The Haro Shift R9 LT emerges from a comprehensive lineup of eight bikes, ranging from budget-friendly options at $1300 to high-performance models like this one, priced at $2610. This positions the Shift R9 LT at the higher end, promising enhanced features and capabilities.
What is the Haro Shift R9 LT?
This Haro Mountain Bike, the Haro Shift R9 LT, is designed as an all-mountain machine boasting 140mm of travel and equipped with 27.5-inch wheels. It’s specifically tailored for riders tackling challenging local trails and venturing on occasional bike trips. Haro’s objective with this model is clear: to deliver top-tier components from trusted brands without breaking the bank.
For those seeking alternatives within the haro mountain bike range, the Shift family offers a spectrum of full-suspension bikes. This series includes eight models, starting from an accessible $1300 up to the premium $2610 variant we’re focusing on. Within the Shift range, you’ll find bikes with 120mm of travel and even models featuring plus-size tires, all maintaining the 27.5-inch wheel standard. Haro emphasizes value across the Shift line, aiming to provide consumers with the best possible specs for their investment. It’s noteworthy that Haro caps its top-end model at $2600, a refreshing contrast to brands with flagship bikes reaching $10,000 or more.
Haro Shift R9 LT: Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Effective Geometry and Performance: The bike’s geometry is well-engineered, translating to excellent on-trail performance.
- Efficient Suspension: The 4-bar suspension design is effective both on descents and during climbs, offering efficient pedaling.
- Quality Components for the Price: The Shift R9 LT features reputable and recognizable components, providing excellent value.
- Stiff Crank and Responsive Drivetrain: The stiff crankset and snappy 1×11 drivetrain enhance power transfer and responsiveness.
- Reliable Brakes: Shimano SLX brakes offer ample stopping power for demanding trails.
- Precise Shifting: Shimano XT shifting ensures smooth and accurate gear changes.
- RockShox Suspension at a Competitive Price: Inclusion of RockShox suspension components is a significant advantage at this price point.
Cons:
- No Dropper Post: A notable omission across the entire Shift family is the absence of a dropper seatpost.
- No Water Bottle Mounts: The frame lacks water bottle mounts, which can be inconvenient for longer rides.
- Unnecessary Fork Lockout: The remote fork lockout is considered by some to be unnecessary and clutters the handlebar setup.
- Suspension Lacks Suppleness: The suspension is not the most supple and could offer more mid-stroke support.
- Gearing Could Be Wider: The 11-42 cassette might benefit from an upgrade to a wider-range 11-46 XT option for varied terrains.
Delving Deeper into the Haro Shift R9 LT
While the component spec of this haro mountain bike is a major highlight, let’s first examine the frame. The geometry is well-considered, featuring a 75-degree seat tube angle and a 68-degree head tube angle. Although for a bike with this travel and wheel size, a slightly slacker head angle of 67 or even 66.5 degrees would be ideal for aggressive all-mountain riding. The cockpit is modern and trail-ready with 760mm handlebars and a 70mm stem. Our test bike had a reach of 443mm. For a true all-mountain bike, a shorter 50mm stem could enhance handling responsiveness.
The ride quality is commendable, thanks to the RockShox suspension. The bike feels responsive and capable on technical trails, aided by the grip of the Nevegal X tires. The 31mm wide rims are adequately wide, and the Pivit hubs operated silently throughout testing. Converting to a tubeless setup would further improve the bike’s performance by reducing weight and enhancing traction.
The suspension, while functional, isn’t the plushest, and mid-stroke support could be improved due to its fairly linear nature. Compression adjustments are absent, which is typical in this price bracket. However, the RockShox Revelation fork is tunable with tokens, allowing riders to adjust the progressiveness and prevent bottoming out by running lower air pressure.
Considering the $2610 price tag of this haro mountain bike, these minor shortcomings are understandable. High-end suspension setups alone can easily cost $1500.
In the open rear shock setting, the bike climbed efficiently with minimal pedal bob. Locking out the rear shock effectively turns it into a hardtail for maximum pedaling efficiency on smooth climbs.
Component Highlights: Where the Haro Shift R9 LT Shines
The components are indeed a standout feature. Haro, a well-established brand making a strong comeback in the mountain bike market, manages to offer this level of spec at a competitive price point while still supporting local bike shops, avoiding the direct-to-consumer model.
The component list includes Shimano XT shifters, derailleur, and cassette, delivering consistently precise and reliable shifting performance. While the 11-42 cassette is functional, an upgrade to a wider 11-46 cassette would broaden its appeal to riders with varying fitness levels and terrain types.
The Praxis Cadet crankset is a smart choice, offering enhanced stiffness and performance with its robust spindle, yet remaining more affordable than some alternatives. Ritchey cockpit components, WTB saddle and rims are all reliable and perform their roles effectively. The inclusion of a chain guide and remote fork lockout are somewhat unusual and might be deemed unnecessary by some riders. However, they don’t detract from the bike’s overall performance.
Final Verdict on the Haro Shift R9 LT
The primary takeaway from our review is the impressive performance of this haro mountain bike. Haro’s engineering team has successfully created a capable all-mountain bike as they re-establish themselves in the mountain bike market. They are also actively refining their offerings, evident in the next generation of Shift bikes, which are already addressing some of the points raised in this review.
Value Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5
Price: $2610
More Info: www.harobikes.com
Q&A with Haro Product Manager Jean-Luc Ferre
Mtbr: What were the design objectives for this bike? Who is the ideal buyer?
Jean-Luc Ferre: The Shift design was conceived three years prior to this model to deliver solid trail (120mm version) or all-mountain performance (140mm travel) while maintaining efficient pedaling. This is achieved through a low forward pivot point on the swingarm, minimizing unwanted suspension bob.
The all-mountain LT version, as tested in the R9, offers increased travel and a progressive rear shock spring rate, catering to faster riding and larger jumps compared to the original Trail version. It also features a RockShox Monarch RL rear shock with DebonAir, providing a larger air reservoir for a more linear spring curve, enhancing traction and control over small bumps.
The target buyer for this haro mountain bike model is someone seeking performance and a great riding experience without the hefty price tag of higher-end bikes starting at $3,500 or more with comparable or slightly superior specifications.
Mtbr: Price is $2610. How were you able to achieve this price point with XT components and full RockShox suspension?
Jean-Luc Ferre: The Shift frames and bikes are produced in a highly efficient, vertically integrated factory. This facility manages the entire manufacturing process, from raw aluminum to final assembly. This streamlined process, combined with cost-effective tooling (cold-forged and CNC machined frame parts), allows us to offer very competitive pricing for our 6061-T6 alloy models across a range of component specifications. For the R9 LT specifically, we strategically selected a combination of Shimano XT and SLX parts, along with components like Ritchey cockpit and WTB rims, to maximize performance while maintaining affordability. All Shift frames utilize Enduro sealed bearings, and most models are equipped with sealed bearing hubs.
Mtbr: Why the Praxis crank and chainring instead of XT? We’ve had positive experiences with Praxis components.
Jean-Luc Ferre: The Praxis Cadet crankset is an excellent component. It’s affordable yet stiff, featuring a 30mm alloy axle and cold-forged arms, rotating on a high-quality sealed bearing bottom bracket. Its stiffness impressed me from initial testing in 2015. Considering its cost, the forged “Wave” chainring, and overall quality, there was no compelling reason to spend significantly more for a Deore XT 1x crankset. We plan to incorporate more Praxis components in our 2018 models.
Mtbr: Why include a chainguide and fork lockout? These aren’t commonly seen on 1×11 bikes like this.
Jean-Luc Ferre: The chainguide acts as a safety measure, preventing chain drops as chainrings wear. The fork lockout was included at the request of our sales department, primarily for international distributors. It’s most beneficial for riders who stand and push hard on climbs. However, this spec was replaced with dropper posts in the MY18 models, addressing question No. 5.
Mtbr: No dropper post? Is there internal routing for one?
Jean-Luc Ferre: Yes, the frame design accommodates both internal and external dropper post routing. Internal routing runs through the downtube, exiting at the bottom bracket and continuing through the seat tube and linkage mount. For the Shift range, priced between $1250 and $2600, our strategy was to allow consumers to select their preferred dropper post. This keeps the initial bike price competitive and avoids limiting choices. With improved dropper post options for 2018, most mid-range Shift models and above now feature internally routed dropper posts as standard.
