Hi. Diomidis from SoCal

[DIomidis]

Hi peeps,
Early middle-aged rider here, riding "all my life" and "eyeing" eMTBs for a long time, but only recently jumped on a "new-to-me" '24 Orbea Rise H10.
I had been locked into getting the Gen 2 Rise LT since it was announced, but this was less than 1/3 the price of a new one, so I decided to "stay low."

As an unapologetic tinkerer, I ended up upgrading a lot of components on it:
XT Shifter from SLX, MT8120 brakes w/ 203 Rotors F&R, DD DHRII / EXO+ Assegai (bin part), PNW Carbon Bar 760/38, PNW "Cement" Grips & Dropper lever (bin parts), PNW Loam 200mm Dropper (bit longer than OE, cause I had to limit it due to insertion conflict with the charging port, i.e. gained like 10-15mm drop, could have skipped that expense), Deity Deftrap pedals & Spank 220 saddle in gray(to match the theme).
Pic is from my last ride and 1st with the upgraded fork, Fox 36 Perf Elite GRIP 2 @ 160mm (up from the OEM 150). 30mm spacers under the OE Stem + the OE Garmin mount. The Fidlock 750ml bottle was the largest I could fit w/o interference with the shock.

My "pedal" bikes are all pedal focused (26lb RM Element C, 24lb Team Marin HT, Trek Checkpoint - I love variety), as I was building up to the idea that if I was to get another long-travel bike, it would be a eMTB, so, this is where the burlier build and the over-forking slots in.

I rarely ride more than 2 times a week. Typically ride my unassisted bikes the weekend with friends, and the Rise solo.

 

[kaylee.s]

Nice bike! I'm in LA, we ride up in the santa Monica mountains and tujunga mostly.

 

[Stihldog]

Welcome to the forums.
Cheers

 

[DIomidis]

Nice bike! I'm in LA, we ride up in the santa Monica mountains and tujunga mostly.

Thanks. I am in North Orange County, riding almost exclusively OC trails. The westernmost area I've ridden so far is Whittier. I've seen the trails you've mentioned, and they are beautiful, but...limited time I'd rather spend riding vs. driving to the trailhead =)

 

[George_KSL]

Any chance you're Dimitris from CGArchitect ;- ) ? I am Juraj, fellow tinkerer (or money waster) of mountain bikes, PCs and Land Cruisers.
E-bikes were life-changing after kids though, my wife and I are on SL-ebikes too. Many happy US 'miles' on the Orbea, great choice!

 

[Paulquattro]

Welcome to the forum

 

[RustyIron]

Thanks. I am in North Orange County, riding almost exclusively OC trails. The westernmost area I've ridden so far is Whittier. I've seen the trails you've mentioned, and they are beautiful, but...limited time I'd rather spend riding vs. driving to the trailhead =)

How far north in North Orange County? If you live any further north than where I'm currently sitting, then you're one of those L.A. County types.

What do you ride? Checking my Strava, the last two weeks I've done El Moro, Laguna Coast, Whiting/Luge, Cannel Plunge. Tomorrow morning the crew is headed to Aliso. It's gonna be beautiful down there.

 

[DIomidis]

I am in Fullerton for like 12-13y and been riding most of them. I do venture south to Aliso, Whiting & Ladera Ranch and West to Santiago Oaks & Chino Hills. I even ride the Santa Ana River trail & Long Beach backbay with roadie friends (on a Checkpoint with GP5000s).

Really new to the eMTB game, so only been in S.Oaks and Floop on the "cheater" bike (exploring the area, not just the classic route).

None of my regular buddies has a eMTB, so on the weekends I typically play along, and if I can get away early from work, I squeeze in rides on the Rise.

 

[DIomidis]

Any chance you're Dimitris from CGArchitect ;- ) ? I am Juraj, fellow tinkerer (or money waster) of mountain bikes, PCs and Land Cruisers.
E-bikes were life-changing after kids though, my wife and I are on SL-ebikes too. Many happy US 'miles' on the Orbea, great choice!

Well, well, small world. Guess you've remembered the avatar (was pulled from w/e has it saved in association with my email, guessing)? Yes, it is I. Still "Architecting" as a professional, but free time is spent more on MTBs than building PCs and blogging/forum warrioring about it...perhaps because I am in a large firm now with an IT dept that has 1/2 the employees my firm during the CGArchitect days had in total.

It is a Lumion/D5 world now, and ordering stuff from Dell & Alienware vs. custom building. I do my own renderings for schematic / early stages of the desing and when it matures, thing get outsourced to dedicated CG team (still Vraying it).

Tinkering goes into the bikes =)

My wife rides too (also an architect), but is not into the steep stuff. She is on a Rocky Mountain "Soul" since COVID times (she wanted a 27.5 and "not too expensive"), but rides on purely XC trails. Bet she wouldn't mind a eMTB but we don't ride enough together for her to justify one.
I have a 8yo who slowly warms up to riding more with me, currently on a Siskiu D24. I originally said I would get the eMTB when I could not keep up with him, but...did not have the patience

 

[RustyIron]

Really new to the eMTB game, so only been in S.Oaks and Floop on the "cheater" bike (exploring the area, not just the classic route).

I got discouraged and quit riding The Loop a couple years ago. When folks started putting in trails over in the oil fields, it was fun. After it became a Whack-A-Mole with the property owners repairing fences and kids cutting access holes, I gave up. I see the Stravas where people are once again riding over there. Maybe I'll try it again soon.

The Oaks is grrrrreat on an eMTB. Up, down, up, down, up, down... you can get all the good downhills and still feel great when you get home. Tell your Amish friends that horses, buggies, and peddle bikes were fine for great grandpa, but this is 2025.

 

[George_KSL]

Well, well, small world. Guess you've remembered the avatar (was pulled from w/e has it saved in association with my email, guessing)? Yes, it is I. Still "Architecting" as a professional, but free time is spent more on MTBs than building PCs and blogging/forum warrioring about it...perhaps because I am in a large firm now with an IT dept that has 1/2 the employees my firm during the CGArchitect days had in total.

It is a Lumion/D5 world now, and ordering stuff from Dell & Alienware vs. custom building. I do my own renderings for schematic / early stages of the desing and when it matures, thing get outsourced to dedicated CG team (still Vraying it).

Tinkering goes into the bikes =)

My wife rides too (also an architect), but is not into the steep stuff. She is on a Rocky Mountain "Soul" since COVID times (she wanted a 27.5 and "not too expensive"), but rides on purely XC trails. Bet she wouldn't mind a eMTB but we don't ride enough together for her to justify one.
I have a 8yo who slowly warms up to riding more with me, currently on a Siskiu D24. I originally said I would get the eMTB when I could not keep up with him, but...did not have the patience

Did you try lending her the Orbea :- ) ?

My wife was into trail riding but grew much more into it with SL e-bike. I made sure to make her LevoSL as light as possible, donating all my "good" stuff, including parting with carbon wheelset and XTR set, etc.. We don't have enough time to ride much together either, so we're each solo warriors (& Solo + kid).

I don't even follow the whole engine thing anymore, I am just waiting for the AI to replace me :- ) (semi-serious, sort of..)