Orbea Rise

jda

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Hi Guys,

I've just ordered an Orbea Rise ebike after many weeks of research on a topic that was completely new to me. I have been watching the ebike scene grow from a distance thinking maybe I'll get one some day, maybe when I turn 50 or something. I've been riding MTB over 20 years, my current bike is a SC 5010 V1 and I also have an old Yeti DH bike that I pretty much only ride at Green Valleys bike park about 8 times per year.

The main reason I have bought the ebike is to ride to work. I am lucky enough to be able to ride door to door through the bush and some of it is very nice singletrack indeed but there is a lot of very big hills so doing it every day is a punish. They are closing the main road I use to get to work for 6 months, the alternate route will add a lot of driving and traffic so I decided to get an ebike and ride every day through the bush.

Why the Orbea Rise?

If you are reading this you have probably heard about it already, it falls into the light weight category of ebike, similar to the Specialized Levo SL and Lapierre eZesty. The idea is that it feels and looks more like a normal MTB, requires more rider input, power comes on more naturally. The video below tells you eveything.


The wait time for the bike is crazy! mine won't ship until Christmas due to the popularity of the bike, Covid and global bike and bike parts shortages. The price was kind of crazy too, I've ordered a M10 custom MYO with upgrades to Race Face R31 carbon wheels and Minion tyres front and rear. I'm hoping it weighs about the same as my Yeti DH bike at 17.6kg
The Orbea MYO program allows you to choose custom colours and finish on their website. It's really good fun to play with but also a bit of a curse! I can't tell you how many hours I spent testing out different colour combinations before settling on a final design. I've attached photos of what I settled on, when it arrives I will also add some custom decals to the fork, shock and rims.
 

Attachments

Minlak

custom titis
The Orbea is a really nice bike - I just hope with the long wait times people now have if there are upgrades announced you get the upgraded versions. I would be super surprised if we have the same motor tech by the end of the year.
 

jda

Likes Bikes and Dirt
The Orbea is a really nice bike - I just hope with the long wait times people now have if there are upgrades announced you get the upgraded versions. I would be super surprised if we have the same motor tech by the end of the year.
Agreed although I was more worried about something better coming out while I'm waiting for mine. The Shimano EP8 motor in my Orbea only just came out and the previous generation was introduced back in 2016 so it will be around for a lot longer yet. What will the other manufacturers release though? Bosch might release something for the light weight category and Specialized may release a new Levo SL soon too. Either way I need my bike by January when the road closes.
 

Minlak

custom titis
Agreed although I was more worried about something better coming out while I'm waiting for mine. The Shimano EP8 motor in my Orbea only just came out and the previous generation was introduced back in 2016 so it will be around for a lot longer yet. What will the other manufacturers release though? Bosch might release something for the light weight category and Specialized may release a new Levo SL soon too. Either way I need my bike by January when the road closes.
Either way the bike you chose will still be a great bike to have - So you don't really lose - I just voiced how I would feel - I can't ever order anything I want it now!!!!
 

The Reverend

Likes Bikes and Dirt
A mate of mine picked his up a month ago. Ordered it about 6+ months prior.

Absolutely lovely bike and he's now ruined for the rest of his life. Used to ride a pimped out Ripmo and this solves all issues.

Lovely choice of bike, well done!!
 

Stredda

Runs naked through virgin scrub
I'll been E-curious for a while now and it's nearly time to come out.
The Orbea Rise is at the top of my list at the moment and I was planning to wait to next year before pulling the pin so hopefully supply may have improved by then. Keen to hear how it goes. The MYO option is great as there's that many bikes I like but I just don't like the colour or spec.
 

rextheute

Likes Bikes and Dirt
“E-curious “ I love it .
problem with saying you don’t like it …is when you try it ….
the realisation that you like it occurs !
#nothingwrongwiththat
 

jda

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Hey guys, my bike is finally here!

It arrived this week and to Orbea's credit it shipped exactly when they said it would when I placed the order.

I have only done one big ride so far since picking it up. I spent the morning setting it up, converted it to tubeless, suspension and cockpit settings etc. It was not fully charged but I couldn't wait so after lunch I headed out on a 46km ~3hr ride.

I'll add more thoughts once I have spent some time on the bike but my first impressions have truly exceeded my expectations! I did the first few kms of my ride in the lowest assistance level and I was thinking this feels just like my normal bike, bear in mind I have never ridded an ebike before. Then I realised the motor was actually turned off it has a very minimalist display that consists of 2 LEDs that subtly change colour which took some getting used to.
So I got it running properly on the low level (Eco) and its basically just enough assistance to offset the extra weight that the motor and battery adds, very subtle and close to feeling like the motor is off. The middle setting (Trail) feels just how I imagined this particular ebike to be based on the reviews, you have get your cadence up before it assists you so its got a very natural feeling. If you don't put the work in it won't add assistance. Boost mode was just like the hand of god gently lifting you to the top of the hill full cheat mode and I only used it on super steep climbs and at the end of the ride when I was exhausted.

 

The Reverend

Likes Bikes and Dirt
A mate of mine has one and I've ridden it around the street. The way it pedals without the motor / assistance really does need to be experienced. It's so very much like a normal bike.

Assistance is lovely when it comes in. Granted it's not like the full fat models but doesn't pretend to be either and it looks stunning.

Lovely bike and great to hear you're enjoying it!
 

yuley95

soft-arse Yuley is on the lifts again
Hey guys, my bike is finally here!

It arrived this week and to Orbea's credit it shipped exactly when they said it would when I placed the order.

I have only done one big ride so far since picking it up. I spent the morning setting it up, converted it to tubeless, suspension and cockpit settings etc. It was not fully charged but I couldn't wait so after lunch I headed out on a 46km ~3hr ride.

I'll add more thoughts once I have spent some time on the bike but my first impressions have truly exceeded my expectations! I did the first few kms of my ride in the lowest assistance level and I was thinking this feels just like my normal bike, bear in mind I have never ridded an ebike before. Then I realised the motor was actually turned off it has a very minimalist display that consists of 2 LEDs that subtly change colour which took some getting used to.
So I got it running properly on the low level (Eco) and its basically just enough assistance to offset the extra weight that the motor and battery adds, very subtle and close to feeling like the motor is off. The middle setting (Trail) feels just how I imagined this particular ebike to be based on the reviews, you have get your cadence up before it assists you so its got a very natural feeling. If you don't put the work in it won't add assistance. Boost mode was just like the hand of god gently lifting you to the top of the hill full cheat mode and I only used it on super steep climbs and at the end of the ride when I was exhausted.

Great looking bike
 

Sethius

Crashed out somewhere
Hmm... It's hard to ignore. There's one coming to a local shop later this month. Hard to know whether to grab it and mix and match. Is it a normal tapered steerer or one of those stupid oversized tapered ebike ones??

Will you be changing anything? Plenty putting on different shock/fork combos etc
 

jda

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Hmm... It's hard to ignore. There's one coming to a local shop later this month. Hard to know whether to grab it and mix and match. Is it a normal tapered steerer or one of those stupid oversized tapered ebike ones??

Will you be changing anything? Plenty putting on different shock/fork combos etc
This bike doesn't use any ebike specific parts.

Changes will be just the cranks at this stage, I've ordered a set of Shimano XT cranks to match the rest of the build kit. Only reason for this is that I have been loosely following the forums and Facebook pages dedicated to this bike and there have been a lot of issues with the ethirteen cranks supplied falling off or destroying the splines where they bolt onto the motor. I know this would be covered under warranty but I prefer to avoid the hassle and have the piece of mind of just preventing this by swapping cranks.

I know a lot of people have made this bike more Enduro by upping the fork to 160mm travel and swapping the rear shock with offset bushings to make it 160mm in the rear too. Some go mullet and some stay 29". It's good to know this is an option but for where I mostly ride its more trail riding in general and I have a DH bike if I want to do that type of riding. Based on my first ride this bike is very capable as it comes, especially with the Minions front and rear that I am running, you could ride Enduro or even DH trails on it no problem.
 

Sethius

Crashed out somewhere
This bike doesn't use any ebike specific parts.

Changes will be just the cranks at this stage, I've ordered a set of Shimano XT cranks to match the rest of the build kit. Only reason for this is that I have been loosely following the forums and Facebook pages dedicated to this bike and there have been a lot of issues with the ethirteen cranks supplied falling off or destroying the splines where they bolt onto the motor. I know this would be covered under warranty but I prefer to avoid the hassle and have the piece of mind of just preventing this by swapping cranks.

I know a lot of people have made this bike more Enduro by upping the fork to 160mm travel and swapping the rear shock with offset bushings to make it 160mm in the rear too. Some go mullet and some stay 29". It's good to know this is an option but for where I mostly ride its more trail riding in general and I have a DH bike if I want to do that type of riding. Based on my first ride this bike is very capable as it comes, especially with the Minions front and rear that I am running, you could ride Enduro or even DH trails on it no problem.
Hmm. Really is hitting the right spot for alot of folks. Appreciate the reply, got some hard thinking to do.
 

Stredda

Runs naked through virgin scrub
Hey guys, my bike is finally here!

It arrived this week and to Orbea's credit it shipped exactly when they said it would when I placed the order.


How long did it take for it to come in from when you placed the order?

I was talking to my dealer and he said he can't seen any until 2023!

If I go onto the Orbea site it only gives me two overseas shops with availability :(
386228
 
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jda

Likes Bikes and Dirt
How long did it take for it to come in from when you placed the order?

I was talking to my dealer and he said he can't seen any until 2023!
I ordered on the 31st of March and had the option of the full custom MYO M10 being shipped in January or the standard model M10 being shipped in November. Since I was going to be waiting a long time either way I decided to go custom and get the exact bike I wanted.

The way it works I believe is bike shops are able to put their name down against a certain number of bikes with Orbea otherwise its guys like me who are just placing a single order through their bike shop with Orbea.
If you really want one you could phone every Orbea dealer in the country and ask if they have any bikes already ordered in your size which would allow you to jump the queue and get one earlier. Only problem with that is if you have any problems with the bike that shop might be a long way from you and I'm not sure if Orbea would deal with warranty claims directly without going through the shop you purchase from.
 

Stredda

Runs naked through virgin scrub
I ordered on the 31st of March and had the option of the full custom MYO M10 being shipped in January or the standard model M10 being shipped in November. Since I was going to be waiting a long time either way I decided to go custom and get the exact bike I wanted.

The way it works I believe is bike shops are able to put their name down against a certain number of bikes with Orbea otherwise its guys like me who are just placing a single order through their bike shop with Orbea.
If you really want one you could phone every Orbea dealer in the country and ask if they have any bikes already ordered in your size which would allow you to jump the queue and get one earlier. Only problem with that is if you have any problems with the bike that shop might be a long way from you and I'm not sure if Orbea would deal with warranty claims directly without going through the shop you purchase from.
Yeah, I think I would rather go the my closest dealer as being an ebike there's a few more things that could go wrong and having to deal with an interstate dealer would be a real pain.
I'm kind of thinking of holding off for at least a year and hope things settle down. Don't really want to buy a new bike and it take that long to get here that a newer model is released before I even get mine.
Maybe it will be my 50th birthday present to myself (I'm almost 48 now) lol
 
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