BIKER'S EDGE

Can a 170mm enduro bike be the only bike you need in your arsenal? This new Orbea Rallon might be one of the sexiest, looking bikes, and I’d say that the quality and rideability of the bike mirror its looks. I’ve now ridden this in a few different areas, including local trails around the shop, and a weekend trip in Southern Utah to really see what it can do. This might be one of the best “big bikes” that an everyday Joe Shmo like myself could pick. Stay tuned to see if it’s right for you.

What You Should Know About the Orbea Rallon

Below is the geometry, build spec, and setup for the Orbea Rallon tested in this review. This bike was a size Medium configured with the short chainstay option and ridden in both local trail and Southern Utah terrain. Specs reflect the stock E-LTD build where applicable, with notes on adjustability and configuration options that impact ride feel.

I rode a size M. I’m 5’9″.

Orbea Rallon: Ride Review

Climbing Performance: 0

My initial thoughts and worries about this big bike’s climbing ability had a lot to do with the seated position while pedaling it around the parking lot; Namely what felt like a high front end causing my biggest concern to be whether or not the bike would wander on the climb with how tall the bars were. I was running 20mm of spacers under the stem, which is a fairly normal setup for me, with a 35mm riser bar that was later swapped for a lower rise, 20mm rise bar. 

Come to find out, it pedaled uphill just like a bike in the most positive way. There was zero wandering of the front wheel, The bike was very at home to just settle into the seated position and pedal it up anything I wanted. In the standing efforts I had to do, the bike certainly accelerates and responds well to get up and over the obstacle, but doesn’t push me to stand and sprint often, rather sit and spin.

The rear of the bike had an insane amount of traction to the rear wheel. I purposely would choose sloppy lines throughout the rides, to see what it would do, and never had an issue as I rolled over loose stones, or sandy sections would have allowed the tire to slip on the sandstone rock. 

The steep seat tube was a very notable part of the bike. My initial impression was that I am centered on the bike, which I knew would help with climbing. Not once did I ever find myself scooting forward on the saddle during the steep uphill grinds, whether that was a long sustained climb, or a short punchy, Southern Utah climb. It left me thinking that I could pedal this bike all day long, and probably wouldn’t even complain about it. 

Downhill Capability: +2

Again, my preconceived notions were high on this bike before it even touched dirt. The last big bike I had much time on was a 2022 Santa Cruz Megatower, which was a long time ago, allowing these notions to creep in and alter my expectations, probably for the negative. Being a rider that’s really happy on a playful mid travel Trail Bike, like my Ibis Ripmo that’s sitting in my garage, I thought this bike was going to be a point and shoot type of bike. I thought big bikes lack character, but the Rallon unraveled that idea on the first descent. 

This bike might as well not have brakes on it, or maybe this is the bike we test out bluetooth brakes if it’s ever going to happen. It is insanely fast, and allows you to push it, and keep pushing it. I literally laughed out loud in several sections because I didn’t need to touch brakes. These are all trails I have ridden a lot, I’m familiar with where I can gain speed, and where I need to scrub speed going into certain things, and lap after lap, I found myself using way less brakes and throwing in some pedal strokes in new areas. I’m not a huge Strava guy, but looked back through my rides after this, and saw lots of new badges and PRs for almost everything. I 100% can say this bike made me faster, because I have not been riding as much this year as in years past, and I broke PRs going back six or seven years.

Suspension Performance: +1

What isn’t there to love about a 170mm travel bike in terms of suspension? It has tons. Again, I was worried about the point and shoot feel of an Enduro bike, but there’s a lot of good here in so many ways. The suspension was far more supportive than I would have thought, and is basically bottomless. Maybe I need to ride harder, but I made some sloppy moves, and never felt a harsh bottom out ever. 

One of my first rides on the Rallon proved how good the suspension is. I rode a faster flow trail, that is way more comfortable on a 120mm bike than anything bigger due to how many G-outs there are. This bike remained supportive throughout each dip of the G-out, to an almost laughable level. These are the type of deep transfers that just swallow the rear suspension and big bikes tend to lose speed, but the support through the stroke was amazing, with a minimal speed impact. 

Handling: +2

The bike popped and played better than I would have expected, and I found it full of personality. I nod my head to Orbea for getting here, because historically I’ve found their bikes planted and glued to the ground, but this was my type of bike- Playful, easy to change directions for those weird side hits, all while being stable and capable. 

The wheelbase of this bike is an inch longer than any bike I’ve spent time on recently, so naturally I was worried it would feel long, and worried about the BB height and brakeover angle. I didn’t want to feel like I was driving a long bed truck on a trail that I should be in a Jeep, and that BB height and brakeover angle was certainly in my head going down to Southern Utah. As I rolled through the first few obstacles and would brace for BB impact, it never happened. I think throughout my time riding this, I’ve kissed the bottom of the bike once, maybe. 

The wheelbase also proved to be a non-issue negotiating tight turns as the bike rides extremely nimble. Granted, I’m on the shorter 442mm stays, but have ridden it both mullet and 29, and it never felt too long or cumbersome to corner or negotiate tight sections of trail. I adapted easily to the length, and don’t think about it at all switching around through my bikes and getting back on this.

Versatility: +1

I think this needs to be addressed in two parts- Versatility as a one bike, and versatility as a big enduro bike. As a single bike, I’d put it high up on my list as a do-it-all bike if I lived in an area that justified it. I certainly wouldn’t complain about pedaling this on long days compared to other big bikes I’ve ridden, as long as the payout to point it down hill and push it is there.

As a big enduro bike, I would call this a very versatile bike. It can climb all day, and descend down anything you dare ride it down. It’s playful, and very capable. Let’s also not forget how versatile it is with two configurations; Enduro, and DH. If the 170mm bike isn’t enough, it’s not hard to source a few parts from Orbea along with some suspension bits, to convert this to a full 200mm downhill bike. 

Intangibles: +1

The biggest complaint I had about the bike very early on, is at 5’8”, a 29er should never be allowed on the back of a medium framed, 170mm travel bike, and I’ve got the rubber marks on my shorts to prove it. Orbea offers the mullet link for a very reasonable price if you have a wheel already, but if not you have to upgrade the wheelset for $419. In my perfect medium world, it would come mullet, or have the option without the upcharge of the upgraded wheelset. 

One of my gripes with this bike was the suspension setup. Orbea has a great setup guide in their “Blue Papers”, which is their owners manual, so that’s not the issue. It was actually getting to the shock that was a bit of a pain. You can pop the bottom door off of the frame, but I wasn’t able to turn any settings without dropping a couple of bolts out and rocking the linking forward. This makes trail or even parking lot adjustments less desirable, and really wanting me to have it set up in my garage on my stand. 

I just don’t think I should have to flip a bike over on the trail, and loosen bolts, to adjust my shock compression and rebound. I know that I’m very likely not adjusting these settings every ride, but I wish it was easier. 

If looks could kill, this would do it. We’ve had a Rallon on our sales floor in this white color since it came out, and it catches eyes everyday. It’s been a great conversation starter as I catch people staring at it. Conor’s good with a camera, but the paint on this is something special that I hope can be caught well.  Think of a nice Lexus or BMW with the white flake paint, it’s subtle, but adds more to the looks than just a normal white paint job. The Rallon logo on the top tube isn’t a crowd favorite, but can be removed on the MyO custom designer if it’s not for you.

Integrated tools are also another nice touch on this bike along with the Garmin mount. Orbea hides a small multi tool in the pivot that magnetizes inside and doesn’t rattle or move until you need it. Along with that, if you need a 6mm for axles or anything else, that’s hidden on the rear axle and just needs to be wiggled out to use it. I’m a Garmin guy, so it’s nice to jump on an Orbea everytime and already have a nice Garmin mount that integrates seamlessly with the stem and headset spacers. 

Orbea Rallon: Comparisons

The comparisons below are based on bikes we’ve spent real time on, not quick parking-lot laps. The goal isn’t to crown a winner, but to give context for where the Rallon fits and how it feels relative to other big-travel options.

---

Who is the Orbea Rallon for?

Rider Profile: The timer

This bike is for the rider who wants to step up to the big bike, knowing it’s going to be pedaled a lot. For our customers around the shop, it’s the guy who wants a versatile big bike. It’ll be lift-accessed Ski Resorts, pedaled to really fun skidder trails around Park City, and be taken to Southern Utah and Moab for weekend trips. This might be this rider’s first enduro bike, but it’s going to feel like home really quickly thanks to how well rounded it is.

---

Rider Profile: The enduro regular

This is for the hardcore rider that is looking for that next enduro bike. They’re likely replacing a few year old enduro bike, be it Rallon, Megatower, etc, and want the latest and greatest new rig. They push the bike hard, ride it steep and fast, and want a bike that can handle that and reward it. 

---

Rider Profile: The builder

This is the bike for the parts bin guy. You’ve pulled parts off of bikes to swap this and that around, and you just need a frame to build a bike back up. Only have a 29er wheelset? Great, that works. Mullet? Even better. You have a Fox 40 laying around and want to relive the DH days, throw it on this. Only have that old DH drivetrain? Fine, build a sweet park bike. It’s a tinker toy, and that to me is so cool to not be locked into one type of bike long term.

---

Final Thoughts

The Orbea Rallon is a big bike that doesn’t feel boxed into one job. It pedals better than expected, rewards being pushed hard, and has enough adjustability to evolve with how and where you ride. Whether it’s your first enduro bike, a replacement for an older big rig, or a frame you build into something specific, the Rallon feels balanced, capable, and easy to live with—which is what ultimately makes it stand out.

Orbea rallon FAQ