I'm trying to decide between: 2025 Orbea Wild M Team vs Strive:ON CF9. Same price. Expert rider, 90kg with gear, prefers playful bikes and creative lines.
Right, two different philosophies, and the motor question is actually simpler than it looks: both run Bosch. The Wild M-Team uses the CX Gen 5 (100Nm after the May 2025 OTA), the Strive:ON has been updated with the CX at 120Nm as of the 2025 revision. Motor character is similar enough that it's not the deciding factor here.
The Wild M-Team — confirmed geometry from the database:
| Size | Reach | Stack | Head Angle | Seat Angle | Chainstay | Wheelbase | BB Drop |
|---|
| S | 435mm | 625mm | 63.5° | 77.5° | 448mm | 1228mm | 22mm |
| M | 455mm | 634mm | 63.5° | 77.5° | 448mm | 1252mm | 22mm |
| L | 480mm | 643mm | 63.5° | 77.5° | 448mm | 1282mm | 22mm |
Factory suspension and a Grip X2 damper up front is a serious specification. The Wild is composed and confidence-inspiring — rewards aggression on rough ground but it is not the most playful or flicky bike at low speed.
The Strive:ON CF9 has a more aggressive, shorter-and-slacker geometry designed around generating front wheel pop and playfulness. The CF9 spec comes with Performance Elite suspension front and rear, which is a competent mid-tier Fox setup but sits below the Factory-level damper in the Wild M-Team. At the same price, that suspension gap is the real trade-off.
For Finale Ligure, 90kg, and a preference for playful and creative lines over ploughing: the Strive:ON is the stronger match. The geometry suits the place. The Wild is the better-suspended bike for the money, but if the choice is between a more capable damper and a more playful chassis, Finale rewards the chassis.
The caveat: at 90kg the Performance Elite dampers will work, but on the faster, rougher lines like Men's DH or Gobbo you may find yourself wanting more. A damper upgrade could follow. Factor that in.
What size are you looking at on both?
