Known Issues & Problems with Orbea Products + Help, Solutions & Fixes

[Ann M.]

No ebike is perfect, this is a thread dedicated to sharing known issues or problems with electric bikes from Orbea as well as any help and solutions you know of. Sometimes that means a DIY fix and other times it can mean a recall, software update or part replacement by a dealer.

Please be respectful and constructive with feedback, this is not a space for hate speech. In many cases, representatives from the company will see feedback and use it to improve their product. In the end, the goal is to enjoy riding and help each other go further and be safer.

 

[Karl]

I'm considering the Orbea Gain with the rear hub motor (Ebikemotion X35 v.2) and wondering if anyone has an idea how to "fix" the speed limiter of 25 kph. There is a sensor in the right rear dropout and 20 magnets in the cassette lock ring. Do you think removing 10 of the magnets (every other one) would allow the bike to theoretically go at twice the speed (not allowing for the physics of resistances)? I'm not sure yet, but the USA model may be tuned by the factory to go 20 mph, which I believe is the allowed speed in the USA.

 

[Mtbross]

I saw a Youtube video from someone in the UK on tricking a Giant road-e bike to get the higher U.S. assisted speed, which is 28mph on my Giant. But that bike uses a different type of sensor and position. I'm really not familiar with that set-up in the Orbea hub, but think it might work by indicating 1/2 the speed with 1/2 of the magnets. However it might be a moot point.

I spoke with an Orbea dealer here in the U.S. who said he's not that familiar with the 2019 e-bikes yet, but thought his rep said it would max assist at either 15 or 20mph. Another dealer has a video previewing the 2019 line and states it's max is 15mph here in the U.S. I would think that with the lighter bikes made by Orbea, tricking it to max from 15 mph to 20 mph - if that were possible - wouldn't be worth the risk of breaking the bike or warranty. And it might be for naught if the max speed is 15 anyway. Now if it would go 28mph.......another story. Though my Giant e-bike tops assist at 28mph. I never use that on climbs (I do ride to workout), but will use it if I'm faced with a strong headwind (okay, moderate headwind too), or at the end of a long ride and just want to get home, or if I'm needing to maintain a higher downhill speed. Which is why I chose the Giant now, instead of waiting for the new Orbea. But I love the idea of a lighter, more stealth e road bike so one may be in my future, even if it maxes at 15mph.

However, if I had the Orbea, I wouldn't take the risk of doing irreversible damage or voiding the warranty. If you really want 28mph assist, get a bike that will provide it.

 

[Mtbross]

I saw a Youtube video from someone in the UK on tricking a Giant road-e bike to get the higher U.S. assisted speed, which is 28mph on my Giant. But that bike uses a different type of sensor and position. I'm really not familiar with that set-up in the Orbea hub, but think it might work by indicating 1/2 the speed with 1/2 of the magnets. However it might be a moot point.

I spoke with an Orbea dealer here in the U.S. who said he's not that familiar with the 2019 e-bikes yet, but thought his rep said it would max assist at either 15 or 20mph. Another dealer has a video previewing the 2019 line and states it's max is 15mph here in the U.S. I would think that with the lighter bikes made by Orbea, tricking it to max from 15 mph to 20 mph - if that were possible - wouldn't be worth the risk of breaking the bike or warranty. And it might be for naught if the max speed is 15 anyway. Now if it would go 28mph.......another story. Though my Giant e-bike tops assist at 28mph. I never use that on climbs (I do ride to workout), but will use it if I'm faced with a strong headwind (okay, moderate headwind too), or at the end of a long ride and just want to get home, or if I'm needing to maintain a higher downhill speed. Which is why I chose the Giant now, instead of waiting for the new Orbea. But I love the idea of a lighter, more stealth e road bike so one may be in my future, even if it maxes at 15mph.

However, if I had the Orbea, I wouldn't take the risk of doing irreversible damage or voiding the warranty. If you really want 28mph assist, get a bike that will provide it.

I emailed a rep from Orbea who told me the U.S. version of the Gain models will be Class 3 and have a max assist up to 28mph. I took it with a grain of salt. Local (Los Angeles) dealer I spoke with has not yet gotten a single Gain in stock yet so isn't sure but is checking and I'll update when I hear more.

 

[Mtbross]

I emailed a rep from Orbea who told me the U.S. version of the Gain models will be Class 3 and have a max assist up to 28mph. I took it with a grain of salt. Local (Los Angeles) dealer I spoke with has not yet gotten a single Gain in stock yet so isn't sure but is checking and I'll update when I hear more.

That was quick! Dealer spoke with Orbea and here's what he learned. The Gain is a Class 2, not a Class 3, so the max assist will be 20 mph in the U.S. Which is kind of a bummer really. I now have a Giant that is Class 3 and up to 28mph. I didn't use it much to that speed when I first purchased, but over time have come to appreciate that boost at the end of a long ride facing headwind when all I want to do is make tracks home. But 20mph would also be fine especially with the lighter bike. I'll be checking out the carbon versions when they eventually get here.

 

[Karl]

It seems like a 20 mph max would sell a lot more bikes than only 15 mph. I can now ride 15 mph on a flat 20-mile ride without a motor. I've been racing/riding for 55 yrs. and I'm used to riding at about 17-18 mph average for 40-60+ miles. Because of physical limitations (constant atrial fibrillation) I can't do that any longer and I don't want to give up my bike. I am expecting a Bianchi Aria eRoad at the end of November and I sure hope the max is set at 20 mph or I'll have to find some hack (like reducing the number of magnets in the cassette lockring) to get it a bit faster. I don't believe there is much of a risk damaging the electronics at that small increase in output... and I'm willing to take the risk. Another style of bike (non-stealth) is not an option for my ego... the obvious motors and battery are just too ugly for my tastes.

 

[Karl]

It's pretty much perfect... I think I'll need the extra water bottle battery because I tend to ride it at 100% power assist on hilly/roller rides. I haven't checked the power usage carefully, but it seems like I'm draining the battery down about 1/3 in about 10 miles at mostly 100% power level. I'm riding up hills that I haven't been able to do in 10 years. The 250-watt assist is plenty, but not overpowering... I still get a great workout. The max. assisted speed is 20 mph, which is what I hoped for. I'm heading to Calif. from Oregon in a couple days to ride with some of my old riding partners. Last time I did that I had to ride short, slow, and flat and this time we will be going faster, longer, and hillier. The best part is it doesn't look like a typical e-bike. I took it into a local bike shop and the mechanic complimented me on the bike and it took him almost 5 minutes to figure out and to say "Is that an eBike?" Really, the only negative is that I switched the Ultegra to SRAM eTap (which brought the cost to $8500 from the base $6500) and I can't shift into the 32 cog because the derailleur hanger is "Shimano specific", meaning it is offset about 1 cog spacing to the outboard side. Bianchi is supposed to have a new hanger soon that will fix that... but so far I haven't needed the 32.

 

[MikeDee]

That was quick! Dealer spoke with Orbea and here's what he learned. The Gain is a Class 2, not a Class 3, so the max assist will be 20 mph in the U.S. Which is kind of a bummer really. I now have a Giant that is Class 3 and up to 28mph. I didn't use it much to that speed when I first purchased, but over time have come to appreciate that boost at the end of a long ride facing headwind when all I want to do is make tracks home. But 20mph would also be fine especially with the lighter bike. I'll be checking out the carbon versions when they eventually get here.

The Gain is Class 1, not 2. It's pedal assisted and doesn't have a throttle like a Class 2 has.

 

[MikeDee]

Hey Karl, have you ever seen the movie Top Gun. A line from the movie is "I've got the need. I've got the need for speed." That's you, man!

On my Gain, my rear wheel is laced with all outbound spokes. That seems odd to me. How is your's laced?

 

[Karl]

The Need for Speed has dropped a lot from my more youthful days.
On the Aria, half the spokes are outbound, both sides. I'm new to disk brakes (so far I don't like them because of rubbing noises that I haven't been able to adjust out) and I was surprised to see the front wheel having to be dished for the rotor.

 

[MikeDee]

The Need for Speed has dropped a lot from my more youthful days.
On the Aria, half the spokes are outbound, both sides. I'm new to disk brakes (so far I don't like them because of rubbing noises that I haven't been able to adjust out) and I was surprised to see the front wheel having to be dished for the rotor.

My front brake rubbed but I was able to adjust it out. I do hear some rubbing when pedaling out of the saddle wagging the bike.

 

[MikeDee]

Karl, if you pick up the back of your bike and give the wheel a spin, does it rotate freely? Mine acts like the bearings or the freehub is tight, but that might just be some light motor drag maybe.

 

[Karl]

My back wheel feels the same as yours. When I'm riding and start to freewheel, it feels like the brakes have been applied lightly. I want to coast down a hill, side by side with a non-ebike to see what difference there is... it feels like I'm coasting slower, but it could just be the "let-down" of taking off the motor-assist. I'm getting some Schwalbe tubeless 30mm tires tomorrow and that should improve the cushiness.

 

[MikeDee]

My back wheel feels the same as yours. When I'm riding and start to freewheel, it feels like the brakes have been applied lightly. I want to coast down a hill, side by side with a non-ebike to see what difference there is... it feels like I'm coasting slower, but it could just be the "let-down" of taking off the motor-assist. I'm getting some Schwalbe tubeless 30mm tires tomorrow and that should improve the cushiness.

Thanks Karl. What width tires do you have now? I've got the Mavic UST tires and rims. The tire measures 29mm with a vernier caliper. I really like the ease at which the tires come on and off. I'm thinking of getting 35mm Gravelking slicks when I can find them for sale somewhere to ride gravel roads with.

 

[Studius]

Hi All:
New to this forum, but finding some great stuff. I just test rode an Orbea Gain D31 yesterday, and was very impressed with the way the motor provides just the right amount of assist in a variety of conditions - up steep climbs, cruising on flats, etc. Overall the bike felt really good, even though it was too small for me. One thing I noticed was that when I got up to a good cruising speed and then started to coast, it felt like there was a significant amount of drag, and the bike seemed to slow down much more quickly than a non-assisted bike. It was pretty much as Karl and MikeDee have described - almost like there was a braking effect at work. I am a bit disappointed by that, and I'm wondering if that is just part of the deal with a hub motor bike. I wonder if there a way to adjust that out, or if you just have to get used to it. Also, for Karl and Mike, have you found this effect to be noticeable even when the motor is completely shut off? Any thoughts are appreciated.

 

[MikeDee]

Hi All:
New to this forum, but finding some great stuff. I just test rode an Orbea Gain D31 yesterday, and was very impressed with the way the motor provides just the right amount of assist in a variety of conditions - up steep climbs, cruising on flats, etc. Overall the bike felt really good, even though it was too small for me. One thing I noticed was that when I got up to a good cruising speed and then started to coast, it felt like there was a significant amount of drag, and the bike seemed to slow down much more quickly than a non-assisted bike. It was pretty much as Karl and MikeDee have described - almost like there was a braking effect at work. I am a bit disappointed by that, and I'm wondering if that is just part of the deal with a hub motor bike. I wonder if there a way to adjust that out, or if you just have to get used to it. Also, for Karl and Mike, have you found this effect to be noticeable even when the motor is completely shut off? Any thoughts are appreciated.

I'm not noticing any drag that I can discern while riding the bike.

 

[Studius]

Thanks for the feedback. I have been reading a bit about these so-called "direct drive" hub motors, and apparently a certain amount of resistance is characteristic of them - most noticeably when they are freewheeling. So it sounds like that's what you identified as "motor drag" when the spinning the rear wheel.

 

[MikeDee]

Thanks for the feedback. I have been reading a bit about these so-called "direct drive" hub motors, and apparently a certain amount of resistance is characteristic of them - most noticeably when they are freewheeling. So it sounds like that's what you identified as "motor drag" when the spinning the rear wheel.

There's an app that works with the system. I mounted my phone on my bike and I used the app for the first time today. It shows motor rpm. When I'm coasting, the motor rpm is 0. When I exceed 20 mph while pedaling, it shows a low rpm (not the 200+ rpm it would show just before the motor cuts off). Not sure what all that means.

 

[SKent]

Hi, I am looking at lightweight e-bikes. I am an aging road cyclist who can't keep up with the lower, older and slower riders any more without pedaling my butt off at least 3 or 4 days a week. I am seriously looking at both the Bianchi Aria and the Orbea Gain. Are their any big differences in the two? Looks like they use the same motor and software. Is it just the way the frame fits then and components?

 

[MikeDee]

Hi, I am looking at lightweight e-bikes. I am an aging road cyclist who can't keep up with the lower, older and loser riders any more without pedaling my butt off at least 3 or 4 days a week. I am seriously looking at both the Bianchi Aria and the Orbea Gain. Are their any big differences in the two? Looks like they use the same motor and software. Is it just the way the frame fits then and components?

The Bianchi is significantly more expensive. If you want tubeless, the Orbea uses Mavic UST. The Orbea is endurance geometry. I think the Bianchi uses traditional road geometry. Drivetrain components are the same, and you have more choice in the Gain line for that as well.