Haro Competes Against Big Brand e-MTBs With an Aluminum “Frankenstein”

Today, Haro is still doing the same thing it has always done, building bikes. The bike we bring you today is known as the Shift Plus I/0 9, and it is an e-MTB that isn't to be messed with. Above all, it comes in with a rather affordable $5,999.99 base price (just under €5,000).

If you're thinking that getting an e-MTB for under $10,000 (€8,238) means receiving an aluminum frame, you are right. This is the first thing that pops into view as you inspect the photos in the gallery. If you're worried about owning an aluminum frame e-MTB, don't be. With the way the technology has been evolving these days, an aluminum frame seems to sometimes be favored over their praised carbon fiber brethren.

Yes, I'm saying that sometimes an aluminum frame is better than a carbon one. That's because aluminum is simply able take a beating. Have you ever noticed how most carbon fiber bikes include a shield on the downtube? Why do you think that is? Simply put, those frames need the extra protection. Don't get me wrong, an aluminum frame requires protection too, but it's typically able to withstand a few more blows than carbon would.

To keep up with the times, Haro has included internal cable routing for all the lines you see, except for the front brake, of course. Also hidden in the down tube is the battery pack that powers the Shimano STEPS E-8000 mid-drive motor pushing out a cool 70 Nm (52  lb-ft) of torque.

If you were wondering what sort of drivetrain and battery system we find on this Shift, that last statement doesn't tell the whole story. That's because Haro chose only to use the E-8000 motor and not the E-8000 battery that would normally complete this setup.

Instead, Haro has replaced the standard 504Wh removable battery used by other bike brands such as Marin with a Darfon 630Wh internal battery hidden in the down tube. This is a clear sign of the sort of business this team handles.

The remaining drivetrain components, such as the front derailleur, rear derailleur, shifter, and even cassette, are furnished by Shimano and tuned to 11 speeds. Actually, what we find is a mix of components from different categories of the Shimano brand. The brakes too are covered by this powerhouse, with 4-piston hydraulic disk clamping down on 203-mm (8-in) rotors.

For the suspension, Fox is the team that brings its top-shelf components. The front fork is a Fox Rhythm 36 Float E with 160 mm (6.3 in) of travel, sweep adjuster, and hydraulic lockout. The rear frame suspension is completed with Fox Float X2 with trunnion mount and a 225 mm x 75 mm (8.85 in x 2.95 in) setup. For lack of a better word, solid.

There's only one problem with the Shift; if you try to pick one up on the Haro website, you won't be able to as the bike appears to be sold out. Still, Craigslist or other similar websites you use to find this bike should be your best bet. So get to it, or maybe you find a dealership before it’s too late.