The engineers at Orbea are pulling out all of the best champagne to celebrate their new Rise e-bike. Modeled around their popular Occam trail bike, with the same 150mm fork and a 140mm rear axle path, and just slightly longer chainstays, the rise is the first e-bike we’ve seen at a weight that rivals that of the Specialized Turbo Levo SL.
The bike’s weight is impressively low, at 36lbs. on the top LTD builds, and around 40lbs. on the more affordable M10 models. Orbea achieved those weight savings by mounting good old pedal-bike components on the Rise in lieu of a heavy e-bike spec, removing their signature asymmetric frame brace from the front triangle, and incorporating a smaller battery to power their proprietary RS tune for the Shimano EP8 motor.
Working jointly, Shimano and Orbea used the E-Tube settings that are open to all OEMs to create a unique Rise ride feel that offers a little less power than other e-bikes equipped with the same motor. This in turn allowed Orbea to spec the smaller battery and lighter components.
The special tune for this bike, Called RS or Rider Synergy, lowers the Shimano EP8 power to 60Nm from the motor’s usual 85Nm. The RIse divides that power between two different modes, each offering a different amount of assistance that can be adjusted to the rider’s liking with the Shimano E-Tube app. The lower torque on the Rise is said to offer a more natural feeling ride, with the assistance ramping up later in the power curve as you pedal harder.
The Rise is available in four different build kits, with the base M20 model retailing for $6,499, and the LTD version with its My-O paint selection options at $10,499. Click over to the Orbea site for further details.
