The Rallon by Orbea is a very composed enduro bike. While the geometry keeps it out of the hard-charging enduro bike categories, it is a super good climber and comfortable all-day rider. The MyO customized paint option provided by Orbea will allow you to have the stealthiest or flashiest bike on the hill if you so choose. The rear linkage has been updated and raised to increase bottom out support and create a more responsive ride while also maintaining control while braking. This bike is excellent if you are not the biggest fan of all of the new modern geometry these days and live in an area where there is a lot of vertical gains to be climbed.

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With very few changes from the old model, the Orbea Rallon remains a super capable enduro specialist with a flair for the dramatic with it’s personalized paint options. The Rallon is a treat on the eyes with clean lines, and again, the million personalized paint and component options mean that there is a Rallon out there for you—you just haven’t designed it yet.

The Bike

The Orbea Rallon has taken the modern geometry to heart and has gone with some slack angles for the head and seat tubes. There is also a flip-chip on the rear suspension that will adjust angles slightly. The one measurement that doesn’t make a lot of sense in the world of “long, low, slack” is the reach. The reach on a large frame is 455mm, about 20mm shorter than a lot of its competition. Now, 20mm doesn’t seem like a lot, but at speed, it can make quite a difference with rider position and bike stability. The new rear suspension linkage is said to improve pedaling efficiency and keep everything nice and controlled during climbs and descents. With a similarly high pivot point and system like Trek’s Active Braking Pivot, this bike pedals really well and brakes well while keeping all the traction in the tires.

The Orbea does have a custom frame bag. It is sort of similar—but not really—to the SWAT system by Specialized. This is certainly a nice addition to help store tubes and tools if you aren’t a person who likes to ride with a pack.

Climbing

With the improved rear linkage, Orbea has definitely improved the pedaling efficiency of the Rallon. You step on the pedals, and it moves. The redesigned rear linkage also makes it feel like those little bumps aren’t even there, and the bike floats over roots and rocks without impacting pedaling performance. With the shorter frame reach, the maneuverability and slow-speed handling are really impressive, and with a 435mm chainstay, the rear end will respond just as quickly. The geometry helps the rider stay right over the handlebars to keep the front wheel planted on hard climbs.

Downhill

A shorter reach does have a trade-off in the stability when it comes to the speed department. While the bike handles like it is on rails and the rider position keeps the front wheel in control to reduce understeer, it can get a little nerve-wracking at really high speeds. Rider confidence is not as inspired as it is on other bikes that have a longer reach and wheelbase. It comes down to the frame size that you opt to purchase—a larger frame will create more stability while a shorter frame will handle well and be snappy but be a bit more skittish at speed.

The rear linkage is not as plush as with older models of the Rallon, but it is way more responsive and has a more progressive compression rate to provide bottom-out support. With a higher linkage, the braking is sharp and controlled and doesn’t bounce around, keeping traction under the wheels when you need it most.

The internal cable routing can also get a bit noisy in rougher terrain. This is something Orbea says that internal foam housing has reduced, but some riders really notice the rattling. Also, the chainstay protector is a bit short and makes some noise in the chop.

Build Options

With Orbea, the MyO custom bike painting is only available with the more expensive models. For a frame only with the Fox Float X2 (available with a custom paint job) is $5,299, which is definitely one of the more expensive frame only options on our list.

The Bottom Line

Orbea has created a great Enduro rider. While the geometry is not as modern as with other bikes, some riders will prefer that style of bike. It handles and climbs ridiculously well, at the cost of having high-speed stability. The rear suspension linkage upgrade does make the bike more responsive and keeps the wheels on the ground when you want them there during braking and sharp corners. With a variety of build options and the very cool MyO customization, you’ll stand out on the hill. We really like the Orbea Rallon, just maybe not as much as some of the other enduro-style bikes on the list.

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