Back at it with a bike that’s a bit out of the norm for us. We’ve got the Orbea Urrun. It’s a hardtail, and it’s an eMTB. It rocks the lighter weight, lower power Shimano EP8 RS and a decent-sized 540Wh battery. All-in-all, it’s designed to go far. In fact, Urrun in the Basque language means far. So today, we’re trying to go far. We’re going to kill a battery while talking about who this bike is for. Stick around to see if it’s the right eMTB for you.

Orbea Urrun Drivesystem and details

The Orbea Urrun uses the same drive system as the Orbea Rise. It’s designed to be lighter-weight and more natural. You’ll find the Shimano EP8 RS on all Urrun models. The RS version of the EP8 offers 60Nm of peak torque. Pair the reduced power motor with a 540 Wh battery, and you have a bike that’s going to last a long time.

I set out to kill a battery. I left from my house with a full charge and no end goal in mind. I rode any trail I came across. I did the entire ride in boost to alumnae variables. Plus, boost is a good time, and I like having a good time. The battery life indicator turned red right as I pulled into my driveway. I had tallies 23 miles and 3500 feet of elevation gain un under two and a half hours. Considering I never used any mode lower than boost, I’d consider that to be excellent battery life. 

As far as the Urrun’s geometry goes, it’s fairly conservative. I’ve seen slacker hardtails as well as much sportier ones. It comes in with a 66° head tube angle, a 74.5° seat tube angle, and a 460mm reach. The chainstays are 445mm long. Add all of that up, and you have a 1220mm wheelbase in size XL. Obviously, there is no rear wheel travel, but the bike comes stock with a 120mm Fox 34 Performance fork. The Maxxis Ardent tires are both fairly lightweight and fast rolling. 

My biggest gripe about the bike is the brakes. I struggled to find the power I wanted with the Magura brakes. The small brake rotors weren’t doing those brakes any favors either, especially on an ebike. 

Orbea Urrun Review

Uphill

The Urrun does a great job of climbing. It has excellent and well-balanced geometry leading toa bike that will tick off miles pretty damn quickly. Without any rear suspension to add to the equation, all the performance comes down to geometry. The Urrun’s geometry does a nice job of plopping you right between the two wheels. It’s a comfortable position and allows for great control over the bike. 

Given that it’s a hardtail, there is a certain lack of traction on steep and loose climbs. When you pair a hardtail with a motor, I would imagine that’s bound to happen. If this were my bike, I’d opt for some gripper tires both in the front and rear. I don’t think the weight and rolling resistance penalty would be all that noticeable. The gains in traction would add to the Urrun’s technical climbing abiltiy.  

Overall I’m pleased with the Urrun’s climbing ability. It doe a great job of covering a lot of ground in a quick manner. I’d love a little more traction, but I think that could be solved with some different tires. 

Downhill

The Urrun isn’t what I’d call a shred-ready mountain bike. It’s certainly a mountain bike, but It’s not one I’d be looking to push my limits on. Instead, I see it as a bike that allows me to ride from my house, explore new trails and enjoy a day outside. 

I spent most of my time on the Urrun riding blues, greens, and the occasional black diamond. And to be perfectly candid, that’s really the only terrain I’d want to ride on the bike. I’m not looking to push my limits on this bike. Instead, I’d rather take it for what it is and enjoy a nice day outside. The Urrun is perfect for that style of adventure riding. It’s capable enough to let you try a couple of dicey moves without breaking a collarbone, but it’s never going to leave you feeling overbiked. It’s the kind of bike for exploring your backyard, heading out to new trail systems, riding around the campground with your kids, and just enjoying a day outside in the sun.

The handling on the Urrun is on the sporty side. There are certainly sportier hardtails as well as lacker, burlier ones as well—the Urrun finds itself right in the middle. It’s quick and nimble, yet I wouldn’t call it twitchy. It’s obviously not the plushest ride, given it has zero rear suspension and only 120mm up front. Still, I found myself pleasantly surprised at how comfortable I felt going downhill on it. 

Overall, I’d put the Urrun in the well-balanced descender category. With a couple of tweaks (tires and brakes), I think it could be a pretty solid descender without giving up much on the climbs.  

Who is the Oreba Urrun for?

This is a bit of a fun category to talk about. It has a wide range of people that would enjoy it. The first group I’d recommend the Urrun to are the folks who are happiest on blues and greens. They don’t want to get rowdy, and they don’t care to hit jumps or gnarly descents. These folks will love the Urrun for its lively handling and long-lasting battery. It facilitates adventure rides and never leaves you feeling overbiked.

Personally, I like this bike for a commuter, cruiser, or MTB that does it all. I’d love to ride to work on the Urrun in the morning and then take a lap or two on the local trails on my way home. It’s the kind of bike I’d take camping with my kids when I wasn’t sure if there were trails on not. I’d like it for lazy Sunday rides and exploration missions alike.

Well, that does it for the Urrun. Thanks for sticking around. We’ll ll see you next time.