Haibike Alltrack 5 29

A machine that looks like a mountain bike at first glance, but turns out to be much more versatile

When mountain bikes first appeared they were frequently called ATBS – all-terrain bikes – and they were indeed designed to be ridden everywhere. Perhaps it’s now time to re-establish that idea with bikes such as the Alltrack 5 29 from Haibike.

One upshot of mountain bikes becoming ever more capable off-road is that they’ve become inversely less usable on the road. Who needs 140mm of suspension travel at both ends of a bicycle that will be used as much for trips to the shops as it will for thrashing along muddy trails?

For many riders, such rugged fullsuspension designs only add weight and are a potential liability when it comes to servicing. By comparison, the Alltrack 5 29 is a simple e-bike that can be taken off-road but isn’t so extreme that it can’t be used on the road. It’s a genuine all-rounder.

The Alltrack 5 29’s frame is a chunkylooking affair, but it needs to be to carry the bike’s impressively large 750Wh battery in the down tube. This should provide enough power to quell anyone’s range anxiety, even when toting heavy panniers or taking in multiple climbs. The oversized frame also provides a solid mounting point for a powerful Yamaha PW-S2 electric motor.

Sitting next to the motor is a single-ring crankset that directs both human power and electric assistance to the rear wheel via a Shimano Deore ten-speed gearset. Yes, an

11 or 12-speed groupset would be nice, but the ten-speed setup is robust and simplifies gear selection.

As the bike’s name suggests, the wheels are 29 inches in diameter, although that drops to 27.5 inches on smaller frame sizes to keep the handling consistent. It’s a nice touch that means all riders get the same ride experience. And no matter which size fits, you’ll find the same Schwalbe Nobby Nic tyres on the wheels. Like the bike, they’re a bit slow on the road but are more than capable once you hit the dirt.

▶ £2,799

▶ haibike.com