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Mokwheel Slate Review | Can A New-Comer To Folders Carve Out A Spot?

Super long range, great looks and folds up easy!

At first glance, I was impressed by the Mokwheel Slate. It has modern design colors, skin-side 20×3” tires and frame integrated turn signals. But, then I took a look at the specs and immediately thought it might underperform due to the smaller 500W motor.

Boy, was I wrong.

The motor has SERIOUS kick when you hit throttle, but it tested out to be surprisingly efficient. On our range test, the Mokwheel Slate got a result that placed it in 11th place across the hundreds of e-bikes we’ve range tested. So, with that surprise to kick things off in our testing, I was pumped to see what else the Mokwheel Slate had in store for us.

Mokwheel also included a full color HD display, a nice departure from clunky, duo-tone displays of the past. However, the display is a slim, compact design that can be quickly detached and placed into your pocket or bag, effectively disabling the bikes power. Little thoughtful features like that just add to our piece of mind when it comes to e-bike ownership.

It’s not without flaws. The included torque sensor isn’t the most refined I’ve pedalled, and while it folds down just fine there are ways they could make the processs more practical.

But good looks, solid performance and unique features, we’re off to a pretty good start. So, let’s jump into all the details and testing results we got in this Mokwheel Slate review.

Belgium Invests €450 Million In Bicycle ‘Highways’

Thanks to a rise in cycling during the pandemic, the Belgian government doubled its investment in cycling infrastructure.

During the pandemic, Belgium saw a rapid and significant rise in the number of its citizens riding bicycles and e-bikes. Much of this riding took place on a series of interconnected bike paths referred to as “bike highways” that allow riders to avoid roads. Upon seeing the rise in ridership, the Belgian government took action in a three pronged approach to support those riders. They took action to increase cyclists’ safety, improve physical infrastructure and make new policy to support cycling. It’s an effort that we’re seeing across Europe.

Since 2020, the Belgian government has invested a massive €1.4 billion in cycling infrastructure. Compare that with the nearly €680 million—still, a remarkable sum by U.S. standards—the legislature apportioned in the five-year period from 2014-2019.

Of that funding, €450 million was devoted to the bicycle highways. The money was used to expand the network as well as build new tunnel and bridge crossings.

According to an analysis released by Belgium’s Green Party, only 33 percent of the €1.4 billion has been spent so far; they expressed concern that at the current rate of spending, 12 years will pass before all of the allocated funds are used.

E-bikes are rising in popularity in Belgium, much as they are in the rest of the world. In research published by FPS Mobility, roughly one in four Belgians rode an e-bike at least once in 2023. In 2022 some 22 percent of Belgians rode an e-bike, while in 2023 that number rose 4 percent to 28 percent.

More than half of all Belgians—57 percent—ride bikes regularly. Cycling is most popular in Flanders, where a whopping 76 percent of the population rides. Among Belgians as a whole, 13 percent of riders who don’t own an e-bike are considering purchasing one. In Flanders 18 percent of the population gets around by e-bike. That’s 18 percent of the total population, not 18 percent of cyclists.

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Reading about how a foreign country invests in cycling-specific infrastructure feels a bit like reading a present-day fantasy. What a thing to be able to ride between locations by e-bike without having to ride on roads with three-ton SUVs speeding by at 50 mph. Very few cities in the U.S. have an interconnected series of bike paths that can be used for effective, street-free transportation.

Hopefully, as more stories like this make their way into the media, our governments will begin to see that bike paths are much like the Field of Dreams: If you build it, they will come.

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2024 E-Bike Trends Predictions: How Are We Doing So Far?

At the beginning of the year (Where did those four months go?) we published our predictions for the coming e-bike year. We are far enough into the year now that we thought we should take a look at those predictions and see how we are doing. The e-bike market is in the most rapid evolution we’ve seen since e-bikes became a blip on the radar.

E-bikes to look forward to

Will new motors and systems emerge?

Battery breakthroughs?

Battery certification and recycling

More e-bike cars, and microcars?

E-bikes to look forward to

Van Moof

The Dutch city bike maker was purchased out of bankruptcy and we recently reported that the new owner, Lavoie had discontinued the warranty-issue-plagued X3 and X3 and that they would add a full-suspension city e-bike and build a network of independent dealers.

As of this writing, they still haven’t resumed selling e-bikes.

More lightweight e-bikes and eMTBs

We noted that the launch of some lightweight mid-drive motors in 2023 should translate to an increased number of lightweight e-bikes. It takes about a year from when a new product hits the market before we see it spec’d on new or existing models.

We are definitely seeing a rising number of lightweight e-bikes, particularly eMTBs. Two of our favorite examples from this spring are the Aventon Ramblas and the Canyon Neuron:ONfly. These are two eMTBs that their competitors are examining how to compete against, which is good news for everyone considering an eMTB purchase.

Gocycle

The next product for Gocycle is to be a cargo e-bike. They announced the Gocycle G4, G4i and G4i+ at the end of 2023 and said it would be introduced in 2024, but as of yet, none of the G4 variants are available for purchase.

Will new motors and systems emerge?

SRAM

Since our January reporting on Amprio’s RMAG mid-drive motor, SRAM has purchased the company. This will speed up SRAM’s entry into the e-bike market. Considering SRAM’s product lineup focuses on more expensive enthusiast end of the market, it seems reasonable to expect that we will see the RMAG motors on eMTBs primarily.

SRAM is simultaneously working on its Eagle Powertrain, which is based on a Bosch motor, shown above. The SRAM Eagle Powertrain has been spec’d on an ever-growing number of e-bikes including the Megawatt 297 from Nukeproof, the GASGAS ECC and MXC enduro and all-mountain eMTBs, the Transition Repeater PT and Propain Ekano.

Pinion

While we have yet to see the Pinion MGU that combines both a motor and gearbox in a single unit, Lectric surprised everyone with their introduction of the ONE. It appears to be the only e-bike on the market in the $2000 price range equipped with the Pinion gearbox.

Veer

Since our reporting on Veer’s 2-speed drivetrain for the Gates carbon belt drive, their crowdfunding effort on Start Engine has closed and they raised more than $300,000. Veer’s innovative drivetrain will appear on bikes and e-bikes from Phatfour, Detroit Bikes, Noko Bikes and Multicycle.

Porsche

While there’s no new word yet on the mid-drive motor that Porsche is developing, five models of the Rotwild-made eMTBs are available for purchase and they are taking preorders on six more models. The frame has a distinct visual language to delineate the Porsche models from Rotwild’s existing line.

Hyena E-Road AIR System

As of this writing, Hyena has removed the page for its E-Road AIR system for road e-bikes. The 2.9-lb. (1.3kg) AIR hub is listed, apparently available to OE manufacturers.

Mavic X-Tend

French wheel maker Mavic has teased a new, ultra-small mid-drive e-bike motor. The X-Tend is reported to produce a rather modest 39Nm of torque and is powered by a 250Wh battery. Other than the media reports that have been published, there is no mention of the motor elsewhere, including Mavic’s website.

KMC

Chain maker KMC has announced an e-bike system called Kynamic that will give manufacturers a choice between a 250W hub motor and a 200W mid-drive motor. The system is powered by a 497Wh internal battery. So far, Whyte Bikes is the only company to spec the Kynamic system on an e-bike, its city e-bikes, the RHeO 2 and RHeO 3, which aren’t available online yet.

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Battery breakthroughs?

We are seeing battery technology improvements in 2024. Rad Power Bikes has introduced a new battery technology they call Safe Shield. With Safe Shield, the cells are “potted,” that is, they are encased in a resin that can dissipate heat should a battery cell heat up to a dangerous level, helping to prevent thermal runaway.

Pedego recently announced three new models—a cargo e-bike, an e-moped and an e-trike—that will all be equipped with potted batteries. Though they haven’t followed that up with an announcement that they are changing over the batteries in their existing models, but it seems a safe bet to think that once they sell through their existing stock the next wave of product to arrive from Asia will have potted batteries as well.

Battery certification and recycling

UL certification for both batteries and systems has been on the rise. Rad Power Bikes has secured certification for both their electronics systems (UL 2849) and their batteries (UL 2271). Aventon and Denago have also secured UL 2849 and 2271 certifications for their e-bikes and batteries. One of the biggest brands in the market, Lectric, provides all of their e-bikes with batteries certified to UL 2271. These companies aren’t alone, either. The industry has embraced the need to instill confidence in consumers and we can expect to see all of the reputable manufacturers follow suit.

A new law in Utah is the first to define unrestricted e-bikes as Out of Class (OCEV). There are some ambiguities to the law (particularly how it defines a 750W motor) that need to be clarified, but it is the first law in the country to address e-bikes and e-mopeds that can go faster than 28 mph.

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More e-bike cars and more microcars

E-bike cars and microcars are an emerging new take on what an e-bike can be. There’s a need for delivery vehicles with a smaller carbon footprint than a typical delivery van and more payload capacity than a cargo e-bike. FedEx has announced new vehicles that will be used in high-density European cities.

The Canadian company ENVO just announced a tadpole recumbent e-trike with an enclosure called the Veemo which is meant to address the reluctance of many drivers to give up the protection from the elements that their cars provide.

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Stromer Wins Red Dot Design Award

The innovative Swiss e-bike maker has garnered yet another Red Dot award for their cutting-edge e-bike designs.

Swiss e-bike maker Stromer has won a Red Dot Design Award—again. The innovative e-bike maker has won Red Dot’s top award, its Best of the Best. Stromer received the award for their new Stromer ST5 Pinion e-bike.

The Stromer ST5 Pinion is built around an aluminum frame and fork, an 850W hub motor (750W in the U.S.) and Pinion’s C1.9 Smart Shift internal gearbox. Rather than a chain, it uses a Gates carbon belt, making it one of a handful of multi-gear e-bikes using a Gates belt. It also includes Stromer’s innovative anti-lock brake system made in conjunction with Blubrake and TRP.

The Stromer ST5 Pinion provides an outstanding response for riders who struggle with range anxiety; thanks to its 983Wh battery, Stromer estimates riders can get up to 112 mi. of range per charge. The ST5 Pinion is a Class 3 pedelec with a maximum assist speed of 28 mph.

The Pinion C1.9 gearbox offers riders nine gears and it can be shifted smoothly and silently whether the rider is pedaling or stopped. Being able to downshift while stopped is terrific if you happen to forget to downshift before stopping for a light. Starting in too big a gear isn’t good for the long-term health of the motor.

Thanks to Bluetooth connectivity, the Stromer ST5 Pinion offers riders a level of security that isn’t common.

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Stromer’s e-bikes are among the most expensive city e-bikes we’ve reviewed. These are definitely premium e-bikes aimed at someone who is willing to pay a premium for quality. That they’ve been recognized by Red Dot yet again shows that they continue to push to make e-bikes of unparalleled quality.

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Potted E-Bike Batteries Are Catching On

With the way lithium-ion battery fires have received media attention, a number of manufacturers have taken steps to bolster consumer confidence that their products are safe for charging and storing in the home. So far, every lithium-ion battery fire we’ve been able to track was caused by an e-scooter, e-moped or other e-mobility device—not an e-bike, but that hasn’t prevented e-bikes to be blamed for these fires.

Manufacturers are taking a variety of steps to reassure consumers that their products are safe. We’ve seen how most manufacturers have sought certification from Underwriter Laboratories (2849 and/or 2271) or the European standard EN15194. Some manufacturers have begun to take additional steps and a technology that is starting to catch on is the practice of encasing the cells that make up a battery with a heat-absorbing resin. These batteries are called “potted.”

When a battery is potted, the cells are assembled in the configuration within the battery housing. The collection of cells is then placed in a mold and the resin, in a hot, liquified form, is poured between the cells. When the resin cools, it hardens, insulating the cells.

The resin insulates the cells in multiple ways. First, the resin can absorb and dissipate heat, so if one cell begins to overheat, the resin can prevent it from becoming hot enough to reach thermal runaway—the point at which a cell is hot enough that a chemical reaction within the cell becomes self-sustaining. The resin also insulates the cells from contamination and corrosion. The salt air of coastal regions can cause corrosion. And should water, whether salt or fresh, penetrate the battery casing, it won’t be able to reach the cells. Finally, potting a battery provides a degree of impact protection in case someone falls, drops the battery or it is struck by something.

We’ve already seen Rad Power Bikes introduce their new Safe Shield batteries. We expect that as they continue to release new versions of their existing models they will update them with their Safe Shield batteries.

Pedego recently announced three new models which will be spec’d with potted batteries.

Other companies not as well known, including Luna Cycles and Grin Technologies were early adopters of potting.

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When friends and family ask us about e-bikes and battery safety and whether they should worry about battery safety, we have steered them toward e-bikes with UL-certified batteries. Potting isn’t necessary for garnering UL certification, so it’s a step that’s over-and-above the industry standard for safety.

As we like to say, that’s next-level tech, just the sort of feature that could steer consumers to those companies that choose to take such a step. Considering the safety factor potting gives batteries, we will be reporting on each company that takes this important step.

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New California Law Uses Cameras To Ticket Motrorists Parked In Bike Lanes

Three California cities have already begun enforcement with several more considering it..

Anyone who has ridden in bike lanes has experienced the way drivers can ignore their existence. From having cars pass with two wheels in the bike lane to having to move into traffic to pass a car parked in the bike lane, the indignities are numerous. But one of those, cars parked in bike lanes, is about to improve.

California passed a law, AB 361, allows cities to equip city vehicles with cameras to ticket bike lane violations. Parking enforcement vehicles can be equipped with a camera that will scan the road. That video is then fed into a mapping AI from Hayden AI that can then judge the position of parked vehicles and establish which are in violation.

The software is based on the same code behind the system that tickets bus lane violations.

Hayden AI’s chief growth officer, Charles Territo, said, “As long as we can see it, we can map it. And as long as we can map it, we can enforce it.”

Remarkably, catching bike lane violators isn’t just one part of a larger law. The whole of AB 361 was devoted to dealing with the issue of blocked bike lanes.

State Assembly member Chris Ward, of San Diego, frames the issue as one of cities being unable to reap the benefit of investing millions of dollars in cycling infrastructure if people are unable to use the bike lanes.

“How frustrating for cities when residents can’t use what’s been built because of blockage,” he said.

So far, three cities—San Francisco, San Jose and Santa Monica—have begun enforcement. Ward said that officials from the cities of Berkley, Oakland and Sacramento have told him they are considering enforcement. He has encouraged city council members in his home of San Diego, where he served as a city council member from 2016-2020, to begin enforcement.

Some cities have reported that personnel have been harrassed when writing paper tickets and the new law will eliminate the potential for conflict.

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Those of us who have used bike lanes to get around inevitably encounter situations where vehicles are parked in the bike lane, forcing us into the traffic lane. As if that isn’t dangerous enough, even small vehicles are wider than bike lanes, so when we are forced into the lane of traffic, it’s often into the center of the lane, not at the edge.

California seems to be taking an even-handed approach to increasing safety for all road users. The state is considering a bill that would require e-bike riders to pass a safety test.

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SixThreeZero Rickshaw Review | Not Your Average E-Trike

A dedicated multi-passenger trike with some neat application potential, but there’s room for improvement for it to thrive in its niche.

The e-trike market offers plenty of options these days, but most designs feel a bit predictable. It turns out the e-trike market can still hit you with something new though.

One quick glance at the SixThreeZero Rickshaw and you can’t help but immediately notice the large bench seat in the rear for passengers. This immediately sets it apart visually, promising a unique riding experience that turned heads and sparked questions during my test rides.

Clearly, this Sixthreezero Rickshaw review will be venturing beyond the typical e-bike you may be used to, and exploring something fresh and potentially exciting.

The concept of carrying passengers on bikes isn’t new – tandem bicycles and child seats have long been part of the cycling world. But the Rickshaw attempts to meet the same goal with a different twist. Its permanent, spacious passenger platform isn’t just an add-on; it’s a core design element.

This opens up possibilities that standard e-bikes rarely consider: think multiple children enjoying a leisurely ride together, or a beloved pet joining the adventure without the awkwardness of a carrier. Families with members who have special needs can finally experience the joy of cycling as a unit. The included lap belt provides peace of mind, especially for those with extra energy to burn.

The Rickshaw’s capabilities extend beyond leisurely rides. Its massive 500 lb payload capacity turns this e-trike into a true workhorse. For those with an entrepreneurial spirit, it’s the perfect foundation for a low-cost pedicab business, offering a unique service without the hefty investment of a traditional pedicab. However, you’ll want to check out our speed tests, we had some issues with the Rickshaw’s top speed – some safety measures could be implemented for peace of mind.

The Rickshaw hints at a whole world of untapped potential, blurring the lines between personal transport, family fun, and even commercial use. On the other hand, we did find a few areas where the Rickshaw could improve and really dial-in this unique e-trike: namely better braking and making the ride less rattly in general.

All in all, the Sixthreezero Rickshaw isn’t just another e-bike – it’s a reminder of the possibilities that emerge when innovation meets real-world needs.

Have You Seen This? ENVO ‘s Semi-Enclosed Recumbent Trike

This tadpole e-trike can protect you from the elements or can be configured to carry a passenger.

ENVO Drive Systems, a company based in British Columbia, has introduced a new recumbent e-trike that offers a very different take on what an e-bike can be. The Veemo is an e-trike that places two wheels in front, with the third wheel trailing, a configuration often referred to as a “tadpole.”

The ENVO Veemo comes in two versions: The Veemo SE is equipped with what the company calls its Epod partial enclosure and another—the Veemo LT—that dispenses with the enclosure, but incorporates a bench seat behind the rider plus running boards for their feet. All three wheels receive hydraulic disc brakes.

ENVO got its start with e-bike conversion kits before moving into offering its own e-bike designs.

The ENVO Veemo is a Class 2 e-bike (20 mph max speed, plus a throttle) that is legal on most bike paths and in bike lanes. The Epod enclosure includes LED lights, windshield wipers and a storage space behind the rider. The seat on the Veemo SE includes a large backrest that extends from the lumbar to the shoulders for an unsually high degree of support and comfort. Range for the ENVO Veemo SE is reported to be in the neighborhood of 43 mi., but it can be doubled by purchasing it with a dual battery setup.

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For the rider who wants to commute regularly but doesn’t want to get soaked by a shower, the ENVO Veemo provides a solution to riding in wet conditions that doesn’t require a change of outfit.

The ENVO Veemo SE and LT are premium products and are priced accordingly. The Veemo LT goes for $5999, while the single battery Veemo SE goes for $7999 and the double-battery version comes in at $8943.

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Colorado Right-to-Repair Bill May Cover E-Bikes

People for Bikes opposes e-bikes being included in the bill due to concerns that it would allow people to rebuild and repair lithium-ion batteries.

A Right to Repair bill making its way through the Colorado assembly has been expanded to include new categories of products. The new bill extends its reach to include consumer electronics. The law would require manufacturers to give consumers access to tools, software, parts and diagnostics in order to repair many products.

The bill includes a vast collection of product categories. It covers household appliances, smart and cell phones, plus IT equipment. A number of exemptions have been carved out: vessels, aviation and medical devices, not including powered wheelchairs.

Whether the bill would cover e-bikes is uncertain as of yet. According to Matt Moore, policy counsel for People for Bikes, said the bill may not cover e-bikes.

“While electric bicycles are generally not regarded as motor vehicles for purpose of their operation on public streets,” Moore wrote in an email to BRAIN, “the broad definition of ‘motor vehicle’ in the Colorado bill defines a motor vehicle as ‘a vehicle that is designed to transport individuals or property on a street or highway’ if it is ‘certified by a motor vehicle manufacturer under all applicable safety and emission standards’ and ‘all requirements for the distribution and sale of motor vehicles in the United States.’

“It is our position that low-speed electric bicycles and bicycles with electronic components that are required to be certified for compliance with all applicable federal standards in 16 CFR 1512 meet this definition. Certain other e-mobility devices that have no applicable regulatory standards would likely be subject to the bill’s requirements.”

However, Nathan Proctor, senior director of the U.S. Public Interest Research Groups Campaign for the Right to Repair, disagreed with Moore and said it would cover e-bikes.

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The issue with regard to e-bikes is that if bill does include e-bikes, that may open the door to rebuilding and/or repairing e-bike batteries. As we’ve seen with the steps that New York has taken to crack down on lithium-ion battery repair as it works to reduce the number of fires caused by lithium-ion batteries, repaired or rebuilt batteries have been the source of several fires.

When New York passed a Right to Repair law—the Digital Fair Act—in December, whether the new law covered e-bikes or not was unclear. People for Bikes, which is the largest cycling advocacy organization in the U.S., took the step to lobby legislators in Albany to amend the law so that it explicitly excluded both e-bikes as a whole and lithium-ion batteries specifically.

Right to Repair laws are meant to have a two-fold effect. First, they are meant to save consumers money by allowing them to fix devices on their own without going to an expensive service provider. Second, they are meant to cut down on the amount of trash generated each year by extending the lives of products.

According to the Public Interest Research Groups (PIRG), the Colorado bill has the potential to save Colorado residents $882 million per year as a result of e-waste reduction, which is the fastest-growing category of waste, worldwide.

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Orbea Updates the Rise

Orbea has just announced the new generation of its eMTB, the Rise. They’ve updated their lightweight trail e-bike by giving riders a new version of the motor and two different configurations of travel as well as a new frame design they call “Steep’N’Deep” that allows for an even longer-travel dropper post.

The Rise continues to be based on 29-in. wheels; Orbea hasn’t gotten on the mullet bandwagon of shrinking the rear wheel to 27.5 in.

Orbea is producing the Rise in four different configurations, two long-travel and two shorter travel (shorter, but not short). This is an eMTB aimed at experienced mountain bikers prepared to make a significant investment. Pricing begins just below $9000.

Buyers are given more choices than you might expect. In addition to choosing which size, color and version of the Rise, most components on the eMTB feature options for upgrades. It’s a level of customization that even the folks at Electric Bike Co. would admire.

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Orbea Rise Spec Review: Bike Overview

Orbea took an unusual approach with the Rise. Most companies that plan to release a shorter-travel eMTB as well as a longer-travel eMTB, i.e. a trail model as well as an enduro model, will design two different e-bikes from the ground up. This poses some challenges for a company that doesn’t have an entire phalanx of engineers in a cube farm.

The Rise was introduced in 2020. In all likelihood, Orbea engineers have been working on this new Rise for two years. It’s far more efficient to come up with a single frame design that can be built two different ways. Inevitably there are some compromises that have to be made to make one design serve two masters. With the Rise, that compromise may have been the decision to make the Rise LT roll on 29-in. wheels front and rear.

Mullet setups are all the rage in long-travel mountain bikes and eMTBs, so their choice may make this star shine a little less for consumers who want whatever is “in” at the moment. There are plenty of us who still love the way an eMTB rolls on 29-in. wheels front and rear, though, so we expect it will find an audience.

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Orbea Rise Review: Specs & Features

Frame and fork

Orbea makes the Rise in two different configurations and each of those configurations comes in two different builds—one north of $10k and the other south of that mark. As we mentioned in the opening, the Rise rolls on 29-in. wheels front and rear on both versions. Both the frame’s main triangle and rear swingarm are constructed of carbon fiber to keep weight as low as possible while maintaining necessary stiffness.

The frame is made in four sizes and is reasonably estimated to fit riders from as petite as 4 feet 11 inches up to 6 feet 6 inches, with each size accommodating a roughly 7-in. range of height, which seems rather generous.

The Rise SL—as in Super Light—features 140mm of travel front and rear. This version gets a fairly slack 65.5-degree head tube angle, roughly where most trail bikes are being built currently. What this does is make this eMTB very calm and stable in rowdy terrain, especially rock gardens that might otherwise twist the bar from the rider’s hands.

The Rise LT—Long Travel—uses the same frame, but makes a few tweaks that result in a substantially different ride. Travel grows to 160mm in the fork and 150mm in the rear and thanks to a difference in how the suspension is set up, plus some adjustability, the head tube angle slacks out to either 64.5 or 64 degrees, a big enough difference to allow the notion of “rowdy” to be redefined.

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Motor and battery

The single biggest change from the previous edition of the Orbea Rise comes from the new version of the Shimano EP8 motor. Previously, Orbea’s EP8 RS, a special version of Shimano’s top-of-the-line motor with special software tweaks to make the pedaling feel more natural for experienced mountain bikers. It also dialed the torque down on the EP8 motor, from 85Nm to 60Nm. They did this for two reasons: 1) the aforementioned natural pedaling feel and 2) to increase range.

With the new edition of the Rise, Orbea is unveiling a new version of the EP8 RS. This one gives riders the full 85Nm the motor is capable of delivering, while still offering highly tweaked software, as well as an app that allows riders to adjust just how the motor responds to rider input.

The RS designation refers to Orbea’s Ride Synergy. It denotes the company’s tweaks to Shimano’s firmware, which is designed to give the rider a more natural pedaling feel. Riders can make adjustments to the motor’s performance in a smartphone app.

Previously, the Rise came with a 360Wh battery standard, with an option for a 540Wh battery. The new Rise comes with a 420Wh battery, with an option for a 630Wh battery, plus a 210Wh range extender option. Orbea estimates that the 420Wh battery will give riders up to two hours of riding in Boost mode, three hours in Trail mode and four hours in Eco mode.

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Componentry

The biggest news on the componentry front comes as a result of a change to the Rise’s frame design. Orbea’s “Steep’N’Deep” design results in a shorter seat tube than on the previous frame. What this means is that riders can choose to run a 230mm-long dropper post—a length very few frames can accommodate.

All of the Rise builds are spec’d with a carbon fiber handlebar, save the Rise SL M10, which comes with an aluminum bar.

Drivetrain, brakes and wheels

The builds for the four versions of the Rise are mouth-watering dreams that make riders clear their Saturday schedule.

The Rise SL M-LTD is built with a wireless SRAM XX 12-speed drivetrain and Shimano XTR 4-piston brakes with 180mm rotors.

The Rise SL M10 comes equipped with a 12-speed Shimano SLX drivetrain and Shimano Deore XT hydraulic disc brakes and 180mm rotors.

The Rise LT M-Team receives Shimano’s top-of-the-line XTR Di2 electronic drivetrain (12 speed), along with XTR 4-piston brakes and a 203mm rotor from and 180mm rotor rear.

The Rise LT M10 opts for the same Shimano SLX 12-speed drivetrain but goes for the stouter 4-piston Shimano Deore XT brakes with 203/180mm rotors.

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EBR’s Orbea Rise First Look Review:

The new Orbea Rise is an exciting eMTB, no matter which build you look at. The fact that they stuck with 29-in. wheels and didn’t go with a mullet setup is gratifying to those of us who want a nimble climber and ride in places with a surplus of rock—because the bigger the wheel, the more easily it rolls over obstacles.

The criticism of the previous version of the Orbea Rise was how their special edition of Shimano’s EP8 motor, the EP8 RS produced only 60Nm of torque. In a vacuum with no other riders around, no one would complain about an eMTB that offers 60Nm of torque. The problem comes in riding with others on eMTBs with motors that produce more torque. Riding with someone on an eMTB equipped with a Bosch Performance Line CX motor would see the rider with the Bosch pull away on the steeper climbs because the Bosch Performance CX motor produces 600W to the EP8’s 500W and 85Nm to the old EP8 RS’s 60Nm.

Now that Orbea’s new version of the EP8 RS produces 85Nm of torque, it is on a better footing with the Bosch Performance Line CX motor. But when we compare the Shimano EP8 RS to the new Bosch Performance Line SX motor, Bosch’s new, lighter, housingless motor aimed at eMTBs, the EP8 RS looks even more attractive.

Orbea says the new Rise won’t weigh any more than the old Rise, and that’s no small achievement. Previous versions weighed between 35 and 41 lbs., depending on the build. Let’s take the highest weight we’ve seen published: 41.4 lbs. The new Rise at 41.4 lbs. with a motor that produces 500W and up to 85Nm of torque will be competitive against other lightweight e-bikes with the new Bosch Performance Line SX motor. The new Canyon Neuron:ONfly weighs 44.8 lbs., while the Norco Fluid Vlt weighs 42.5 lbs. Both the Canyon and the Norco feature the Bosch Performance Line SX motor, which produces 600W, but only 55Nm of torque.

With competitive weights, what’s the functional difference? Based on our experience, many riders will be able to coax more power from the Orbea Rise because the Shimano EP8 RS motor can respond with more torque when a rider has a low cadence, such as when you’re on a steep climb and have run out of gears. It’s in climbing that our cadence is most likely to drop, and that’s when we need the most torque. EMTBs with the Bosch Performance Line SX motor offer a bit more raw power, but to draw that performance out, it will be important to keep your cadence up, in the neighborhood of 100 rpm, which is something that demands a fair amount of experience.

This new edition of the Orbea Rise is an exciting new chapter for this eMTB. The improvements over the previous rise—better motor, bigger battery, longer dropper post and improved geometry—make this an eMTB we are metaphorically dying to ride.

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Orbea Rise Spec Review: Bike Overview

Frame and fork

Motor and battery

Componentry

Drivetrain, brakes and wheels

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