Right this moment, Orbea publicizes the brand new Rallon RS eMTB. Whereas it may simply be confused with the most recent non-electric Rallon enduro bike, Orbea added a light-weight drive system to it, and on the similar time, took its RS Management System integration to a brand new degree. Orbea states that the Rallon RS “was constructed to ask questions, push boundaries, and discover a special path ahead for mountain bikers,” and the result’s “a motorbike that marks a daring new course for the trade.” This isn’t your typical eMTB.
Constructed across the long-travel Rallon enduro platform, the RS is supplied with the compact TQ-HPR40 drive system to supply “help that by no means exceeds the rider’s personal enter.” In reality, Orbea says they “don’t describe the Rallon RS as an e-bike, however as a path bike that represents the following step in mountain bike improvement.” That’s fairly a press release, and together with the enlargement of the model’s RS Management System integration, there’s rather a lot to unpack on this distinctive new eMTB. Let’s test it out.
Orbea Rallon RS Particulars
The Rallon RS relies on the non-electric Rallon enduro bike that launched final yr. In reality, the OMR carbon body appears to be like practically an identical, regardless of housing a compact drive unit and battery within the downtube. We’ll get into the small print of the TQ-HPR40 drive system later, however we’ll level out right here that its compact measurement allowed Orbea to take care of a silhouette nearly indistinguishable from the analog model, together with the split-pivot suspension design. Nevertheless, the motor and battery seem to negate using the GravityLinks and changes on the non-electric model.
Just like the non-electric Rallon enduro bike, the Rallon RS body options 170mm of rear wheel journey, paired with a 180mm fork. It’s offered with twin 29” wheels or in a combined wheel configuration. A distinct linkage maintains the bike’s geometry when switching between rear wheel sizes, which Orbea sells individually for many who like to combine it up. A geometry-adjusting flip chip modifications backside bracket top by +/- 8mm and head angle by +/- 0.5 levels. Lastly, a headset adjustment permits additional geometry customization with head angle adjustment of +/- 0.75 levels.
Past these changes, the RS’s geometry carefully mirrors that of the usual Rallon. The important thing figures embrace the 64.25-degree head tube angle, 445mm chainstays on all sizes, and a steep efficient seat tube angle. The supplied geometry chart lists the efficient seat tube angle as 74.6 levels, nevertheless it appears to be like a lot steeper than thatm and the conventional Rallon’s angle is listed at a fairly steep 79 levels. Regardless, the bike is available in 4 body sizes, S-XL, and Orbea states that even the small and medium frames can match a 210mm dropper put up.
The body has mounts for one bottle cage within the entrance triangle, which can be utilized to hold water, clearly, or to carry the non-compulsory vary extender. Even with the TQ-HPR40 motor, 290 Wh battery, and different electronics, Orbea says that the RS model is just one.3kg heavier than an ordinary Rallon. Sadly, full bike weights weren’t shared with us, however we’d count on them to be within the neighborhood of ~40 kilos (18 kg).
Drive System and Battery
With the brand new Rallon RS, Orbea refers back to the pedal help as a “delicate serving to hand.” It appears the thought was to take a bike-first method and never let its e-bike-ness dominate the trip expertise. In keeping with Orbea, “The target was to enhance the pedalling really feel on climbs by lowering the same old compromises that come from the additional weight of a long-travel chassis and the rolling resistance of aggressive tires.”
To that finish, Orbea selected the compact and light-weight TQ-HPR40 drive system to supply the pedal help. We’d be mendacity if we mentioned we weren’t just a little stunned that they didn’t select the mid-power HPR60, which has obtained very excessive reward and is used on bikes like the brand new Yeti MTe. That mentioned, the HPR40, which is extra widespread on e-road and e-gravel bikes, appears to align properly with the target described above. With as much as 40Nm of torque and as much as 200W of peak energy, it’ll present just a little increase however a extra pure trip really feel for many who “need simply sufficient assist to take care of circulation with out dropping the satisfaction of pedaling.”
For comparability, the most recent crop of full-power eMTBs are placing out greater than double the height energy and torque. The Avinox continues to be the facility chief with 105 Nm of torque (as much as 120 Nm in Increase) and peak energy of 1,000 W. The favored and comparatively widespread Bosch CX motor is now as much as 100 Nm of torque and 750 W of peak energy. With that a lot energy, these motors can present a completely totally different trip expertise than the HPR40 on the Rallon RS. However Orbea is likely one of the pioneers of the SL e-bike class, so we count on they knew precisely what they have been attempting to perform with the smaller, environment friendly, decrease energy motor.
Offering the juice for the HPR40 motor is a 290 Wh battery that frankly doesn’t even appear to be it’s there. On condition that lower-power motors just like the HPR40 use much less much less energy, Orbea claims the modestly-sized battery offers a powerful vary of 1200 to 1800 meters of climbing. That vary could be elevated by including battery capability with an non-compulsory 160 Wh vary extender, which offers 55% extra battery for longer rides.
RS Management System Integration
Final yr, Orbea launched its RS Management System, which debuted on choose fashions of its Rise eMTBs. At the moment, the RS system included the brand new RS Sensible Dropper, an built-in handlebar unit that managed each the drive system and dropper, and linked the whole lot to the bike’s major battery. In our press supplies, Orbea additionally refers back to the controller because the RS-HMI (Human Machine Interface).
With the brand new Rallon RS, Orbea takes that system integration additional by connecting the distant, motor, derailleur, dropper put up, suspension, and battery collectively. In keeping with Orbea, “Sharing energy simplifies charging and reduces muddle, and their proprietary communications system allows all of the elements to share info, a very new idea that creates new potentialities.”
Orbea says the up to date system permits riders to regulate the bike’s motor, suspension profiles, and dropper put up from a single handlebar-mounted unit with customization by its personal RS Join App. To attain this, Orbea says it invited each Fox and TQ to hitch them and that they “acknowledged the potential to push their very own applied sciences additional and agreed to open improvement.” Now, Orbea’s RS know-how works with the proprietary Fox Dwell Valve Neo shock, the TQ motor, and the Orbea RS dropper to share info and allow the next capabilities.
- Suspension knowledgeable by motor knowledge: The shock receives inputs resembling cadence, rider energy, motor energy, and bike velocity from the TQ motor. Orbea’s customized algorithms use this knowledge to ship extra predictable and responsive suspension behaviour.
- Suspension knowledgeable by dropper place: The MC10-RS dropper communicates its precise place a number of occasions per second by an optoelectronic Time-of-Flight sensor. That is an trade first. When the dropper is lowered, the shock stays totally open to optimise downhill efficiency.
- Motor behaviour tailored to terrain and rider place: The TQ motor recognises when the bike is pointed downhill with the dropper lowered and adjusts its help to keep away from undesirable inputs in technical terrain.
Orbea Rallon RS: Construct Choices and Pricing
The Rallon RS at the moment is available in two construct choices, with each out there with 29” wheels or in a mixed-wheel configuration. As talked about above, the RS Management system is designed to combine with a proprietary Fox Dwell Valve Neo shock, which comes spec’d on the top-tier LTD builds. The Group builds don’t include the Dwell Valve shock, however it’s listed as an improve choice for the low value of $1,049.
Both manner, the brand new Rallon RS is available in both Frozen Concrete Gloss or Gas Carbon View colorways, or patrons can design their very own in Orbea’s MyO customizer. At checkout, it’s also possible to buy the 160Wh vary extender for $525, improve from EXO+/DD to DH casing tires for $40, and the mullet or 29” linkage for $265.
Orbea Rallon RS-LTD: $14,999
- Fork: Fox 38 Float Manufacturing facility 180, Grip X2
- Shock: Fox Float X2 Dwell Valve Neo Manufacturing facility Trunnion Evol
- Drivetrain: Shimano XTR Di2
- Cranks: e*13 Helix Race alloy 32T
- Brakes: Shimano XTR M9200
- Wheels: Oquo Mountain Management MC32LTD (MX or 29”)
- Tires: Entrance: Maxxis Excessive Curler III 2.40″ EXO+ MaxxGripp, Rear: Maxxis Minion DHR II 2.4” DD MaxxTerra
- Dropper: OC Mountain Management MC10 Digital
- Saddle: Fizik Terra Ridon X1 145mm
- Handlebar: OC Mountain Management MC10 Carbon, Rise 20, Width 800
- Stem: OC Mountain Management MC11 Alu SL, 0º
Orbea Rallon RS-Group: $10,999
- Fork: Fox 38 Float Manufacturing facility 180, Grip X2
- Shock: Fox Float X2 Manufacturing facility Trunnion
- Drivetrain: Shimano XT Di2
- Cranks: e*13 Helix Race alloy 32T
- Brakes: Shimano XT M8220
- Wheels: Oquo Mountain Management MC32TEAM (MX or 29”)
- Tires: Entrance: Maxxis Excessive Curler III 2.40″ EXO+ MaxxGripp, Rear: Maxxis Minion DHR II 2.4” DD MaxxTerra
- Dropper: OC Mountain Management MC10 Digital
- Saddle: Fizik Terra Ridon X5 145mm
- Handlebar: OC Mountain Management MC10 Carbon, Rise 20, Width 800
- Stem: OC Mountain Management MC11 Alu SL, 0º
Orbea Rallon RS: Availability
Orbea appears to be charting its personal path with the brand new Rallon RS, aiming to take advantage of built-in, however least e-bike-like, eMTB. That’s certain to resonate with some riders, and rule out loads extra. However because the eMTB market continues to mature, we’re seeing extra choices to swimsuit particular use instances, driving types, and preferences. It’s clear that Orbea had a particular aim with this bike, and we’re definitely curious to know the way it rides.
Arguably probably the most fascinating facet of its design, nonetheless, is the enlargement of its RS Management System. This marks a brand new degree of system integration and factors to a future during which all of our bikes’ electronics function as a linked system. With the brand new Rallon RS, evidently the longer term is now, for Orbea anyway.
The brand new Orbea Rallon RS bikes can be found now. Head to the Orbea web site to study extra or choose one up for your self.