Orbea Rise M-Team in review - The best (E-)mountain bike of 2021?

EMTB or MTB? The Orbea Rise M-Team makes this a pointless question. Thanks to its outstanding handling, modular battery concept and successful motor integration, the Orbea Rise can easily shred with its non-motorised competitors downhill while leaving them behind in a cloud of dust uphill. Too good to be true? We tested the Rise and tell you how it compares to the other analogue and motorised mountain bikes in the test.

For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best mountainbike of 2021 – 22 models in review

**Orbea** Rise M-Team | Shimano EP8 RS/360 Wh | 150/140 mm (f/r)
18.46 kg (Size L) | € 9,338 | Manufacturer-website

Who said that a great mountain bike can’t have a motor? Needless to say, it takes a lot more than just bolting an electric motor onto a good mountain bike frame. Although the Orbea Rise is based on its analogue counterpart the Occam, both visually and technically, the Spanish brand has put a lot of effort into developing an entirely new eMTB. At the heart of the Rise sits a Shimano EP8 RS motor, which Orbea have tweaked for a more natural ride feel as well as reducing the maximum torque to 60 Nm. The motor draws its power from an internal, fully integrated 360 Wh battery. For particularly long rides, you can increase the range with an optional 252 Wh range extender stored in the bottle cage which costs an extra € 499 and weighs 1.5 kg – but can be comfortably stored in the bottle cage. Shimano’s modular display and remote concept allow several configurations, from minimalist setups without a display or remote, to more elaborate configurations with either a remote or display or a mix of both. In addition, the companion app lets you customise the support levels and characteristics of the motor. In typical Orbea fashion, the paint finish of the Rise can be customised via the MyO configurator. Here you can choose from countless colour schemes and give the carbon frame a very unique look.

A mini configurator for your dream spec? The Orbea Rise and the MyO program

The MyO configurator lets you choose not only the look of your Rise but also some of the components. The FOX Factory suspension of our € 9,388 test bike consists of a FOX 36 GRIP2 fork and DPX2 shock controlling 150/140 mm travel respectively. Shimano supply the four-piston XTR brakes, which Orbea pair with 200/180 mm Galfer rotors instead of Shimano’s XTR FREEZA discs. We deliberately decided against the € 800 carbon wheel upgrade because, depending on the area of application, terrain, rider weight and tire casing, carbon rims could actually be a risky and very costly downgrade. The Rise rolls on a 29” Race Face Turbine R30 alloy wheelset and MAXXIS Minion tires in the puncture prone EXO casing. Unfortunately, there are no heavy-duty tires available in the configurator which would make a lot of sense given the extra weight of eMTBs. Race Face also supply the stiff 780 mm carbon handlebars. Shimano’s I-SPEC standard ensures good cockpit ergonomics while a Shimano remote controls the 175 mm FOX Transfer dropper post. A 12-speed Shimano XTR drivetrain ensures super smooth, fast and accurate gear shifts despite the additional forces of the electric motor.

While the modular battery concept and handling of the Rise are phenomenal, the loud clunking noise of the EP8 RS motor isn’t!

**Tick the right box**
In the MyO configurator you can choose between a 150 mm travel FOX 36 Factory GRIP2 or 140 mm FOX 34 Factory FIT4 fork. Our recommendation: don’t save a few grams on such a crucial component and choose the 36er, because it delivers outstanding downhill performance.

**Style for miles**
Pick your look. Choosing from countless colour schemes and decal combinations, you can design your very unique Rise – you can even match the fork and rear end decals to suit. Nice!

**Same motor, different feel**
Contrary to what the “RS” sticker suggests, the Orbea has the same Shimano EP8 motor as the MERIDA. However, Orbea have tweaked the software to reduce maximum torque to 60 Nm to ensure a more natural ride feel and achieve large range despite the small battery.

Orbea Rise M-Team

€ 9,338

Specifications

Motor Shimano EP8 RS 60 Nm
Battery Orbea RS Internal 360 Wh
Display Shimano SC-EM800
Fork FOX 36 Factory 150 mm
Rear Shock FOX DPX2 Factory 140 mm
Seatpost FOX Transfer Factory 175 mm
Brakes Shimano XTR M9120 200/180 mm
Drivetrain Shimano XTR 1x12
Stem Race Face Turbine R 50 mm
Handlebar Race Face Next 35 780 mm
Wheelset Race Face Turbine R30 29"
Tires MAXXIS Minion DHF EXO 3C MaxxTerra/DHRII EXO Dual 2.5/2.4

Technical Data

Size S M L XL
Weight 18.46 kg

Specific Features

Optional RS Range-extender(252 Wh, € 499)

**Excellent**
The 12-speed Shimano XTR drivetrain ensures fast, reliable and accurate shifting even with the motor under full load.

**Water or juice**
The optional range extender boosts the battery capacity to a total of 612 Wh. While this allows you to take your Rise on epic rides, you’ll have to leave your water bottle behind.

**On the limit**
In the MyO configurator, the MAXXIS Minion tire combination with EXO casing is the most downhill friendly. To unlock the full potential of the Rise and protect your rims from impacts, we recommend using more robust DoubleDown tires, especially at the rear.

**Chain slap despite the protector?**
Downhill, even the smallest hit is followed by a distinctive metallic clunking noise. While this might sound like the chain, the noise actually comes from inside the Shimano EP8 motor.

The geometry of the Orbea Rise M-Team

Not only the silhouette but also the suspension and geometry of the Orbea Rise are based on Orbea’s popular analogue trail bike, the Occam. However, the engineers had to stretch the chainstays to 445 mm to make room for the motor in the bottom bracket area. The long rear end is complemented by a very spacious front end with 474 mm reach and 627 mm stack in size L. At 76.5°, the seat angle of the Rise is relatively steep, positioning the rider centrally above the motor. On long rides in flat terrain, the position feels front-heavy, putting pressure on your hands. However, the Rise really comes to life when the trail gets steeper. In all support levels, the EP8 RS motor can be modulated intuitively with the sheer pedal pressure and cadence, which in combination with the quiet motor, ensures a very natural riding experience.

Size	S	M	L	XL
Seat tube	381 mm	419 mm	457 mm	508 mm
Top tube	565 mm	592 mm	619 mm	649 mm
Head tube	95 mm	105 mm	120 mm	140 mm
Head angle	65.5°	65.5°	65.5°	65.5°
Seat angle	76.5°	76.5°	76.5°	76.5°
Chainstays	445 mm	445 mm	445 mm	445 mm
BB Drop	32 mm	32 mm	32 mm	32 mm
Wheelbase	1,180 mm	1,205 mm	1,229 mm	1,225 mm
Reach	425 mm	450 mm	474 mm	500 mm
Stack	604 mm	613 mm	627 mm	646 mm

**Helmet** Giro Manifest Spherical | **Glasses** 100% Glendale | **Shirt** ION Tee SS Scrub Amp
**Shorts** ION Bikeshorts Scrub Amp | **Kneepads** Sweet Protection Bearsuit Light
**Shoes** Ride Concepts Men`s Transition

Drifting uphill? The Rise unlocks previously unknown dimensions of riding fun

While your mates on analogue bikes are fighting their way up the mountain on boring fire roads, you’ll be having a blast shredding your way up the mountain on fun singletracks. Drifting into a corner and manualling out of it? Uphill? Hell yeah, screams the Rise! The Levo SL, which offers noticeably less motor power, can’t do that and And while the Merida eONE-SIXTY delivers even more power, it’s still not as fun as the Rise uphill. Even without motor assistance, the Rise pedals smoothly with the EP8 exhibiting no noticeable pedalling resistance.

Sluggish, heavy, boring… The Orbea Rise shatters all preconceptions of eMTBs, proving to be incredibly fun and capable!

Tuning-tips: bundle the cables in the cockpit and support them on the right hand cableport with tape | rear tire with more robust casing (e.g. MAXXIS DoubleDown) | 200 mm brake rotor at the rear (unfortunately not available in Orbea’s MyO configurator)

Fast uphill, even faster downhill? The Orbea Rise M-Team downhill

When you shred your way back down into the valley, you’d never think you’re schlepping around a motor and battery. Except for one detail! Like all bikes with a Shimano motor, the Rise has a noise issue: even on small impacts, the otherwise silent EP8 drive makes a metallic clunking noise. What a shame! Like the Canyon Spectral, which doesn’t have a motor at all, the Orbea Rise is irredeemably addicted to speed, a habit it gleefully feeds with its smooth and composed character. On the trail, the Orbea feels super stable and allows you to build up speed by pumping, despite weighing 18.46 kg. This is partly due to the stiff suspension which, like the Levo SL, allows you to catch air with the gentlest pull on the bars. Compared to the Rise, the MERIDA eONE-SIXTY literally sticks to the ground. Nonetheless, the suspension of the Rise still manages to generate enough traction even on slippery roots and stays composed on hard landings. Mountain bike beginners and moderate riders should take a closer look at the Levo SL, which is a tad easier to handle. Particularly in open corners, you’ll have to ride the Orbea actively to keep weight on the front wheel and keep it tracking. Get it right and the Rise is unstoppable, smoking both its analogue and motorised competitors on flowing trails as well as rough and demanding enduro stages, where it’s just as impressive as the super-fast Nukeproof Reactor.

Riding Characteristics

Uphill

sluggish
efficient

Agility

cumbersome
playful

Stability

nervous
confident

Handling

demanding
balanced

Suspension

harsh
plush

Fun Factor

planted
poppy

Value for money

terrible
very good

Intended Use

XC

Trail

Enduro

Downhill

Conclusion

The Orbea Rise shatters all preconceptions of eMTBs, combining the outstanding downhill capabilities of the best and fastest analogue mountain bikes with maximum fun uphill! The Rise is truly unique, whether it’s the elegant custom finish or the modular motor/battery system that facilitates the outstanding performance of the bike. The only downer is the loud clunking noise that comes from inside the EP8 motor when riding downhill. “Haters gonna hate!” Fair enough but like it or not, the Orbea Rise M-Team is not only one of the best eMTBs currently available on the market but, thanks to its huge range of application and excellent price-performance ratio, also better than most analogue mountain bikes in our big group test. That means it secures our coveted Best Buy tip!

Tops

almost impeccable integration of the drive and battery concept
fun uphill and capable downhill
customisable look/configurator

Flops

noise downhill
requires (experienced) riders with an active riding style
even with the minimalistic display setup, the cockpit looks untidy

Find more information here: orbea.com

The testfield

Get an overview of the grouptest here: The best mountainbike of 2021 – 22 models in review

This scale indicates how efficiently the bike climbs. It refers to both simple and technical climbs. Along with the suspension, the riding position and the weight of the bike all play a crucial role.↩
How does the bike ride and descend? How spritely is the bike, how agile is it through corners, how much fun is it in tight sections and how quickly can it change direction?↩
Is the bike stable at high speeds? Is it easy to stay in control in demanding terrain? How composed is it on rough trails? Stability is a combination of balanced geometry, good suspension and the right spec.↩
This is all about how balanced the bike is and particularly about how well it corners. Balanced bikes require little physical effort from the rider and are very predictable. If a bike is unbalanced, the rider has to work hard to weight the front wheel to generate enough grip. However, experienced riders can have a lot of fun even with unbalanced bikes.↩
How sensitive is the suspension over small bumps? Can it absorb hard impacts and does it soak up repeated hits? Plush suspension not only provides comfort and makes a bike more capable, but it also generates traction. The rating includes the fork and the rear suspension.↩
This aspect mainly comes down to the suspension. How much pop does it have, does it suck up the rider’s input or is it supportive, and how agile and direct is the bike?↩
We don’t calculate value for money in an excel spreadsheet or based on how high-end a bike is specced. We are more concerned with how a bike performs on the trail and how the bike benefits the rider. What good are the best components if the bike doesn’t perform well on the trail? Expensive bikes with a lower-end spec can offer very good value for money – provided they excel where it matters. Just as supposedly cheap bikes with good components can get a bad rating if they don’t deliver on the trail.↩
No, it’s not about racing, it’s about efficiency. Fast, fleet-footed and efficient – those who want to speed along flowy singletrack and gravel roads need a defined and spritely bike that accelerates with ease and efficiency. Nevertheless, reliable components are important too. We interpret XC more like the Americans do: big back-country rides instead of a marathon or XC World Cup with the ultimate in lightweight construction! Uphill-downhill ratio: 80:30 (not everything has to be 100%!)↩
...also known as mountain biking. Classic singletrack with roots, rocks and ledges – sometimes flowy, sometimes rough. For this, you need a bike with good all-round qualities, whether climbing or descending. Uphill-downhill ratio: 50:50↩
Even more extreme and challenging compared to Trail riding, riddled with every kind of obstacle: jumps, gaps, nasty rock gardens, ruts and roots. For this, you need (race)proven equipment that forgives mistakes and wouldn’t look out of place on a stage of the Enduro World Series. Climbing is just a means to an end. Uphill-downhill ratio: 30:70↩
Strictly speaking, a 200 mm travel downhill bike is the best choice for merciless tracks with big jumps, drops and the roughest terrain. Those would be the black or double-black-diamond tracks in a bike park. But as some of the EWS pros (including Sam Hill) have proven, it’s the riding skills and not the bike that define what you can ride with it. Climbing? On foot or with a shuttle, please! Uphill-downhill ratio: 10:90↩
You can find more info about our rating system in this article: Click here! ↩

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Words: Photos: various

Orbea Rise M-Team in review – The best (E-)mountain bike of 2021?