Welcome to the team HJC Helmets, Wahoo Fitness and Kendal Mint Co.

Can you believe we’re pretty much in the middle of the road racing season already?! This year Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli have welcomed some very generous new co-sponsors to the team and we thought it was about time we welcomed them properly and thanked them for the enormous amount of support and enthusiasm that they’re bringing to the young team of talented riders.

HUGE thanks to our supporting sponsors for helping to keep the Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli team training and racing throughout the busy season.

 

Kendal Mint Co. came onboard as the team’s nutrition sponsor at the end of last year and they have continued to supply the team this season with a large range of delicious products designed to help the lads train, race and recover as efficiently as possible.

Delicious chocolate-coated KMC NRG bars taste great and include Electrolytes and Vitamin B.

 

When the fatigue kicks in the Wheelbase lads always have a KMC NRG gel to reach for.

 

With Lake District brand Kendal Mint Co. and Wheelbase HQ practically being neighbours, working together to fuel the team was a no-brainer and Kendal Mint Co. are really excited to see their brand represented by the team all over the U.K. There’s been plenty of success for the Wheelbase team already this season including stage wins at the Ras Tailteann in Ireland and more recently a Bronze medal for Tim Shoreman at the National Circuit Race Championships as well as a fantastic win at Round 2 of the National Circuit Series in Ilkley where our Aussie sprinter took the win and celebrated over the line with the Kendal Mint Co. ‘Bowman’ victory salute!

Matt Fox celebrates his win with the Kendal Mint Co. ‘Bowman’ victory salute. Race photo by Warren Davis

 

The Kendal Mint Co. Natural NRG bars are a welcome source of nutrition, packed full of wholesome natural ingredients.

 

Iso Mix isotonic drink mix with electrolytes is fast and effective at fueling your body and keeping you hydrated on training and race days.

 

Good teamwork includes sharing Kendal Mint Co. products with your teammates.

 

A HUGE thank you to Saddleback Ltd who continue to support the team with various products from their extensive portfolio of road cycling brands. As well as supplying us with our amazing custom designed team kit, produced by premium Italian cycling clothing brand Castelli they are also providing us with a range of helmets from leading brand HJC.

The Wheelbase lads are wearing super-aero HJC Furion 2.0 road helmets this season.

 

Korean brand HJC have been manufacturing helmets for over 45 years; with their background in motorcycle helmets they perfected the art of aerodynamics and fit in MotoGP racing before moving into the cycling world in 2017. Since then their work with some of the most successful professional cycling teams in the world has informed their design and manufacturing processes, helping them to quickly establish themselves as one of the leading helmet brands on the market.

The HJC Furion 2.0 helmet combines slippery aerodynamics and efficient ventilation.

 

The Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli team are currently racing in the Furion 2.0 which is HJC’s light and sleek ‘semi-aero’ helmet, meaning it is both aerodynamically efficient enough to enhance performance at high speeds while being well vented to maximise airflow and cooling, keeping our riders cool on even the hottest training and racing days of the year.

The HJC Furion 2.0 road helmet provides crash protection as well as aero-efficiency.

 

We’re pleased to announce that Wahoo Fitness has come onboard this season as our GPS bike computer suppliers. Our Wheelbase stores have been working closely with Wahoo over the past few years, providing our customers with a full range of Wahoo Fitness products including their GPS computers, powermeters and indoor smart trainers so it’s great to see Wahoo Fitness UK stepping in to help support our young team of riders!

Wahoo Fitness have come onboard to help the Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli team train and race as effectively as possible.

 

The Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli team are using the Wahoo ELEMNT Bolt GPS bike computer to fine-tune their performance and ensure that they hit all of their training goals in the build up to their most important races of the season. The ELEMENT Bolt helps them to measure their progression and share important training data with their coaches, then post-race the lads are able to look back and analyse their performance, accurately measuring how they performed in the heat of battle.

Wahoo ELEMNT Bolt GPS bike computers help out riders accurately track their training and fitness performance.

 

 

The Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli team supported by HJC helmets, Wahoo Fitness and Kendal Mint Co. are having an outstanding season with big wins in the Irish Ras Tailteann stage race and the National Circuit Racing series as well as a fantastic Bronze medal in the National Championships. Those early to mid-season successes have built confidence in the team and our young squad carry that momentum into the second half of the season. A MASSIVE thanks again to ALL of our generous sponsors!

UNITE. FIGHT. BELIEVE!

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

Photos by James Vincent

 

Want to see our fast bikes? You can now see all of our featured bikes in one place over on Pinterest where you’ll find links to each of our Fast Bike Feature Blogs too!

 

 

The Dogma F is Pinarello’s top of the range model within their premium range of road bikes; the Italian brand is regarded around the world as the absolute pinnacle of bicycle design and manufacturing, with their bikes featuring the perfect balance of performance and aesthetics.

Our Fast Bike feature takes a detailed look at the Pinarello Dogma F in Electro Lime, spec’d with Shimano’s blingiest of road components, the 12-speed Dura-Ace Di2 groupset. This stunning bike quickly garnered a lot of attention on the Wheelbase Lake District shop floor, so we decided it was worthy of some special treatment when it came to shooting the bike. Our regular freelance photographer James Vincent teamed up with Wheelbase feature writer Johnny Dodgin to build a temporary photographic studio and they spent a considerable amount of time playing around with the lighting to help to really do this beautiful road bike justice. So let’s get into it…

The Dogma F sits at the very top of Pinarello’s range of premium road bikes.

 

The Pinarello Dogma F’s DNA consists of pure road racing heritage, with each recent iteration of the Dogma boasting multiple Grand tour wins as well as Olympic Gold medals. If you follow pro cycling and are into your tech you’ll already know that most teams have different models of bike at their disposal, with each team’s bike sponsor equipping them with a choice of a superlight climbing bike, a super-aero bike and maybe an endurance style road bike designed to have more compliance, making it more comfortable on the cobbles in such races as Paris Roubaix.

The junction from the stem and headset spacers transitions seamlessly into the top tube.

 

Unlike those other brands Pinarello have always maintained that the Dogma should be able to do it all; one bike that’s able to perform at the highest level when it comes to four key considerations – aerodynamics, low weight, comfort and handling. Informed by the professional cyclists of Team Ineos the Dogma F has been designed to excel in all areas; it’s a bike that can climb brilliantly, descend confidently and hold its speed efficiently on long flat roads.

Made from Torayca T1100 1K Aerospace Carbon the Dogma F’s frame and fork is an Italian masterpiece.

 

So what does this all mean for us mere cycling mortals? Well, it means that the Dogma F better suits our own cycling circumstances; for those of us not being followed by a team car stacked full of different types of road bike, we can enjoy the ultimate ‘one bike does it all’ machine. The Pinarello Dogma F is not only versatile enough to suit all types of road riding, it’s designed and constructed to EXCEL in them. The Ineos pro team is famed for its no-nonsense ‘marginal gains’ attention to every detail and that’s enough evidence for us that the Dogma F is built to perform at the highest level in every riding and racing scenario.

The finish on the Dogma F is stunning, with its mix of gloss electric lime and matt black fading into raw carbon.

 

This premium Pinarello road bike includes a beautifully integrated cockpit featuring a smooth junction between handlebar, stem and frame with all cables routed internally producing a significantly improved aerodynamic performance when pointed directly into the wind. The headtube blends seamlessly with the redesigned F Onda fork which is now even more aero efficient, with this disc brake model registering 7.3% less drag than the rim brake version.

Seen from the side the elongated, teardrop profile of the steerer tube and stem spacers is obvious.

 

That slim head tube is designed to cut through the air; frame and fork blend beautifully.

 

Pinarello’s rich racing history means that they’re realists when it comes to how their bikes should ride on the open road; particularly in the heat of battle within the world of professional road racing. Bike handling is at the very top of their list of design priorities, over and above weight; they know that obsessing over the scales in the design studio can be distracting, adversely affecting the most important properties of the bike out on the road. That said, they’ve still managed to shave off some significant weight from previous generation Dogma, meaning that the Dogma F is actually 11% lighter than its predecessor, the F12.

When the Pinarello Dogma F was launched last year it was clear that the Italian designers had taken advantage of the UCI’s most recent changes to their tightly controlled bicycle design rules. The Dogma F had evolved to feature a narrower seat tube and seat post and the seat stays were dropped lower down the seat tube for less drag and more aero-efficiency.

The beautifully sculpted seatstays are positioned low down on the seat tube to significantly reduce drag.

 

Pinarello’s focus on aerodynamics is holistic, with every frame angle and tube profile carefully considered and painstakingly analysed during endless hours spent in the wind tunnel, as well as real world testing on the open road. Even the area around the bottles and cages are an aero consideration on the Dogma F, with prototyping leading to a new down tube profile shaped specifically to enhance airflow, helping improve aerodynamics beyond simple straight line efficiency; this is even more effective when the bike is fitted with a bottle cage and water bottle.

Even the area around the bottles and cages are an aero consideration on the Dogma F, with a recess in the downtube shaped specifically to enhance airflow.

 

As we mentioned at the top of this feature the Pinarello Dogma F in Electro Lime comes spec’d with Shimano’s top-tier Dura-Ace Di2 semi-wireless electronic 12-speed groupset. Why semi-wireless and not totally wireless as seen on the groupsets produced by their rivals SRAM? Well, Shimano state their system guarantees longer run times thanks to a more efficient central source of power, compared to SRAM’s totally wireless front and rear derailleurs which require their own battery power source located on the mechs themselves.

The Dura Ace Di2 R9200 groupset is a sort of ‘best of both worlds’ approach which sees all the benefits of having wireless shifter units that don’t require wires to be routed from the handlebar, through the stem and then through the frame as was the case with the previous version; that wireless cockpit is then paired with an internally wired portion which links the front and rear derailleur with an internal battery that powers them both.

This Dogma F comes spec’d with Shimano’s premium Dura-Ace Di2 12-speed semi-wireless electronic groupset.

 

The Shimano Dura Ace Di2 shift levers send their wireless commands directly to the rear derailleur which is the designated ‘connectivity unit’ or brains of the system, those signals from the lever either move the rear derailleur as required or instantly send a message via the wired portion of the system to activate the front derailleur. The 12-speed rear derailleur communicates wirelessly with Shimano’s E-Tube smartphone app and also features the function button which used to sit within the Junction A box on the previous generation Dura-Ace Di2 groupset. Re-charging is taken care of via a charge port on the rear derailleur and LEDs to indicate charge level.

Electronically-speaking the RD-R9250 rear derailleur is the brains of Shimano’s semi-wireless system.

 

This new-gen Dura-Ace Di2 groupset also includes a front derailleur that boasts a greatly reduced weight compared to its predecessor, now tipping the scales at under 100 grams. The Dura-Ace chainset is befitting of it’s top-tier status in the hierarchy of Shimano groupsets, with its strikingly good looks boasting further refinement of what Shimano have previously engineered. Years of development mean that this latest version benefits from all of the science and testing that went into previous versions and includes hollow arms and chainrings to keep weight to a minimum while ensuring stiffness and shifting precision are enhanced.

The stunning Dura-Ace chainset quickly catches the eye and lets everyone know you’re riding the ultimate Shimano groupset.

 

This latest semi-wireless Dura Ace groupset sees Shimano increasing the speed at which the signal to shift gear travels from shifter to derailleur, with these wireless signals four times faster in processing shifting commands than their wired predecessors. In fact Shimano claim that the new-gen Dura Ace Di2 delivers 58% faster rear shifting and 45% front shifting so we’re not talking about insignificant amounts here. Shimano’s smartphone app even allows you to fine tune shift speed, letting you determine exactly how fast the rear derailleur moves; you can also customise button function too. The Dura Ace Di2 12-speed wireless gear shifter and hydraulic brake units are powered by small non-rechargeable CR1632 coin-cell batteries which have a run time of 1.5-2 years.

The 12-speed wireless shifter send a signal to the rear derailleur which is wired to the internal battery and front derailleur. 

 

The wireless shifters feature coin-cell batteries that boast a 1.5-2 year lifespan.

 

This latest iteration of the Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 groupset saw a complete overhaul of their hydraulic braking system, with the new BR-R9270 versions being noticeably more compact and significantly lighter, thanks in no small part to their one-piece ‘Mono-Body’ construction technique. Shimano have also increased rigidity and enhanced pad clearance for a quieter ride and no potential for any disc rub; they’ve even redesigned the brake bleeding process to help make home workshop maintenance more simple and user-friendly.

The compact Shimano BR-R9270 calipers are incredibly efficient at slowing you down quickly and perfectly in control.

 

Over the past few seasons the word on the professional road racing scene was that team mechanics who were working on bikes spec’d with Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 groupsets were actually fitting Shimano mountain bike disc brake rotors because overall they performed better than their road-specific counterparts. Shimano were obviously paying attention because for this latest-generation Dura-Ace groupset they’ve paired the BR-R9270 hydraulic brake calipers with their existing Shimano XTR RT-MT900 disc rotors, taken directly from their top-tier mountain bike groupset. These disc brake rotors are actually a little lighter than the road-specific rotors they are replacing and have proven to better withstand temporary deformation caused by overheating on long alpine descents.

The Dogma F sports 160mm RT-MT900 disc rotors.

 

Continuing the Dura-Ace theme Pinarello have fitted the Dogma F with a lightweight pair of carbon fibre Shimano Dura-Ace C36 wheels. These lively wheels allow you to instantly accelerate when you put the power down letting you fly up the climbs or jump away from the front of the bunch when you open up your sprint. The all-carbon rims, featuring a 36mm deep profile, are equal parts aero and featherweight making them perfectly suited to the versatile Dogma F. Meanwhile their wide rim profile leaves the 28mm Vittoria Corsa Graphene 2.0 tyres with a relatively square sidewall profile (not pinched in), leading to more tyre surface area in contact with the ground for enhanced control.

As well as the full Dura-Ace Di2 groupset, Pinarello have spec’d a lightweight pair of Shimano Dura-Ace C36 wheels.

 

Smooth-rolling and fully serviceable the Dura-Ace hubs feature straight pull spokes.

 

The 36mm deep carbon rim is both lightweight and aero in equal measure.

 

The wide Dura-Ace C36 carbon rims help to give a nice profile to the wide 28mm Vittoria Corsa tyres.

 

As you’d expect with a modern super-aero, fully integrated superbike the finishing kit on the Dogma, namely the handlebars, stem, seatpost and saddle, have all been carefully considered and factored into the holistic design approach of the complete Dogma F bike. Upfront the cockpit consists of Pinarello’s carbon fibre MOST Talon Ultra-Light handlebar which is integrated seamlessly with the carbon aero stem; with teardrop shaped headset spacers and headset top cap the whole front end of the Dogma has been designed to cut through the air as efficiently as possible. Likewise the integrated Pinarello Aero seatpost is intrinsic to the complete Dogma F chassis and its aerodynamic capabilities; the Italian designers and engineers have even managed to shave weight here, using 3D printing technology to create a printed titanium top seatclamp.

The super-aero MOST Talon Ultra-Light handlebar blends seamlessly with its integrated stem, into the headset configuration. 

 

The MOST Lynx Ultrafast Superflow L saddle follows the trend for shorter-nosed, slightly wider profile saddles and will suit most riders.

 

The Pinarello Dogma F in Electro Lime is a beautiful bike to behold and James Vincent has done a great job of capturing it in these stunning photos; if however, we steal ourselves from the pure aesthetics for a moment and consider its status as a high-performance road bike then it’s fair to say the Dogma F really is one of the most premium bicycles in the world. Pinarello would not have arrived at this point without years of hard work and development, with today’s evolution of design and engineering inherited from each and every iteration of the previous Dogma models. Pinarello’s close association as bicycle sponsor to professional cycling teams Sky, Movistar and now Ineos Grenadiers means that each generation of Dogma has been tested and proven in some of the toughest, most physically and technically demanding road races in the World.

The fully integrated Dogma F Dura-Ace Di2 featuring Pinarello’s own aerodynamic finishing kit, Shimano’s premium semi-wireless electronic 12-speed groupset and lively, ultralight Shimano C36 carbon wheels is arguably one of the ultimate road racing bikes that can be bought by an amateur cyclist and while you could most definitely race it, you’d be forgiven for simply owning this dream bike in an effort to take your cycling and enjoyment of this beautiful sport to the next level.

The Dogma F Dura-Ace Di2 in Electric Lime Green is a stunning looking bike which sits at the very top of the Pinarello road bike range.

 

Pinarello Dogma F Dura-Ace Di2 RRP £12,999.00

Dogma F Disc Frameset Technical Specifications:

• Carbon Toraya T1100 1K Dream Carbon with Nanoalloy Technology
• Asymmetric frame
• Onda Fork Dogma F with ForkFlap
• TiCR (total integrated cable routing)
• 1.5” upper and lower steerer
• Italian thread BB
• Seatclamp Twin Force
• 3D printed titanium top seatclamp
• 3XAir two positions option for the second bottle cage
• FlatBack profile
• Rad System disc brake
• Thru Axle 142 rear spacing
• Disc flat mount max 160mm
• Max tire 622x28c
• Weight: 865g Size 530; raw frame (not painted)
• UCI approved

Full Specification:

• Frame: TorayCa T1100 1K Dream Carbon with Nanoalloy technology, TiCR cable routing, Italian BB, UCI approved
• Fork: F Onda Fork with ForkFlap, 1.5′ upper and lower steerer, Ultra Light Headset bearings
• Shifters: Shimano Dura Ace Di2
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano Dura Ace Di2 RD-R9200 12s
• Front Derailleur: Shimano Dura Ace Di2 FD-9200
• Cassette: Shimano Dura Ace CS-R9200 12S
• Chainset: Shimano Dura Ace FC-R9200, HollowTech 2, 12s
• Brakes: Dura Ace BR-R9200, 2 pistons caliper, 160mm rotor
• Wheelset: Shimano Dura Ace C36
• Front Tyre: Vittoria Corsa Graphene 2.0 28c
• Rear Tyre: Vittoria Corsa Graphene 2.0 28c
• Integrated Stem/Handlebar: MOST Talon Ultra-Light
• Seat Post: Pinarello Aero seatpost with 3D printed titanium top seatclamp and bolts
• Saddle: Most Lynx Ultrafast Superflow L Carbon Large 145mm

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

Photos by James Vincent

 

Want to see more fast bikes? You can now see all of our featured bikes in one place over on Pinterest where you’ll find links to each of our Fast Bike Feature Blogs too!

 

HUGE THANKS TO ALL EVENT PARTICIPANTS!…

…for helping us to raise money for Cancer Research at the Staveley 3 Valleys Challenge on Saturday 1st of July, 2023

 

The event, formally known as the Sam Houghton Challenge is a timed charity mountain bike ride starting and finishing at our Wheelbase Lake District store in the Mill Yard, Staveley in the stunning south Lake District. Despite the event taking place in squally weather, with high winds and intermittent showers, the tricky conditions didn’t dampen our participant’s enthusiasm for this challenging event and the sun came out eventually!

With a laid-back & friendly vibe the 2023 edition of the Wheelbase Staveley 3 Valleys Challenge took place in the picturesque valleys of Longsleddale, Kentmere & Troutbeck with the long course also including the infamous Garburn Pass. Oh, and there was cake; LOTS of cake!

The Wheelbase Staveley 3 Valleys Challenge (formerly named the Sam Haughton Challenge) has already raised over £200,000 for Cancer Research UK over the years and the 2023 event continued to support this important charity.

Click for Results

 

Photos by David Bradshaw – Sportsunday

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Routes

Riders chose between the short 25km course with 700m of ascent or the long 46km course with 1,400m of ascent.

Short Course

Starting just outside Wheelbase in the Mill Yard riders headed north up the Haw Lane, then took the bridleway to the south of Skeggles Water and down into the Longsleddale valley. They then followed the bridleway along the valley to Till’s Hole joining the road and heading north-west to Checkpoint 1 at Sadgill (Grid Ref: SE 484057). Then they took the bridleway south then west over to Brockstones, riding the Low Lane track into Green Quarter and down the road into Kentmere Village to Checkpoint 2 (Grid Ref: SE 457039). Riders followed the road south for a short distance before heading up Green Water to the west of Skeggles Water, onwards to the derelict barn and Checkpoint 5 (Grid Ref: SE 473033), then back to Staveley Head Fell, turning west and descending through HP Plantation. All that remained was the road back to the finish point outside Wheelbase at the Mill Yard (Grid Ref: SE 472983)

Long Course

Riders completed the same route as the short course until they reached Checkpoint 2 at Kentmere Village. From Checkpoint 2 riders took on the infamous Garburn Pass over into Troutbeck Valley to Checkpoint 3 (Grid Ref: SE 413028). Riders then climbed up Moor Howe road then along the tracks up to High House and over Micklemoss, descending back into Kentmere Village to Checkpoint 4 (Grid Ref: SE 457039). From here riders pedaled over Green Quarter via Checkpoint 5 (Grid Ref: SE 473033) and completed the same run back into Staveley as the short course option to the finish point outside Wheelbase at the Mill Yard (Grid Ref: SE 472983)

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

All Photos by David Bradshaw – Sportsunday

 

Want to see our fast bikes? You can now see all of our featured bikes in one place over on Pinterest where you’ll find links to each of our Fast Bike Feature Blogs too!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking for an affordable full suspension mountain bike? The high-value Faultline 29er mountain bike is a true all-rounder, featuring Jamis’ MP2 dual suspension for a super-plush ride which keeps you in control regardless of the terrain. Those large 29″ wheels are fast-rolling and help you blast through rock gardens with confidence. The Jamis Faultline A2 is your feeder drug into the world of mountain biking and it’s now even more affordable with our special offer!

Jamis Faultline A2 Was £1,800.00 NOW £1,250.00

Full Specification:

• Frame: Triple-butted 6061 alloy, 120mm travel mp2 suspension, 1.5 – 1 1/8″ tapered head tube, asymmetrical chainstays w/12x148mm thru-axle dropout, internal dropper post routing, ISCG05 chainguide mount
• Sizes: 15.5″, 17″, 19″, 21″
• Rear Shock: Rock Shox Deluxe Select R air shock with rebound adjust, replaceable derailleur hanger
• Fork: RockShox Recon Silver RL 29″, Solo Air compression, lever actuated lockout, external rebound, 32mm steel stanchions, magnesium lowers, 15x110mm axle, 130mm travel, 51mm rake
• Headset: FSA Orbit 1.5 Zero-Stack internal cup, 8mm cone spacer
• BB: Shimano BSA
• Stem: Race Face Ride, 50mm
• Handlebar: Race Face Ride, 35 x 760mm
• Grips: Jamis Lock-On
• Seatpost: Exaform 900i by KS Dropper, Westy remote
• Saddle: WTB Volt
• Brakes: Shimano MT200 hydraulic disc
• Front Rotor: RT10 180mm
• Rear Rotor: RT10 160mm
• Wheelset: WTB STX i25 TCS 29″ tubeless rims, 32H, Shimano MT400 15x110mm front & 12x148mm rear hubs, stainless spokes
• Front Tyre: WTB Vigilante 29 x 2.35″ TCS Tubeless
• Rear Tyre: WTB Trail Boss 29 x 2.25″ TCS Tubeless
• Crankset: Shimano Deore, 32T
• Chain: KMC X11, 11-speed
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano Deore Shadow Plus, 11-speed
• Shift Lever: Shimano Deore, 1×11-speed
• Cassette: Shimano M5100, 11-speed, 11-51T

 

The Whyte Bikes sub-range of sublime E-180 MX bikes are unapologetically labelled as ‘chaos-crushing, downhill dominating, climb-shrinking super electric mountain bikes’ aimed at shredders focused on self-shuttled gravity riding, who spend time in the bike park or like to head out into the hills for big mountain adventures. As the MX in each model name suggests, the E-180 features that magic mix of wheel sizes with a compact 27.5” wheel in the rear and a larger diameter 29” wheel in the front to help you roll through the most technical terrain in perfect control.

In this Whyte E-180 product feature we’ll be taking a detailed look at the top of the range E-180 Works MX model. An out and out race machine, this e-MTB is designed to conquer even the toughest of E-MTB Enduro races and is packed full of the most lust-worthy components you could imagine. This ultimate Super E-Enduro race bike was designed and developed in partnership with Whyte’s own endurance racers who have helped create one of the most competitive bikes on the circuit. Make no mistake, this bike is race-ready out of the box!

Make no mistake; the E-180 Works MX is designed for the fastest riders shredding the most challenging Enduro courses.

 

Any bike with ‘factory’ or ‘works’ in their model name better deliver when it comes to key components and the E-180 Works MX doesn’t disappoint; probably its most significant headliner is the new and very limited edition Bosch Performance Line CX Limited Edition Race 85Nm motor. The motor was designed specifically for E-Enduro racing and is Bosch’s first ever competition-focused e-bike motor. Featuring a magnesium casing the Race motor is also the lightest motor the German brand has produced to date, removing 250g of weight compared to the standard non-race motor.

The Bosch Performance Line CX Race motor goes way beyond just low weight though, the real magic is in how it behaves on the trails. To meet the very specific demands of Enduro racing Bosch have added a whole new mode, which is, you guessed, called Race Mode; to accommodate this new mode they’ve done away with ‘Eco’ with the four power modes on the Race being Tour+, eMTB, Turbo and Race.

At the heart of this Enduro E-MTB race bike is the new limited edition Bosch Performance CX Race motor.

 

Put simply, Race mode delivers more power, more quickly and for longer after your initial input through the pedals; boosting your power by up to 400% the motor delivers a prolonged extended boost capable of carrying you over the most technical climbs, even when you can’t get a full pedal stroke in. Yes, that extra surge of power is enough to get you over, round or through obstacles on the trail without the need for you to pedal right through and potentially catch your pedals. The new additional Race motor mode makes the uphill trails almost as fun as the downhill trails, adding new levels of momentum, allowing you to muscle up and over steep ramps and square-edged rocks with relative ease.

The Performance CX Race motor has been tuned to accelerate harder and hold top speed for longer, carrying you through technical sections more easily.

 

It’ll take you a moment to adapt your riding and your use of motor modes to suit this dynamic new level of assistance. I was lucky enough to ride a bike with this limited edition motor, albeit on a rival brand’s bike, a few months back and I can confirm that it feels like a handful to start with but you soon begin to tune in to its unique behaviour and the bike’s subsequent handling on the trails. By the end of the morning I was able to confidently accelerate out of tight uphill turns which would have normally stalled my momentum and could hit stretches of technical, rough terrain with a sudden injection of pedalling before going into a horizontal crank coast and relying on the Bosch motor to continue to maintain that momentum up and over the obstacles in my way.

The Performance CX Race features a magnesium casing to help drop weight by 250g compared to the standard Performance CX motor.

 

It’s worth noting too, that as well as adapting your own riding style to get the most out of this bike there’s also an opportunity to fine tune how the Race and Turbo modes behave via the Bosch eBike Flow app on your phone, allowing you to adjust the initial acceleration and play around with the level of torque in increments of 5Nm. Whyte have spec’d the E-180 Works MX with a large capacity 750Wh Powertube battery, doing away with any range anxiety you may have. In another nod toward this bike’s Enduro racing DNA the Whyte designers and engineers have worked with closely with Bosch to develop their ‘Axial Rail’ slide in battery technology, making battery switches between Enduro stages a cinch.

The bar-mounted LED remote connects with Bosch’s Smart System and eBike Flow app for intuitive control, with your hands remaining safely on the bars.

 

So now we’ve run through the special, limited edition Bosch Performance Line CX Race motor lets double back and consider the Whyte E-180 Works MX’s chassis; after all it’s easy to focus solely on the new motor and its Race mode and miss the fact that it sits within an incredibly well engineered frame that features sorted trail geometry and super-plush suspension. This top of the range model consists of Whyte’s all-new aluminium Gravity frame which features a uniquely tilted motor and a low-slung battery arrangement for an incredibly low centre of gravity for a stable and confidence-inspiring riding on all terrains.

The bombproof 6061-T6 aluminium frameset features exactly the sort of modern trail geometry stats you’d expect on an Enduro bike like this.

 

The 6061-T6 aluminium frame with tapered headtube and internal cable routing accommodates 170mm of super-plush rear travel, enhancing the E-180’s speed and traction while encouraging high levels of confidence and control even in the rowdiest of riding conditions; it’s also great to see that the RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate rear shock has been custom-tuned to meet the extra demands that an aggressive E-Enduro bike like this will put upon it.

Whyte’s Shape.It link flip chip allows you to customise the geometry of the E-180 Works MX, lowering the bottom bracket height without affecting the suspension kinematics. Once you’ve got your head around how this rather unique e-MTB behaves you’ll be able to tune your ride, switching between high and low positions to slacken the bike by 0.6 degrees and lower the bottom bracket by 8mm.

The RockShox Super Deluxe rear shock facilitates 170mm of travel for fantastic levels of confidence-inspiring control at speed.

 

To match that virtual armchair ride you’re getting from the rear of the bike Whyte have spec’d the E-180 Works MX with a pair of RockShox ZEB Ultimate 29″ forks upfront boasting a whopping 180mm of travel. Paired up with that large 29er front wheel shod with a super-tough Maxxis Assegai tyre it’s pretty much a case of point it where you want to go and straight line it at full chat. Needless to say these market-leading forks have been tuned specifically to cope with the additional forces incurred when spec’d on a super-fast E-MTB like the E-180, so you can line up at your next E-Enduro race with the confidence that these forks can handle anything you throw at them.

As the ‘Works’ tag suggests the E-180 boasts tons of race-ready components including these 180mm RockShox Zeb Ultimate suspension forks.

 

OK, it’s time to fess up and admit that there’s one more significant reason why we were so determined to get the E-180 Works MX photographed by our regular freelancer James Vincent. The ‘Works’ spec included SRAM’s all-new Eagle AXS T-Type transmission featuring their unique ‘Full Mount’ rear derailleur; shooting the bike would be the very first chance we’d have to take a proper look at this new groupset, so we decided to give the E-180 Works MX the ‘premium treatment’, building a makeshift photographic studio and shooting late into the night against a black backdrop to ensure that we were able to capture all of the special details of this top spec’d bike.

The Whyte E-180 Works MX e-MTB boasts SRAM’s all-new XX Eagle AXS T-Type transmisson with its clever hangerless interface rear derailleur.

 

At the heart of SRAM’s all-new Eagle AXS T-Type groupset is the special new rear derailleur which caused quite a stir with cycling journos and internet keyboard warriors alike when it launched, thanks mainly to its direct mounting and the abandoning of the traditional rear derailleur hanger. Plenty of people voiced their concerns over the long-term durability of this configuration, with fears of potentially destroying the bike’s frame in the event of a big crash rather than a conventional sacrificial rear derailleur hanger saving the day. Obviously SRAM saw these fears coming and had pre-empted them at launch time with copious amounts of technical ‘explainer’ features and supporting videos that went some way to reassuring those of us who were initially dubious about this new mounting standard.

SRAM’s new mounting design dubbed ‘Full Mount’ sees the 12-speed wireless, electronic XX Eagle AXS T-Type rear derailleur mounted onto the rear axle (the rear axle running through it), sandwiching both sides of the right rear dropout. This new configuration promises precision shifting and eliminates the need for b-tension and limit adjustment screws, with the derailleur’s rear axle mounting doing away with the vertical or horizontal offset seen on a conventional rear derailleur. This means the derailleur’s position relative to the cassette stays constant in every gear selection so there’s very little setup adjustment required and you can enjoy consistent, precise-shifting performance.

Perfectly suited to the extra forces incurred from an e-MTB the XX Eagle AXS T-Type rear derailleur is stronger and increases shifting performance under power.

 

There’s another significant reason why we’re so pleased to see this new SRAM groupset spec’d on the Whyte E-180 Work MX and that’s because this all-new derailleur configuration perfectly suits the extra demands typically put on a bike’s transmission when fitted to a powerful e-bike. The Eagle AXS T-Type rear derailleur offers greatly improved on-power shifting performance, delivering secure and precise gear shifts even under the combined load of your pedalling input and the e-bike’s motor; in fact SRAM have stated that the Eagle AXS T-Type derailleur can withstand shifting under 1,000 watt power surges!

Stronger, more reliable and featuring replaceable parts the SRAM XX Eagle AXS T-Type takes a whole new approach to rear derailleur design.

 

Still worried about the possibility of writing off your frame in the event of a heavy crash, where the rear derailleur takes a significant impact? SRAM have stated that this new configuration is significantly stronger and that it’s almost impossible to damage your frame even in the event of a major impact; they’ve gone as far as to publish super slow-mo type footage of this new derailleur being impacted in the testing lab and feature videos of people standing on them to prove their strength.

When it comes to the durability of the derailleur itself SRAM have that covered too; their AXS ‘Overload Clutch’ instantly disengages the derailleur’s motor and gear box during a hard impact allowing the derailleur to move away from the direction of impact, thus reducing the potential for any damage; and after impact the derailleur automatically returns to its original position. When it comes to longevity it should be noted that the Eagle AXS T-Type rear derailleur features a multitude of replaceable parts and is easy to rebuild; this is another refreshing approach to component design which we’ve not seen before.

SRAM’s new ‘Full Mount’ does away with the need for a derailleur hanger, with the derailleur now directly attached to the bike’s rear wheel axle.

 

Paired up with SRAM’s all-new rear derailleur is a fresh new wireless shifter unit, which boasts some new features that will make gear selection even more user friendly. The 12 speed SRAM AXS Pod MMX controller has been reconfigured into a simple two button arrangement, with them positioned vertically. The bracket that carries the shifter and attaches to the handlebar has almost infinite levels of adjustability and has been engineered to be as versatile as possible, opening up the possibility of being able to run it on the left-hand or right-hand of the handle bar. At launch though, SRAM’s headliner was that this new shifter unit features an increased click threshold, with a more definitive click when activated; this eliminates the possibility of unintentional shifts in the heat of the moment when you’re barrelling down the most technical trails.

SRAM’s new 12 speed AXS shifter pods feature a more definitive click when activated, meaning accidental gear shifts are a thing of the past.

 

Of course a bike like the Whyte E-180 Works MX is going to generate a lot of speed very quickly, particularly when it’s pointed downhill! It’s no good having all that suspension capability, agile bike geometry and that powerful Bosch motor if you can’t keep it within the tight boundaries of control. Whyte don’t want you to register a DNF in your next Enduro race and with this in mind they’ve spec’d a pair of super-powerful SRAM Code RSC hydraulic disc brakes allowing you to scrub off speed in an instant and keep this wild machine in control. The Code RSC levers feel great, with the minimum of lever pull required to give a really positive bite to the brakes.

SRAM Code RSC MMX levers feature just the right lever-pull to biting-point ratio for positive braking in all riding conditions.

 

Down at the business end we’ve got a pair of SRAM Code RSC, 4 Piston hydraulic brake calipers fitted with sintered metal pads to provide plenty of stopping power; paired with large diameter 220mm disc rotors you can confidently blast into any technical section of trail safe in the knowledge that you’ll be able to control your speed in an instant and rail even the tightest turns.

Large-diameter 220mm disc rotors, 4 piston Code RSC calipers and sintered metal brake pads make up the dependable brake set.

 

As we’ve already mentioned, the E-180 Works MX is spec’d with a mullet, or ‘MX’ wheel configuration consisting of a large diameter 29” wheel upfront and a smaller 27.5” wheel on the rear. After endless hours of testing at the development stage of the E-180, the Whyte team arrived at this design solution for a number of significant reasons; first off the smaller rear wheel is intrinsically stronger and better able to cope with the extra torque of the Bosch motor as well as the amplified forces incurred at flat-out race speeds. Secondly the engineers were able to keep chainstay length relatively short for a more responsive and agile ride while accommodating the motor and suspension configuration and thirdly that smaller rear wheel takes less time to accelerate, meaning the bike takes off the minute you put the power down, perfect for sprinting out of those dog-leg turns!

A pair of DT Swiss mullet wheels (27.5″ on the rear/29″ on the front) are suitably bombproof.

 

Meanwhile that larger diameter 29” front wheel is ready to plough through rough terrain and rocky, technical trails while you hold your line with confidence. With a slightly larger contact patch you’ll be planting more of that 29” super-grippy Maxxis Assigai front tyre into the ground and railing the berms at speed; those Assigai tyres have a rich racing history and have carried gravity-focused racers to countless podium places over the seasons.

Whyte have spec’d the E-180 Works MX with super-grippy Maxxis Assigai tyres front and rear.

 

The E-180 Works MX is a truly authentic race-ready machine which can wear its ‘Works’ moniker with pride. As e-mountain bikes continue to evolve and we see more and more avenues for e-bike racing it’s great to see brands like Whyte being so fully invested in this burgeoning race discipline. The Whyte team are always ready to push the boundaries when it comes to real world testing and this ethos informs everything they do; the most challenging Enduro courses around the world are their proving ground and E-180 Works MX represents the culmination of all that development. Through their ongoing collaboration with key brands like Bosch and SRAM Whyte have been able to bring a certified race-ready E-Enduro bike to market, giving you the opportunity to race on kit normally reserved for the pros; now there’s no excuses, get out and have your best ever Enduro race season on the Whyte E-180 Works MX!

The Whyte E-180 Works MX is a race-ready Enduro E-mountain bike with no compromises to its build specification.

 

Whyte E-180 Works MX RRP £9,799.00

Full Specification:

• Motor: Bosch Performance Line CX Limited Edition Race 85Nm motor
• Battery: Bosch Powertube 750Wh
• Display: Bosch LED Remote
• Frame: 6061 Alloy, Hydro Formed T6 Aluminium, Multi Butted, Custom Drawn, Tapered Headtube, Internal Cable Routing, Shape.it Link and 12mm X 148mm Boost Dropouts
• Headset: FSA No. 55R/35 Orbit 1.5 ZS, 1.8″” Lower and 1 1/8″” Upper Sealed Cartridge Bearings
• Rear Shock: RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate RCT, Air, Fast Black Coating, Adjustable Rebound, low speed compression adjustment and tuneable DebonAir
• Fork: RockShox ZEB Ultimate 29″, 180mm Travel, 44mm Offset, DebonAir, Charger 2.1 RC2 Damper, Fast Black Coating, Tapered Steerer, 110mm x 15mm Boost, Maxle Stealth
• Rear Hub: DT Swiss Hybrid HX1700, 30mm wide rim, 12 x 148mm Boost, SRAM XD Steel
• Front Hub: DT Swiss Hybrid HX1700, 30mm wide rim, 15 x 110mm Boost
• Rims: DT Swiss Hybrid HX1700
• Spokes: DT Swiss
• Front Tyre: Maxxis Assigai WT, TR, 29″” x 2.5″” 120TPI, EXO + Sidewall Protection, 3C MaxxGrip, Dual Compound, Folding Bead
• Rear Tyre: Maxxis Assigai WT, TR, 27.5″” x 2.5″” 120TPI, Double Down Casing, 3C Maxx Grip, Dual Compound
• Shifter: SRAM AXS Pod, 2 Button MMX, 12 Speed
• Rear Derailleur: SRAM XX Eagle AXS T-Type
• Cranks: Race Face Affect E-Bike, 165mm, ISIS with X-SYNC Direct Mount 36T for Bosch Performance Line CX, Black
• Chain: SRAM X0 T-Type Eagle, 12 Speed
• Cassette: SRAM XS-1295 Eagle T-Type, 10-52, 12 Speed
• Front Brake: SRAM Code RSC, 4 Piston with Sintered Metal Pads, 220mm Disc
• Rear Brake: SRAM Code RSC, 4 Piston with Sintered Metal Pads, 220mm Disc
• Brake Levers: SRAM Code RSC, MMX
• Saddle: Fizik Terra Aidon, 145mm wide, Wingflex, S-Alloy Mobius rail
• Dropper Seatpost: Crank Bro High-Line 3, 30.9mm, M/L 150mm Travel, XL 170mm Travel
• Dropper Seatpost Lever: High-Line Ball Socket Remote Lever
• Handlebar: Race Face Turbine R, 35mm Rise, 35mm Bar Bore, 800mm Wide
• Grips: Whyte Lock-on Enduro Grip
• Stem: Race Face Atlas, 35mm Bar Bore, 35mm Extension

 

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

Photos by James Vincent

 

Want to see more fast bikes? You can now see all of our featured bikes in one place over on Pinterest where you’ll find links to each of our Fast Bike Feature Blogs too!

 

 

National Criterium Championships

Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli’s great run of form continues! Following on from their excellent showing at the recent Rás Tailteann stage race our young team tasted success again over the National Road Racing Championships weekend.

The lads performed brilliantly on Friday evening’s National Criterium Championships in Redcar. While eventual winner Oliver Wood (unattached) was already 25 seconds up the road on the final lap Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli raced cohesively as a team, marking the moves throughout the race until they perfectly placed their powerhouse Tim Shoreman in the bunch sprint for the remaining podium places.

With a fast and frenetic sprint unfolding Tim was able to take a brilliant 3^rd place and a Bronze medal! Post-race duties included some nice podium time, champagne spraying, interviews with television media and signing autographs for young fans.

This was the team’s first outing in the new Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli team kit and it was great to see it on the podium as a result of some excellent teamwork which was finished off nicely with big Tim’s powerful sprint.

 

National Road Race Championships

Fast forward to Sunday and our young team were lining up again for the National Road Race Championships. Held on an incredibly tough course in Redcar & Cleveland, North Yorkshire with each lap taking in the fearsome Saltburn Bank climb out of Saltburn By Sea, the biggest race of the domestic road racing season sees the majority of pro cyclists from the big international teams returning to the U.K. to battle for the honour of wearing the National Championships jersey for a full year of racing.

With a stacked field of the very best U.K. racers taking on this incredibly hilly course it was no surprise to see the race explode very early on, with small groups of riders scattered across the circuit. It was great to see our featherweight climber Tom Armstrong positioned in the front group for the majority of the race, with his climbing skills coming into effect on this grueling course. Tom’s background competing in some of the toughest races in Europe meant he was able to race confidently despite being surrounded by riders from some of the biggest teams in the world.

Tom would eventually take an excellent 15^th place in a race which saw the majority of riders being eliminated; Tom can be incredibly proud of his performance, being one of only 20 finishers, with 105 DNF’s by the end of the race including some very talented international-level riders.

Tom Armstrong racing alongside international pro, Ineos rider Ben Tulett. Photo by Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com

 

A big thank you for all of the awesome race photos below  Warren Davies from Trax Media U.K.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We love the Orbea Gain range of e-road bikes for their versatility, clean looks and powerful, efficient hub motors which provide an authentic-feeling level of assistance,  encouraging us to ride further and faster on terrain that we may perhaps of avoided on a traditional ‘acoustic’ road bike.

Lee Williams from Orbea U.K. recently spent time with us at Wheelbase Lake District to deliver some really useful product training on the 2023 range of Orbea bikes; we took the opportunity to speak to him about the Gain range and he very kindly gave us the lowdown on this sublime hub-driven e-road and gravel bike. Check out the video below…

Watch our Orbea Gain Bike Check Video NOW

 

As well as the alloy option which we featured in the video there’s also a range of all-new revised carbon models for 2023; launched in February this year we put together a comprehensive overview of the range, which you can read below…

The all-new Orbea Gain e-road bike is almost indistinguishable from its non e-bike cousins.

 

We’ve seen a trend on the e-mountain bike side of things recently where more and more brands are offering an ‘e-bike lite’ option in their range; think e-MTB with a smaller, more compact and less-powerful motor along with a slimmer battery. Orbea were one of the first to the party with their Rise a bike that looks and feels like an authentic non-e mountain bike. That range of e-mtb’s has been incredibly popular with our customers, particularly those who have been mountain biking for a long time and don’t enjoy the extra weight and difference in bike-handling that a ‘full-fat’ e-mountain bike with a more powerful but heavier motor can give.

The Orbea Rise doesn’t just look like a non-e-bike it rides like one too, only with all the benefits of that discrete motor.

 

Now, you could argue that those sort of ride-qualities and the effect an e-bike motor has on them are even more crucial when it comes to e-road bikes. The slightest changes can be felt so much more on the road, were the slightest change in pedalling cadence or power-input effects how you feel and perform on the bike. This is where the all-new Orbea Gain comes in.

Orbea have nailed it here. Producing an authentic-feeling road bike that just happens to provide motor assistance when you need it.

 

The 2023 range of Gain e-road bikes are all about maintaining the natural, authentic road bike feel; rider and bike performing together in harmony albeit with the subtle but most-welcome assistance of a compact, lightweight Mahle hub motor. Orbea teamed up with motor manufacturers Mahle to sensitively tune the Gain’s drive system to create an e-road bike that gives natural assistance which is almost completely silent and so discrete it’s almost invisible, blending into your riding experience and leaving you feeling like you’re fitter than ever and able to enjoy the simple act of riding a bicycle more than ever before.

Orbea teamed up with Mahle to develop a uniquely-tuned Mahle X20 hub motor.

 

The Orbea engineers worked hard behind the scenes to develop this next-gen Gain into a more authentic-feeling road bike with the sole aim of creating an e-road bike with a motor that produces power in perfect synergy with the pedalling input of the rider. This e-bike is for road cyclists who still want to feel like they’re doing the majority of the work, with assistance that is hardly noticeable but is just enough to help take the sting out of the steepest gradients. Orbea have mastered this brilliantly by working closely with Mahle to tune exactly how the hub motor behaves; think a less sudden kick of power, more a subtle ‘amplification’ of your own power input.

The Mahle X20 motor produces power in perfect synergy with the pedalling input of the rider.

 

The tuned Mahle motor mirrors how you would typically accelerate on an ‘acoustic’ road bike, providing maximum assistance at around 75-95 pedal revolutions per minute with Orbea’s custom firmware ensuring that as you put more watts into the pedals or increase the cadence (causing you to increase power), the Gain will respond smoothly as it provides more assistance.

Imagine the feeling of dancing up the climbs on your road bike with your pedalling power amplified to similar levels as the pros!

 

Those of you who have ridden any form of e-bike in the U.K. be it mountain, road or commuter bike, will have experienced that sudden cut off once you reach 15mph; this is to comply with the law and ensure your e-bike operates with the stipulated speed limit. With this in mind Orbea have also tuned their Mahle system to gradually decrease power rather than abruptly stop for a more natural feel; needless to say the range of Gain bikes are considerably lighter than a typical e-bike and so when that power does decrease it’s not nearly as drastic and you’ll feel comfortable pedalling at 15mph+ until you get to the next gradient that requires a little assistance from the Mahle hub motor. Another major advantage of a hub-motor is that when the motor does reach 15mph and cut out you don’t experience any feeling of drag as you pedal; something which can be felt in some cases on bottom bracket mounted motors.

Even when the motor cuts out to adhere to U.K. speed limits the feeling is less drastic then on previous models.

 

Charging the Orbea Gain’s internal battery is quick and simple, with the charging port accessed at the bottom bracket.

 

Continuing the theme of the Gain being an authentic looking and feeling road bike which just happens to have a motor discretely stowed within it, the Orbea designers were focused on making this e-road bike as distraction-free as possible. Testament to this is the sophisticated way they’ve integrated the e-bike motor display and controls into the bike; the control centre display, neatly recessed into the top tube just behind the headtube and a simple glance down will let you know which assistance mode you’re in. When it comes to motor mode selection and toggling through them the Gain includes a simple button on the top tube making mode selection quick and easy. On the carbon Gains Orbea have spec’d neat blip-style Mahle shifters which are located on the bar tops just at the point where the bar tape ends, meaning that there’s no need to remove your hands from the bars.

The Mahle system’s display and control buttons are neatly integrated and blend in seamlessly with the rest of the bike.

 

Looking beyond the Mahle drive system and on to the Gain’s chassis we find some really well-suited stats when it comes to the bike’s geometry; while the Gain features geometry inspired by a conventional road bike the designers at Orbea have made a few small changes to ensure you have the most comfortable ride possible without compromising on aerodynamics and riding performance. Upfront the fork features a little more trial to increase stability at speed for a more secure feeling and superior bike-handling. We’ve included a geometry chart further down this feature so you can see all the details.

When it comes to bike-handling the geometry of the Orbea Gain helps it hit that sweet spot of feeling agile and alive while being stable and predictable.

 

The Orbea Gain range is split between two frame options with a choice of a carbon chassis or models constructed from Orbea’s Hydro aluminium and there’s a wide choice of specifications throughout the entire range from a top-of-the range Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 spec’d carbon Gain to a more affordable Shimano Claris spec’d aluminium Gain at the other end of the spectrum.

There’s pretty much an Orbea Gain to suit everyone, within the extensive range.

 

The versatility of the Gain, it’s modern road geometry and its liberal clearance for fatter tyres lends itself well to being a great all-rounder capable of taking on light gravel-riding duties too. With this is mind Orbea have included three different options within the range that are spec’d for this kind of riding, with each featuring a simple 1X drivetrain and fatter, gravel-specific tyres. One of these gravel-specific Gain bikes features a Hydro aluminium frame too making this a really affordable option if you’re looking for a gravel bike with e-bike motor assistance – a great option if you’re thinking of heading off on an epic bikepacking trip!

The Orbea Gain is more than ready for gravel bike action too.

 

We’ve included the alloy Gain models below with their U.K. prices and full component specifications. The alloy Orbea Gain bikes are available now at Wheelbase to purchase online and in-store; you can even configure your own, with different specification options on Orbea’s MyO tool.

Gain D30i RRP £4,299.00

Full Specification:

• Motor: Mahle motor hub X35 Plus
• Battery: Mahle 36V/6.9A 248Wh ANT+
• Display: Mahle Pulsar One monochrome ANT+ LEV
• Remote: Mahle iWoc ONE
• Charger: Mahle X35
• Front Light: Front position light, on display holder, COB Led, On/Off, 60 Lumen, ECE50.
• Rear Light: Lezyne FENDER STVZO seatpost mounting 11 lumens
• Frame: Orbea Gain Hydro 6061 Hydroform Aluminum 2021, ICR cable routing, Forged BB, safety screw, 135×9 QR, Flat Mount disc mount, 700×40 maximun tyre, 1” ½ semi integrated head set, 41×86,5 Pressfit botton bracket.
• Fork: Gain Hydro carbon fork, full carbon, 1-1/8” – 1.5” tappered head tube compatible, 700×40 maximun tyre, flat mount disc mount, Thru axle 12x100mm
• Crankset: Shimano 105 R7100 34x50t
• Headset: Acros Alloy 1-1/2” Internal Cable Routing
• Handlebar: OC Road Performance RP20 Alu SL, Reach 80, Drop 125
• Stem: OC Road Performance RP21, -6º
• Shifters: Shimano Di2 R7170
• Brakes: Shimano R7170 Hydraulic Disc
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano 105 Di2 R7150
• Front Derailleur: Shimano 105 Di2 R7150
• Chain: Shimano M7100
• Wheels: Alloy, Tubeless, 700c, 21c
• Front Hub: Orbea Thru Axle 12x100mm M12x2 P1 Lite
• Rear Hub: Orbea Thru Axle 12x142mm M12x2 P1 Lite
• Cassette: Shimano 105 R7100 11-34t 12-Speed
• Tyres: Hutchinson Fusion 5 Performance TLR 700×30
• Seatpost: Alloy, 27.2mm, Setback 0, for integrated light
• Saddle: Fizik Aliante R5

 

Gain D30 1X RRP £3,799.00

Full Specification:

• Motor: Mahle motor hub X35 Plus
• Battery: Mahle 36V/6.9A 248Wh ANT+
• Display: Mahle Pulsar One monochrome ANT+ LEV
• Remote: Mahle iWoc ONE
• Charger: Mahle X35
• Front Light: Front position light, on display holder, COB Led, On/Off, 60 Lumen, ECE50.
• Rear Light: Lezyne FENDER STVZO seatpost mounting 11 lumens
• Frame: Orbea Gain Hydro 6061 Hydroform Aluminum 2021, ICR cable routing, Forged BB, safety screw, 135×9 QR, Flat Mount disc mount, 700×40 maximun tyre, 1” ½ semi integrated head set, 41×86,5 Pressfit botton bracket.
• Fork: Gain Hydro carbon fork, full carbon, 1-1/8” – 1.5” tappered head tube compatible, 700×40 maximun tyre, flat mount disc mount, Thru axle 12x100mm
• Crankset: Shimano GRX RX600 40t
• Headset: Acros Alloy 1-1/2” Internal Cable Routing
• Handlebar: OC Gravel GR30, Reach 80, Drop 125
• Stem: OC Road Performance RP21, -6º
• Shifters: Shimano ST-RX600
• Brakes: Shimano RX400 Hydraulic disc
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano RX812 GS
• Front Derailleur: N/A
• Chain: KMC X11
• Wheels: Alloy, Tubeless, 700c, 21c
• Front Hub: Orbea Thru Axle 12x100mm M12x2 P1 Lite
• Rear Hub: Orbea Thru Axle 12x142mm M12x2 P1 Lite
• Cassette: Shimano CS-M8000 11-40t 11-Speed
• Tyres: Schwalbe G-ONE Bite, 40-622, 700x38C, Performance Line RaceGuard, TLE, ADDIX Classic Skin
• Seatpost: Alloy, 27.2mm, Setback 0, for integrated light
• Saddle: Fizik Aliante R5

 

Gain D30 RRP £3,599.00

Full Specification:

• Motor: Mahle motor hub X35 Plus
• Battery: Mahle 36V/6.9A 248Wh ANT+
• Display: Mahle Pulsar One monochrome ANT+ LEV
• Remote: Mahle iWoc ONE
• Charger: Mahle X35
• Front Light: Front position light, on display holder, COB Led, On/Off, 60 Lumen, ECE50.
• Rear Light: Lezyne FENDER STVZO seatpost mounting 11 lumens
• Frame: Orbea Gain Hydro 6061 Hydroform Aluminum 2021, ICR cable routing, Forged BB, safety screw, 135×9 QR, Flat Mount disc mount, 700×40 maximun tyre, 1” ½ semi integrated head set, 41×86,5 Pressfit botton bracket.
• Fork: Gain Hydro carbon fork, full carbon, 1-1/8” – 1.5” tappered head tube compatible, 700×40 maximun tyre, flat mount disc mount, Thru axle 12x100mm
• Crankset: Shimano 105 R7000 34x50t
• Headset: Acros Alloy 1-1/2” Internal Cable Routing
• Handlebar: OC Road Performance RP20 Alu SL, Reach 80, Drop 125
• Stem: OC Road Performance RP21, -6º
• Shifters: Shimano ST-7020
• Brakes: Shimano R7070 Hydraulic Disc
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano 105 R7000 GS
• Front Derailleur: Shimano 105 R7000
• Chain: Shimano 105 R7000 GS
• Wheels: Alloy, Tubeless, 700c, 21c
• Front Hub: Orbea Thru Axle 12x100mm M12x2 P1 Lite
• Rear Hub: Orbea Thru Axle 12x142mm M12x2 P1 Lite
• Cassette: Shimano 105 R7000 11-32t 11-Speed
• Tyres: Hutchinson Fusion 5 Performance TLR 700×30
• Seatpost: Alloy, 27.2mm, Setback 0, for integrated light
• Saddle: Fizik Aliante R5

 

Gain D40 RRP £3,299

Full Specification:

• Motor: Mahle motor hub X35 Plus
• Battery: Mahle 36V/6.9A 248Wh ANT+
• Display: Mahle Pulsar One monochrome ANT+ LEV
• Remote: Mahle iWoc ONE
• Charger: Mahle X35
• Front Light: Front position light, on display holder, COB Led, On/Off, 60 Lumen, ECE50.
• Rear Light: Lezyne FENDER STVZO seatpost mounting 11 lumens
• Frame: Orbea Gain Hydro 6061 Hydroform Aluminum 2021, ICR cable routing, Forged BB, safety screw, 135×9 QR, Flat Mount disc mount, 700×40 maximun tyre, 1” ½ semi integrated head set, 41×86,5 Pressfit botton bracket.
• Fork: Gain Hydro carbon fork, full carbon, 1-1/8” – 1.5” tappered head tube compatible, 700×40 maximun tyre, flat mount disc mount, Thru axle 12x100mm
• Crankset: Shimano Tiagra 4700 34x50T
• Headset: Acros Alloy 1-1/2” Internal Cable Routing
• Handlebar: OC Road Performance RP30, Reach 80, Drop 125
• Stem: OC Road Performance RP21, -6º
• Shifters: Shimano Tiagra ST-4770
• Brakes: Shimano Tiagra 4770 Hydraulic Disc
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano Tiagra 4700 GS
• Front Derailleur: Shimano Tiagra 4700
• Chain: KMC X10
• Wheels: Alloy, Tubeless, 700c, 21c
• Front Hub: Orbea Thru Axle 12x100mm M12x2 P1 Lite
• Rear Hub: Orbea Thru Axle 12x142mm M12x2 P1 Lite
• Cassette: Shimano Tiagra HG-500 11-32t 10-Speed
• Tyres: Hutchinson Fusion 5 Performance TLR 700×30
• Seatpost: Alloy, 27.2mm, Setback 0, for integrated light
• Saddle: Fizik Aliante R5

 

 

Gain D50 RRP £2,899.00

Full Specification:

• Motor: Mahle motor hub X35 Plus
• Battery: Mahle 36V/6.9A 248Wh ANT+
• Display: Mahle Pulsar One monochrome ANT+ LEV
• Remote: Mahle iWoc ONE
• Charger: Mahle X35
• Front Light: Front position light, on display holder, COB Led, On/Off, 60 Lumen, ECE50.
• Rear Light: Lezyne FENDER STVZO seatpost mounting 11 lumens
• Frame: Orbea Gain Hydro 6061 Hydroform Aluminum 2021, ICR cable routing, Forged BB, safety screw, 135×9 QR, Flat Mount disc mount, 700×40 maximun tyre, 1” ½ semi integrated head set, 41×86,5 Pressfit botton bracket.
• Fork: Gain Hydro carbon fork, full carbon, 1-1/8” – 1.5” tappered head tube compatible, 700×40 maximun tyre, flat mount disc mount, Thru axle 12x100mm
• Crankset: Shimano Claris R2000 34x50t
• Headset: Acros Alloy 1-1/2” Internal Cable Routing
• Handlebar: OC Road Performance RP30, Reach 80, Drop 125
• Stem: OC Road Performance RP21, -6º
• Shifters: Shimano Claris ST-R2000
• Brakes: Shimano BR-RS305 Mechanical Disc
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano Claris RD-R2000-GS
• Front Derailleur: Shimano Claris FD-R2000-F
• Chain: KMC X8
• Wheels: Alloy, Tubeless, 700c, 21c
• Front Hub: Orbea Thru Axle 12x100mm M12x2 P1 Lite
• Rear Hub: Orbea Thru Axle 12x142mm M12x2 P1 Lite
• Cassette: Shimano HG50 11-32t 8-Speed
• Tyres: Hutchinson Fusion 5 Performance TLR 700×30
• Seatpost: Alloy, 27.2mm, Setback 0, for integrated light
• Saddle: Fizik Aliante R5

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

Photos provided by Orbea

 

Have you seen our weekly Fast Bike feature? Missed some of our best bikes? You can now see all of our featured bikes in one place over on Pinterest where you’ll find links to each of our Fast Bike Blogs too!

Click the link below and search our archive…

 

 

 

We’ve got HUGE savings on Focus Jam2 e-mountain bikes! ⚡️ Re-charge your riding with a premium Focus full-suspension e-MTB…

 

Focus Jam2 7.9 2022 Was £5,699.00 Now £4,999.00

Full Specification:

• Motor: Shimano Steps EP8, 36V / 250 W / 85 Nm
• Battery: 720 Wh
• Display: Shimano Steps EM800
• Frame: 7005 hydroformed aluminium, 3D forging, 150 mm F.O.L.D. GEN2 kinematics, 148×12 mm thru axle, internal cable routing, USB-C port, post mount 203 mm
• Rear Shock: FOX Float X Performance, 210/55 mm, hardware: 25.0 x 8.0 mm, no Bushing, 150mm travel
• Fork: FOX 36 Float Rhythm 29, Grip Remote, 110×15 mm, 44 mm rake, 150mm travel
• Wheelset: RaceFace AR30 Offset rims with Novatec hubs
• Front Tyre: MAXXIS MINION DHF II, 2.6
• Rear Tyre: MAXXIS MINION DHF II, 2.6
• Shifter: Shimano Deore XT M8100, 12-speed
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano Deore XT M8100, 12-speed
• Cranks: Shimano FC-EM600, 12-speed, 36T
• Cassette: Shimano SLX M7100, 12-speed, 10-51T
• Saddle: Proxim W400
• Seatpost: Post Moderne dropper post PM-214, 34.9 mm
• Handlebar: Aluminium, 800 mm, rise: 30 mm, backsweep: 9°
• Stem: FOCUS C.I.S. integrated, 50 mm, 0°, 35 mm, aluminium
• Grips: FOCUS Locker SL
• Brake Set: Shimano XT M8120, 4 piston

 

Focus Jam2 7.8 2022 Was £4,799.00 Now £3,799.00

Full Specification:

• Motor: Shimano Steps EP8, 36V / 250 W / 85 Nm
• Battery: 720 Wh
• Display: Shimano Steps EM800
• Frame: 7005 hydroformed aluminium, 3D forging, 150 mm F.O.L.D. GEN2 kinematics, 148×12 mm thru axle, internal cable routing, USB-C port, post mount 203 mm
• Rear Shock: Rock Shox Deluxe Select, 210/55 mm, hardware: 25.0 x 8.0 mm, no Bushing, 150mm travel
• Fork: Rock Shox 35 Gold RL 29 Boost, 110×15 mm, 44 mm rake, 150 mm travel
• Wheelset: RaceFace AR30 Offset rims with Novatec hubs
• Front Tyre: MAXXIS MINION DHF 2.6
• Rear Tyre: MAXXIS MINION DHF 2.6
• Shifter: Shimano SLX M7100, 12-speed
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano SLX M7100, 12-speed
• Cranks: Samox EC40 ISIS, 36T
• Cassette: Shimano Deore CS-M6100, 12-speed 10-51T
• Saddle: Focus Race SL
• Seatpost: Post Moderne dropper post PM-214, 34.9 mm
• Handlebar: Aluminium, 800 mm, rise: 30 mm, backsweep: 9°
• Stem: FOCUS C.I.S. integrated, 50 mm, 0°, 35 mm, aluminium
• Grips: FOCUS Locker SL
• Brake Set: Shimano MT520, 4 piston

 

Focus Jam2 6.8 2022 Was £4,799.00 Now £3,799.00

Full Specification:

• Motor: Bosch Performance Line CX, Gen 4, 85Nm, 250W
• Battery: Bosch PowerTube, 625Wh
• Display: Bosch Purion
• Frame: 7005 hydroformed aluminium, 3D forging, 150 mm F.O.L.D. kinematic, 148×12 mm thru axle, internal cable routing, post mount 203 mm
• Rear Shock: FOX Float DPS, 210/55mm, 25.0 x 8mm, 150mm travel
• Fork: FOX 34 Float Rhythm 29, Grip Remote, 110 x 15mm, 150mm travel
• Wheelset: 29” RaceFace AR30 Offset with Novatec Hubs
• Front Tyre: MAXXIS MINION DHF 2.6
• Rear Tyre: MAXXIS MINION DHF 2.6
• Shifter: Shimano SLX M7100, 12-speed
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano Deore XT M8100, 12-speed
• Cranks: FSA CK-320, aluminium, 36T
• Cassette: Shimano SLX M7100, 12-speed 10-51T
• Saddle: Proxim W350
• Seatpost: Post Moderne dropper post PM-171, 31.6mm
• Handlebar: Focus, aluminium, 800mm, 35mm rise, 9° backsweep
• Stem: Focus C.I.S. integrated, 50mm, 0°, 35mm, aluminium
• Grips: FOCUS Locker SL
• Brake Set: Shimano BR-MT520, four-piston

 

Wheelbase were lucky enough to spend some time with Basque bike brand Orbea earlier this year, riding some of their key e-mountain bikes in the foothills of the amazing Pyrenean mountains in Northern Spain. One such bike was the fabulous Orbea Wild – their full-on Enduro e-MTB featuring 160mm of plush suspension travel, sublime trail geometry and the super-efficient Bosch e-bike drive system. After a fantastic ride onboard Orbea’s top-of-the-range M-Team featuring Bosch’s new CX-R race-specific motor, tuned specifically for EWS-E e-MTB racing we were super impressed at how the bike performed on tight, steep technical trails!

 

As well as an account of our own riding experience on the Wild we thought it would be useful to run through the full range and pick out the key highlights of this super-fun Enduro e-MTB. So for tons of technical info and the full specification of each Wild in the range please read on…

 

Orbea Wild Fast Facts:

• Intended use: Trail, Enduro, Big Mountain
• Drive system: Bosch CX (CX-R on M-LTD Model)
• Battery Size: 750Wh (M-LTD and H30 feature 625Wh as standard)
• Frame Material: Orbea Wild OMR Carbon (M Models) / Orbea Wild Hydro Alloy (H Models)
• Suspension Configuration: ‘E-Optimized’ e-bike-specific suspension kinematics
• Suspension Travel: 160mm Rear / 160mm Fork (M-LTD features 170mm Fork)
• Wheel Size: 29”

 

The key highlights behind the Wild’s brilliant performance…

Bosch Drive Unit

All of the bikes in the Orbea Wild range feature a super-efficient Bosch Performance Line CX motor controlled by their Smart System and paired with a choice of 750Wh or 650Wh internal battery. The German brand remain at the forefront of e-bike motor design and their role in this specialist industry since the very early days of development mean that their products are some of the most sophisticated and durable in the bicycle industry.

With the Wild positioned as Orbea’s nailed-on Enduro e-bike it’s interesting to see the Spanish brand fitting their top of the range Wild M-LTD bike with the new CX-R motor, Bosch’s lightest and most powerful e-bike motor which was developed specifically to meet the demands of EWS-E, the E-MTB Enduro Racing category.

I was lucky enough to try this very model during my time at Orbea earlier this year; riding straight out of a remote Pyrenean village and up a steep, wooded valley onto a mountain-top plateau the Wild made short work of the elevation with the Bosch CX-R feeling even more responsive and powerful than the standard motor. On the way back down, as I went to stomp down on the pedals coming out of tight dog-leg turns the pick-up of the motor was instantaneous with a big injection of power.

 

 

Battery Size Options

As well as the standard specification of each Wild model listed, there’s also an opportunity to customise your own bike through Orbea’s MyO platform where you are able to configure multiple component choices and select your own custom colours (see Orbea website for more details). One such option is battery size; most of the stock Wild bikes feature the larger capacity 750Wh battery with the lighter 625Wh option only spec’d as standard on the M-LTD (race-focused) bike and the H30 alloy base model.

Orbea’s clever SBS battery system as part of overall frame design means the 650Wh battery and larger 750Wh battery options are both compatible with ALL frame sizes which is great; while most people want the freedom and security of the larger capacity 750Wh battery, those of you who aren’t so concerned with ‘range anxiety’ may prefer the lighter 650Wh option which weighs 900g less making it a great option for Enduro races.

 

E-Optimised Rigidity

One of the major factors behind the Wild’s supreme handling is the frame’s rigidity. Orbea’s ‘E-Optimised’ design principle helps create a frame which has been carefully tuned to be stiff enough to handle the extra forces generated by the additional weight of the motor and battery. While some other bike brands compromise the overall rigidity of their frames to accommodate removal of the bike’s battery Orbea have chosen to stow the battery internally within a completely sealed downtube with no cut-outs, calling this their ‘SBS’ (Secure Battery System) design. By engineering a straight downtube from bottom bracket to headtube without any unnecessary curves or cut-outs there are no negative effects on overall frame stiffness.

 

Steep & Deep – Accommodating long travel dropper posts

Orbea had previously introduced their ‘Steep & Deep’ concept on the Rallon non-e Enduro bike and it’s great to see it here on the Wild too. Despite the added complications of the location of the motor at the bottom bracket area Orbea have managed to successfully implement the same design approach. With its short, straight and steep-angled seat tube there’s enough space on all frame sizes to accommodate a long-travel dropper seatpost, allowing you to get the saddle right out of the way quickly when the trails get steep and you need to throw your weight over the back of the bike.

 

E-Optimised Geometry

The Wild’s carefully refined frame geometry makes a major contribution to how fun and agile this bike feels on steep, technical trails. Calling it ‘E-Optimised Geometry’ Orbea’s aim was to develop an e-mountain bike featuring geometry that wasn’t negatively impacted by the inclusion of the bike’s drive system. In fact the Wild is above all a fantastically capable Enduro bike which largely shares the ‘Evolved Geometry’ found on their non-e Rallon; it just happens to also include a Bosch drive system.

In some cases accommodating an e-bike motor at the bottom bracket area can impact chainstay length, with the need to increase their length, which in turn negatively affects the bike’s handling. It’s not unusual to see a smaller diameter 27.5” rear wheel being spec’d to work around this issue, however this can compromise rear-wheel traction and/or rider’s weight distribution on really steep climbs (I can attest to this having looped-out on just such a bike when I was riding in Turbo mode in attempt to clear a short, sharp, steep climb!). Instead the Wild has been spec’d with short 448mm chainstays which can still accommodate a large diameter 29” wheel while providing natural handling and enhanced traction.

 

Continuing the theme of sorted, progressive trail geometry this newest generation Wild is now longer and slacker than ever, giving you more confidence at speed; a low standover helps you move more freely around the bike when the trails get steep and techy while the straight, short seat tube which accommodates that long-travel dropper post opens up more frame sizing options allowing you to choose your preferred reach rather than sizing for standover.

When I rode the Wild on unfamiliar trails in the Spanish Pyrenees the bike’s geometry really came into its own. Our guide took use down some of his favourite local trails which he’s been crafting for years and introduced us to a steep, wooded descent featuring over 30 super-tight berms! I was taken aback by just how agile the Wild was on this terrain, allowing me to throw the bike around each turn; the responsive steering was particularly sublime!

 

E-Optimised Kinematics

Continuing the ‘E-Optimised’ theme which sees Orbea tuning every component part of the Wild to perform at their best when factoring in the extra forces generated by the higher speeds and weight of a e-bike, the Spanish brand have developed their own e-bike-specific suspension kinematics for the Wild.

E-bike suspension brings some unique design challenges; the addition of a powerful motor means that the suspension configuration needs to provide maximum traction to manage the extra forces transferred to the rear wheel. At the same time the Wild’s suspension needs to be able to handle the big hits that go hand in hand with the higher speeds and additional weight of an e-MTB. Orbea have carefully tuned the suspension to behave most naturally in the middle part of the bike’s travel where it spends 90% of its time helping to make the Wild come to life, giving an agile and responsive quality and preventing the suspension from anesthetizing your ride.

 

Concentric Boost II

Another major consideration in suspension design is the negative effect of braking heavily, with the potential for this to effectively lock out the suspension just when you need it most. Orbea have negated this with their Concentric Boost II configuration which sees a concentric pivot assembly at the rear axle that effectively decouples braking forces from the suspension’s action. Featuring on previous Orbea bikes the all-new Concentric Boost II version has fewer parts and reduces overall weight while also being laterally stiffer and more sensitive.

 

The Orbea Wild range marks a significant point in the evolution of the e-mountain bike, where an e-bike’s sorted trail geometry and sophisticated suspension kinematics takes precedent over the integration of the motor and battery; or to put it another way, rather than letting the e-MTB’s drive system lead the way through the design process brands like Orbea are now beginning to re-focus their efforts on designing an incredibly capable, fun and agile mountain bike that features a brilliantly integrated e-bike drive system almost as a secondary concern. As the Spanish brand say in their own marketing blurb ‘We could tell you how Wild has the most powerful motor or battery capacity on the market. But we aren’t going to. Wild takes us beyond such trivialities and into a world beyond power, where the ride is paramount, where the trails are endless and full of flow. Leave heavy, numb e-bikes behind and free your Wild.’

 

Orbea Wild M-LTD Was £10,999.00 NOW £6,999.00

Full Specification:

• Motor: BOSCH Performance Line CX-R BDU3741
• Battery: BOSCH Powertube 625Wh Horizontal BBP3760
• Display: BOSCH System Controller BCR3100
• Remote: BOSCH Mini Remote BRC3300
• Charger: Bosch Charger 4A (230V) BPC3400
• Frame: Orbea Wild OMR 2023, 160mm travel, 29″ wheels, Concentric Boost 12×148
• Headset: Alloy 1-1/2″, Black Oxidated Bearing
• Rear Shock: Fox Float X2 Factory Trunnion 2-Position Adjust Kashima custom tune 205x65mm
• Fork: Fox 38 Float Factory 170 Grip2 QR15x110 Kashima
• Wheelset: OQUO Mountain Control MC32LTD Carbon
• Front Tyre: Maxxis Minion DHF 2.60″ 120 TPI FB 3C Maxx Terra Exo+ TR
• Rear Tyre: Maxxis Minion DHR II 2.60″ 120 TPI FB 3C Maxx Terra Exo+ TR
• Shifter: Shimano XTR M9100
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano XTR M9100 SGS Shadow Plus
• Cranks: e*thirteen Race Carbon
• Cassette: Shimano XTR M9100 10-51t 12-Speed
• Saddle: Fizik Terra Aidon X1 145mm
• Dropper Seatpost: Fox Transfer Factory Kashima Dropper 31.6
• Dropper Seatpost Lever: Shimano SL-MT-800 I-Spec EV
• Handlebar: OC Mountain Control MC10 Carbon, Rise 20, Width 800
• Stem: OC Mountain Control MC10 Alu SL, 0º
• Brake Set: Shimano XTR M9120Hydraulic Disc

 

Orbea Wild M-Team Was £8,999.00 NOW £5,999.00

Full Specification:

• Motor: BOSCH Performance Line CX BDU3741
• Battery: BOSCH Powertube 750Wh Horizontal BBP3770
• Display: BOSCH System Controller BCR3100
• Remote: BOSCH Mini Remote BRC3300
• Charger: Bosch Charger 4A (230V) BPC3400
• Frame: Orbea Wild OMR 2023, 160mm travel, 29″ wheels, Concentric Boost 12×148
• Headset: Alloy 1-1/2″, Black Oxidated Bearing
• Rear Shock: Fox Float X2 Factory Trunnion 2-Position Adjust Kashima custom tune 205x65mm
• Fork: Fox 38 Float Factory 160 Grip2 QR15x110 Kashima E-Bike Optimized
• Wheelset: OQUO Mountain Control MC32TEAM eBIKE
• Front Tyre: Maxxis Minion DHF 2.60″ 120 TPI FB 3C Maxx Terra Exo+ TR
• Rear Tyre: Maxxis Minion DHR II 2.60″ 120 TPI FB 3C Maxx Terra Exo+ TR
• Shifter: Shimano XT M8100 I-Spec EV
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano XT M8100 SGS Shadow Plus
• Cranks: e*thirteen Plus Alu
• Cassette: Shimano CS-M8100 10-51t 12-Speed
• Saddle: Fizik Aidon 208x145mm manganese rail
• Dropper Seatpost: OC Mountain Control MC20, 31.6mm, Dropper
• Dropper Seatpost Lever: Shimano SL-MT500 I-Spec EV
• Handlebar: OC Mountain Control MC10 Carbon, Rise 20, Width 800
• Stem: OC Mountain Control MC10 Alu SL, 0º
• Brake Set: Shimano XT M8120 Hydraulic Disc

 

Orbea Wild H10 Was £6,499.00 now £4,499.00

Full Specification:

• Motor: BOSCH Performance Line CX BDU3741
• Battery: BOSCH Powertube 750Wh Horizontal BBP3770
• Display: BOSCH System Controller BCR3100
• Remote: BOSCH Mini Remote BRC3300
• Charger: Bosch Charger 4A (230V) BPC3400
• Frame: Orbea Wild Hydro 2023, 160mm travel, 29″ wheels, Concentric Boost 12×148
• Headset: Alloy 1-1/2″, Black Oxidated Bearing
• Rear Shock: ox Float X Performance Trunnion 2-Position Adjust custom tune 205x65mm
• Fork: Fox 38 Float Performance 160 Grip 3-Position QR15x110 E-Bike Optimized
• Wheelset: OQUO Mountain Control MC32TEAM eBIKE
• Front Tyre: Maxxis Minion DHF 2.60″ 120 TPI FB 3C Maxx Terra Exo+ TR
• Rear Tyre: Maxxis Minion DHR II 2.60″ 120 TPI FB 3C Maxx Terra Exo+ TR
• Shifter: Shimano Deore M6100 I-Spec EV
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano XT M8100 SGS Shadow Plus
• Cranks: e*thirteen Plus Alu
• Cassette: Shimano CS-M7100 10-51t 12-Speed
• Saddle: Fizik Aidon 208x145mm manganese rail
• Dropper Seatpost: OC Mountain Control MC20, 31.6mm
• Dropper Seatpost Lever: Shimano SL-MT500 I-Spec EV
• Handlebar: OC Mountain Control MC20 Alu SL, Rise20, Width 800
• Stem: OC Mountain Control MC20, 0º
• Brake Set: Shimano M6120 Hydraulic Disc

 

Orbea Wild H20 Was £5,899.00 NOW £3,999.00

Full Specification:

• Motor: BOSCH Performance Line CX BDU3741
• Battery: BOSCH Powertube 750Wh Horizontal BBP3770
• Display: BOSCH System Controller BCR3100
• Remote: BOSCH Mini Remote BRC3300
• Charger: Bosch Charger 4A (230V) BPC3400
• Frame: Orbea Wild Hydro 2023, 160mm travel, 29″ wheels, Concentric Boost 12×148
• Headset: FSA 1-1/2″ Integrated Aluminium Cup
• Rear Shock: Fox Float DPS Performance Trunnion 3-Position Evol LV custom tune 205x65mm
• Fork: RockShox 35 Silver TK Q15x110 Solo Air 160mm
• Wheelset: Race Face AR 30c Tubeless Ready
• Front Tyre: Maxxis Minion DHF 2.60″ 120 TPI FB 3C Maxx Terra Exo+ TR
• Rear Tyre: Maxxis Minion DHR II 2.60″ 120 TPI FB 3C Maxx Terra Exo+ TR
• Shifter: Shimano Deore M6100
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano XT M8100 SGS Shadow Plus
• Cranks: e*thirteen Plus Alu
• Cassette: Shimano CS-M7100 10-51t 12-Speed
• Saddle: Selle Royal Vivo 145x269mm
• Dropper Seatpost: OC Mountain Control MC20, 31.6mm, Dropper
• Dropper Seatpost Lever: OC Horizontal
• Handlebar: OC Mountain Control MC30, Rise20, Width 800
• Stem: OC Mountain Control MC20, 0º
• Brake Set: SRAM DB8 Black Hydraulic Disc

 

Orbea Wild H30 Was £5,299.00 NOW £3,499.00

Full Specification:

• Motor: BOSCH Performance Line CX BDU3741
• Battery: BOSCH Powertube 625Wh Horizontal BBP3760
• Display: BOSCH System Controller BCR3100
• Remote: BOSCH Mini Remote BRC3300
• Charger: Bosch Charger 4A (230V) BPC3400
• Frame: Orbea Wild Hydro 2023, 160mm travel, 29″ wheels, Concentric Boost 12×148
• Headset: FSA 1-1/2″ Integrated Aluminium Cup
• Rear Shock: Fox Float DPS Performance Trunnion 3-Position Evol LV custom tune 205x65mm
• Fork: RockShox 35 Silver TK Q15x110 Solo Air 160mm
• Wheelset: Race Face AR 30c Tubeless Ready
• Front Tyre: Maxxis Minion DHF 2.60″ 120 TPI FB 3C Maxx Terra Exo+ TR
• Rear Tyre: Maxxis Minion DHR II 2.60″ 120 TPI FB 3C Maxx Terra Exo+ TR
• Shifter: Shimano Deore M6100
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano XT M8100 SGS Shadow Plus
• Cranks: e*thirteen Plus Alu
• Cassette: Shimano CS-M6100 10-51t 12-Speed
• Saddle: Selle Royal Vivo 145x269mm
• Dropper Seatpost: OC Mountain Control MC20, 31.6mm, Dropper
• Dropper Seatpost Lever: OC Horizontal
• Handlebar: OC Mountain Control MC30, Rise20, Width 800
• Stem: OC Mountain Control MC20, 0º
• Brake Set: Shimano MT410 Hydraulic Disc

 

 

The Mondraker Crafty Carbon RR e-mountain bike is today’s star of our regular fast bike feature! Following our successful BIG Demo Weekend back in March some of the best brands available at Wheelbase came together again in May for our BIG Demo Day at Hamsterley Forest in the North East of England; one of the brands in most demand was Mondraker, with the Crafty Carbon RR proving to be particularly popular with our customers. Our freelance photographer James Vincent managed to wrestle one away from the demo fleet just long enough to shoot it for this feature, so lets get into the details…

E-mountain bikes are now so firmly established within most brand’s range of bikes that in a lot of cases there’s multiple models to choose from, enabling you to find one that perfectly suits your style of riding. Mondraker are one such brand, who now offer e-MTB options across a wide choice of mountain bikes including their trail, enduro and even their long-travel ‘super enduro’ models. The Crafty Carbon RR sits within their enduro sub-range of e-mtbs and features plenty of plush suspension, with a magic mix of components as  well as Mondraker’s iconic ‘Forward Geometry’; if you forget about the e-bike motor for a second and just consider the bike itself, then it’s clear to see that this is an authentic enduro bike!

The Mondraker Crafty Carbon RR is a capable Enduro bike that just happens to have an e-mtb motor.

 

The Mondraker Crafty Carbon RR features a full carbon frame sporting 150mm of suspension travel on the rear facilitated by the Spanish brand’s excellent Zero Suspension kinematics, matched up with a burly Fox 38 fork upfront featuring 160mm travel which is ready to absorb the sort of big hits that this bike will quickly coax you into riding. This rather pimped-up model in the Crafty range included Fox Factory Kashima coating on the Fox fork, rear shock and even the Transfer dropper post, with fork and rear shock tuned specifically to accommodate the increased forces of an e-MTB.

Constructed from Mondraker’s Crafty Stealth Air Carbon the Crafty RR also features the Spanish brand’s sorted ‘Forward Geometry’.

 

At the heart of the Crafty Carbon RR is Bosch’s brilliant 4th generation Performance Line CX Smart System setup with a large capacity 750Wh battery making ‘range anxiety’ a thing of the past. This latest iteration of Bosch’s market-leading motor is 48% smaller than its predecessor and at 2.9kg is 25% lighter too. With reduced drag thanks to a dramatic redesign of its internals the Performance Line CX motor is also now more efficient, increasing battery life by up to 18% and freeing you up to ride further for longer with liberal use of EMTB and Turbo modes to get you up and over steep, technical terrain.

Bosch’s Performance Line CX motor really helps to open up your riding; you’ll be amazed what you can get up and over on the Crafty Carbon RR.

 

The Crafty Carbon RR’s 750Wh battery sits internally within the downtube, protecting it from the elements and helping to keep the bike’s centre of gravity nice and low while also enhancing the overall aesthetic of this powerful e-mountain bike. It’s worth us reinforcing the point too, that the whole drive system and that large-capacity 750Wh battery really proved itself during our Hamsterley Forest demo day, with riders asking a lot of the bike throughout the day. Despite some liberal use of Turbo mode there was always plenty of battery life showing on the Bosch Kiox 300 display at the end of each ride; when it’s finally time to replenish the battery the Crafty Carbon RR can be quickly and efficiently re-charged via a port conveniently located near the headtube.

A super-efficient Bosch Powertube 750Wh internal battery encourages you to ride further for longer.

 

The 750Wh internal battery can be quickly and efficiently re-charged via a conveniently located port near the headtube.

 

The Bosch controls are discrete and user-friendly, with a mini remote to select your chosen mode and Kiox 300 display to relay all the vital stats.

 

Moving on to the Crafty Carbon RR’s chassis, it’s not too bold of me to say that Mondraker really did revolutionise mountain bike handling when it introduced its super-short stem and longer-reach top tube ‘Forward Geometry’. Pretty much every other mountain bike brand has now followed the lead with this sort of progressive geometry; slack headtube angles combined with steeper seat tube angles and longer reach are now not as niche as they used to be, in fact they’re the norm. While Mondraker were the first brand to take this design approach it’s worth highlighting that they’ve continued to refine their frame angles and measurements throughout the years, arriving at what can rightfully claimed to be one of the most stable, nimble, confidence-inspiring rides out there.

Mondraker pioneered modern progressive geometry; their ‘Forward Geometry’ has inspired a revolution in mountain bike frame design.

 

A bike of this status, sitting high up in the Crafty Carbon sub-range of e-mountain bikes should boast a pretty bling component spec and this bike does not disappoint. Complimenting that Mondraker Stealth Air full carbon frame and powerful Bosch Performance Line CX Gen 4 Smart System motor is a premium collection of components including FOX Factory rear shock, suspension forks and dropper seatpost all featuring the super smooth Kashima coating. The bike’s drivetrain is a magic mix of SRAM components including an X01 Eagle rear derailleur paired with a positive shifting GX Eagle trigger shifter.

Elsewhere there’s a SRAM Code RSC hydraulic brake-set featuring powerful 4-piston brake calipers which quickly and efficiently scrub off speed when you need to pull on the anchors and control your speed through tight, technical terrain. With large diameter 200mm brake rotors and steel-backed sintered pads the braking system on the Crafty Carbon RR is super-dependable in all riding conditions. Rounding out the bike’s spec is a bombproof pair of Mavic E-Deemax S 29er wheels designed and constructed specifically to cope with the additional forces incurred from a top-flight e-mountain bike; shod with a pair of burly Maxxis Minion DH tyres the Mondraker Crafty Carbon RR comes ready out of the box for the sort of full-on, aggressive riding an e-MTB like this encourages you to do.

Check out our details shots below of the key components on the Mondraker Crafty Carbon RR below, with the bike’s full specification listed at the bottom of this feature…

A Fox Float-X factory shock with Kashima coating combined with Mondraker’s Zero Suspension kinematics gives 150mm of plush travel on the rear.

 

A 12-speed SRAM X01 Eagle rear derailleur performs flawlessly, quickly moving up and down the wide ratio 10-52T cassette.

 

The light-touch SRAM GX Eagle trigger shifter precisely selects your chosen gear in an instant.

 

165mm Race Face Aeffect ebike cranks adorned with a SRAM Eagle 34T chainring completes the simple yet effective drivetrain.

 

The SRAM hydraulic brake levers have a lot of fans thanks to their instant bite with minimal lever-pull.

 

Powerful SRAM Code RSC 4-piston brake calipers scrub off speed quickly and effectively in all conditions.

 

The Mavic wheelset featuring straight-pull spokes laced to Mavic Boost hubs and E-Deemax S 29 rims are fast-rolling and super-tough.

 

It’s great to see Mondraker spec’ing a pair of burly Maxxis Minion DH tyres; they’ll be able to handle all of the aggressive riding you can throw at them.

 

The Ride…

Jumping on the Mondraker Crafty Carbon RR at one of our recent Wheelbase Big Demo days gave me a real chance to get a feel for how this powerful e-mountain bike handles out on the trails. The efficient Bosch drive system helped make short work of some of the steeper climbs on my ride, quickly depositing me at the top of some of the most technically demanding downhill trails I could find.

Riding some downhills portions for the first time, with no knowledge of what was coming up meant that on occasions I had to hold back a little, but during my second ride on the same trail I was really able to let go of the anchors and see what this long-travel e-Enduro bike was capable of. All of that plush suspension, facilitated by 150mm of travel on the rear and 160mm up-front combined with those fast-rolling large-diameter 29er Mavic E-Deemax e-MTB-specific wheels shod with burly Maxxis Minion tyres quickly encouraged me to hit sections with more speed and more confidence.

The Mondraker Crafty Carbon RR is an e-MTB that can be fairly described as a ‘fun-amplifier’. What do I mean by that? Well, the bike’s fantastic suspension platform and sorted trail geometry means that you’ll get more out of your riding when the bike is pointed downhill. Despite its ‘full-fat’ e-MTB specification with the 750Wh battery powered Bosch Performance Line CX drive system the Mondraker Crafty Carbon RR felt lively and surprisingly agile. The inclusion of the Bosch system just means that you ride further, faster and with more ease!

The Crafty Carbon RR is a great-handling Enduro bike that just happens to feature a brilliantly integrated Bosch drive system.

 

Mondraker Crafty Carbon RR £8,999.00

Full Specification:

• Motor: Bosch Performance Line CX (25km/h) Smart System
• Battery: Bosch Powertube 750Wh
• Display: Bosch Kiox 300 / Bosch Mini Remote / Bosch System Controller
• Frame: Crafty Stealth Air full Carbon, e-Bike Optimized Zero Suspension System, 150mm travel, Forward Geometry, internal non-removable battery, Boost 12x148mm rear axle, tapered head tube, one-piece Monoblock upper link, HHG internal cable routing, MAX capacity sealed bearings, oversize 17mm axles, integrated dropout speed sensor, exclusive plastic motor covers.
• Fork: Fox 38 29 Float GRIP2 Factory Kashima, 160mm, e-bike optimized, tapered steerer tube, Boost 15x110mm axle, 44mm offset, 68mm OD crown. Settings: high and low-speed compression, high and low-speed rebound, air preload.
• Rear Shock: Fox Float-X LV Factory Kashima, 205x65mm. Settings: compression 2 positions lever, low-speed compression, low-speed rebound, air preload. Trunnion top mount, 25x10mm bottom bushings.
• Wheelset: Mavic E-Deemax S 29, 30mm internal width, Maxtal welded, PFP, 28 hole, tubeless rims. Mavic straight-pull double butted, contactless lacing spokes. Mavic, Boost 15x110mm, IS 6 bolts front hub. Mavic, Boost 12x148mm, ID360 Ratchet system, IS 6 bolts, XD freehub rear hub.
• Front Tyre: Maxxis Minion DHF 29×2.6, tubeless ready, 3C MAXX TERRA, EXO+ Protection, 120TPI, folding bead.
• Rear Tyre: Maxxis Minion DHR II 29×2.6, tubeless ready, 3C MAXX TERRA, EXO+ Protection, 120TPI, folding bead.
• Shifter: Sram Trigger GX Eagle, 12s, X-Actuation 1:1, single click.
• Rear Derailleur: Sram X01 Eagle, Type 3 roller bearing clutch, cage lock, 1x12s, X-Actuation 1:1
• Derailleur Hanger: SRAM UDH
• Cranks: Race Face Aeffect ebike, 165mm
• Chainring: Sram X-Sync 2 Eagle 34T, alloy, narrow-wide, 104 BCD
• Chain: Sram NX Eagle, 12s, Powerlock
• Cassette: Sram XG-1275, 10-52T, 12s
• Saddle: FIZIK Terra Aidon X5 145mm
• Seatpost: Fox Transfer Factory Kashima internal, diameter 31.6mm, S size: 363.5x125mm, M/L size: 418.3x150mm, XL size: 475.1x175mm
• Handlebar: Onoff Krypton Carbon 1.0, rise: 25mm, width: 800mm, 9º backsweep, 5º upsweep, 31.8mm barbore
• Stem: Onoff Krypton FG 30mm, CNC, 31.8mm barbore
• Grips: Onoff Desert, 1lock-on, 135mm
• Brake Set: Sram Code RSC, oversized 4-piston caliper, steel-backed metal sintered pads
• Brake Rotors: Centerline 200mm IS 6 bolts one-piece rotor
• Sizes: S: 380mm / M: 420mm / L: 450mm / XL: 490mm

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

Photos by James Vincent

 

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