Around four years ago, Orbea presented its first trail mountain bike with electric assistance, the Rise. Since then, it has developed into a small success story. On the one hand, the model is now one of the absolute crowd pullers in the Spanish company’s range. And secondly, it has made a decisive contribution to Orbea probably being one of the Top 5 in the favour of e-mountain bike fans worldwide.
The 2020 première already set the course for all subsequent Rise models. Low weight. Slim frame. Shimano ebike system, which Orbea has personalised with its own firmware. Wide range of models with a choice between carbon and aluminium frames.
The new Orbea Rise 2025 follows in precisely these footsteps, although it is by no means an identical copy that has simply been given a different paint job. Instead, there are a number of features that distinguish the newcomer from all its predecessors. Here you can learn about the most important ones.
1. Asymmetrical frame design
2. Quick Flip for adjusting the frame geometry
3. Increased motor power
4. Thoroughly revised firmware
5. More battery capacity
6. Focus on uphill or downhill
1. Asymmetrical frame design
No matter which side you look at the revised Rise from, you will immediately notice that something has been done to the frame. However, you will only realise exactly what it is once you have seen both the drive side and the non-drive side. The small additional stay as a connection between the seat tube and down tube did not exist on the 2024 model. And the fact that it runs asymmetrically only on the drive side is only revealed from the perspective from which the Shimano lettering on the motor housing smiles at you.
Orbea is neither the first nor the only manufacturer on the market to operate with such asymmetry on the frame. Examples include the Turbo Levo from Specialized and the Occam from Orbea itself. According to Orbea’s own statements, the new Rise is stiffer thanks to the modified design. The manufacturer claims an increase of eight per cent in the front triangle. At the rear frame triangle it is said to be 14 per cent. However, the Rise from the 2023 season serves as a comparative value, not its direct predecessor.
2. Quick Flip for adjusting the frame geometry
The search for the second major change to the frame requires a little more attention. A kind of flip chip, which Orbea calls Quick Flip, is located directly on the shock’s rocker arm. Similar to comparable solutions from other manufacturers, it offers you the option of a second setup for the frame. In the “High” position, the steering and seat angle are each steepened by half a degree. This means that they change from 64 degrees to 64.5 degrees and from 77 degrees to 77.5 degrees respectively. The first figures mentioned are the values for the “Low” position. Low, because in this setting the bottom bracket drops by eight millimetres to 26 millimetres.
Roughly speaking, the high position increases the efficiency of the pedalling movement. This makes the setup more suitable for the part of mountain biking that takes you uphill. On the other hand, the lower bottom bracket with the lowered centre of gravity together with the slightly slacker angles primarily benefit you on descents. It is also relatively easy for you to switch between positions during a tour. The appropriate tool is magnetically secured in the rear wheel axle and is called Lockr. With its help and a little practice, you can change the Quick Flip in less than half a minute and adapt the geometry to your preferences and the terrain ahead of you.
It all sounds good. And it is. Except for the fact that this feature is only available on the LT models with the slightly longer travel of the new Orbea Rise. The SL models feature a fixed geometry. Incidentally, the seat angle is 65.5 degrees and the steering angle is 78 degrees.
3. Increased motor power
There have also been significant changes under the surface. Previously, Orbea used a Shimano EP801 and a Shimano EP600 as motors for the various models within the series. Both originally deliver a maximum torque of 85 Newton metres. However, Orbea used its firmware to slow them down to 60 Newton metres.
This limit has now been removed. In future, you will also be able to call up the full power of the Shimano units on a Rise. As only the carbon frame versions have been presented so far, there is still a small question mark over this statement at the moment. However, we strongly suspect that Orbea will take a similar approach with the EP600. If it will even be used again on the Hydro models with aluminium frames.
On the trail, this should be exciting. With the combination of a weight of around 16 kilograms and the kind of motor power you’d expect from the most powerful units from Bosch, Yamaha, Panasonic and others, hardly any competitor can keep up on paper. The Giant Trance X Advanced E+ comes closest to this profile. However, with a comparable motor power and three kilograms more weight, this is also some way off. Other ebikes such as the Haibike Lyke, Scott Voltage eRide or the Trek Fuel EXe are in similar weight classes, but are based on less powerful motors. In addition to the great ratio between the weight of the ebike and the corresponding motor power, the Orbea Rise offers the option of shifting gears without pedalling. This Free Shift for the Shimano drivetrains is virtually the same as the Coast Shift on the Eagle Powertrain from Sram.
4. Thoroughly revised firmware
Thanks to the further developed Rider Synergy (RS) firmware, you can continue to ride with reduced power. Orbea delivers the Rise with the RS mode. This generates a torque of 54 Newton metres. This almost corresponds to the level of the 2024 model. Less power requires more effort from you, but at the same time gives you more range because the motor consumes significantly less power in this setting.
You can later switch to RS+ mode in the e-Tube app. In this mode, support is enabled for the full 85 Newton metres. This means that the motor will give you a powerful push even at relatively low pedalling frequencies. Of course, RS also allows you to customise the two factory settings.
5. More battery capacity
While the hardware for the motor comes from Shimano, the batteries are traditionally Orbea’s own developments. The capacities of the energy storage units have increased noticeably on the 2025 Rise. The basic version of the eMTB will have 420 watt hours in future. You can increase this to 630 watt hours for a corresponding surcharge. Previously, the limits were 360 watt hours and 540 watt hours.
Both the batteries of the predecessors and the new models use type 21700 cells, but Orbea has been able to keep the weight of both batteries constant. All in all, this results in a 16 per cent increase in capacity. If you want to get a second copy of the smaller or larger battery and take it with you on tours in your backpack, this is equivalent to an additional weight of 1.96 kilograms or 2.88 kilograms respectively.
However, removing the integrated battery while riding would mean enormous effort. Better to use the range extender instead. According to Orbea, this has been improved. In this case, however, this means a reduction in capacity from the previous 252 watt hours to 210 watt hours. When mounted on the ebike, the battery, which weighs one kilogramme, is discharged first. Once it is empty, the ebike system switches to the main battery. You can therefore remove the range extender and use the space for other purposes. Orbea is thus adapting its strategy a little. The batteries permanently integrated in the frame gain and increase the range, which you can safely rely on. In return, the flexible range extender is reduced.
6. Focus on uphill or downhill
For many, one of Orbea’s main advantages over the competition is the variety of models that the company offers via its configurator. There are indeed models. However, these are not permanently configured. Instead, batteries, shocks, forks, brakes, tyres, paintwork and much more can be selected from a predefined range and thus put together individually. This is more like a modular system that results in a bike that may only be delivered once in this exact configuration.
As a kind of superstructure, there are of course at least general categorisations. The first differentiation within the Orbea Rise is based on the frame material – carbon or aluminium. The next difference is the suspension system. All models with the addition LT offer a suspension travel of 160 millimetres at the front and 150 millimetres at the rear. The suspension fork on the Orbea Rise Carbon LT is exclusively the Fox 36 Float Factory 160 Grip X Kashima. The top model is the Orbea Rise LT M-Team for 10,999 euros. It is followed by the Orbea Rise LT M10 for 8,499 euros.
Models with carbon frames as the first step
The letters SL appear as the second addition to the name. They symbolise the slightly more climbing-friendly offshoot of the Orbea Rise Carbon. The suspension travel is slightly reduced to 140 millimetres at the front and rear. The manufacturer relies on a Fox 34 Float Factory 140 FIT4. The Orbea Rise SL M-LTD weighs around 16 kilograms and will cost you 11,999 euros. The Orbea Rise SL M10 is slightly heavier and therefore also cheaper at 7,999 euros.
But that’s not the end of the story. After all, the Hydro models with aluminium frames are still missing. As things stand at the moment, Orbea wants to present these at Eurobike 2024 in Frankfurt am Main in a few weeks’ time. There, the more affordable M20 models for the Orbea Rise Carbon LT and the Orbea Rise Cabon SL will follow as well.
Orbea Rise 2025 at a glance
- Variants: Rise LT M-Team, Rise LT M10, Rise SL M-LTD, Rise SL M10
- Frame: Carbon
- Suspension fork: Fox 36 Float Factory 160 Grip X Kashima, Fox 34 Float Factory 140 FIT4 3-Position-Adjust Kashima
- Shock: Fox DHX Factory 2-Pos Adjust, Fox Float X Factory 2-Pos Adjust Evol LV Kashima
- Motor: Shimano EP801-RS Gen2
- Battery: Orbea Internal 420 Wh, optional Orbea Internal 630 Wh
- Control unit: Shimano EN600-L
- Drivetrain: Shimano XT Di2 M8150, Shimano XT M8100, Sram XX Eagle AXS
- Brakes: Shimano XTR M9120, Shimano XT M8120
- Weight: from 16 kg
- Maximum permitted total weight: from approx. 133 kg (depending on equipment and frame size)
- Colours: Cosmic Carbon View-Golden Sand (Gloss), Desert Rose-Carbon Raw (Matt), Tanzanite Carbon View – Carbon Raw (Matt)
- Prices: from 7,999 euros
Pictures: Orbea S. Coop. N.I.F.
I suggest reading about Orbea’s suspension and warranty before making a purchase