Meanwhile, there are several ebikes on the market featuring TQ’s smallest motor, the HPR40. However, there are still no e-mountain bikes among them. Until now. Orbea has unveiled the new Rallon RS. And this model is a first in three respects. Firstly, it is the first e-MTB ever to feature this drive system. Secondly, Orbea is using a TQ HPR40 on one of its own ebikes for the first time. And thirdly, the manufacturer is implementing an ebike system in which all electronic components are networked with each other and powered by a single source.
1. Power and information in constant flow
2. Fox shock exclusively for the Orbea Rallon RS
3. Dropper post: classic or smart?
4. TQ HPR40 motor with unprecedented power delivery
5. Battery providing important reserve
6. Orbea Rallon RS: Enduro and much more
7. Only one of two models with all electronic features
1. Power and information in constant flow
You probably know how good it feels when everything runs like a charm. When all gears engage. When your left hand knows what your right hand is doing. Pick your favourite metaphor. Orbea wants to give you exactly that feeling with the new Rallon RS. To do this, the manufacturer has taken a few puzzle pieces, each of which is a great feature in its own right:
- Orbea RS Control System – gateway box for information exchange within the ebike system
- Orbea RS HMI Remote – control unit for centralised control of all components
- TQ HPR40 – ebike motor with extremely low weight and compact dimensions
- Fox X2 eNeo Live Valve – further development of the electronic control system Fox Live Valve for suspension forks and shocks
- Shimano XTR Di2 and Shimano XT Di2 – electronic derailleurs, each with one chainring and twelve sprockets
Orbea combines these puzzle pieces in the Rallon RS to create a whole that is – for the moment – unique. This digital ecosystem includes the ebike motor, the associated battery, the electronically controlled suspension fork, shock and dropper seatpost as well as the derailer. Orbea connects the components using CAN bus technology. Compared to simpler electronic connections, the protocol transmits not only power but also data. This means that all parts communicate with each other.
For example, information from various sensors is exchanged. Integrated sensors include acceleration sensors, tilt sensors on the brake caliper mounts, sensors for detecting the position of the seat post, and all the sensors in the TQ HPR40. The system knows the following at every second:
- how fast you are riding,
- which gear the derailleur is currently in,
- how much power you are applying to the pedals,
- how many watts the motor is assisting with, and
- whether the ebike is currently on a flat section, an incline or a descent.
2. Fox shock exclusively for the Orbea Rallon RS
Not all of the components offer this level of functionality in their original form. This means that Orbea, together with its respective partners, has put countless hours of development work into the Rallon RS. The shock was developed in collaboration with Fox specifically for Orbea. Previously, it had its own power supply. Now, as mentioned, it is integrated into the ebike system. Fox itself has not yet publicly unveiled the Float X2 Live Valve Neo. It is expected to hit the market in April 2026 and will then probably gradually appear on other e-mountain bikes.
There are three settings for the Fox X2 eNeo Live Valve: Open, Standard and Firm. Depending on the selection, the shock behaves differently while riding. It opens and closes faster or slower. The selected mode also influences how sensitively the suspension reacts to vibrations and when it responds. You can access the corresponding selection by pressing and holding the light button on the Orbea RS HMI Remote for more than one second.
Regardless of the three modes, the suspension reacts fundamentally to the detected riding situation. If the Rallon RS lowers at the front, the system assumes you are riding downhill and allows for a lot of suspension travel. If the rear wheel takes a lower position than the front wheel, everything points to an uphill climb and the suspension travel is shortened so that you can pedal as effectively as possible. The system even detects jumps and flight phases and immediately switches to a setting that allows you to land as gently as possible.
3. Dropper post: classic or smart?
What the seat post does during this time can also be determined to a large extent using the control unit. First, you decide whether it should behave like a conventional mechanical seat post. If so, press and hold the RS lever on the control unit for more than five seconds and then select Classic Mode. The seat post will then move up or down as soon as you press the small lever, reducing the pressure on the saddle.
However, we recommend the second option, Smart Mode. This mode offers three actions. When you press the lever briefly, the seat post extends to 100 per cent and lowers to 100 per cent when you lower it. However, it does not do this immediately, but only when you actually get out of the saddle or apply pressure.
If you press the lever on the control unit twice, the seat post moves to a previously stored intermediate position. Orbea has set this partial drop to 20 per cent of the stroke ex works. You can change this value in Orbea’s RS app. Only in the next step did the saddle move down completely. Or back to the fully extended position. Depending on what the situation on the trail requires.
If you press and hold the lever in Smart Mode, the seat post will behave like a mechanical version. So, this setting is always available to you. That’s why we would choose Smart Mode.
4. TQ HPR40 motor with unprecedented power delivery
In addition to the suspension system, the Orbea RS HMI Remote can of course also be used to control the motor. To switch between the three assistance levels Rally, Range and Ultra, simply press the plus or minus button. However, the way the motor responds to your input will be significantly different from what you may be used to with other ebike drives. This is because the TQ HPR40 is a very special motor. Weighing just under 1.1 kilograms, it is around 1.5 kilograms lighter than the currently highly acclaimed DJI Avinox, for example. It also takes up only about half the space of the full-power motor. The differences compared to motors from other manufacturers are even greater. Accordingly, the support you can reasonably expect from such a unit is reduced.
It is not without reason that TQ advertises the ‘natural’ riding experience that the HPR40 provides. However you interpret ‘natural’ for yourself, in this case it means remembering the 100 per cent support that this motor provides. Orbea has even been given access to the firmware by TQ. In the setup that the manufacturer has specified for the Rallon RS, the HPR40 never provides more power than you are applying to the pedals at that moment. And at 200 watts, that’s the end of the line. By then, the motor has already reached its maximum. You will only feel it significantly if your own power output is at least 150 watts. In the economical Range Mode or the even more economical Ultra Mode, it should ideally be 250 watts or 350 watts respectively.
Smooth transition between ebike and regular bike
The motor power can be reduced even further during descents. There is a specific Descend Mode for this. You activate it by pressing and holding the plus button. Especially on longer descents, this could be a way to ensure a riding experience similar to that of a regular bike and to conserve the battery.
A little fun fact at this point: On its website, the manufacturer does not classify the e-mountain bike as an ebike at all. Instead, it is listed under mountain bikes, alongside regular models without electric assistance. This makes it clear what kind of bike Orbea considers the Rallon RS to be.
5. Battery providing important reserve
The advantage of this modest power output: unusually long range. Logical. A motor that holds back for a long time and is limited to a maximum of 200 watts consumes correspondingly little power. As a result, the permanently installed battery with its capacity of 290 watt hours can cover quite a few kilometres and metres of elevation gain. In the end, the statistics probably show slower average speeds than with an ebike with a more powerful motor. However, with the Rallon RS, Orbea is probably not concerned with times, but with the feeling you experience while riding.
If some of you flinched a little at the beginning of this article when you read that this ebike powers all its components from a single battery, let us clarify: No, when the ebike battery is empty, not all systems, including the gear shift, suddenly come to a standstill. There is a permanent reserve. This ensures that you can shift gears and operate the seat post when the motor has to stop working. At this point, however, you should seriously consider recharging. 😉
To conclude the battery topic, we should mention the optional range extender. The V01 from TQ would give you an additional 160 watt hours and can be easily mounted on the mount on the down tube.
6. Orbea Rallon RS: Enduro and much more
Fortunately, the rest of the story of the Orbea Rallon RS requires a little less technical detail. The model is directly linked to the Rallon, with which the manufacturer has enjoyed considerable success in professional sport. Its carbon frame offers space for a suspension system with 180 mm of travel at the front and 170 mm at the rear. This clearly places the bike in the enduro category. The manufacturer has managed to achieve a weight difference of just 1.3 kg between the Rallon RS and the Rallon. In the lightest version, this means a weight of around 17.5 kg for the ebike.
Given its low weight combined with such a long suspension travel, this e-mountain bike is ideal for riding on a wide variety of terrain. To enable you to adjust it to different requirements, the bottom bracket can be lowered to two different heights thanks to a flip chip for the shock. In the high position, you get more ground clearance and slightly steeper angles for narrower, less steep trails. In the low position, on the other hand, the centre of gravity shifts down slightly, which ensures a more stable riding position.
At the same time, you can change the head angle by 0.75 degrees. This is done via the lower cups in the headset. You can remove and reverse these to give the Orbea Rallon RS slightly different characteristics.
7. Only one of two models with all electronic features
Speaking of characteristics. Before making a purchase, you should think about how, what and perhaps where you want to ride the bike. The manufacturer is launching a version featuring a mullet wheelset and another with standard 29-inch wheels. If you prefer more agile handling, the mullet setup is the right choice for you. If you value control and stability more, the version with the large wheels may be a better fit.
Orbea offers both the mullet setup and the 29er in two different configurations. The LTD version starts at 14,199 euros and comes with all the top features, including electronic suspension. For 10,999 euros, you’ll have to do without these features in the Team version. At least there is the option to retrofit them.
In addition to the hefty price tag, there is another downside. It was mentioned that Orbea uses Shimano’s electronic Di2 shifting system. On ebikes with Shimano motors, we are used to seeing the Auto-Shift and Free-Shift functions. However, neither of these could be implemented within the fully networked system using a TQ motor.
Orbea Rallon RS at a glance
- Models: Orbea Rallon RS-LTD, Orbea Rallon RS-Team, Orbea Rallon RS-LTD Mullet, Orbea Rallon RS-Team Mullet
- Frame: Carbon
- Frame sizes: S, M, L, XL
- Shock: Fox Float X2 Live Valve Neo Factory Trunnion Evol LV, Fox Float X2 Factory Trunnion
- Suspension fork: Fox 38 Float Factory 180
- Motor: TQ-HPR40
- Battery: TQ HPR 290Wh
- Control unit: Orbea RS HMI Remote
- Drivetrain: Shimano XTR M9260, Shimano XT M8260 SGS
- Brakes: Shimano XTR 9200, Shimano XT 8220
- Weight: from approx. 17.5 kg
- Maximum permitted total weight: n.a.
- Colours: Fuel Carbon View Matt – Magic Gold Matt, Frozen Concrete Gloss – Carbon View Matt
- Prices: from 10,999 euros
Pictures: Orbea S. Coop. N.I.F.