New 2026 Orbea Rallon on Test – Downhill and Enduro Bike all in one?

Yes, with the new Rallon, Orbea introduce their first downhill bike – and at the same time the 7th generation of their popular enduro bruiser. As expected, the new Rallon is packed with sophisticated, futuristic solutions, including countless adjustment and tuning options which are possible thanks to a unique core feature. We’ve already had the chance to extensively test both versions of the new Rallon and, in this review, we’ll reveal what it is capable of!

With the new Rallon, Orbea introduce their first-ever downhill bike and at the same time make a strong entrance in the UCI Downhill World Cups with their Orbea FMD Racing Team – the new Rallon already made its World Cup debut last weekend, where it delivered a brilliant performance straight out of the gate. Tahnee Seagrave immediately secured the top step on the podium, earning the new Rallon a World Cup victory even before its official launch. Additionally, Martin Maes delivered a very strong performance with a 9th-place finish among the men. But Orbea have another trick up their sleeve: they’ve also turned the Rallon DH bike into an enduro version, staying true to the name. This means that the Rallon, originally developed as an enduro bike, now enters its seventh generation – even though it features a completely new look and, apart from the name, shares virtually nothing with its predecessor. Instead, it bears some resemblance to Orbea’s full-power eMTB, the Wild, which – without a motor and cloaked in a mysterious cover – already appeared at World Cups last year. In our OOLAB story, we took a behind-the-scenes look at the DH Wild, and one of our suspicions was confirmed: hidden beneath the neoprene cover in the motor area were indeed movable weights. And now Orbea integrated exactly this feature into the new Rallon – but more on that later!

At the heart of the new 2026 Rallon lies Orbea’s proprietary Gravity Link, which allows you to convert the bike between a downhill version with 200 mm of travel front and rear, and an enduro variant with 180 mm at the front and 170 mm at the rear. Both versions share the same carbon frame and rear end, with the only difference being the Gravity Link and components associated with it. But the Link has even more to offer and makes the Rallon the most versatile bike in the Basque manufacturer’s range. On the enduro version, it allows you to run different wheel sizes and switch between a high and low setting. Additionally, on both the enduro and downhill variants you can tune the shock’s progression and – as hinted above – add weights low in the frame, a feature we haven’t seen from any other manufacturer on the market yet – very cool! The new Rallon also features adjustable chainstay lengths and head angle settings, and the LockR storage compartment has been updated, too. Complete bikes retail between € 5,399 and € 9,999, and are available now via Orbea’s website and selected retailers.

The new 2026 Orbea Rallon in detail

The new 2026 Orbea Rallon frame impresses with a sleek, futuristic look. Viewed from the side, the top and downtube appear super slim – but from above they look wide and beefy. Since both versions of the new Rallon use the same carbon frame, all features are identical on both the enduro and DH bike. For the new Rallon frame, Orbea reverted to a conventional cable routing system, with all lines disappearing into the frame through bolted cable ports on the headset. Inside the frame, they’re neatly clamped and guided through internal sleeves. The system ensures a clean look and effectively prevents the cables from rattling on the trail! At the same time, a high-quality, generously sized chainstay protector prevents chainslap, ensuring a quiet riding experience.

The gap between the seat tube and chainstay is protected by a small plastic cover, which keeps out debris and small rocks. A slim shuttle guard on the downtube prevents chafing, while a removable, slightly translucent cover shields the bottom bracket area – although this doesn’t fully extend over the lowest frame section. The clear cover can be popped open with some force via a snap fastener, and provides access to the Gravity Link when removed. Both removal and reinstallation of the cover require some finger strength and dexterity, but since this rarely needs to be opened, the tight fit is welcome.

The LockR storage compartment, which was first introduced with the previous Rallon generation, has been redesigned from the ground up, too. Now it closes firmly via a rotating slide mechanism located inside the compartment. The slide can be easily operated using the lever below the bottle cage, which is easily accessible even with gloves on. However, the cover now sits on top of the frame rather than flush with the carbon edge, which slightly disrupts the premium look but improves functionality. The opening doesn’t feature an additional inner frame, but all carbon edges are smoothly rounded so you won’t tear more delicate items, like a light jacket. Although the opening of the LockR compartment isn’t huge, and the slim down tube doesn’t have a ton of space, you can still stow all your trail essentials inside the frame. Additionally, the compartment comes standard with a narrow strap-pouch. Just be careful with metallic objects – they might rattle inside the frame.

Orbea’s FLP multitool also makes a return on the new Rallon. This small magnetic tool is hidden in the main pivot bearing of the rocker link and stays firmly in place. While it takes a bit of finger strength to pull out, it’s extremely handy, meaning that you always have a small tool on hand to tighten the most important bolts – even on your DH bike. A 6 mm hex key is also integrated into the lever of the rear thru-axle.

All bearings are double sealed and should withstand pressure washer cleaning. Orbea also pre-install a protective 3M film in all critical frame areas – downtube, seat tube, and seat- and chainstays. This is a really good feature and helps preserve the resale value of your frame. Incidentally, all first owners enjoy a lifetime warranty on their frame.

The spec variants of the 2026 Orbea Rallon

Of course, the new 2026 Orbea Rallon can also be customized using Orbea’s in-house MyO configurator prior to purchase. Not only does this let you choose from different options for the key components – like the suspension, brakes and drivetrain – but also offers countless alternatives for the paint finish and decals, allowing you to customise both the spec and look of your bike down to the smallest detail. All bikes are painted and assembled directly in Orbea’s Basque factory before being shipped to the dealer of your choice. In addition to the countless MyO customisation options, Orbea also offer four pre-configured models, each carefully specced to suit its intended use. These can also serve as a base if you only want to make a few small changes via the MyO configurator – very practical!

There are three enduro spec variants of the new Rallon available, with prices ranging between € 5,399 and € 9,999, along with one downhill version currently priced at € 7,999. What’s cool is that all models feature a FOX Factory suspension – no compromises made. The enduro models mainly differ in terms of shock, drivetrain, brakes, and wheelset. The most expensive model features the electronic FOX Neo Live Valve shock, which significantly enhances climbing performance.

Can I switch between the enduro and downhill configurations with the 2026 Orbea Rallon?
Yes, in theory you can, given that both the main frame triangle and the rear end are identical. If you opt for an enduro model at the time of purchase, you’ll need to buy the Gravity Link of the DH version for around € 100 and then swap out several components. The most crucial element is the shock, which must have a longer stroke to unlock the full 200 mm of rear travel. Orbea will likely share the appropriate damping tune if you ask nicely 😉. You’ll also need a downhill fork with 200 mm of travel and a compatible front wheel with a 20 mm thru-axle. Depending on your preferences, you can also install a DH-specific drivetrain and swap out the dropper post. Keep in mind that the downhill setup only works with a 27.5″ rear wheel, so depending on your enduro configuration, you might need a new rear wheel too. Fortunately, rear hub spacing is 148 mm across the board, which makes the conversion process easier.

The spec of our 2026 Orbea Rallon test bikes

For this first ride review, we tested the Orbea Rallon D-LTD and E-LTD, but changed a few components on the enduro version, which reduced the original € 9,999 price tag slightly. Both bikes feature a FOX Factory suspension, and we tested both primarily with the new FLOAT X2 air shock instead of the electronic FOX NEO shock that comes standard on the E-LTD model. The FLOAT X2 delivers excellent performance and adjustability, although the rebound adjusters are somewhat hidden in the frame – you might even need to unbold the weight to tweak the rebound settings. At the front, we used either a FOX 38 fork with 180 mm travel or a FOX 40 with 200 mm of travel, whereby both forks featured the top-tier FOX X2 damper.

The enduro bike employs an electronic, 12-speed SRAM X0 Transmission drivetrain, which comes standard with a small chain guide. FOX also supply the Transfer dropper post, which offers a generous 240 mm of travel and can be fully inserted into the seat tube in all frame sizes. It also lets you adjust the travel in 5 mm increments up to 25 mm, allowing you to dial-in the perfect travel length without the need for tools. The dropper is paired with a Shimano remote, offering solid ergonomics and intuitive control.

The downhill bike features a – let’s say very seasoned – 7-speed Shimano Saint drivetrain, which performs reliably despite its age. However, the rear derailleur’s chain tension isn’t the strongest, which results in a slight chain slap on rougher trails. A large e*thirteen chain guide with integrated bash prevents the chain from falling off while protecting the chainring against nasty impacts.

Wheels come from Orbea’s in-house component brand OQUO, and performed flawlessly throughout the entire test period. We rode both test bikes with the MC32 Team aluminium wheelset, which held up well in rocky terrain without any damage. Officially, the E-LTD model rolls out of the factory on the MC32 LTD carbon wheelset. The wheels were paired with MAXXIS tires in the robust downhill casing, as befits this kind of bike. Specifically, we rode an ASSEGAI up front and MINION DHR II at the rear, both in the super soft MaxxGrip rubber compound. For the enduro bike, however, we’d recommend the harder MaxxTerra rubber compound at the rear for better rolling efficiency and durability.

The geometry of the 2026 Orbea Rallon

The new Orbea Rallon is available in just four frame sizes, S to XL. Compared to other major bike brands, that’s a rather limited range, but the sizing is well thought out, and the 25 mm reach increments between sizes make sense. On all frames, Orbea adjusts the stiffness of the front triangle by using different carbon layups tailored to each frame size. This approach compensates for differences in rider size and weight, ensuring a consistent ride feel across the entire range.

Size	S	M	L	XL
Seat Tube	400 mm	405 mm	420 mm	420 mm
Top Tube	542.6 mm	574.5 mm	603.1 mm	635.3 mm
Head Tube	100 mm	110 mm	120 mm	130 mm
Head Angle	64.3°	64.3°	64.3°	64.3°
Seat Angle	79.9°	79.4°	79.1°	78.8°
Chainstay	442 mm	442 mm	442 mm	442 mm
BB Drop	28 mm	28 mm	28 mm	28 mm
Wheelbase	1209.9 mm	1229.3 mm	1266.6 mm	1298 mm
Reach	430 mm	455 mm	478 mm	505 mm
Stack	629.2 mm	638.2 mm	647.2 mm	656.2 mm

Geometry in High / Progressive setting.

Already at the point of purchase, Orbea offer the option to choose between two different chainstay lengths. You can go for the short rear end with 442 mm chainstays or the long version with 450 mm. However, the chainstay length can’t be changed afterwards – which is a bit of a shame. Brands like Pivot and RAAW already offer practical solutions that allow you to adjust the chainstay length, even with UDH-compatible dropouts.

Orbea, on the other hand, came up with some very cool and unique ways to adapt the new Rallon to a wide range of needs and riding scenarios. The heart of it all is their proprietary Gravity Link, which is located in the bottom bracket area and houses the lower shock mount. There are three different Gravity Links, each easily distinguishable by colour. The purple Gravity Link is used on the downhill bike and includes an additional flip chip that lets you adjust the progression of the rear suspension from 25% (linear) to 30% (progressive). The gold (27.5”) and silver (29”) Gravity Links are for the enduro configuration and allow you to run different rear wheel sizes without significantly altering the geometry and kinematics. They also feature a flip chip with four different positions, enabling you to fine-tune progression by 5%, as well as switch between a low and high setting. The latter mainly affects the head angle (by +/- 0.5°) and the bottom bracket height (by +/- 7 mm). The shock tune on the enduro model is also slightly more digressive.

Another unique feature is the ability to mount weights to the Gravity Link. This allows you to add mass at the lowest point of the bike for a more grounded ride feel – a tuning approach frequently seen in the downhill World Cup circuit. Orbea provide three different weights: for the enduro model, you can only mount the 395 g main weight. On the downhill bike’s Gravity Link, you can also mount two side weights (95 g and 93 g), and don’t worry – the 2 g difference won’t throw off your balance 😉. The main weight can be easily attached from underneath with two screws. For the side weights, you’ll need to partially drop the Gravity Link on one side. With all weights installed, you add a total of 583 g to the Rallon.

Finally, the head angle can also be adjusted separately by +/- 0.75° using Orbea’s special angle-adjust headset. All frame sizes of the Rallon feature an ultra-low standover height and a very short seat tube. Even in size XL – which has a reach of approximately XXX mm – the seat tube is just 420 mm, allowing you to insert a massive 240 mm dropper post all the way into the frame.

The new 2026 Orbea Rallon on test

For this first test, we spent four days in the Spanish Pyrenees together with Orbea to try out both the enduro and downhill versions of the new Rallon. We had plenty of time and freedom to experiment with the various settings, Gravity Links, and weight configurations. The two bikes don’t differ fundamentally in their riding dynamics and feel very similar in many situations. The same goes for the adjustability and weight options. We tested both bikes in size XL, which fit very well with our testers’ 190 cm height. Unfortunately, we only had access to the long chainstay versions.

We’ll spare you the uphill performance of the downhill bike 😉. Things get far more interesting with the enduro version. Thanks to the very steep seat angle and the seat tube’s aggressive forward placement, the riding position is pleasantly compact and comfortable even with the dropper post fully extended. At the same time, this ensures that there’s enough weight on the front wheel during technical climbs, preventing the front-end from lifting. However, the high pedalling position can feel somewhat awkward, because you`re pushing into the pedal from far above, which isn’t ideal for long touring expeditions. Moreover, the rear suspension isn’t particularly pedal-neutral, so using the climb switch on the shock is a must. If you opt for the electronic FOX Neo shock, it’ll do much of the work for you and significantly boost the Rallon’s climbing performance. The Rallon’s downhill-oriented kinematics make it a perfect match for an electronic shock – and exactly what we predicted back when RockShox launched the first Flight Attendant system in 2021.

When gravity takes over, the new Rallon really comes to life – no surprise there, as the bike was developed with a clear focus on downhill performance. Whether you’re on the enduro or downhill variant, the Rallon integrates you deeply and centrally into its frame, which, together with its intuitive, predictable handling, inspires huge amounts of confidence from the get go, encouraging you to get rowdy. For the downhill bike, we used handlebars with more rise to achieve a more upright position on the steep test tracks, which definitely helped.

The suspension is perfectly balanced, and the weight evenly distributed between the front and rear, which enables precise, controlled steering in all situations. Both the enduro and downhill models fall into the category of bikes that generate a lot of grip and traction, staying planted on the trail and almost clinging to the terrain. Thanks to the slightly more digressive shock tune, the enduro version feels just as composed on the trail as the DH model, despite the shorter travel. On both variants, the suspension offers plenty of support, and even though the bike feels glued to the ground, you can still generate speed by pumping through rollers and berms – or catch some airtime to gap a nasty root carpet. The suspension’s end progression is also well-tuned – we experienced no harsh bottom-outs despite using the full travel.

With its downhill-focused geometry and kinematics, the enduro Rallon definitely leans towards the composed side and isn’t the nimblest bike in its category. That said, the option to change the rear wheel size via the Gravity Link is extremely well executed. While most bikes with this feature tend to compromise on at least one setup, the Rallon handles the swap exceptionally well – in other words, you don’t lose any performance in terms of ride dynamics, balance, or rear suspension. With a smaller rear wheel, you can squeeze extra agility out of the bike without sacrificing composure too much. We’re also confident that the shorter chainstays would add further agility, although they’re likely to affect the bike’s overall balance as well.

Assessing the impact of weight differences on the downhill bike proved tricky, with wet conditions and constant mud buildup skewing the results. On the enduro bike, however, the added weight was more noticeable, and the lower centre of gravity made the bike feel calmer in fast, rough sections. On the flip side, it was slightly harder to manoeuvre through tight sections, although with both bikes, the effect of the additional weight was fairly subtle on our test tracks. Still, it’s a super cool feature and definitely worth trying out! The flip chip’s 5% progression adjustment also felt relatively subtle compared to similar features on other bikes. That’s not a bad thing – it just means the Rallon’s adjustability is more refined and nuanced than most.

Who should take a closer look at the new 2026 Orbea Rallon?

You can definitely feel the downhill DNA in the new 2026 Orbea Rallon – and if you opt for the enduro version, you’ll notice it both on the climbs and the descents. This brings clear pros and cons: hunting KOMs on the climb won’t be easy. But on the descents, you’ll feel glued to the trail, and even steep and fast tracks are a no-brainer with the enduro Rallon. It generates tons of traction and feels reassuringly composed, though it lacks a bit of agility and propulsion– which makes it more of a mini-downhill rig than a thoroughbred enduro racer. The downhill model, on the other hand, gives you the confidence to sign up for your next race and features many of the qualities you’d expect from a fast downhill race bike – including a wealth of tuning options.

Our conclusions about the new 2026 Orbea Rallon

The new 2026 Orbea Rallon not only looks futuristic and damn fast, but it’s also packed to the brim with clever features. From standard flip chips to the unique ability to tune your bike with weights – it’s all there. The rear wheel size adjustment is exceptionally well executed, too. While it may not be one of the best climbers, it sticks to the trail with impressive composure and, thanks to its integrated and intuitive riding position, inspires plenty of confidence to get rowdy.

For all further information about the new Rallon, visit the Orbea-Website.

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Words: Peter Walker Photos: Rupert Fowler