The Haibike Hardnine 5 is a 29er hardtail electric mountain bike with the new Bosch Performance Line Cruise motor (65 Nm) and a 500wh battery that has an entry-level fork.
This ebike is a solid Bosch-powered Class 1 Emtb that will allow you to rip around town and hit the trails with ease.
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The Haibike Hardnine 5 – At A Glance
*Price – $3,325 * Weight – large, 57.4lbs * Sizes – medium, large, extra-large * Class 1 mid-drive
(we only have one large at the shop right now so I was only able to weigh that one)
Range Test
I weigh 220lbs and can get 22-50 miles on this ebike in real-world testing. Depending on which assist mode I’m in, how many hills there are, and how windy it is. Lighter riders will get more range.
I recently had a couple of customers that weigh around 150lbs go out for a 3-mile test ride on the Haibike Trekking 5 which has the same motor and battery as this bike, so we could check out what kind of range they will get. After letting the range feature reset to their riding weight, it said they will likely get 35-70 miles on this bike! Rider weight plays a big role in the overall range.
Of course, the bike can be ridden if the battery runs out, just without any motor assistance.
Pros
- Bosch motor system
- 500wh in-tube battery
- Class 1 for trail riding if your state allows it yet
Cons
- Pretty simple front fork (can be easily upgraded if needed)
- 65nm motor instead of 85 Nm
Who’s it For?
This would be a great ebike for someone that wants a Class 1 electric mountain bike that will tackle tough trails or just likes to commute through town on a mountain bike, which opens up many routes other than just pavement.
The Bosch Performance Line Cruise motor at 65nm of power is more than enough for riders up to 200lbs. If you are over 200lbs (like me), Bosch has the Performance Line CX motor that offers 85 Nm of power and I would look for an ebike with that motor.
You can still ride this ebike just fine if you weigh over 200lbs, it’s just that you may find the motor is not quite up to the task for steep climbs with only the Shimano 9 speed gearing.
Some Backstory
This is technically the 2021 model of the Haibike Hardnine 5, but since we just received these in stock at the shop towards the end of January 2022. Let’s just call them the 2022’s. This will be the only version of this ebike for 2022 in the US.
All of the Haibikes that we were supposed to get last year for 2021 are coming this year in 2022. The bike industry has seen its share of supply and shipping issues.
Form & Function
When you buy an electric bike or any bike for that matter, what you are really buying is the ride. You could have the prettiest bike in the world and unless it rides well, it’s just a piece of artwork.
The Haibike Hardnine 5 is a good-looking bike. The new Bosch Gen4 motors are smaller than the Gen3’s and with the in-tube battery, it’s almost hard to tell that it’s even an ebike.
The blueish color is the exact same color that Haibike used on the Trekking 5 and the accents are a cool slightly lime green.
One thing I really like about Haibike is the way they curve the top tube to allow for a little bit more room at the standover section.
The New Haibikes also have the battery cover on the top of the downtube, unlike my 2019 model that has it on the bottom, this makes removing the battery a lot easier. The batteries weigh 6.4lbs and should be removed if you’re putting the bikes onto hitch racks. It’s less weight on the rack and less weight to lift.
Nuts & Bolts
Here’s a breakdown of what comes stock on the bike –
The Motor, Battery, and Display
These are the parts you are really looking for when buying an electric bike.
The Haibike Hardnine 5 is a Bosch bike which, in my opinion, is the best there is!
Motor
Bosch Performance Line Cruise mid-drive, 250 watts, 65nm max torque, up to 270% assist.
Battery
Bosch 500wh in-tube with a Bosch compact charger that will charge from 0-100% in about 7hrs.
Display
Bosch Purion (speed, trip, range, odometer, assist level, battery level)
The Drive Train
If you are looking for a pedal-assist mid-drive ebike then the drive train is very important. This is the gearing and shifting part of the bike. You will want lower gearing if you plan to ride up steep hills.
Shifter
Shimano Alivio – 9 speed
Rear Derailleur
Shimano Alivio – 9 speed
Cassette
11-36 tooth – 9 speed
Now the tooth count on the cassette is where you can tell how low the gearing is, the higher the tooth count on the biggest cog, the lower the gear is.
Having the lowest gear be a 36 tooth paired with the 65nm motor will allow anyone under 175lbs to climb pretty steep hills. Riders from 175 to 200lbs will have to work a bit harder. Riders over 200 lbs may find this gearing and motor set-up a bit of a challenge for really steep climbs.
The Brakes
The brakes on an ebike can often get overlooked, but when you are cruising at higher speeds, on a heavier ebike, it’s good to know you have brakes that stop you fast if necessary.
The Haibike Hardnine 5 comes with Tektro HD-M275 hydraulic disc brakes which have 2 piston calipers paired with 180mm rotors, front, and rear.
These brakes are pretty entry-level hydraulic brakes, but they provide decent stopping power with 180mm rotors. For smaller riders, they work very well, for bigger riders I would test your stopping power on steep downhills to see how much they heat up.
The Tektro HD-M275 brakes use mineral oil for brake fluid so they will be easier to bleed down the road and should last you a good long time. Big riders will be replacing brake pads more often, though.
The Fork
The fork that comes stock on this ebike is the SR Suntour XCM 32 dual spring with boost thru-axle spacing 15x110mm (not 15x120mm like it says on the Haibike website, I measured, there is no such thing as 15x120mm).
Both of the springs have preload knobs on top to adjust the tension. (This is not an air spring fork)
The Wheels and Tires
Wheels
The Haibike Hardnine 5 comes with double-walled, eyeletted, 25mm internal width, 32 spoke, tubeless-ready Alex rims laced to Haibike branded “The Hub” hubs.
Tires
The tires are WTB Ranger Comp 29×2.3” (these are not the tubeless-ready ranger tires!) The rims are tubeless-ready and can take tubeless-ready tires, just the stock tires that come on this bike are not.
The WTB ranger tires are a fast-rolling medium-sized knobby, good for drier conditions to lightly wet, nothing too muddy.
If you live in a really muddy area, I would definitely switch to knobbier tires, here in the Bend, OR area these tires are just about the right tread.
Before you buy –
The Haibike Hardnine 5 has mounts for a rear rack, can take clip-on fenders (or full fenders with some tinkering), and like every Bosch bike, can have lights wired into the system.
You can find the Haibike Hardnine 5 right here!
At the End of the Day
I am a big fan of Haibikes! I have almost 10,000 miles on my current one and put over 2,000 miles on my last one before I had to sell it.
If you have the opportunity to buy a Haibike, I highly recommend that you do.
The Haibike Hardnine 5 is a great hardtail mountain bike for anyone looking to start hitting the trails on an ebike but doesn’t want to break the bank with a full-suspension monster.
This ebike would also make a great additional bike if you already have an electric mountain bike and just want another one so people can ride with you.
As with just about every ebike this year, supply will be very limited for these. Check with your local Haibike dealer right away. We just received these ebikes here at Bend Velo Bike Shop at the end of January!
