Continuous test performance 5,040 km | 38,020 altitude metres
Model year 2013
The Sleek RC 29 should be the perfect complement to the fast trails on the Ammersee. Tight 110 millimetre travel at the rear, easy-rolling 29-inch wheels and, as the icing on the cake, an electronically controlled shock. The whole package is rounded off by a durable Shimano XT groupset and sturdy Magura MT4 brakes with 180 mm discs at the front and rear. So far, so good.
The electronic assistant in the form of an E:i-Shock system is designed to provide the rider with maximum support. Either by the rider manually activating and opening the platform on the shock by simply pressing a button on the handlebars. Or in automatic mode - in which case an acceleration sensor on the fork and a cadence sensor automatically recognise what the rider needs. So much for the theory. In practice, however, the rear suspension of the Sleek RC struggled with smaller obstacles and stubbornly refused to respond even in the most sensitive automatic mode. The shock reacted too slowly to larger obstacles, which often resulted in a hardtail feeling. For more sensitivity, I had to ride the shock completely open. In addition to the functional losses, the durability of the electronics also caused problems. The very first ride in the rain caused moisture to appear on the display of the control unit. Permanent contact problems in the bracket and finally a disintegration of the housing dampened my enthusiasm for the electronics. Even after replacing the speedometer, the system was capricious. Complete failure and full function went hand in hand.
ConclusionDue to the vulnerable electronics, I would have liked the Sleek RC much better without the E:i-Shock. Apart from the tyres and quick release, the bike, which is hungry for propulsion, was otherwise flawless.
Functionality ***
Durability ***
(max. 6 stars)
CHANGES
- 4100 km- none: The Sleek RC ran in its original configuration from start to finish.
DEFECTS
- 057 km - Speedometer leaking: The very first ride with a rain shower caused moisture to appear on the E:i-Shock display.
- 1400 km - Speedo falls apart: After contact problems in the bracket, the speedo disintegrated into individual parts. Haibike sent a replacement.
-1800 km - E:i-Shock fails: Despite a new speedo unit from Haibike, the automatic platform fails. The system always remains open.
- 2705 km - Lever breaks: The electronics work again, but the rear quick-release lever breaks.
- 3200 km - Chain change: The chain has elongated and has to be replaced.
