LYKE is Haibike’s answer to Trek’s mould-breaking Fuel EXe, the e-bike that looks and feels more like an acoustic - human-powered - bike. Fuel EXe has made huge fans of mountain bike riders - including a few of our team - but can a German value manufacturer rival the mighty American brand? Here’s our review of Haibike LYKE.
Haibike LYKE is targeted at riders who enjoy the fast and flowy stuff, and want a bike that’ll jump and flick off trail features in the same way as a lightweight, nimble acoustic bike. Maybe you ride with a group of people who go that little bit faster than you can naturally achieve or you want something that’ll prolong those days in the saddle, assisting you up the hills so you can focus your energy on the fun of descending.
Our Bikes Manager Alex was so impressed that he’s added a Haibike LYKE 11 to his stable and he’s described it as an “awesome bike”. Alex has been getting 20 to 50 miles out of a fully charged battery, depending on the type of riding and the power setting he’s been using. The only changes he’s made are to add Burgtec handlebars and pedals, and an Industry Nine stem, which is testimony to the quality of the off-the-shelf spec.
All three bikes in the range - CF 10, CF 11 and CF SE - come with full carbon frame (apart from the alloy rocker), with the top of the range model weighing in at 18.5kg, which is about 6kg lighter than Haibike’s full fat eMTB, the AllMtn 7. Assist comes from the Fazua Ride60 motor, delivering 60Nm of torque, powered by a Fazua Energy Intube battery.
The Haibike Lyke 10 costs £5,899, the Lyke 11 £6,799 and the Lyke CF SE £9,999.
Here’s the headline tech:
Alex said: “There’s a lot to like about this bike. The bladed, straight pull spokes are great, cutting through the air and transferring power really well. I like the faster rolling tyres, which keep the speed well but also give plenty of control when cornering. I’m doing a bit of everything on it; some red route, some off-piste technical stuff but I’m also planning on doing some moorland trekking too when I know the range better.
“The suspension set-up is different to the Trek bikes I normally ride, with the rear shock connected to the top tube, so I’m still trying to dial in my personal settings. There’s a slightly different feel to how it actuates but when you’re riding it, it still feels great and performs well. This is a really achievable value for money bike but it’s heavily spec-laden for the price. It’s an awesome bike.”
Watch Alex talk in detail about Haibike LYKE with Tim on the video below.
Find out more about Haibike LYKE, talk to Alex and try it for yourself in our spacious car park by visiting in-store in Southgate, Pickering.
