Ever since the release of the new Avinox motors, the whole e-bike motor race has been fierce, with brands scrambling to up their motors’ outputs to match that of the Chinese tech brand. With the latest iteration of the Wild e-MTB, Orbea has swapped Bosch power for an Avinox unit. Does this mean that we’re at the motor market tipping point?
Alright, speculation aside, for those who don’t know the Wild is Orbea’s e-enduro bike, and historically, it’s used many iterations of Bosch’s Performance Line drive system. But this time around, the brand has kitted its updated bike with an Avinox M2S motor. However, there’s a little more to its 150Nm (max) of torque and ridiculous power of up to 1,500W.
Orbea has given the motor a touch of its RS magic, a motor tune exclusive to the brand, seen on models prior. It’s said that the RS tune makes the motor much more sensitive to pedal force, so it should be more reactive to input.
The new Wild isn’t all about the Avinox system. Rather, the bike has been shaped to achieve a super low centre of gravity, says Orbea. This has been done by carefully placing the motor and the 600Wh or 800Wh battery in the frame. By doing so, the brand has been able to lower the shock mount, upper link and top tube, in a bid to lower the bike’s overall mass. The result, according to Orbea, is a calmer and more planted ride with an increased standover and the ability to run super long dropper posts.
Now, the bike borrows the progressive suspension kinematic that was developed for the latest Rallon and 170mm of rear suspension travel to play with.
Of course, as expected of Orbea, the new Wild’s spec and colours can be tweaked through its MyO program. Most interestingly, the bike can be kitted to take full advantage of the RS Ecosystem, which links the motor control, dropper post and Fox Neo shock, allowing them all to be controlled via handlebar remotes, and to be powered off the bike’s main battery.
As for the geometry, it’s looking fairly progressive and suitable for an enduro e-bike. In fact, it’s more aggressive than its Rallon enduro bike. A large frame rocks a 480mm reach, while all frame sizes share a 63.9-degree head tube angle, a 78-degree seat tube angle and a 448mm reach. There is a touch of geometry adjustment available, allowing riders to slacken the head angle by a little over half a degree.
True to classic Orbea form, there are 14 specifications to choose from, including alloy and carbon-framed options. Prices start at £4,899 and go up to £11,879.
