads. This reduces wear on the bearings, extending their longevity.

Washers, too, are a thing of the past with SDURO, as the development team took them out of the equation completely. Instead, manufacturing precision was increased to a point which lets the frame elements sit directly on the bearing seat, held in place only by screws and bolts. Complicated and tedious bearing changes and difficult assembly work are no longer necessary.

All full suspension bikes have a 142 x 12mm through axle at the rear with a 180mm post mount rear disc brake, making adapters obsolete.

All SDUROs can optionally be equipped with a rear mount kickstand. This makes even full suspension bikes ready for every-day use.

Signature Haibike frame design

The SDUROs’ visual design is in keeping with the popular Haibike ePerformance line: the bikes feature a prominent double-curved top tube as well as striking polygonal frame profiles and compact masculine proportions. The look is complemented by a sports-oriented geometry with the characteristic short Haibike chainstay. The new Yamaha central motor visually blends into the frame where it is ideally protected. The battery fits tightly onto the interface with no visible gap.

For the paint job the Haibike design vocabulary was continued, yet interpreted in a new way: “While the XDUROs feature a high-contrast racing look, the SDUROs’ design is much sleeker: monochrome, extra matte main colours are contrasted with cool splashes of colour, which accentuate the frame’s main contours. We have also developed a new font for the SDURO line, which will be taken up throughout the presentation,” explains designer Alexander Thusbass, Partner at the Kucher&Thusbass agency.

Words: Haibike PR | Pictures: Haibike PR / Philipp Heller

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