Exactly one year ago our art director and long-term tester Julian wandered out of the Orbea HQ in Barcelona with his new long-term test bike, the Orbea Rallon X10 in one hand, and his smartphone and Strava app in the other. The goal: determine whether the Orbea Rallon X10 is the push-it-past-the-limits enduro rocket that will take Julian to all the city’s sickest trails?

On those sleepy days when even the sun rolls over with a grunt, I’m usually out on my bike, taking those predominantly rocky trails above Barcelona and tearing full throttle along the natural, catchy turns. Once I reach the sea, I just turn the bike around and go again. When friends say they’re visiting, I tell them to find me on the trails, which have become my new home.

Orbea Rallon X10 | 160/160 mm | € 3,999

So the expectation with this new long-term test bike was to get my hands on a thorough-bred enduro whip with no wishy-washiness. 160 mm of travel. As long and slack as they come. Lightweight and punchy. A machine that’ll nail the descents and still be rideable up the grinds. After research, I decided the Orbea Rallon X10 could be the one.

The Orbea Rallon X10 & its spec

For € 3,999, the Rallon X10 comes equipped with snazzy FOX Factory Kashima-coated suspension, hard-wearing DT Swiss SPLINE E-1900 wheels and the Shimano XT groupset. The stem, bars and cranks all bear the name Race Race Aeffect, while MAXXIS take over responsibility for grip with their Highroller II and Ardent tires doing the job. I’m 192 cm tall so opted for a size L; there’s little to complain about with a bit of a stretched-out but ultimately comfy position. In terms of long and low, it definitely fits the bill with the stem directly under the spacer – lower doesn’t come lower than this. The bars are 760 mm wide with 35 mm rise, which would suffice for many but I’d prefer broader.

The Orbea Rallon X10 build spec

Fork: Fox 34 Float Factory Kashima 160 mm
Shock: Fox Float X DPS Factory Kashima
Brakes: Shimano XT
Drivetrain: Shimano XT
Seatpost: RaceFace Turbine 125 mm
Stem: RaceFace Aeffect 35 mm
>Handlebar: RaceFace Aeffect 35 mm Riser
Wheels: DT Swiss M-1900 Spline
Tires: MAXXIS High Roller II 2.4″
Price: € 3,999

The Orbea Rallon X10 & its geometry

Size S M L
Top tube [A] 587 mm 611 mm 640 mm
Head tube 120 mmm 130 mm 145 mm
Seat tube [B] 420 mm 455 mm 495 mm
Head angle [F] 66 ° / 65.5 ° 66 ° / 65.5 ° 66 ° / 65.5 °
Seat angle [E] 75 ° / 74.5 ° 75 ° / 74.5 ° 75 ° / 74.5 °
BB Drop [J] 7 mm / 14 mm 7 mm / 14 mm 7 mm / 14 mm
Chainstays [C] 420 mm 420 mm 420 mm
Wheelbase [D] 1159 mm 1184 mm 1215 mm
Reach [G] 425 mm 447 mm 472 mm
Stack [H] 603 mm 612 mm 626 mm

On the trails

In search of fun, the Orbea Rallon was ushered onto the diverse trails around Barcelona and put through its paces on the Downhill World Cup track in Andorra. But, as with any downhill, there’s got to be an uphill first and the Rallon is wickedly efficient on mellow slopes, although it’s hard to keep the front wheel planted when the gradient hits high double figures due to the lack of weight over the front end. The low cockpit doesn’t help much either. Yet once the climb is done and your sweat dabbed, the Rallon’s downhill genes coarsing through its geometry will set your heart racing if you like it hard and fast. The long 1,215 mm wheelbase and slack 66° head angle let it chase high speeds with composure, and it navigates willingly and confidently down gnarly trails without so much as a murmur as it hunts for air time on every lip.

It felt right at home on the rapid World Cup track in Andorra, with its stiff frame using those short chainstays for a nice bit of pop around tight turns. The 160 mm suspension from FOX is dialed pretty firmly, but kept up with everything the trail has thrown at it over the past 12 months. Its performance has been efficient and consistent whatever the terrain, offering a ton of feedback, comfort and grin-inducing good times. It inspires a lot of confidence to play on the bike, but needs a firm hand when the trail gets really techy. The burly 27.5″ MAXXIS tires have stayed true to me and the bike, with controlled two-wheel drifts and ample grip, even on the rockiest trails around.

Thoughts on the Orbea Rallon X10

The Orbea Rallon X10 truly deserves crowning as an enduro machine. It delivers on all of its promises, guaranteeing an out-and-out wild time on the trails. The Rallon has a hunger for a dynamic, fast ride, but be prepared to cut a more tranquil figure on the climbs. For bright, wide-eyed wonder on your home trails or in bike parks, the Rallon speaks to riders who relish the thought of tearing down burly descents and shredding round corners at high speeds.

For more information head to orbea.com!


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Words: Julian Lemme Photos: Sergi Valenzuela Cabrera

About the author

Julian Lemme

Julian has already explored the Pacific in the company of sharks, come face to face with his fear of heights in the Himalayas, sat in Uruguay's oldest prison and found the answer to world peace in the Brazilian rainforest. This globetrotter has travelled halfway around the world while doing the layouts for our magazines. Today, he's almost settled down, living with his dog Bonnie in sunny Lisbon to ride, surf and enjoy a relaxed lifestyle. As art director, the awesome style and layouts that distinguish our magazines are all thanks to him.