The Orbea Rise is probably one of the most successful light e-MTBs on the market. The Spanish company's bike is based on a special concept. Instead of a specially developed lightweight motor, it is powered by a modified Shimano EP8. This has some advantages, but also has disadvantages. For our large comparison test of lightweight e-bike drives we were able to test the EP8 RS extensively in the laboratory and in practice. One thing is clear from the outset: in terms of range and stability, the system is second to none. This means that the Orbea concept appeals to a large target group. By the way: At the Eurobike Shimano presents a successor to the EP8 with the EP801. However, this drive is not yet on the market and it is unclear to what extent the motor and its characteristics will change. Either way, it can be assumed that Orbea will also upgrade its EP8 RS to the new 801 technology.
The Orbea EP8 RS is identical to the classic Shimano EP8 in terms of hardware. In terms of weight, it is clearly inferior to the competition, which is designed exclusively as a light drivetrain. You have to add at least 600 grams for the unit. On the other hand, the motor with exclusive Orbea software is relatively powerful and robust. With decent power, powerful torque and a large battery, the EP8 RS can almost compete with classic e-MTB motors. However, the system weight is correspondingly high and is significantly higher than that of the other light candidates in our comparison test. An overview of the weights can be found here! All the more astonishing is how light the Spanish bikes are: from 16.2 kilograms!
The technical data: Orbea EP8 RS (Shimano)
- Motor weight: 2.65 kg
- Battery weight: 2.78 kg (540 Wh)
- Battery options: 360 Wh, 540 Wh; optional range extender: 250 Wh (1.5 kg)
- Drive levels: Eco, Trail, Turbo
- Tightness: n. A.
- Connectivity: Bluetooth, ANT, Garmin app
The battery concept of the EP8 RS
Orbea currently has three e-mountainbikes with EP8 RS in its portfolio. All of them rely on a permanently installed battery in the down tube, which can be topped up with a range extender in water bottle format. The Top Fully Rise M with carbon frame is trimmed for weight, which is why it has a 360 watt-hour battery. The cheaper aluminium model Rise H (here in the test!) comes with a larger 540 battery and therefore a considerable range. This bike also served as the test bike for our comparison. The Orbea Urrun hardtail also relies on the same battery concept (Click here for the test!). All bikes can be extended by 250 watt hours with the external additional battery. The internal batteries cannot be removed for charging or changing on tour.
Driving feel and power delivery Orbea E-bike motor
The EP8 RS on the Orbea delivers its full power in the basic setup of turbo mode even with low rider input. As a result, the motor feels even more powerful in practice than the laboratory values would suggest. Compared to the light class, the power delivery is good even at a low cadence. This makes technical climbs and key sections easier. In turbo mode, however, the EP8 RS lacks the liveliness of the classic EP8. This is because the power drops off somewhat at very high cadences. This is particularly noticeable during sporty acceleration or when gaining momentum for short steep sections. In Trail mode, the riding experience is much more harmonious. You can also use the E-Tube app to set the turbo mode more dynamically and thus better link the motor power to the rider's input. From our point of view, this makes perfect sense for a sporty light bike.
The Orbea e-bike motor: EP8 RS in the lab test
Our laboratory measurements on the PT Labs roller dynamometer confirm that the Orbea EP8 RS has a maximum power output of 339 watts and a torque of 56 Newton metres. In a light comparison, the motor is therefore well powered. In practice, the drive feels even more powerful. For example, in direct comparisons with the classic EP8 (around 100 to 150 watts more!), we suspected a smaller difference in performance. The EP8 RS delivers its full power even at low cadences and keeps it constant over a wide speed range. At very high cadences above 100, however, the power drops. This phenomenon is not only evident in the laboratory test, but is also noticeable in practice - albeit not as drastically as with the classic EP8.
The Orbea motor in continuous load operation
Steep climbs, heavy riders, long tours? If a light drive is predestined for this, then it is definitely the EP8 RS. Logically, after all, the unit is designed on the hardware side for significantly higher loads (namely the 85 Nm of the EP8). Accordingly, the Orbea drive is unimpressed by hard continuous loads. Even long-term turbo riders will have no problems with this motor. Another plus point: With 540 watt hours, Orbea offers the largest battery in the light segment. During our standardised test rides, the EP8 RS pushed us up 1386 metres in Turbo mode and delivered 63 minutes of turbo boost. The rider data: Rider weight 89 kilos, 150 watts pedalling power, cadence 80 rpm. For comparison: A Bosch Performance CX motor with a 750 battery achieves a riding time of 71 minutes in Turbo mode under identical conditions.
Orbea EP8 RS (Shimano)Noise development
The good news first: the motor sound of the EP8 RS is clearly quieter than that of the classic EP8. We have come to this conclusion on every Orbea test bike that we have ridden with the RS motor so far. The drive noise is also rather low-frequency and even, which is why most of the testers described it as less unpleasant. In a comparison of light motors, the EP8 RS lands in the midfield. The bad news: Orbea couldn't get rid of the gear rattling that all EP8 motors have. In other words, the gearbox makes a metallic clatter when rolling over obstacles. Trail descents are accompanied by a constant clacking noise. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a really quiet bike with the EP8 RS. If you're not familiar with this clacking noise, which all current Bosch motors have, it's best to think of it as a distinct chain and derailleur clatter. However, some testers only notice the noise a little - for categorisation purposes. And after a few metres on the trail, you quickly get used to it. But from our point of view, the background noise is clearly one of the factors that influence the value of a bike. And this is where Orbea's RS bikes don't quite score.
The controls of the Orbea e-bike motor
The controls of the Orbea drive come entirely from Shimano's Steps line and are familiar. The Spanish company's bikes are available with either a well-protected, inconspicuous display behind the handlebars or a minimalist wireless unit. Customers can choose for themselves using the excellent MyO configurator on the Orbea website. The minimalist wireless unit doesn't even provide a bar display for the battery level, which has given us some nasty surprises on many a test ride with the Orbea e-bike motor. It is more suitable for absolute purists or anyone who prefers to use a Garmin-style bike computer anyway. The Steps control lever is simple and highly functional, making it a favourite with the EMTB test editorial team. The same applies to the clear Shimano displays, which are well protected in the event of a crash. The only thing we miss here is an accurate battery percentage display. The battery level is only roughly indicated by five bars.
Shimano's E-Tube app was one of the first apps to allow customisation of the riding modes. With the Orbea EP8 RS, everything works in exactly the same way as with the classic EP8. However, the logic behind the settings and the influence on the support is not as clear as with other apps. Two profiles or pre-sets can be set, which can then be activated directly on the display without the app. That's great. For example, you can save a gentle, battery-saving setting for long rides and a power setting for short after-work laps. System updates and the analysis of errors and system health are also possible via the E-Tube app. A dashboard as an extended display is available via the Shimano E-Tube Ride app - however, even here it is not possible to display the battery percentage.
Another option for displaying data from the RS drive is the Garmin app "Orbea RS Toolbox". This allows more information to be teased out of the Steps system on Garmin devices. This includes a battery display in per cent. Unfortunately, there are often problems when installing this app. In addition to our own experiences, various reviews in the Garmin app store show this.
EMTB evaluation and measured values
- max. torque: 56 Nm
- Top performance: 339 W
- Power: 5/6 points
- High cadence pull-through: 4/6 points
- Drive around 25 km/h: 4.5/6 points
- Engine sound: 3.5/6 points
- Control elements: 4.5/6 points
Test summary of the e-bike motor Orbea EP8 RS (Shimano)
"Stable, powerful, long range: The RS system from Orbea closes the gap between minimalist light drives and the power class. Especially with the large 540 battery, the system has a long range and endurance - the target group and range of use are therefore greater than with most other light drives, provided that the permanently installed battery does not interfere. Disadvantages: high system weight and rattling on the descent. With the Rise M (360 Wh), Orbea shows that it is possible to build competitively light e-bikes even with a relatively heavy system."
More light drives in the test
The Orbea EP8 RS was tested as part of a major comparison of various lightweight e-bike motors. Our overview article including comparative values can be found here.
Florentin Vesenbeckh
Editor CvD
