ORBEA RISE H10

£6,623 w/ upgrades Stripped-back e-bike that doesn’t sacrifice any of the fun factor

Orbea’s carbon fibre Rise was one of the first ‘lightweight’ e-MTBs. This more affordable alloy version follows the same template, but gains a bigger battery.

THE FRAME

Smoothed welds will have you thinking ‘carbon’, but fishscales by the BB give the game away. It’s not obviously an e-bike, either, until you view the down tube from above – this houses the 540Wh (non-removable) battery. Assistance is provided by a smooth, efficient Shimano EP8 motor with ‘RS’ tweaks, which limit max torque to 60Nm to eke out more range and give a more natural ride feel. Shimano’s minimal EN100 junction box replaces the usual LCD screen, with small LEDs to indicate mode and charge status.

A single-pivot swingarm provides 140mm of travel, with a shock link to control the leverage curve and a concentric axle pivot to separate the suspension from braking forces. Geometry is modern but more trailthan enduro-focused – the XL size has a 500mm reach, 65.5-degree head angle, 76.5-degree seat tube angle and 1,255mm wheelbase. Long seat tubes (508mm, XL) limit dropper travel.

THE KIT

The H10 has a decent XT-based spec with top-end Fox suspension parts. As standard (£6,399), you get a 34 fork and two-pot Shimano brakes; our bike (JCW’s longtermer) has a burlier 36 fork (+£135) and four-pots (+£89). These and more can be upgraded on Orbea’s website. E*thirteen supply the cranks, and advise checking the EP8 BB axle for cracks (see BikeRadar); we’ve had no problems. Wide (30mm internal) Race Face rims support 2.4in Maxxis Dissector and Rekon tyres. The carbon Race Face bar is a bonus, but we didn’t find the fi’zi:k saddle comfy.

THE RIDE

With more motor and battery power than rivals such as Specialized’s Turbo Levo SL (240Wh, 35Nm), the Rise H winches up climbs with no trouble, despite not having quite the same grunt as a ‘full fat’ e-bike. The ride feel is exactly as Orbea claim, too – “less e, more bike”. Power is fed in gradually, especially in the lower of the two assistance profiles. The battery isn’t big by modern standards, but the Rise

H’s lighter build and limited torque mean the motor has less work to do, so you get more miles from it. Orbea claim you can ride for five-and-a-half hours on a single charge in ‘Eco’ mode, just under half that in ‘Boost’. Plus, you can add a 252Wh range extender (+£440). We certainly never ran out of juice on everyday rides, but the limited battery info – just a red light when charge dips below 21 per cent – makes longer jaunts somwhat anxietyinducing. A Garmin device can be used to view battery life, mode and more, but we’d prefer a standard head unit.

While not as light as its carbon sibling, the Rise H is noticeably easier to throw around than a regular e-bike, aided by its 445mm chainstays, which balance flickability and stability well. The Orbea feels at home pumping through rollers and berms or flowing along rollercoaster singletrack, where its firm suspension gives plenty of pop. It can handle rougher trails too, just not with the same surefootedness as heavier e-bikes with more travel and better-damped tyres. We’d want toothier treads for typical UK riding, with a tougher casing up front, plus a 200mm brake rotor. That aside, there’s little to complain about. JCW