BIKE’s verdict on the Orbea Wild LT
With the new Wild LT, Orbea is once again taking a unique approach. It’s a bold move – and spot on! The limited motor power won’t be to everyone’s taste, but power junkies can tune up the Avinox drive to suit their personal preferences. The frame looks as high-quality as ever, and the whole bike feels like it’s been forged from a single piece. Definitely one of the hottest e-enduro bikes featuring the Avinox M2S. We’re keen to see whether the new Wild LT lives up to the promise of its first impression out on the trail. - Florentin Vesenbeckh, Test Editor at BIKE
Orbea is going its own way
The power of the Avinox M2S eclipses anything that has come before – and e-bike manufacturers are jumping on the bandwagon. The new Orbea Wild is now also being fitted with this incredibly powerful motor. However, sheer power wasn’t the deciding factor for the Orbea team when choosing the motor. Quite the opposite, in fact. The developers have even limited the motor’s maximum thrust to make it easier to control. More on that later.
For the engineers, the most significant advantage of the Avinox drive is its compact design, which is intended to enable even better kinematics. As a result, the Wild LT features a completely new frame and a new suspension system that is extremely tight on the new Orbea Rallon enduro bike ... The Wild LT is designed with driving dynamics in mind, rather than engine power.
Apart from the motor system, Orbea claims to have designed the Wild LT even more specifically for off-road performance. With 170 millimetres of rear suspension travel, the bike is well equipped. At the front, 170 millimetres of travel is usually included, but 180-millimetre forks can also be selected via the configurator if desired. The frame is even approved for double-crown forks with 200 mm of travel.
The facts about the Orbea Wild LT
- Engine: Avinox M2S
- Battery: 600 or 800 Wh, permanently fitted
- Suspension travel: 170 / 170 mm (optional 180 mm fork)
- Wheel size: choice of 29” or Mullet
- Available with aluminium or full-carbon frames
- Features can be selected in the MyO configurator
- Weight: from just under 21 kilos (manufacturer’s specification, 600 Wh)
- Aluminium version from 5,599 euros
- Carbon from 6,999 euros
- Frame sizes: S, M, L, XL
Racetrack DNA for the trail
The geometry is also fully geared towards downhill riding. Compared to the previous Orbea Wild (reviewed here) It was more a case of fine-tuning than a radical redesign. The head angle measures 63.9 degrees and can be reduced to 63.3 degrees using a flip chip. The reach is 480 millimetres in size L, whilst the chainstays measure 448 millimetres across all sizes. This brings the wheelbase to 1289 millimetres in size L. As a result, the bike is tuned for riding safety and a smooth ride. To ensure good climbing performance, the bottom bracket has been raised slightly compared to the non-motorised Enduro Rallon; super-short 155 mm cranks are also used, which are designed to prevent the bike from bottoming out on rocky terrain. The seat angle is very steep at 78 degrees, to maintain good control on steep sections.
The Wild LT’s design is also based on two key elements: a deliberately low centre of gravity and the tried-and-tested kinematics of the Orbea Rallon, the manufacturer’s enduro platform. Thanks to the careful selection and positioning of the drivetrain, the shock mount, the upper swingarm and the top tube have been positioned significantly lower. This centralisation of mass is designed to keep the Wild stable and on track, even at high speeds.
The low-profile frame offers a further advantage: greater headroom for the rider and space for long Vario seatposts, in line with Orbea’s “Steep ‘n’ Deep” design philosophy. All sizes accommodate a seatpost travel of at least 210 mm, whilst the L and XL sizes are designed for 240 mm.
Avinox with RS Tune: Engine power limited
Whilst the drive system is the Avinox M2S motor (reviewed here) What makes it stand out is Orbea’s exclusive RS Tune calibration. The focus here was on responsiveness – in other words, how quickly and naturally the motor responds to the rider’s input. The Orbea developers see this as a weakness in the Avinox M2S’s standard calibration. Orbea’s own RS configuration is designed to respond much more directly and thus be easier to control. This tuning is expected to make all the difference, particularly on technical climbs.
What’s particularly exciting here is that, in RS-Tune mode, the maximum power is limited to 750 watts. That’s exactly the same as a Bosch Performance CX. With the components fitted, the motor could actually deliver 1,300 watts. However, Orbea has retained the maximum torque of 130 Newton-metres. On technical sections where you’re not pedalling so fast, the drive is designed to deliver full thrust. Orbea believes these are precisely the moments when e-mountain bikers really benefit from maximum oomph. A welcome side effect: the throttled maximum power is expected to drastically reduce battery consumption. Orbea claims a 20 per cent increase in range – a figure that is more theoretical in nature.
Don’t worry: if you want to make the most of the motor’s full 1,300 watts, you can create your own mode and set the maximum power output there. When it comes to the battery, e-bike riders can choose between the 600 or 800 models from Avinox. As with the previous model, the battery is permanently fitted inside the down tube.
Orbea Wild LT: a love of detail
Features include sealed bearing cups to protect against dirt, a ‘Second Skin’ frame protector and the ‘Fully Loaded Pivot’ system, which magnetically secures essential Allen keys within the frame. Interesting fact: Orbea offers the Wild in both OMR Carbon and High Polish Alloy variants; according to the manufacturer, both versions are said to offer the same performance features. The aluminium version has been developed using modern technologies to achieve the same level of stiffness as its carbon counterpart.
From 5599 euros
As usual, the Orbea Wild LT’s specifications can be configured and customised to suit your personal preferences using the configurator on the website. Prices start at 5,599 euros for the Wild LT H20 with an aluminium frame. The carbon models start at 6,999 euros for the Wild LT M20. The Wild LT M10 comes fitted with Fox Factory suspension as standard and costs 8,499 euros. The top-of-the-range model retails for 13,499 euros.
Florentin Vesenbeckh
Editor CvD
