First Ride REVIEW Orbea RISE - Sub-40-Pound e-MTB - Mountain Bike Feature

Highlights

Custom-tuned Shimano EP8 RS motor

360Wh battery

Optional 252Wh range extender available

Maximum 60NM torque

Power maps can be custom-tuned through Shimano's eTube app

29-inch wheels

OMR carbon frame on all models

140mm (5.5-inches) front and rear travel (150mm fork option tested)

Shimano XTR 12-speed drivetrain and brakes (tested)

e*13 cranks and chainring

Maxxis 29x2.4-inch Dissector EXO+ and Rekon EXO+ front and rear, respectively

40-pounds with pedals (as tested)

$9,499 USD (as tested)

Orbea's Intent with the Rise

Orbea wanted to create a bike that delivered a ride experience that was focused more on rider input than on motor output. If Orbea could create an e-bike that delivered the mountain bike experience but allowed riders to ride longer, it would be mission accomplished. Using the Occam as the road map for geometry, the next step was to set up an appropriate powerplant.

Shimano's new EP8 motor was designed with power curves that would not only optimize battery life and efficiency but also supply a power output that would be less jarring on the trail. With the two brands on a similar mission, they went about coordinating efforts to create the Rise. The result is a motor that Orbea has dubbed the EP8 RS (Ride Synergy.) The RS moniker is Orbea's stamp, identifying the custom mapping and limited torque output. Why limit power though?

If you reduce torque output, you can use smaller batteries, a lighter frame, and lighter components. The result? An e-bike that is sub-40-pounds. Our Orbea Rise M-Team bike was just a hair over 40-pounds with pedals. Orbea has claimed that with the proper parts spec, riders can get their Rise down to just under 36-pounds without pedals.

Orbea has now created its offering, effectively leaving everyone else to catch up.

If there was one riding trait we were hoping for but did not get, it was the planted feeling that so many full-sized e-bikes give. Even for a traditional mountain bike, the Rise's relative weak point was successive mid-sized hits and small moto whoops. In fairness, we are still talking about a 150mm/140mm trail bike, so we're asking a lot of the Rise. This is fairly subjective, but we will take pop over plow almost any day.

In all, we did two, 13-mile loops for a total of 4,000-feet of vertical climbing. Running the Rise in Boost most of the time, we got about 20 miles before hitting the 20% life indicator on the battery. After that, we just ran Trail mode the rest of the time and made the full run just fine. The beauty here is that even if you run out of juice with the Rise, you aren't in that bad of shape.

What's the Bottom Line

This is just a first look, so our conclusions are not final just yet. We will say that based on the miles we've logged thus far that the Rise is a disrupter. This is something that blurs the lines of e-bike and mountain bike in only the most flattering of ways possible. Specialized may have made the first move with its Levo SL, but that is an in-house drive unit. Using outside brand partnerships, Orbea has now created its offering, effectively leaving everyone else to catch up.