Orbea's New Rise LT Just Got a Serious Power Boost

Robert Wilson · 2026-11-05

All the assistance you need, paired with as much mountain bike as possible. That's still the brief for the third-generation 2027 Orbea Rise LT. And this time, Shimano's new EP810 RS motor brings up to 100 Nm of torque and 600 W of peak power to the party, alongside revised suspension and Orbea's own batteries. But here's the question worth asking: does a familiar formula give the Rise a fresh sense of purpose? Let's dig in. ### The Market Is Splitting, Not Merging The 2027 Rise exists for a different reason than the bike it replaces. As the Basque brand sees it, the eMTB market isn't converging. It's pulling apart. Full-power bikes keep getting stronger, but plenty of riders still want less assistance, as long as it's delivered intelligently. Selling the first Rise was easy. It weighed considerably less than a full-power bike, yet its torque came close to what those bikes offered at the time. Peak power trailed behind, but the assistance was ample and the package agile. On the trail, that combination was hard to beat. That was then. Full-power bikes now make far more power and torque while also getting lighter, which makes low weight a much harder selling point. So is there still room for the Rise between categories? Orbea clearly thinks so. ### Two Variants, One Philosophy The new Rise comes in two variants. The SL pairs 5.5 inches of front and rear travel, while the LT steps up to 6.3 inches up front and 5.9 inches in the rear, each with a spec to match. Both use the new Shimano EP810 RS motor and batteries developed in-house by Orbea. The RS profile delivers up to 85 Nm and 400 watts of peak power, with as much as 100 Nm and 600 watts available when you need it. For Orbea, though, the real focus remains on the tune. Assistance should complement your own effort and preserve the active riding experience that has always defined the Rise. Orbea quotes starting weights of around 37.5 pounds for the Rise SL and 39.7 pounds for the LT, varying slightly by spec. Our test bikes tipped the scales at 39.9 and 41.4 pounds respectively, EXO+ tires and bottle cages included. That still undercuts many current full-power bikes by a comfortable margin. With Orbea's MyO configurator, you can pick not only the paint finish and components but also battery capacity and the cable routing system. All that choice costs money: our Rise LT M-LTD RS lists at about $11,900, and that's with the smaller 420 Wh battery. ### Details That Show Real Thought The look is unmistakably Orbea: clean, angular lines, a slender main frame, and nothing that doesn't need to be there. The details are well sorted, too. Cables enter through neatly clamped ports, any unused openings get proper covers, and a chain guide comes as standard. A large stick-on chainstay protector prevents chain slap, while a small flap between the main frame and the swing arm stops dirt building up in the gap. The charging port cover is sturdy and easy to use, even while wearing gloves. For trailside fixes, there's a small multitool tucked into the suspension linkage, plus a 6 mm Allen key in the rear axle. Another welcome touch: Orbea marks every bolt on the Rise with its tightening torque. That saves you hunting for the correct figures whenever you pick up a tool, and it shows genuine attention to detail. Nice. ### The Shimano EP810 RS Motor in Detail On the climbs, the Rise relies on Shimano's new EP810 motor, running Orbea's own RS tune. RS stands for Rider Synergy, and the thinking behind it is simple: you, not the motor, should shape the ride. That's why Orbea's software goes well beyond capping maximum output. The tune also governs how quickly assistance kicks in, how smoothly it ramps, and how naturally the bike responds when the trail turns technical. > "The best eMTB assistance doesn't feel like a motor. It feels like stronger legs." That's the philosophy in a nutshell, and it's what separates the Rise from the full-power crowd. If you want maximum shove, look elsewhere. If you want a bike that still feels like a mountain bike, this is the pitch. ### The Bottom Line The 2027 Orbea Rise LT isn't trying to win a power war. It's trying to win over riders who want intelligent assistance without losing the trail feel they love. Whether that's enough in a market obsessed with bigger numbers is the real question. But with a lighter package, a smarter tune, and details that show Orbea sweating the small stuff, the Rise makes a compelling case.