HARO SHIFT 27.FIVE R7
HARO SHIFT 27.FIVE R7
More than a BMX company
Most mountain bikers got their start riding BMX in one form or another. Haro is arguably the most recognizable BMX brand on the planet, and rightfully so. Bob Haro’s obsession has evolved into a successful company with an obvious passion for cycling. Legends such as Ryan Nyquist have won multiple gold medals on Haros, expanding the company’s reputation from freestyle into racing. Haro has also expanded into mountain bikes and has kept up with the quickly changing market with evolving wheel sizes and relevant suspension technology.
WHO IS IT MADE FOR?
The Shift 27.Five R7 is part of Haro’s relatively new lineup of full-suspension bikes and has strong appeal for riders looking for a dialed bike with competitive value. Entry-level riders looking for their first full-suspension bike will find great value in the Shift. The frame and linkage are sturdy and would also appeal to more seasoned riders. The Shift provides a good suspension platform for building a solid all-around trailbike.
WHAT IS IT MADE FROM?
Haro currently offers the Shift in an aluminum version. The front and rear triangles use 6061–T6 aluminum, as does the suspension linkage. The Shift uses a four-bar linkage that has 125 millimeters of rear-wheel travel. The lower linkage has oversized bearings that have a sturdy look. The rear triangle is a 12×142 thru-axle with a threaded bottom bracket. Haro built the Shift with a tapered head tube and kept all of the cable routing external for quick accessibility. The cable routing on the downtube is a little messy but easy to access, which is a plus.
The Shift starts at $1250 for the most basic build kit, but with the same frame and rear triangle. The R7 caps off the line of standard 27.5-inch bikes at $2070. Haro does offer the Shift in a 27.5+ version, which comes with a higher-spec build kit and suspension for $2600.
WHICH COMPONENTS STAND OUT?
They work: Budget-driven bikes can sometimes skimp on the important components of the bike, such as the brakes. We were pleased with the Shimano brakes during the entirety of our testing.
Our test bike came stock with a 2×10 setup with a Shimano XT rear derailleur that offered consistent shifting and excellent durability. Haro specs the Shift with a RockShox Monarch RL shock that gives the four-bar linkage a smooth ride and good suspension platform. This is a solid-performing shock for a bike at this price point. Once broken in, the brakes gave us the consistent power and feel we’ve come to expect from Shimano’s stoppers at any price point.
Proven XT legacy: This is one rear derailleur that we have seen plenty of and know just how well it operates. The rear gearing came with an 11-34 cassette. Riders looking for a little extra push might want to upgrade to a slightly taller cassette.
HOW DOES IT PERFORM?
We set the sag at 20 percent for our local trails. Riders on more aggressive terrain might want to reduce the air pressure and run more sag for better big-bump compliance. The four-bar linkage is very plush, so we recommend starting on the firmer side when setting up the suspension.
Smooth feel: It’s tough for us not to focus on just how smooth a ride quality the Shift provided during our testing.
Moving out: The bar/stem combo is fairly comfortable for a trailbike with this much travel, although we would prefer slightly wider bars. The Shift comes stock with a quick-release clamp for the seatpost, which made adjusting the saddle height simple on the trail.
Cornering: Despite the bike not having a dropper post, it was fairly easy to shift our weight around to maintain traction. The geometry felt comfortable and allowed us to distribute our weight the way we wanted to. Cornering can be heavily dependent on tire pressure, and without running tubeless we ran our tire pressures fairly high to avoid pinch flatting. These higher pressures did affect our ability to push hard in tight corners at times but didn’t completely shut us down.
Still relevant: We are huge believers in riding 1x systems, but in this case appreciated having a little extra gearing for the steep sections. More competitive riders might find themselves converting to a 1x down the road.
Climbing: The Shift comes stock with a 2×10 drivetrain, which on paper sounds appealing. We were a little surprised to see the bike come stock with an 11-34 cassette instead of having that little extra 36-tooth in the back. The rear suspension felt stiff and responsive with the Monarch switched to the firmer position. The Shift wasn’t in a hurry to make it to the top of the mountain, but it got us there in a reasonable amount of time.
A little bit of everything: 120-millimeter full-suspension frames have been the hot ticket for do-it-all trailbikes. The Shift sports 125 millimeters of rear suspension and offers riders the ability to upgrade to a longer-travel fork if they want something more aggressive.
Descending: For a bike in this price range the Shift descends with confidence and is fun to push down the mountain. We didn’t let “high-posting” stop us from having fun and hitting steep sections of trail. The slacked-out head angle felt stable and allowed us to move our weight back behind the saddle. The rear suspension felt impressively smooth and gave the Shift a solid ride quality. On smooth trails the Shift was fun and responded to banked turns and built sections well.
TRICKS, TIPS OR UPGRADES?
We convert nearly all of our test bikes to tubeless, but the Shift comes stock with wire-bead tires that are a bit of a buzzkill in that regard. We did manage to get a handful of pinch flats during our testing, which made for a long walk back to the car on one occasion. Converting the wheels to a tubeless setup will drastically change the ride. The climbs were a grind at times, and an 11-36 cassette would have given us a little extra push up the steep sections. If you’re willing to spend the extra cash, a dropper post would definitely add to the fun factor and keep you from stopping to adjust your saddle height at the top of the trail, but it’s not a must.
BUYING ADVICE
Budget-driven riders looking to test the waters with their first full-suspension bike or riders buying their very first bike will find that the Shift offers consistent performance and an incredibly smooth suspension platform. The Shift will give riders an enticing introduction to what riding a full-suspension bike can mean for their future on the trail. HARO SHIFT 27.FIVE R7
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