First Look: The Orbea Urrun is a Long Range Electric Hardtail
Urrun means "far" in the Basque language spoken where Orbea are based. Their latest offering is an electric hardtail using the same Ride Synergy (RS) tuned Shimano motor as the full-suspension Rise, which limits the assistance to get more miles out of the 540 Wh internal battery. Orbea say the battery will last for up to eight hours of riding with as much as 3,500 m of climbing, which is pretty far in anyone's book. If that's not enough, there's a 252Wh range extender battery, which boosts the range by almost 50%.
Pedal-assist hardtails aren't necessarily the most exciting thing for purist mountain bikers, but with a starting price of €3.799 / $4,299 / £3,499, it's probably going to appeal to a lot of people who are getting into the sport.
Pedal-assist hardtails aren't necessarily the most exciting thing for purist mountain bikers, but with a starting price of €3.799 / $4,299 / £3,499, it's probably going to appeal to a lot of people who are getting into the sport.
Orbea Urrun Details
• Hydroformed alloy frame with RS-tune Shimano motor
• 540 Wh battery + 252Wh optional range extender = 792 Wh
• 120 mm fork travel
• 29" wheels
• Claimed weight: 19,6 Kg / 43.2 lb
• 74.6° seat angle, 66° head angle
• Sizes: S, M, L, XL
• Price: €3.799/$4,299/£3,499 (H30) - €4.799/$5,499/£4,299 (H10)
• orbea.com
• Hydroformed alloy frame with RS-tune Shimano motor
• 540 Wh battery + 252Wh optional range extender = 792 Wh
• 120 mm fork travel
• 29" wheels
• Claimed weight: 19,6 Kg / 43.2 lb
• 74.6° seat angle, 66° head angle
• Sizes: S, M, L, XL
• Price: €3.799/$4,299/£3,499 (H30) - €4.799/$5,499/£4,299 (H10)
• orbea.com
Motor & Battery
Orbea's proprietary RS-tuned motor weighs the same as this standard Shimano EP8 unit, but because it develops less peak torque (60 Nm rather than 85 Nm), this allows for lighter components to be used, especially in the drivetrain. The claimed weight of the top-spec Urrun 10 in size Medium, with tubes, is 19,6 Kg / 43.2 lb. The optional range extender battery, which costs €499, weighs 1.4 kg and slots onto the water bottle mount.
As always, e-bike range varies a lot depending on assistance mode, riding style, terrain, rider weight and more, so most riders won't be getting close to that claim of 3,500 vertical meters. But Orbea thinks the range with the internal battery should be plenty for most people.
As always, e-bike range varies a lot depending on assistance mode, riding style, terrain, rider weight and more, so most riders won't be getting close to that claim of 3,500 vertical meters. But Orbea thinks the range with the internal battery should be plenty for most people.
With fast-rolling tires, a regular drivetrain, no motor friction and a relatively manageable weight, there's nothing to stop you from riding it with a flat battery.
As well as being more frugal with electrons and so offering more range, Orbea's other claim behind the RS tuned motor is that it delivers its power in a subtler, more proportionate way than the standard motor, making it feel more like a conventional bike.
Frame Details
The Urrun uses a hydroformed alloy frame with smooth welds, similar to the Rise Hydro. Bottle cage bosses on the seat tube and down tube mean you can carry a water bottle even when using the range extender. The in-tact downtube saves weight but it does mean removing the battery involves first removing the motor and you can only charge the battery in the bike.
A mechanic's worst nightmare?
The cables run through a special spacer under the stem.
One thing which makes Urrun stand out is the cable routing. It runs through a modified spacer just under the stem, through the headset and into the frame, so there are no unsightly cable ports behind the head tube. Unlike similar systems, the cables don't run through the stem itself, so it's easier to swap the stem out, but the cable connecting the motor to the bar-mounted controller runs through the stem and the handlebar too.
Electric hardtails are often used as a tool for commuting and shopping, and the Urrun's rear axle is compatible with accessory mounts for kickstands, trailers and carriers. I can see the Urrun, especially the entry-level model, appealing to people who want one bike for the school run or commute during the week and exploring at the weekend.
Geometry
The Urrun isn't trying to break the mould with its geometry. With a 445 mm chainstay and 66-degree head angle, it should be easy enough to manoeuvre at low speeds. The 74.5-degree seat angle is relatively steep by hardtail standards.
Models and specifications
Urrun H10 - €4.799/$5,499/£4,299
Fork: Fox 34 Float Performance, 120 mm, Grip
Drivetrain: Shimano XT/SLX cassette
Brakes: Magura MT5 E-STOP
Drivetrain: Shimano XT/SLX cassette
Brakes: Magura MT5 E-STOP
Wheels: Race Face AR 30c, 29"
Tires: Maxxis Rekon 2.40” 3CMaxxTerra, Exo+
Seatpost: OC MC20 Dropper, 100mm travel
Tires: Maxxis Rekon 2.40” 3CMaxxTerra, Exo+
Seatpost: OC MC20 Dropper, 100mm travel
Urrun H30 - €3.799/$4,299/£3,499
Fork: Marzocchi Bomber Z2, 120mm
Drivetrain: Shimano Deore M4100, 10-speed
Brakes: Magura MT30
Drivetrain: Shimano Deore M4100, 10-speed
Brakes: Magura MT30
Wheels: Orbea OC1 29c, 29"
Tires: Maxxis Rekon 2.40” 3CMaxxTerra, Exo+
Seatpost: Alloy 31.6x400mm
Tires: Maxxis Rekon 2.40” 3CMaxxTerra, Exo+
Seatpost: Alloy 31.6x400mm
According to Orbea, the first bikes are arriving with dealers now.
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103 Comments
Yes there is. Dignity and self-respect.
*crosses Orbea off list*
I know y'all are the MTB bourgeois but this is exceptionally out of touch.
I don‘t know what part hydroforming should play in creating these sorts of joins, but that doesn‘t mean there isn‘t one
I can't see a mountain bike person buying this as a principal mountain bike, but it seems great as a do it all utility bike/back up mtb. I'm just not rich enough to afford a 4k bike for that role.
Lots of people want an e-bike commuter, but this gives them something that can commute just fine and ride e-friendly mtb trails. The weight sucks, and the ride quality is probably very poor to our eyes, but for someone already budgeting $4-$5k for an e-bike commuter then something like this makes sense.
Cheap so you're not too upset when an a*shole cuts the lock and robs it.
Bombproof to stand up to the abuse of smashing potholes, withstanding weather, and long periods between washes / deep maintenance. Simplicity is a boon for this requirement.
And light so it's responsive when navigating traffic.
They might be deeply smeared with the hipster scene but it's why fixies make good city bikes, instead it sounds like you bought a convoluted expensive toy that was e-waste within a couple of years.
Cheap: I got it from my work for zero, sold it for 600 bucks five years later...cool. Wealth is hard to measure but this seems a solid move for anyone. Looking back, I'd've bought it for retail too, probably like 2500 at the time.
Bombproof: yeah, for sure. I blew up the fork but kept it as locked out as it'd get.
I never had trouble washing it, maybe I'm doing that wrong? Even ferrying a bucket back and forth from my apartment I was able to keep it and my mtb clean as often as I wanted.
Light: is 50 pounds light? The thing roasted everywhere.
I think fixies are garbage in my city, we have tons of hills. I like coasting and I like going fast down hills. Fixies don't do that. But we're talking about this ebike I had, right?
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Man. Maybe my city sucks, maybe I'm just a complete dumdum? Ignorance is bliss I guess, that bike rrrrrrrrrrrrripped!
Lol en.meming.world/images/en/thumb/f/f0/Thomas_Had_Never_Seen_Such_Bullshit_Before.jpg/300px-Thomas_Had_Never_Seen_Such_Bullshit_Before.jpg
Someone just getting into the sport usually thinks £3.5k is ridiculous for a bike. Since when someone just getting into the sport is looking at ebikes in the first place? If someone just getting into the sport indeed wants to buy a £3.5k bike and not a £600 Vitus, why would they not get a nice proper full suspension mtb for that price?
I’m misreading a reach of 405 on a medium?
It looks good, and one of the cleanest ebikes I've seen. I'm not too familiar with routing cables through stem - also looks clean but potential headache?