{"id":44085,"date":"2022-11-17T16:00:05","date_gmt":"2022-11-17T15:00:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bikeradar.com\/?p=704931"},"modified":"2022-11-24T10:59:01","modified_gmt":"2022-11-24T09:59:01","slug":"2023-orbea-wild-emtb-eyes-up-the-podium-with-new-geometry-revised-suspension-and-a-stiff-frame-2","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/rss_feed\/2023-orbea-wild-emtb-eyes-up-the-podium-with-new-geometry-revised-suspension-and-a-stiff-frame-2\/","title":{"rendered":"2023 Orbea Wild eMTB eyes up the podium with new geometry, revised suspension and a stiff frame"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Luke Marshall\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Thursday, 17 November 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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Orbea\u2019s new Wild eMTB is designed with the aim of being the best enduro electric mountain bike<\/a> on the trails. It has full 29in wheels<\/a> and dishes out 160mm of rear-suspension travel.<\/p>\n

Frame stiffness, weight, geometry and kinematics have all been tuned to improve performance.<\/p>\n

Seven models are available, with four carbon-framed options and three aluminium bikes. Prices range from \u00a35,299 \/ $5,699 \/ \u20ac5,699 up to \u00a310,999 \/ $11,999 \/ \u20ac11,999.<\/p>\n

These employ Bosch\u2019s full-power CX and CX-R electric mountain bike motors<\/a>, delivering 85Nm torque with 625Wh or 750Wh battery options. The bike also uses Bosch\u2019s latest Mini Remote that enables you to change mode settings wirelessly.<\/p>\n

Stiffness refinement<\/h2>\n
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The battery is integrated into the down tube and isn\u2019t removable unless you take the motor out.<\/span><\/figcaption> Jeremie Reuiller<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Removable batteries increase weight, complexity and noise, yet reduce stiffness. Orbea uses its SBS (Secure Battery System), which houses the battery within the down tube to reverse these issues.<\/p>\n

Orbea told us it spent a lot of time optimising the frame stiffness and making it as light as possible, while achieving the desired rigidity.<\/p>\n

Because of an electric bike\u2019s additional weight due to the motor, battery and more robust components, Orbea suggests an ebike\u2019s frame needs to be 10 per cent stiffer than a non-assisted bike to achieve the same ride quality.<\/p>\n

Orbea has forgone battery removal and uses an integrated battery to achieve this. It says cutting a large hole in the down tube significantly reduces a frame\u2019s stiffness, which seems logical. The new Wild has a claimed 51.59 per cent stiffer front triangle over the outgoing model.<\/p>\n

Orbea has learned that stiffer isn\u2019t always better, though, and there\u2019s a balance to be struck. To put this new front-triangle stiffness into perspective, the latest Wild is just shy of 10 per cent stiffer than Orbea\u2019s Rallon<\/a> enduro bike.<\/p>\n

We shouldn\u2019t forget that the rear triangle has undergone some refinements too, and is eight per cent stiffer than the 2020 Wild<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Weight shaving<\/h2>\n
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To help keep the weight down, the frame\u2019s rocker is one-piece carbon fibre.<\/span><\/figcaption> Jeremie Reuiller<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

To help get the best ride character from the bike, Orbea refined the details to shave off as much weight as possible. For a size-large carbon frame, it has trimmed the Wild frame down by a claimed 901g. This is just 70g heavier than the Rallon frame.<\/p>\n

The rocker is now a one-piece carbon unit (on the carbon frames) to highlight a frame detail.<\/p>\n

To help keep the weight as low as possible in the frame, Orbea has built new battery-mounting hardware. In addition, the latest Bosch PowerTube batteries and mounts also shave off weight.<\/p>\n

A large Orbea Wild M-LTD with 625Wh battery weighed in at 20.90kg.<\/p>\n

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A full-spec Orbea Wild M-LTD with a 625Wh battery weighs in under 21kg for a large frame.<\/span><\/figcaption> Jeremie Reuiller<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

2023 Orbea Wild geometry<\/h2>\n
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The geometry on a large Orbea Wild M-TEAM (with a 160mm-travel fork).<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Orbea didn\u2019t think having a lighter electric bike<\/a> with refined stiffness was good enough, it had to handle well too. So, the Spanish brand looked to its new Rallon enduro bike and refined the geometry for the Wild.<\/p>\n

The four frame sizes, small, medium, large and extra-large, have undergone the usual longer and slacker<\/a> treatment but are, in fact, a little higher off the ground.<\/p>\n

These have all been built around 29in wheels front and back. This was done to help give the bike the best traction possible when climbing steep, technical trails.<\/p>\n

The reach has increased by 25mm to a typical 455mm for a size medium. The other bike sizes have 435mm, 480mm and 505mm reach numbers for sizes S, L and XL, respectively. These reach numbers are for a 160mm fork. If you run a 170mm fork, expect the lengths to shorten by 5mm.<\/p>\n

The head tube angle is a moderate 64 degrees, which should balance precise steering with front-centre stability. Plus, the effective seat tube angle is 77.5 degrees across the sizes. This is now typical of modern mountain bikes<\/a> and should seat riders comfortably above the bottom bracket.<\/p>\n

Another feature brought over from the Rallon is the Steep\u2019 N\u2019 Deep seat tube that is uninterrupted and optimised for long-travel dropper posts<\/a>. As a result, even the size small will fit a 200mm Fox Transfer SL<\/a> dropper post.<\/p>\n

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Orbea has used a straight and uninterrupted seat tube suitable for a long dropper post. Even the small frames can fully insert a 200mm Fox Transfer SL post if needed.<\/span><\/figcaption> Orbea<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

The short seat tubes also mean you can choose between three sizes depending on whether you want an agile, balanced or stable bike. Most riders will have two sizes to choose from.<\/p>\n

Orbea says it furthermore refined the motor mount to enable it to make the chainstays shorter. These are 448mm across all sizes, which should keep the bike relatively agile.<\/p>\n

The bottom bracket drop is now 25mm, which gives a little more ground clearance to help reduce pedal strikes.<\/p>\n

<\/colgroup>
2023 Orbea Wild geometry (160mm fork)<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Size<\/b><\/td>Small<\/td>Medium<\/td>Large<\/td>Extra-large<\/td> <\/tr>
Reach<\/b> (mm)<\/td>430<\/td>455<\/td>480<\/td>505<\/td> <\/tr>
Stack <\/b>(mm)\u00a0<\/td>621<\/td>630<\/td>639<\/td>648<\/td> <\/tr>
Head tube angle<\/b> (degrees)\u00a0<\/td>64<\/td>64<\/td>64<\/td>64<\/td> <\/tr>
Seat tube angle <\/b>(degrees)\u00a0<\/td>77.5<\/td>77.5<\/td>77.5<\/td>77.5<\/td> <\/tr>
Seat tube length<\/b> (mm)\u00a0<\/td>415<\/td>415<\/td>435<\/td>460<\/td> <\/tr>
BB height<\/b> (mm)\u00a0<\/td>353<\/td>353<\/td>353<\/td>353<\/td> <\/tr>
Wheelbase<\/b> (mm)<\/td>1,223<\/td>1,247<\/td>1,277<\/td>1,306<\/td> <\/tr>
Chainstay<\/b> (mm)\u00a0<\/td>448<\/td>448<\/td>448<\/td>448<\/td> <\/tr>
Top tube <\/b>(mm)\u00a0<\/td>573<\/td>595<\/td>622<\/td>649<\/td> <\/tr>
Standover <\/b>(mm)<\/td>700<\/td>700<\/td>700<\/td>700<\/td> <\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>