ORBEA GAIN E-ROAD – BIKE CHECK

 

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

 

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