RickyBikes
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The Orbea Vibe is a Class-1 pedal-assist (up to 20mph) commuter bike from Spain. The first thing that sticks out is the clean, sharply integrated look of the bike. It’s minimalist and beautiful; it looks more like a traditional bicycle than an eBike. When searching Orbea’s website, there are really five Vibe models each distinguished by which accessories you prefer: the standard H30 and the H30 EQ, the slightly upgraded H10, H10 EQ, and H10 MUD. These are all available in high-step or mid-step frames. The Vibe is meant to be personalized, so each model is available in four frame sizes, in addition, the H10’s are available in five colors, and the H30’s in four colors. They range in price from $2,899.00 to $3,699.00 depending on the model.
It’s a fantastic minimalist design and the clean integration can’t be overstated. This is a great option for people who want an active experience, something fast and efficient, an ebike that’s fun to pedal but will still help you manage wind and small hills. If you’re a cyclist looking to get into eBikes, this is a nice transition bike.
While I haven't reviewed this electric bike myself, I have covered similar eBikes and I wanted to provide some insights and open things up for your feedback. I hope providing several sources, with varying perspectives, allows everyone to come to their own conclusions. Sometimes short reviews and those created by shops only cover the good aspects and can come off like a commercial, so I've tried to be neutral and objective with these insights:
Pros – things that stand out as good:
Cons – things that seem like trade-offs or negatives:
As always, I welcome feedback and additions to these pros and cons, especially from people who have tried or own the bike. If you see other great video reviews for the Orbea Vibe, please share them and I may update this post ongoing so we can get the best perspectives and insights.
It’s a fantastic minimalist design and the clean integration can’t be overstated. This is a great option for people who want an active experience, something fast and efficient, an ebike that’s fun to pedal but will still help you manage wind and small hills. If you’re a cyclist looking to get into eBikes, this is a nice transition bike.
While I haven't reviewed this electric bike myself, I have covered similar eBikes and I wanted to provide some insights and open things up for your feedback. I hope providing several sources, with varying perspectives, allows everyone to come to their own conclusions. Sometimes short reviews and those created by shops only cover the good aspects and can come off like a commercial, so I've tried to be neutral and objective with these insights:
Pros – things that stand out as good:
- The best part about this bike is how beautiful and minimalistic it is. It looks like a normal bicycle. This can deter potential theft, but it needs to be noted that there isn’t a key required, it’s just a button to start. The looks are beautiful and the fact that it’s so light (only 34 pounds – light compared to most eBikes) makes riding without any power fairly easy. This is a fantastic transition bike for cyclists wanting to break into the eBike world.
- The Vibe series uses a 36W, 250v EbikeMotion X35 Plus motor from MAHLE, capable of putting out 40Nm of torque. I like the H30 and H10 models choice of upgraded components. The 10-speed H30 uses a Shimano Deore derailleur, which is a step up from the Shimano Alivio and is nice for a mid-market bike. The 12-speed H10 uses the new Shimano XT Shadow Plus Derailleur, a step above the Shimano Deore. Both bikes are going to be using some good-quality German hydraulic brakes with motor inhibitors from Magura, and allow for riders to really be able to take on hills within their cities.
- Bottle cage bosses on the down tube is an excellent feature. Considering the small battery, it’s great that riders are able to purchase an expanded energy pack. The expanded battery pack is in bottle style and provides an additional 208Wh. This can allow you to improve your range by roughly 70%.
- I appreciate safety considerations above all when riding a commuter-style eBike. The fantastic integration of this bike allows for a sharp looking headlight and taillight to come standard. They turn on when you turn the bike on, and are only turned off if you manually do so. If you purchase an EQ model, an additional headlight is provided, which is going to provide more function for evening commuters. The white reflective striping on the side of the huge tires is also great for a commuter.
- The tires are large; they offer more air volume. The carbon fork dampens vibration, and the Brooks saddle is comfortable for commutes. It would increase the cost, but the bumps could be softened by adding a 31.6 mm suspension seat post and shockstop stem.
Cons – things that seem like trade-offs or negatives:
- The battery is relatively small (36 volt, 7Ah) and offers minimal motor support. This is a sleek bike that is designed to be a step-up from a traditional bicycle, so I won’t list this as a con, rather it’s just a tradeoff. The price is in that mid-market range, so if you’re expecting power for price, this is something to be aware of. This is a class-1 pedal assist bike only; its motor activates a shutoff once you’ve achieved maximum speed.
- The simple and clean the interface is fantastic, but the lack of added display might be confusing for some riders. Once you’ve used it, it makes sense, but for some this might be a tradeoff. Riders press the circular button for one second to turn the bike on. The system does a diagnostic check on itself and then shows the battery level with corresponding color. White - more than 75%, green - between 50% to 75%, orange - between 25% to 50%, and red - 0% to 25% and blinking faster if 15% or 10%. When you’re ready to change assist levels, just one short click will blink green for pedal assist 1, orange for pedal assist assist 2, and red for pedal assist 3.
- There’s an option to use a smartphone app. In theory this is great, but something I think leaves a bit to be desired in practice. Unless you use the app, you won’t know how far you’ve gone or how fast you’re going. The controller will only indicate pedal-assist levels and estimated battery levels. I would prefer a digital percentage readout on a display versus the color-coded controller system. The real drawback is that the app must be used with Bluetooth enabled, which will drain your phone’s battery. Even if the Vibe had a USB port, it has relatively small battery capacity to be powering alternate devices.
- Be gentle with the battery when charging because it’s not removable. Riders will want to bring it near an outlet each time they charge it. This can be difficult if one is commuting and parks their bike outside, or if riders live in places with extreme heat or extreme cold and prefer their battery in a more neutral environment.
- When purchasing the bike online, know your frame size in accordance to your height. Luckily, Orbea’s website offers a handy sizing guide. I say this because the long seat post won’t drop down much, if at all, should you get the wrong size.
- This bike is currently available for online purchase only. It’s worth noting that depending on the frame, the website lists bikes being unavailable until September 2021 and in some cases November 2021. Considering the assembly required with shipped bikes, riders who haven’t put eBikes together may want to be aware of that before they purchase. Often local shops will help for a small fee. Regarding manuals, the controller’s manual is mostly pictures; there are no words. Once you use it, it’s less confusing, but setting it up can be difficult.
As always, I welcome feedback and additions to these pros and cons, especially from people who have tried or own the bike. If you see other great video reviews for the Orbea Vibe, please share them and I may update this post ongoing so we can get the best perspectives and insights.
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48V, 240 W, 35 Nm.
