PB’S HAIBIKE ALLMTN 6
MONTH 5: PB raises more questions than answers with the Allmtn 6
Since receiving the Allmtn 6 on test five months ago, I’ve been trying to get answers to a couple of questions from Haibike. I want to know why the rear suspension on this bike feels a lot more active (and better) than most of the e-bikes I’ve tested, including two of my previous longtermers.
With most e-bikes, the shock feels overdamped so you run the rebound damping wide open. Not so with the Fox Float DPS on the Allmtn 6. I can also run the shock in the middle compression setting and the rear suspension still feels pretty active and compliant. I’d also like to know why the bike has a 38t chainring fitted and whether it makes the suspension feel better by reducing anti-squat and the resulting pedal kickback.
Well, I finally have some answers. Haibike said the shock is custom tuned and the suspension was developed using feedback from the Accell field testing team. Now, I don’t know who’s on this team, but they did a top job on the suspension because it feels great. There’s been no mention of the ring size though, so I’ll keep asking.
I’ve also been trying to get some of the accessories to mount in the Modular Rail System, including the Fidlock magnetic bottle cage and maybe an extra battery because I’ve noticed the stock 600Wh battery doesn’t last that long. To be fair though, some of this is because I get seduced by the power and 80Nm torque of the Yamaha PW-X2 motor and ride a lot in the Extra Power Mode. It means I can burn through the first chunk of battery in less than 10 minutes and a whole battery in under two hours. I suppose I’ve just got to wean myself off it.
WHY IT’S HERE
It hasn’t all been plain sailing this month though – the plastic battery cover has been falling off while I’ve been riding some rougher, harder trails. This slots in at the bottom of the down tube and there’s a sort of rubber plug at the top that holds it in place.
I’m assuming this plug is worn, because there’s a spare in the box, but five months’ riding seems a bit premature for a replacement. And while this set up works, I’d actually be OK with an Allen bolt or similar, as it would only take a few seconds to remove and the battery cover wouldn’t fall off.
I also caught a stick in the drivetrain, which seems to happen a lot with e-bikes, and this bent the cage on the SRAM GX Eagle rear derailleur and ripped off half of the teeth on the jockey wheel. I managed to limp back home but this will need replacing. Hopefully I haven’t bent the derailleur hanger because spares, along with information for this bike, haven’t been that easy to come by.
Components
Size tested Head angle Seat angle Effective SA BB height Chainstay Front centre Wheelbase Down tube Top tube Reach
Seven months in and – according to the Strava Gods – over 350 kilometres of trail riding put through this here Trance X. So how are things holding up? After all, in the current Covid-disrupted climate, no one wants to be sourcing drivetrain parts or bearings, do they?
Thankfully, I can report no real issue with things wearing out prematurely on the Trance X. Indeed, the teeth on the cassette still look sharp-edged. It’s worth remembering that I did indeed swap out the horrifically rough and noisy KMC chain that the bike originally came with, replacing it with a genuine Shimano XT item. Looking back, I was lucky to get that chain and if I had been forced to keep running the KMC original I’m not sure I’d be so pleased with the condition of the drivetrain. It really was a distractingly ropey feeling/sounding and annoying bike to ride in those first few weeks. So if you’re interested in this bike, order your replacement chain NOW.
Anyhow... The hub bearings are spinning nicely. The rims are 100 per cent true. The tubeless tyres stay inflated. Oh, and the home mechanic’s nemesis, the press-fit BB, remains entirely trouble-free. All of the pivot bearings in the Maestro suspension are still nip-tight and smooth. More surprisingly, I’m still rocking the original brake pads in the non-series Shimano MT520 four-piston brakes.
Generally, I’ve been really impressed by how reliable and quiet the bike is. It’s so quiet, in fact, that I’ve started to notice little things like a couple of cables quietly clicking against each other, which was instantly solved with a cable-tie.
BEN DAY Position
Mostly rides
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