2025 Rise Questions

[MeatBike]

I have a Rise LT H10 on order and was wondering there are any alu or carbon motor guards available? I see Andreani make one but it appears to be for the 2022/23 models.

What size dropper does the large 2025 frame come with as standard? I can't find it listed anywhere.

Does the EP801 RS version have the user configurable overrun and cut-off features that were added to the standard EP801 via a firmware update?

I'll probably have more questions as they spring to mind so I'll add them all here rather than creating a separate thread each time.

I did have a question about changing the stem but I spoke to the shop I've ordered it from and they're going to fit the universal collector when building the bike, which is great. I'll probably end up getting the Easybikeparts upper headset assembly at some point but at least for now I'll be able to fit my own stem when the bike arrives.

 

[MeatBike]

Checked the blue paper (which I have to say, is the most comprehensive bike manual I've ever seen!). Looks like the large may come with a 180mm dropper which should be fine for me.

Still interested to know if the EP801 RS has the adjustable overrun and cut-off features that Shimano added to the standard EP801?

 

[levity]

Title: does Hydro = H10?

My Large 2025 Rise LT M10 came with a 200mm dropper. That put the extended seat height too high for my preferred low riding position (I‘m 5’11””) due to the tall seat tube. I swapped for the 170mm dropper that came on my wife’s Small LT, and she went with a 150mm dropper. Both happy now.

The 2025 EP801 RS has 3 overrun choices (we love the longest!) and 3 cutoff rates (we prefer sudden as it’s not that noticeable).

We both stuck with the OEM stem and just removed spacers below (easy).

Haven't found a good motor shield and are open to suggestions. We just put on a couple of layers of 3M no residue duct tape over the plastic to hold the pieces together in case it shatters! We also put frame protective tape and a rubber protector on the bottom of the down tube, and it has probably saved us from damage due to many rock strikes riding desert trails.

Have fun!

 

[MeatBike]

Title: does Hydro = H10?

My Large 2025 Rise LT M10 came with a 200mm dropper. That put the extended seat height too high for my preferred low riding position (I‘m 5’11””) due to the tall seat tube. I swapped for the 170mm dropper that came on my wife’s Small LT, and she went with a 150mm dropper. Both happy now.

The 2025 EP801 RS has 3 overrun choices (we love the longest!) and 3 cutoff rates (we prefer sudden as it’s not that noticeable).

We both stuck with the OEM stem and just removed spacers below (easy).

Haven't found a good motor shield and are open to suggestions. We just put on a couple of layers of 3M no residue duct tape over the plastic to hold the pieces together in case it shatters! We also put frame protective tape and a rubber protector on the bottom of the down tube, and it has probably saved us from damage due to many rock strikes riding desert trails.

Have fun!

That's super helpful, thank you!

Yeah, Hydro refers to the alloy models... H10, H20 and H30.

I wonder if the stock dropper can be internally shimmed down like One Up, PNW et al, or if they are just fixed lengths?

Really good to know the EP801 RS has the additional modes. I expect I'll probably experiment a bit on my local trails with the overrun, but I think I like the sound of the sudden cut-off the most.

I have a lovely CNC machined UniteCo Renegade 35x35mm stem which I really like so am happy I'll be able to fit that along with my Deity carbon bars when the bike arrives. Then I'll pop the Orbea bars and grips on my current bike when it comes to selling it, and will source another stem from eBay or somewhere. I'll be taking the Peaty's Monarch grips and Peaty's bronze tubeless valves off the old bike too, to fit to the Rise. I'm undecided on pedals at the moment but have a few sets so will see what I think when it gets here.

As for the motor shield, I'll continue to have a look around but the 3M tape option sounds good. I wonder if it could be placed on the inside so it's invisible but would still hold it together in event of an impact? The bike is being Ride Wrapped/Ivisiframed (can't remember which!) by the shop when they're building it but I'll probably fit a rubber downtube protector too. Found this one on eBay that looks like it will do the job nicely:

Frame Downtube Protector for Orbea Rise H (Aluminium) | eBay UK

Printed out of flexible but tough TPU to conform to your bikes downtube.

www.ebay.co.uk

Thanks again!

 

[MeatBike]

Reading through the manual before the bike gets here and I'm now reconsidering fitting my Deity bars and UniteCo stem as I've realised the cable for the motor controller is internally routed through the stock Orbea bars and stem. As such, if I use my own parts I'll need to route the cable externally which will look messy.

I guess one option would be to shrink wrap it to the dropper cable, but then where would it exit the headset if it normally comes through the stem?

Another option may be to leave the Deity bars on my current bike when selling it and then buy the OneUp ebike bars.

I'm starting to see why many people consider headset cable routing the work of the devil

 

[MeatBike]

The more I look into this the more I think the best option is to just leave the stock stem on it and pony up for the OneUp or e13 carbon bars with the cable routing holes. At least with the stock stem there's the hole for the controller cable and space behind the bars for the little junction box.

 

[MeatBike]

OneUp ebike bars now fitted with the cable connector stashed inside the gap in the Orbea stem behind the bars. Nice and neat, and the bars feel great.

Next question, is the RS badge on everyone's motor just stuck on with a blob of hot glue? Mine is, and it has a bit of a wobble to it... I don't think it would take much for a rogue stick or something to knock it off mid ride.

 

[Weeksy]

OneUp ebike bars now fitted with the cable connector stashed inside the gap in the Orbea stem behind the bars. Nice and neat, and the bars feel great.

Next question, is the RS badge on everyone's motor just stuck on with a blob of hot glue? Mine is, and it has a bit of a wobble to it... I don't think it would take much for a rogue stick or something to knock it off mid ride.

Mine fell off after 2 rides.

 

[MeatBike]

Mine fell off after 2 rides.

That sucks! I'll take mine off an reapply it with some stronger adhesive.

 

[jareedo]

Let us know how you get on with the OneUp bars - i'm still running the OEM. Did you get a riser OneUp?

 

[MeatBike]

Let us know how you get on with the OneUp bars - i'm still running the OEM. Did you get a riser OneUp?

Will do! Just waiting for a break in the weather.

The ebike version of the bars only comes in 35mm rise.

 

[Highland Wheels]

Will do! Just waiting for a break in the weather.

The ebike version of the bars only comes in 35mm rise.

Don't fall into the trap of using "Ebike" specific parts. It's mostly marketing BS.

 

[irie]

Don't fall into the trap of using "Ebike" specific parts. It's mostly marketing BS.

The part will be fitted to an eMTB, Sir? That'll be an extra 10-15%, Sir. Kerching.

 

[MeatBike]

Don't fall into the trap of using "Ebike" specific parts. It's mostly marketing BS.

Most definitely, but the ebike specific OneUp bars have holes to route the cable for the motor controller. Otherwise I would have pinched the Deity carbon bars from my old bike.

 

[MeatBike]

The part will be fitted to an eMTB, Sir? That'll be an extra 10-15%, Sir. Kerching.

It's up there with Muc-Off over charging for generic products just because they added a bit of pink to it. Latest one I saw from them was £120 for a £15 Aliexpress dust blower!

 

[b33k34]

Mine fell off after 2 rides.

We've had Rises since the early Gen1, swapped to '25 bikes and have yet to lose a badge. They don't seem to be massively strongly attached but it's enough IME. But I'm very much of the 'remove all stickers and badges' school - I'm not sure why I've not taken it off (my forks/shocks/rims and anything else with a removable brand run stickerless)

 

[MeatBike]

We've had Rises since the early Gen1, swapped to '25 bikes and have yet to lose a badge. They don't seem to be massively strongly attached but it's enough IME. But I'm very much of the 'remove all stickers and badges' school - I'm not sure why I've not taken it off (my forks/shocks/rims and anything else with a removable brand run stickerless)

I'm usually in the "remove all stickers" camp too.

This was my old Mega, will all stickers removed:

(sidenote: as much as people hate headset cable routing on modern bikes it looks a damn sight better than the birds nest routing on that bike! )

The Trek which replaced the Mega had stealth black Fox decals on the fork so I left those on.

I'll probably end up taking the gold Fox fork decals off my Rise at some point.

 

[Backflip]

Still interested to know if the EP801 RS has the adjustable overrun and cut-off features that Shimano added to the standard EP801?

Orbea does not use any own "RS" (which maybe better should be branded "BS") motor firmware (despite their claims about that) but just uses the standard motor firmware from Shimano and reduced some motor settings (like max. torque and max. peak power) via some hidden fuctions from Shimano which exists since many years already. This pure and simple reduction of these settings is named "riders synergy" (RS) from Orbea and a very colourful special sticker for this is badly glued to the right hand side motor cover of the related DU-EP600, DU-EP800 or DU-EP801 drive unit.
This is all behind the genious (stupid) "RS" woodoo.
Don´t get me wrong: Orbea designs and develops some of the finest and most perfect e-bikes and especially bike frames, but their marketing department is going completely nuts and it is a shame on how they cheat customers by their "very special own developed and created RS" motorfirmware.
So, for sure you also can activate and use the "assist carry over" functionality (commonly but falsely very often known as "overrun") and "cut-off" features introduced in motor firmware 4.3.0 for the DU-EP801 by Shimano via their E-Tube-Project - software, see here, go down to “Firmware Updates” and then use “Filter by Model No”, then “DU-EP801”. See also this forum post.

 

[Tonybro]

Orbea's marketing wasn't BS. It was research that told them some riders were interested in an e-bike but wanted a more lightweight analogue feel. Already having a full fat e-bike, I wanted something lighter. Back in 2021 options were limited and Orbea fulfilled the brief.

I love my Rise and have kept it with the restrictions applied knowing I could switch to full 85Nm. In summary, no BS just filling a market niche and demand.

 

[Backflip]

Orbea's marketing wasn't BS. It was research that told them some riders were interested in an e-bike but wanted a more lightweight analogue feel. Already having a full fat e-bike, I wanted something lighter. Back in 2021 options were limited and Orbea fulfilled the brief.

I love my Rise and have kept it with the restrictions applied knowing I could switch to full 85Nm. In summary, no BS just filling a market niche and demand.

Please carefully read my lines before you argue.
Orbea marketed the "RS" (riders synergy) as an own developed motor firmware which was a complete lie because, as explained before, they use the very official motor firmware from Shimano and have not developed a single piece of byte in this motor firmware!
I personally was confronting the executives from Orbea on a bike exhibition and they admitted this "mistake in public relation affairs".
I didn´t say that Orbea has not invented a great and perfect lightweight bike (which it is), but the "RS" advertising as an own developed motor firmware was definitely cheating customers and so it is "BS".
I ride an Orbea Rise too and I also love it, but the first thing was to unleash the full max. peak power and max. torque range of the standard Shimano STePS drive unit with the eMax-Tuning software, so I can decide by myself how many assistance this great drive unit will give to me when on a ride.

 

[MeatBike]

Didn't they just ask Shimano to tune it down a bit so it better suits the lighter bike and smaller batteries?

Regardless, they're great bikes and I'm very happy with mine.

 

[Backflip]

Didn't they just ask Shimano to tune it down a bit so it better suits the lighter bike and smaller batteries?

Exactly, that is what they did and they just have used the standard motor firmware from Shimano and reduced some motor settings (like max. torque and max. peak power) via some hidden fuctions from Shimano which exists since many years already. This is absolutely fine, but this clever trick should not have been marketed as "own developed motor firmware by Orbea" what they did. Reducing some parameters with already existing functionalities and developing a complete own software are 2 completely pair of shoes and that "RS" woodoo should not be marketed as an own developed firmware. This - at least in my eyes - is cheating customers.
Look at this video for example:

No, it is NOT Orbea´s new RS firmware - it is the absolute official standard firmware from Shimano with some reduced settings for max. peak power and max. torque range! That is fact.

Regardless, they're great bikes and I'm very happy with mine.

That is absolutely true and I am also very happy with my Orbea, but I don´t like these overexagerated marketing campaings and lies at all.
All I wanted to say and wanted every Orbea rider to know is that Orbea has NOT developed an own motor firmware at all, but the firmware is completely form Shimano and every new firmware update which only can be downloaded with the E-Tube-Project - software from Shimano will be downloaded from Shimano´s servers all the times.

 

[MeatBike]

Exactly, that is what they did and they just have used the standard motor firmware from Shimano and reduced some motor settings (like max. torque and max. peak power) via some hidden fuctions from Shimano which exists since many years already. This is absolutely fine, but this clever trick should not have been marketed as "own developed motor firmware by Orbea" what they did. Reducing some parameters with already existing functionalities and developing a complete own software are 2 completely pair of shoes and that "RS" woodoo should not be marketed as an own developed firmware. This - at least in my eyes - is cheating customers.

That is absolutely true and I am also very happy with my Orbea, but I don´t like these overexagerated marketing campaings and lies at all.
All I wanted to say and wanted every Orbea rider to know is that Orbea has NOT developed an own motor firmware at all, but the firmware is completely form Shimano and every new firmware update which only can be downloaded with the E-Tube-Project - software from Shimano will be downloaded from Shimano´s servers all the times.

It does seem a bit disingenuous, but most companies are full of marketing bullshit. I just look at the data/specs rather than the lifestyle or ideal they're trying to sell me.

 

[Backflip]

but most companies are full of marketing bullshit.

You are absolutely correct and in my eyes, this is a shame and should be corrected.
But when things are good (like the Orbea Rise is) and I have bought such a nice gear, it pi... me off if they claim that they have invented something which is not true and still after years, they insist in this and the "RS" story goes on and on and nobody is questioning this story and just believes it.
These lines here are just for some (maybe) Orbea riders to get them know that the bike is most probably the most perfect light e-MTB, but the marketing deparment of Orbea is cheating customers with absolutely false claims.
Nothing more, nothing less.

 

[b33k34]

What is then, if it's not 'firmware' - there are some motor settings that are not 'overwritten' when Shimano update their firmware. And is it actually just as simple as limits on power and torque? I've certainly seen it suggested that the way the power is delivered is different - requiring a higher (more 'analogue') cadence for the motor to deliver support than on a 'standard' Shimano motor.

 

[Backflip]

What is then, if it's not 'firmware' - there are some motor settings that are not 'overwritten' when Shimano update their firmware. And is it actually just as simple as limits on power and torque? I've certainly seen it suggested that the way the power is delivered is different - requiring a higher (more 'analogue') cadence for the motor to deliver support than on a 'standard' Shimano motor.

This exactly happens due to the rumours spread by Orbea: In the end you believe in this magic "RS" voodoo.
Fact is: Orbea just decreased the max. peak power and the max. torque range of the motor with some already existing hidden functions of Shimano, nothing less, nothing more.
On the newer DU-EP600 and DU-EP801 drive units, they also use the "standard" feature of the newly created FineTune mode and the selection between the 2 profiles (on Orbea bikes mostly named "RS" and "RSPlus", see down below) which are available on every standard DU-EP600, DU-EP800 and DU-EP801 drive unit to add some extra "Orbea voodoo".
However, these are all standard functionalities of the Shimano motor firmware and have nothing to do with any own "Orbea development":

See here the official Shimano website where you exactly can individually set these settings and also name the 2 profiles by yourself on every DU-EP600, DU-EP800, DU-EP801 (and now also DU-EP500), so not just on Orbea "RS" drive units (which does not exist at all). Every "RS" branded drive unit is just a plain, ordinary Shimano standard STePS drive unit with reduced settings for max. peak power and max. torque range.
I know that seems to be very strange, but this is due to the ongoing Orbea "RS"/"BS" marketing campaign which confuses a lot of Orbea riders and interested people in this topic...

Just a question to make it clear: Why will you need to use the standard E-Tube-Project software (Bluetooth based Cyclist app or Windows based Professional program) to update the motor firmware (which then will be linked to the official server from Shimano for their motor firmware, see here, go down to “Firmware Updates” and then use “Filter by Model No”, then “DU-EP600” “DU-EP800” or “DU-EP801”) for an Orbea bike if there would be a very special motor firmware for Orbea? There is no other way to update motor firmware on an Orbea bike other than via the standard E-Tube-Project software from Shimano. So, there is no "very special Orbea" motor firmware at all and Orbea is just using the standard motor firmware of Shimano, but insists in this "RS" lie since many years...