Ever wondered how your dream bike comes to life? What challenges do developers face, and how much racing expertise actually makes it into our production bikes? We met up with Orbea’s R&D team at OOLab to get some answers!
Bikes are a longstanding tradition at Orbea. The Basque bike manufacturer has been building bicycles since 1931. With their headquarters in Northern Spain, Orbea actually started in the weapons industry over 100 years ago, shifting to bicycle production in the 1930s. Since then, they’ve not only designed and developed the bikes on-site, but also painted and assembled them in-house. Orbea are known for being forward-thinking and ahead of trends, introducing innovations like the Steep’n Deep geometry, which features a straight yet short seat tube that allows you to use the dropper posts’s maximum travel, and the lightweight Orbea Rise concept that made waves in 2020. The latter featured a throttle version of the Shimano EP8 motor, which delivers 60 Nm of torque. Despite the robust spec and generous suspension travel, the Rise weighed under 19 kg. The newly released 2024 Orbea Rise LT sets a new standard by combining full power with minimal weight.
Today, the brand offers a wide range of bikes– from city (e-)bikes like the Orbea Diem 20 and road bikes to (e-)mountain bikes. Orbea have already proven their expertise in the mountain bikesegment; the Orbea Occam LT impressed our test crew in our the trail bike comparison test, narrowly missing out on the coveted Best in Test title. The Orbea Rallon is the enduro choice for the Orbea Enduro Team in the Enduro World Cup. And their e-MTBs, like the lightweight Rise and the full-power WILD, have repeatedly scored top honors and ‘Best Buy’ recommendations in our eMTB and light e-MTB tests.
But such a wealth of innovative ideas and successes doesn’t happen by chance. Great bikes involve a great deal of research and development, and that’s where OOLab comes into play. Innovations need to be spotted early and driven forward– and the OOLab is at the heart of making that happen!
So, what exactly is the OOLab?
‘OO’ stands for Orbea Optimization– Orbea’s very own creative think tank. The infinity symbol in the name also hints at the freedom Orbea’s developers have to explore ideas without the pressure of guaranteed success. It’s here that dreams and ideas turn into reality, taking shape as extraordinary prototypes, cool accessories, and unique solutions. Launched in 2022, the OOLab operates separately from Orbea’s regular bike development, focusing purely on learning and challenging existing limits. Alongside extensive lab testing, OOLab projects are put through their paces under the toughest conditions, like the Enduro World Cup and Downhill World Cup races.
Research and development at OOLab
As fans of analog MTBs with a soft spot for downhill bikes, one OOLab project especially caught our attention. We spent a day on the trails with Orbea team rider Martin Maes to get a closer look at their development process. Anyone following the 2024 DH World Cup might have noticed that Martin wasn’t riding a conventional DH bike, but a modified Orbea WILD eMTB. So, how did they come up with the idea to enter a downhill World Cup race on an e-mountainbike?
Let’s start from the beginning: The developers wanted to build on an existing platform rather than creating an entirely new DH bike from the ground up. In 2022, we saw the first attempts in the Downhill World Cup with a modified Orbea Rallon enduro bike. For the 2024 season, they switched to the WILD e-MTB, which, according to the developers, has more potential in terms of kinematics compared to the Rallon and is easier to adapt for DH needs thanks to the aluminum frame option. Needlesstosay, the motor and battery were removed to comply with UCI regulations. What’s hidden under the black cover is anyone’s guess, and Orbea guard this secret closely. Could it be a brace for extra frame stability? Adjustable weights to fine-tune the center of gravity? Or maybe just a snack compartment for a mid-ride sandwich? For now, we can only speculate, and we’re excited to see when– or if– this mystery gets revealed.
Apart from removing the motor, Orbea seriously bumped up the suspension travel of the WILD DH bike, replacing the standard 170 mm fork with a massive 200 mm FOX 40 Factory fork, and swapping the stock linkage with a longer version, which, combined with the FOX FLOAT X2 air shock, suggests a significant travel increase over the standard 160 mm. Other components, like the drivetrain and brakes, were optimized for intense downhill use. Countless test runs were conducted, with refinements made to the bike every step of the way.
The new Orbea Rise went through the hands of the OOLab team too, with top priorities being improved handling and extended range– without compromising on weight. To enhance handling, they stiffened up the frame. But finding the right level of compliance and testing it is a complex process; lab testing works hand in hand with field testing, as the bike ultimately has to feel good on the trail.
The extended range was achieved with newly developed batteries. The type of cells used and their arrangement within the battery play a key role in performance and size. Thanks to modern cells, the team was able to pack a higher capacity into the same space without adding weight. Additionally, lab tests allow for individual cell monitoring, helping to reduce heat build-up, boost efficiency, and thereby increase range.
Lab tests are crucial in mountain bike development, and therefore form an essential part of the process. They allow performance, durability, and safety of individual components and the entire bike to be evaluated under controlled conditions. However, only through intensive field testing on trails can we ensure that a mountain bike performs not just on paper, but also holds up to its promises in real-world conditions. Field tests are vital to confirm that theoretical insights from development and lab tests translate effectively to actual trails.
How much influence do Orbea’s athletes have on the project?
During our test session after the DH World Cup in Andorra, we sat down with Martin Maes to find out just how much input he has in OOLab’s development process. As a racer of the Enduro and Downhill World Cups, his main role is to get down the mountain as fast as possible– which sounds cool, right? But there’s a lot more to it. After races and during test sessions, athletes work closely with mechanics and developers, making real-time adjustments that can make the difference between winning and losing.
Athletes are a vital part of mountain bike development. Their skills allow them to give detailed feedback and push the limits of bikes and components. However, if a bike were developed solely based on athlete feedback, it would be nearly unrideable for most end customers. Especially in performance-focused areas like enduro and downhill, insights from pros like Martin Maes are invaluable. But it’s crucial to strike the right balance between intuitive handling and a sporty feel to appeal to a wider audience too. Let’s face it,not many of us, ourselves included, are flying down trails at Martin Maes’s speed. Even for the pros, though, easy handling makes a big difference on long, technical descents.
What are the key aspects of bike development and research?
How progressive should the rear suspension be? How compliant should the frame be in certain areas to achieve the desired characteristics? And what impact does this have on the rest of the structure? Developing a new bike isn’t straightforward, and instead requires a lot of know-how and experience. In mountain bike development, multiple factors are at play, much like a complex gear system: if one component in the setup is off, it can throw off the entire system. For example, the most expensive suspension is useless if an underdeveloped rear linkage undermines its performance.
Another key factor comes before development even begins– the alignment of the concept. Each mountain bike is optimized for a specific use: cross-country, trail, enduro, or downhill. The intended purpose shapes the bike’s features, including travel, geometry, and the choice of components. Understanding the target audience and their needs is essential to create the right product. A downhill bike with shallow-profiled tires and a flimsy casing makes no more sense than a XC bike with a coil shock and heavy downhill rubber.
Orbea have a real ace up their sleeve with the MyO configurator. This clever online tool allows you to customise both the spec and look of your bike down to the smallest detail. There’s a huge range of components to choose from, from different suspension setups, brakes, and tires, as well as a massive range of paint finishes. No other bike manufacturer offers such a comprehensive configurator, which is a huge benefit since everyone’s requirements are unique. However, this kind of program also demands extensive testing, as every component and combination must be trialed on the trail before it’s available for purchase.
The conditions that riders and equipment face in competition can’t be replicated in the lab; only in racing can we push the technology to its absolute limits. – Orbea
How much of the development and insights make it into production bikes?
Every day, countless new insights are gained through OOLab’s lab and field tests across various projects. Obviously, not every finding makes it into the final production bikes– only the best and most refined ideas make it onto the finished mountain bike. While production models are often less extreme and tailored to a broader range of users, the technologies initially developed for racing now make mountain bikes more powerful, lighter, versatile, and user-friendly for everyday riders.
Conclusions
Without in-house research and development departments, we’d probably still be rattling down the trail on hardtails and rigid forks. Brands like Orbea don’t just introduce new innovations, but also enhance user-friendliness and fun on the trails. Manufacturers gain invaluable insights from racing experience, applying them to make top-level performance accessible to everyday riders.
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Words: Mike Hunger Photos: Mike Hunger
