Orbea Urrun: Slim e-hardtail with EP8 RS under 20 kg

Product news / E-MTB: With the Orbea Urrun, the Spanish manufacturer now has a light, slim and sporty e-hardtail in its range. Much of the new bike is reminiscent of the well-known Orbea Rise - such as the Shimano EP8 RS drive.

It's been almost two years since Orbea was able to bring a breath of fresh air to the E-MTB market with the Rise. Even today it is without a doubt still one of the most exciting light E-MTBs, which found a logical continuation as an aluminum version with the Rise H last late year. Now the Basques go one step further and present the Urrun, which transfers the Rise idea to a hardtail. But what does that mean exactly?

First the hard facts: The Orbea Urrun is based on an aluminum frame and is powered by the Shimano EP8 RS known from the Rise with 60 Nm of torque. Orbea relies on the 540 Wh model known from the Rise H for the battery, which is also firmly integrated in the down tube on the first run and cannot be removed for charging. The bike is used in the sporty touring segment, which is reflected in the modern geometry as well as the 120 mm spring travel at the front. The weight is said to be around 19 kg and the new addition to the Spaniards' portfolio starts at 3.899 euros.

High-quality, lightweight aluminum frame

At first glance, it's hard to believe that the Urrun's frame is made of aluminum. Almost all welding seams are elegantly ground, the finish and the lines are much more reminiscent of carbon than aluminum. We had a similar experience last year with the Introducing the Rise H. Orbea should certainly be one of the manufacturers with the most beautiful aluminum frames on the market. It also seems to be technically convincing: Orbea speaks of a 30% higher stiffness with 15% less weight compared to the hardtail predecessor, the Wild HT.

Of course, the slim down tube, which houses the 540 Wh battery, also contributes to the overall very clean look. The virtually invisible lines, cables and outer casings are a little less conspicuous, but no less effective. The wiring of the display and the control panel runs in the handlebars, through the stem to the motor. To make maintenance a little easier, the brakes and gears are not routed inside the handlebars, but "only" disappear on the stem. Nevertheless: It doesn't get much cleaner anymore!

Sporty geometry

Its developers definitely see the Orbea Urrun as being used off-road: whether on forest roads, forest paths, gravel pass roads or even on easy trails. Accordingly, the bike is given a little more travel at the front with 120 mm; this benefits comfort as well as off-road capability. Geometry speaks a similar language. The steering angle is quite flat, the main frame comes with modern dimensions, which, however, do not directly overwhelm less sporty drivers. The Spaniards have probably found a good balance here, which is crucial on such a versatile bike.

Universal Orientation

Speaking of orientation: Details such as the numerous mounting options for add-on parts show that the Urrun can also be understood as a tourer. Mudguards can be mounted here as well as a luggage rack. Orbea also gives its OK for towing child trailers. If you wish, you can even configure the lighting with the corresponding components from Lezyne when you buy it. These are then supplied with power directly from the integrated battery.

Shimano EP8 RS - Natural drive with 60 Nm torque

In terms of drive, the Shimano EP8 RS, already known from the Rise, is used on the Urrun. The hardware is the same as the well-known Shimano EP8 - the unit is correspondingly compact and light (2,6 kg!) - but a lot of work was done with the software. The maximum torque of 60 Nm is significantly lower than on the "regular" EP8 with 85 Nm. However, Orbea is not just about throttling the motor, but adapting it to the concept of the bike and sacrificing some power for more naturalness, lower noise and significantly lower energy consumption. A compromise that makes sense, but not all e-mountain bikers like it.

The ranges specified by Orbea are impressive: The Urrun is supposed to cover up to 540 hm with the 3.500 Wh battery - if that's still not enough, you can even add another 252 Wh with a range extender in bottle form. The drive is operated on the top model via the well-known remote with a compact color display next to the stem. The Japanese still have one of the most beautiful solutions on the market here. On the other hand, the relatively new 30in2 control unit is used on the cheaper Urrun 1, which is ergonomically okay, but overall represents a significant downgrade - also because it does not offer a Bluetooth interface for the E-Tube apps from Shimano. After all, the higher-quality controls can be retrofitted without any problems.

Permanently integrated 540 Wh battery and range extender

As with the motor, Orbea also makes painful compromises on the battery for a well-rounded overall concept: Unfortunately, the 540 Wh battery is permanently integrated in the down tube and cannot be removed for charging or storage. That might even be a KO criterion for one or the other, but the decision is understandable: This is the only way to construct such a slim down tube and this is the only way to achieve a total weight of approx. 19 kg. These are precisely the characteristics that can set the Urrun apart from the competition. The range extender can be placed on the down tube and, with its 252 Wh, increases the total capacity to an impressive 792 Wh. Charging takes place via the in-house Smart Charger, which dynamically changes the power between 2A and 4A depending on the state of charge and environmental variables in order to close the cells protect and to ensure a longer service life of the battery.

Orbea Urrun: model variants and prices

The Urrun is now available in two configurations. Both rely on the same high-quality aluminum frame and the Shimano EP8 RS drive with integrated 540 Wh battery. The basis is therefore identical – there are only a few differences in the components, as the price difference of 1.000 euros already suggests. It's nice, however, that you don't have to make too painful compromises on the cheaper Urrun 30. The Marzocchi fork works well, the Deore gears do their job just as reliably as the Magura MT30 brakes. Only the lack of a retractable seat post is a pity.

Available immediately - also via Rider Connect

Despite the continued tight delivery situation, the new Orbea Urrun is now available from numerous retailers. Orbea has been offering a practical online service for this for some time now: Rider Connect can be used to find the right size and color for the desired model. If a dealer has the desired bike on site, you can also make a reservation directly.

Click here for the Orbea Rider Connect platform

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More information about the Urrun directly from Orbea

Photos: Orbea