E-mountain bikes: Haro Shift Plus i/O 7 review – Potent E-MTB from the BMX brand

Test Haro Shift i/O 7: The Haro brand should be familiar to BMX specialists. No other brand has shaped the sport like Haro. The German market should also be conquered with the 2018 model year. Not with BMX models, however, but with powerful E-MTBs, as the times demand. We have already been able to extensively test the Haro Shift i/O 7. 

Haro Shift Plus i/O 7 review: frame and drive

The Haro stands out. Turquoise dominates and is complemented by orange details. The color scheme is almost reminiscent of the Gulf racing cars from the legendary era. The eye-catching paintwork encases an aluminum frame whose four-bar rear triangle teases 140mm of spring travel out of the stationary damper. Otherwise, the frame offers many modern details. The cables are routed internally and are designed for Boost hubs. In this way, fat tires can be accommodated in the frame without the chain stays becoming too long or the chain line becoming unfavorable.

The frame was built around the Shimano E-8000 drive unit. The battery is semi-integrated in the down tube and the slim Shimano E-MTB motor has also been integrated harmoniously into the overall picture. The battery has a capacity of more than 500 Wh to sufficiently feed the 250W powerful Shimano motor over a longer period of time. The motor with a maximum torque of 70 Nm also offers plenty of power for MTB use. The system is controlled via the well-known Shimano unit with a DI2 shifter and a small screen that offers the necessary information. The battery status, the remaining range, speed or cadence are displayed there, for example.

Haro Shift Plus I/O 7 review: Geometry

The geometry is very typical for a modern e-trail bike in this class. The steering angle of 67º is relatively steep for this spring travel class. The fact that you don't go to 66 or even 65° here, as with so many other modern MTBs without a motor, makes perfect sense: With a powerful E-MTB you also want to ride really steep ramps up. However, if the steering angle is too slack, it is difficult to keep the front wheel on the ground. The chainstays are also relatively long at 457mm - this also contributes positively to the climbing performance.

In combination with the moderately long reach, you get a bike that finds a thoroughly successful balance between smooth running and agility, between modern trends and proven properties.

Haro Shift Plus I/O 7 review: features

When it comes to equipment, there are no experiments on the Haro Shift Plus I/O and solid parts are used throughout. The suspension comes from Rock Shox. A Revelation with 150mm spring travel and 35mm stanchions works at the front, which is complemented by a Monarch RL at the rear. Gear changes are made by Shimano parts. An SLX lever controls an 11-speed XT rear derailleur. A chain ring with 38 teeth and a cassette with an 11-42 gradation were installed on the crank for the translation. A station wagon with which you can also climb steeper ramps, but the gear ratio should also be sufficient at high speeds.

The 2,6″ wide Kenda Havok tires find enough support on the WTB i35 rims with an inner width of 35mm - of course the combination is also tubeless-compatible. Solid Shimano SLX brakes with 180 mm brake discs take care of the deceleration. Heavier riders could wish for a larger disc, at least at the front. A dropper post is almost mandatory on an all-mountain. Here a TranX support with remote from the handlebars is installed. A lot of creativity was shown when assembling the remote. Actually designed for the left side instead of the derailleur lever, it moves to the right side on the Haro and is "upside down". This looks a bit strange, but works quite well in practice.

Mounted on the post is a WTB Rocket Comp saddle. A Ritchey cockpit was installed on the pre-series test bike. In the series, the cockpit consists of Race Face parts. All in all, the equipment package is very suitable for the area of ​​application of the Haro and the durability should not cause any problems in the long run.

Haro Shift Plus I/O 7 review: On the trail

The Haro Shift Plus I/O 7 was chosen to be tested by us over the winter months. But first things first: we have rarely had so much fun with a bike in winter. The powerful motor makes it much easier to plow through deep mud and snow and you have a lot more fun even in poor conditions. Even the weaker self, when it comes to getting on the saddle in uncomfortable winter weather, is a little smaller.

But now to the bike itself. The first seat test went well. You sit very centrally and comfortably on the bike and the handlebars were the right width. On the first few meters on asphalt, the wide Kenda tires rolled very well despite the plus format, probably because the lugs on the tires are not quite as radically pronounced. This means that you can move the bike in Eco mode without much effort, which supports the driver very discreetly but noticeably. The big highlight of the Shimano E8000 motor is undoubtedly the trail mode. In this mode, the motor always provides the driver with the right power and regulates the power very intuitively depending on the cadence and the power added by the driver. The bike feels extremely natural and dynamic.

The mode is also recommended for steep technical climbs. In combination with the plus tires and the geometry of the Haros, even steep ramps could be conquered easily. In deep mud and snow, the tires reached their limits. We would have liked a little more profile here. With the right set-up, the suspension is neutral on the climbs and can be fully locked if required. The circuit always worked very reliably even when it was very dirty and switched very cleanly even with fast gear changes.

The Haro really puts you in a good mood downhill. It is manoeuvrable, but at the same time smooth-running. The thick Kenda tires also provide security in technical passages, which is particularly beneficial for less technically experienced drivers. In addition to the plus tires, the Rock Shox chassis absorbs a lot of impact and, together with the low center of gravity, lets the bike lie firmly on the trail. The SLX brakes were reliable anchors in every situation and could be finely dosed. The 500 Wh battery was enough for tours with more than 800 hm even if you didn't drive sparingly and even had 2 lines left according to the battery display.