Orbea Rise SL & Rise LT 2025: Power, battery & suspension travel - update for the popular light e-bike

More power, more range, more downhill strength and more choice: The promises made by Orbea for the new Rise are full-bodied. And after the first fact check, you can actually put a tick behind all these points. With a more powerful motor, larger batteries and an LT model with more suspension travel, the Rise has undergone a major transformation for the 2025 model year. But some things have also remained the same. For example, the fact that Orbea relies on a specially configured Shimano motor, the options in the configurator and the 29er wheels.

The frame, on the other hand, has been redesigned from the ground up. The asymmetrical design, which is intended to give the chassis more rigidity, is striking. Orbea has been using this frame design on its non-motorised bikes for a long time Occam and Rallon. Compared to its predecessor, the chassis has become stiffer and the stiffness has also been adapted to the different frame sizes.

The facts about the Orbea Rise 2025

• Motor: Shimano EP801 RS Gen2 MC, max. 85 Nm torque
• Battery: either 420 or 630 watt hours (each permanently installed), optional 210 Wh additional battery
• Full carbon frame
• Wheel size: 29 inch
• Two versions: SL with 140 mm travel, LT with 160/150 mm travel
• Four models to start (2x SL, 2x LT) from 7999 euros
• Frame weight: 2.2 kg (manufacturer's specification)
• Weight: SL from 16.2 kg, LT from 18 kg (manufacturer's specification, size M)
• Test bike weight: 20.02 kg (measured in the EMTB lab, 630 Wh battery, size M)

Orbea Rise 2025: The E-drive

Which drive system will the new edition of the Orbea Rise come with? Many people have probably asked themselves this question. Because when the first Rise 2020 was presentedthere were virtually no suitable motors for lightweight e-MTBs on the market. Orbea took the lightest power motor, the Shimano EP8, and gave it its own software - the RS system.

However, there are now a whole host of special light drives. No matter whether TQ HPR 50, Fazua Ride 60 or Bosch Performance SX - are all significantly lighter than Shimano's EP8 and EP801. Between 550 and 800 grams to be precise. But Orbea is sticking to its approach - and is using the Shimano motor on the new Rise for a power update.

The new EP801 RS Gen2 now delivers the full 85 Newton metres of the Shimano motor on request. On paper, this makes the new Rise more powerful than all light e-bikes with Fazua, TQ or Bosch SX. And the RS motor still has its own software. The key difference to the classic EP801 from Shimano is a more progressive power delivery and lower maximum power. The rider only gets a lot of thrust when pedalling hard. This should make the ride feel natural and improve the range. Being lazily pushed up the hill should not work even with the 85 Newton metres. But on technical climbs, the new drive should be able to keep up with classic power motors. Light e-bike - yes! Light-Assist - no!

Maximum torque, but no maximum power

In contrast to the maximum torque of 85 Newton metres, the maximum power is below the level of the classic EP801, which according to Shimano delivers up to 600 watts. The peak power of the RS Gen2 is clearly weaker, which is also clearly noticeable in practice. Compared to the first generation However, 15 per cent more maximum power should be available. Alongside other candidates in the Light class, the RS Gen2 feels powerful when the controls are fully turned up.

With its characteristics - maximum torque, but slightly lower maximum power - the new RS drive is more or less the opposite of the Bosch SX. The Swabian power unit delivers an enormous peak performance - significantly more than Orbea's RS - but only a low torque. The Spaniards' idea behind their RS Gen2: The high torque should score points at low revs, for example on difficult uphills where you can often only crank at a low frequency.

Especially when starting off, or when you have to push over an edge in high gear, a high torque helps to lift the bike over obstacles. An ability that the Bosch SX, which is optimised for performance, lacks. Electric motors only develop this at high cadences. To tease the maximum power out of the SX, you have to pedal at 100 crank revolutions per minute and more.

The two motor presets offered by Shimano also play a role in the RS drive. Preset one is called RS mode and is throttled to a maximum of 56 Newton metres ex works. The "touring mode" for maximum range. In RS+ mode, the full 85 Newton metres are available for full thrust on difficult climbs or short rides. However, as with Shimano drives, each mode can also be set to full power and full torque via the E-Tube app. Also possible: up to 15 finely staggered U-stages in finetune mode.

The batteries in the Orbea Rise 2025

The second component of the RS System Gen2 is new batteries. There is now complete freedom of choice here. Every single model of the Rise is compatible with the two battery variants with 420 or 630 watt hours. It is also possible to swap between the two options at a later date. However, the motor must be removed for this, as the batteries are still firmly integrated in the down tube. Charging is therefore only possible on the bike. On top of this, there is a new range extender that provides an extra 210 watt hours. The Rise can therefore be equipped with up to 840 watt hours.

All three batteries should have an outstanding weight-to-energy ratio. To achieve this, Orbea has opted for the latest generation of so-called 21700 battery cells. According to Orbea, the RS batteries are the first e-bike batteries ever to use the new cells with 5.8 Ah and therefore a higher energy density. The 420 Wh battery is said to weigh 1.96 kilos, while the 630 weighs 2.88 kilos. Both values would actually be the best values in this range. For comparison: Fazua's 430 battery weighs 2.2 kilos, a Bosch Compact Tube 400 2.0 kilos. And the 600 battery in the new Cannondale Moterra SL is said to weigh 3.1 kilos - which is significantly lighter than a Bosch Powertube 625 with a whopping 3.6 kilos. The range extender (210 Wh) is also light at 1.1 kilos.

Orbea Rise 2025: One frame, two bikes - SL & LT

While Orbea tried to appeal to two different target groups with the previous model purely through the equipment, the Spaniards are now reorganising the Rise and making a clearer distinction between the trail/downcountry and all-mountain/enduro areas of use. Although the main frame and rear triangle are identical on the SL and LT versions, the geometry, suspension travel and kinematics change due to a different shock linkage and different travel in the shock. Of course, the equipment also differs, which can be customised to personal preferences in a meaningful area in the MyO configurator.

The Orbea Rise SL - for trail & tour

With weight-optimised equipment and 140 millimetres of suspension travel, the Rise SL is aimed at moderate touring riders and long-distance mountain bikers who tend to ride in moderate terrain and do not focus on downhill riding. In addition to 34 mm forks, Orbea has configured shocks without reservoirs and thin-walled tyres with a low profile. This puts the bike nominally in a similar category to, for example the KTM Macina Scarp SX with Bosch SX motor. The top model of the Rise SL is said to be particularly light at 16.2 kilos. In addition to a Fox 34 Factory Fit4, the extremely light Wicked Will with a very thin Superrace carcass is the main weight reducer.

The Orbea Rise LT - for All Mountain & Enduro

The Orbea Rise LT is aimed at anyone looking for a lightweight e-mountainbike for fun on trails of all kinds. Compared to its predecessor, it has become significantly more downhill orientated. With 160/150 millimetres of suspension travel (front/rear), the LT has one centimetre more travel. The geometry is also longer and flatter.

To match, the Rise LT is only available with a 36 mm fork and shock with reservoir. The top model and the configurator even feature the Fox DHX Factory coil shock. However, the option of a 38 mm fork has been explicitly omitted, as Orbea wants to avoid excess weight and clearly differentiate the Rise LT from the E-Enduro Wild with Bosch CX would like to demarcate.

In this setup, the Rise LT swims in the same waters as the popular trail all-rounders, for example Santa Cruz Heckler SL and Specialised Levo SL - Here's the duel between the two light eMTBs with 160/150 mm travel. In terms of wheel size, however, Orbea only uses 29-inch wheels on all models. A mullet configuration with a small rear wheel is not planned.

Light enough? The weight of the Orbea Rise 2025

A central argument of every light eMTB is the weight. Orbea specifies 16.3 kilos (Rise SL M-LTD) and 18 kilos (LT M-Team) for the top models. Both in frame size M. Unfortunately, we have not yet had the opportunity to put these top models on the scales.

Our test bike, a reconfigured Rise LT M-Team with a 630 battery, weighed 20.02 kilos in size M. That's really heavy for a bike with such a large battery - and roughly in the same league as the new Cannondale Moterra SL. And how much more potential is there here? With a smaller battery, carbon wheels and a lighter Exo+ rear tyre, the configurator still leaves some room for improvement.

This would result in a calculated weight of almost exactly 19 kilos. A raw finish for the frame is also available in the configurator, and the lack of paint saves another 80 to 100 grams. However, we didn't find much more tuning potential on our test bike - at least not in the Orbea configurator.

The geometry of the Orbea Rise 2025

Longer, slacker, lower - the geometry update of the Orbea Rise can be summarised with this familiar trio. From the perspective of downhill-orientated bikers in particular, the predecessor was very classic and conservative. The new Rise has received a significant update. Even the moderate SL version has a slacker head angle and longer reach than the original Rise. Orbea attaches particular importance to the following parameters: The engineers were able to shorten the chainstays by five millimetres to 440 millimetres. That's really short for an E-MTB with a 29er rear wheel. Only a Rocky Mountain Instinct Powerplay with a powerful motor and 29-inch rear wheel is significantly shorter. With this measure, Orbea wants to give the new Rise the most playful handling possible.

The slightly too long seat tubes of the old Rise have also been shortened. The sizes L and XL in particular are now 430 and 460 millimetres respectively (predecessor 457 and 508 mm), so that smaller riders can also choose the larger size if they wish. Important: A 200 mm dropper post can be completely recessed even in size S, and this applies to 230 mm dropper posts on the L and XL frames. Top!

The geometry of the Orbea Rise LT is significantly slacker. However, the steering angle remains moderate at 64 degrees. This also applies to the wheelbase, which is significantly longer on extreme downhill eMTBs. The steering and seat angle can be adjusted by 0.5 degrees via a flip chip on the shock mount, and the bottom bracket height can also be changed by eight millimetres. The four sizes range from 430 to 510 millimetres reach.

Ride test: The Orbea Rise LT on the trail

Orbea provided us with a Rise LT M-Team for our first practical test shortly before publication. Contrary to the standard configuration, our test bike came with a large 630 battery, aluminium wheels and robust double-down rear tyres. Customisations that are all available in the configurator. The bike costs 10,188 euros. With a large battery, powerful motor and a live weight of 20 kilos, the bike is no longer a classic light eMTB, but rather a super-light, classic e-mountainbike.

The first impression on the trail is absolutely positive. In the LT version, the Rise transforms from a rather firm trail bike into a mini enduro bike. In particular, the plush, high-traction suspension (with air shock in the test) provides a lot of riding confidence and control in rough terrain. The handling is very intuitive and balanced - and thanks to the short chainstays, riding fun is definitely not neglected. In terms of handling and trail fun, the bike is more in the light category, even with a large battery, than in the area of classic power eMTBs.

The new RS drive in the Rise LT is also slightly quieter than classic EP801 motors on climbs. However, the drive noise is always present, comparable to its predecessor. Downhill, on the other hand, there is no difference in sound compared to the EP801. The second-generation RS motor also accompanies the ride over roots with its familiar rattling. However, for a Shimano e-bike, the background noise of the Rise on trail descents is rather subtle.

In the coming weeks, we'll be testing the new bike in more detail and also taking a closer look at the RS drivetrain. A detailed test of the new Rise LT will follow!

Orbea Rise 2025: models, prices & availability

The good news first: The new Orbea Rise models should be available immediately. However, there are only high-priced variants available for the launch. It starts at 7999 euros for the Rise SL and 8499 euros for the LT version. There are two equipment options available in each case, which can be customised via the online configurator. The long telescopic seatposts are a particular highlight. Both the in-house OC dropper and Fox's Transfer can be configured in four lengths between 150 and 230 millimetres of travel.

Orbea Rise LT M10 - 8499 Euro

Even though it is currently the most affordable Rise LT, the M10 can hardly be described as an entry-level model with a clear conscience. With Fox Factory suspension (36 fork, Float X shock), gears and brakes from Shimano's XT range and lightweight aluminium wheels from Orbea's Oquo MC series, the bike lacks nothing to impress on the trail. For the tyres, Orbea relies on the Maxxis combination of Assegai at the front and Minion DHR II at the rear. You can choose between Exo+/Exo+, DD/Exo+ and DH/DH casing via the configurator. The standard 420 battery can be replaced by a 630 for an additional charge.

Orbea Rise LT Team - 10,999 euros

The top model in the LT range comes with Fox DHX Factory and 36 Factory coil shocks. Shifting is electric with Shimano's XT Di2. This enables rolling gear changes, even automatically if desired. This means that the ideal gear is always engaged when riding downhill without having to worry about shifting. The brakes are fitted with high-quality XTR stoppers from Shimano. The Oquo carbon wheels reduce the weight of the rotating mass and improve acceleration. The lightweight 420 battery is also installed in the basic package. The large 630 fits as an option.

Orbea Rise SL M10 - 7999 Euro

The M10 model of the SL series is also already equipped to a very high standard. The Fox Factory suspension here consists of a 34 mm fork with Fit4 cartridge and Float shock. The XT brakes come with two instead of four pistons and the Schwalbe Wicked Will tyres with Superrace casing are significantly tamer and lighter than on the LT models. Otherwise, comparable components to the LT M10 model are installed: mechanical XT gears, high-quality Oquo wheels with aluminium rims, in-house carbon handlebars.

Orbea Rise SL LTD - 11,999 euros

The Rise SL LTD is the most expensive model in the series and is fully focussed on lightweight construction. The update to the M10 model consists of Sram's finest XX Eagle Transmission wireless drivetrain, XTR brakes, Oquo carbon wheels, Fizik saddle with carbon rails and Fox Transfer SL dropper post.

Conclusion on the Orbea Rise 2025

The Orbea Rise 2025 is more versatile than ever! The choice of battery sizes, the different suspension travel options and the even more powerful motor make the bike interesting for many bikers. The new Rise skilfully closes the gap to the Power class. The LT model is significantly more powerful on the trail than its predecessor - downhill-orientated bikers can look forward to this in particular. Points of criticism are the rattling motor and the currently too high starting price of 7999 euros. - Florentin Vesenbeckh, Deputy Editor-in-Chief EMTB Magazine