New orbea rise m20 owner. Any tips?

beanzz

Member
Feb 7, 2023
331
276
United Kingdom
Like I said in the title in about to become the owner of a 2022 orbea rise m20, does anyone have any starting tips?

(Setup, frame protection, rear disc upgrade from the measly 180mm, tires, etc)? Any tips would be welcome.
For reference I live in chalky and muddy Hampshire with relatively frequent trips to Wales for rides, I only ever do a maximum of 30-40 mile rides a day

Again thank you so much for any and all responses
 

Rod B.

Well-known member
Aug 18, 2021
530
924
USA, Orange County Ca.
Like I said in the title in about to become the owner of a 2022 orbea rise m20, does anyone have any starting tips?

(Setup, frame protection, rear disc upgrade from the measly 180mm, tires, etc)? Any tips would be welcome.
For reference I live in chalky and muddy Hampshire with relatively frequent trips to Wales for rides, I only ever do a maximum of 30-40 mile rides a day

Again thank you so much for any and all responses
Beanzz,

Bike setup and upgrades are such a personal thing depending upon riding style and terrain. What I suggest and would be applicable to my riding style may not be what you desire or need. However here would by my suggestions:

The Rise M20 has three main weaknesses that keeps in from becoming a really good bike. The three weaknesses are front suspension, brakes and wheels.

Keep in mind, when a brand develops a new bike with differing models in the bike's lineup, i.e. M10 or M20, the manufacturer sets a monetary budget for each model. The build/design team has to stay within the build budget. This is often why you will see a very good component on a bike, followed by a crap component on the same bike. If a costly bling item is specified in order to catch the consumer's eye, then a cheaper and lower grade component is substituted somewhere else in the build to offset the cost of the bling item.

The Rise has a very low bottom bracket height of 336mm as compared for example to the Santa Cruz Heckler's 346mm, the Specialized Levo's 350mm, Pivot Shuttle SL's 352mm, etc. Because the Rise M20 sits so low in stock form, it tends to pedal strike like crazy when riding rocky terrain.

Upgrade One: Replace the front fork
The Rise M20's 140mm front fork and 170mm length crank arms contributes to the pedal strikes. Replace the Fox 34 140mm fork with a Fox 36 or Rockshox Lyric 150mm fork (I upgraded to a Fox 36, 160mm travel). Once again I want to add that the terrain I ride and the terrain you ride may differ. If you tend to ride flow trails, you may not strike as much.

Upgrade Two: Replace the crank arms
Replace the 170mm length E13 crank arms with 160mm or 165mm length crank arms. With the installation of the 150/160mm fork and 160/165mm crank arms you will eliminate pedal strikes.

Upgrade Three: Replace the brake rotors
Your body weight and the type of terrain you ride will dictate your brake rotor setup. If you are a light rider and tend to ride flow trail, you can probably get by with the stock brake setup on the Rise. However, if you are a heavier rider and ride technical terrain on occasion, you will need to upgrade to a larger brake rotor size. I ran 203mm brake rotors front and back on my Rise M20. If you tend towards the lighter side of body weight, you can upgrade the front rotor to a 203mm and leave the rear rotor stock at 180mm.

Upgrade Four: Replace the two piston calipers with four piston calipers
The Deore two piston brake calipers are adequate if you are a lighter rider and tend to ride mellow trails. However, if you are a heavier rider and tend to ride more technical trails with longish downhill sections, you will be using the brakes frequently. I found that the Deore two piston calipers and 180mm rotors developed a tremendous amount of heat and faded badly on longish technical downhill sections. The M20's brakes in stock form are not adequate for technical terrain. Depending upon your budget, you can replace the Deore two piston with Deore four piston calipers. The Deore four piston caliper is a direct bolt on and functions just as good as the higher grade four piston calipers. My buddy weighs 17 stone and he stops just fine on his M20 with Deore four piston calipers. The Deore brake levers function well.

I wrote a three part article on Rise brake upgrades. Here is Part # 2:

Upgrade Five: Upgrade the wheels
The Raceface ARC30 wheels that come on the Rise M20 feature alloy rims and Deore hubs. If you tend to ride mellow trails the wheels are acceptable. However if you tend to ride rocky terrain, the wheelset will not hold up. It's not robust enough. The EP8 motor develops a lot of torque. This torque is directly applied to the rear wheel hub and freehub. The Deore rear hub on the ARC30 will not last long term if you like to get rowdy on your bike. As a side note, I warped both ARC30 wheels on my first ride.

I ran a Nobl TR37 wheelset with I9 Hydra hubs on my Rise M20. My preferred tires are the Assegai up front and Minion DHR II on the rear. I ride about 2,500 miles/4,000 Km a year. The Hydra rear hub/freehub did not hold up to the motor's torque and the amount of miles I put on my bike, on a weekly basis. I was replacing rear wheel hub/freehub bearings about every six months. There are a lot of great wheel hub manufacturers however, for the money, the DT Swiss 350 hub is pretty damn bullet proof and holds up well to eBike motors.

I've lately been gravitating towards alloy wheels. As I get older (63 Years Old) I find that carbon wheels tend to provide a harsh ride which transmits up into by arms and shoulders. I do like the compliance that alloy wheels offer. I'm currently running a set of Industry Nine Enduro S alloy wheels with 1/1 hubs. The set costs $640. Let's see how they hold up......Wahoo!

Upgrade Six: Rear Shock
The Fox DPS shock (210mm x 55mm) is acceptable if you tend to ride flow trails. If you tend to ride more technical terrain, the DPS without a piggyback reservoir will quickly heat up and begin to loose performance. I upgraded my Rise M20 to the Fox Float X. The Float X is a really nice shock and an upgrade over the older style DPX2. Some Rise owners have upgraded to a coil rear shock and or have used offset bushings to increase the rear travel on their Rises.

Baja Norte Mexico
IMG_1150 (2).jpg
 
Last edited:

beanzz

Member
Feb 7, 2023
331
276
United Kingdom
Beanzz,

Bike setup and upgrades are such a personal thing depending upon riding style and terrain. What I suggest and would be applicable to my riding style may not be what you desire or need. However here would by my suggestions:

The Rise M20 has three main weaknesses that keeps in from becoming a really good bike. The three weaknesses are front suspension, brakes and wheels.

Keep in mind, when a brand develops a new bike with differing models in the bike's lineup, i.e. M10 or M20, the manufacturer sets a monetary budget for each model. The build/design team has to stay within the build budget. This is often why you will see a very good component on a bike, followed by a crap component on the same bike. If a costly bling item is specified in order to catch the consumer's eye, then a cheaper and lower grade component is substituted somewhere else in the build to offset the cost of the bling item.

The Rise has a very low bottom bracket height of 336mm as compared for example to the Santa Cruz Heckler's 346mm, the Specialized Levo's 350mm, Pivot Shuttle SL's 352mm, etc. Because the Rise M20 sits so low in stock form, it tends to pedal strike like crazy when riding rocky terrain.

Upgrade One: Replace the front fork
The Rise M20's 140mm front fork and 170mm length crank arms contributes to the pedal strikes. Replace the Fox 34 140mm fork with a Fox 36 or Rockshox Lyric 150mm fork (I upgraded to a Fox 36, 160mm travel). Once again I want to add that the terrain I ride and the terrain you ride may differ. If you tend to ride flow trails, you may not strike as much.

Upgrade Two: Replace the crank arms
Replace the 170mm length E13 crank arms with 160mm or 165mm length crank arms. With the installation of the 150/160mm fork and 160/165mm crank arms you will eliminate pedal strikes.

Upgrade Three: Replace the brake rotors
Your body weight and the type of terrain you ride will dictate your brake rotor setup. If you are a light rider and tend to ride flow trail, you can probably get by with the stock brake setup on the Rise. However, if you are a heavier rider and ride technical terrain on occasion, you will need to upgrade to a larger brake rotor size. I ran 203mm brake rotors front and back on my Rise M20. If you tend towards the lighter side of body weight, you can upgrade the front rotor to a 203mm and leave the rear rotor stock at 180mm.

Upgrade Four: Replace the two piston calipers with four piston calipers
The Deore two piston brake calipers are adequate if you are a lighter rider and tend to ride mellow trails. However, if you are a heavier rider and tend to ride more technical trails with longish downhill sections, you will be using the brakes frequently. I found that the Deore two piston calipers and 180mm rotors developed a tremendous amount of heat and faded badly on longish technical downhill sections. The M20's brakes in stock form are not adequate for technical terrain. Depending upon your budget, you can replace the Deore two piston with Deore four piston calipers. The Deore four piston caliper is a direct bolt on and functions just as good as the higher grade four piston calipers. My buddy weighs 17 stone and he stops just fine on his M20 with Deore four piston calipers. The Deore brake levers function well.

I wrote a three part article on Rise brake upgrades. Here is Part # 2:

Upgrade Five: Upgrade the wheels
The Raceface ARC30 wheels that come on the Rise M20 feature alloy rims and Deore hubs. If you tend to ride mellow trails the wheels are acceptable. However if you tend to ride rocky terrain, the wheelset will not hold up. It's not robust enough. The EP8 motor develops a lot of torque. This torque is directly applied to the rear wheel hub and freehub. The Deore rear hub on the ARC30 will not last long term if you like to get rowdy on your bike.

I ran a Nobl TR37 wheelset with I9 Hydra hubs on my Rise M20. My preferred tires are the Assegai up front and Minion DHR II on the rear. I ride about 2,500 miles/4,000 Km a year. The Hydra rear hub/freehub did not hold up to the motor's torque and the amount of miles I put on my bike, on a weekly basis. I was replacing rear wheel hub/freehub bearings about every six months. There are a lot of great wheel hub manufacturers however, for the money, the DT Swiss 350 hub is pretty damn bullet proof and holds up well to eBike motors.

I've lately been gravitating towards alloy wheels. As I get older (63 Years Old) I find that carbon wheels tend to provide a harsh ride which transmits up into by arms and shoulders. I do like the compliance that alloy wheels offer. I'm currently running a set of Industry Nine Enduro S alloy wheels with 1/1 hubs. The set costs $640. Let's see how they hold up......Wahoo!

Baja Norte Mexico
View attachment 106379
Holy moly thank you so much that reply was so fantastic I wasn't expecting such an in depth answer, thank you
 

Rod B.

Well-known member
Aug 18, 2021
530
924
USA, Orange County Ca.
Holy moly thank you so much that reply was so fantastic I wasn't expecting such an in depth answer, thank you
Yes...my replies tend to be overly girthy....wahoo!

I hope the post helps. I recently sold my Rise to my brother. My Rise had 3,200 miles on it when I sold it. If you do the upgrades as mentioned, your bike will be absolutely bullet proof and can handle anything you throw at it.

I amended and added a sixth upgrade, the rear shock.

Unchained - Buena Vista Colorado
IMG_1993 (2).PNG
 

beanzz

Member
Feb 7, 2023
331
276
United Kingdom
If you do the upgrades as mentioned, your bike will be absolutely bullet proof and can handle anything you throw at it.
Is it worth going for second hand parts so you can get more bang for your buck or just for new parts for warranties and piece of mind
 

Tonybro

🦾 The Bionic Man 🦿
Subscriber
Jan 15, 2021
1,295
2,930
Lancashire
Is it worth going for second hand parts so you can get more bang for your buck or just for new parts for warranties and piece of mind
Only you can answer that question - £££ or ££? I would state that Rod B has made some very worthwhile comments and pointers for you.

I ride a lot of wet, technical, rocky UK forest and moorland trails and have found the stock rotor size to be fine but I have the M10, not M20 with the 4 piston calipers.

I do agree with the pedal strike issue. Something I do need to address but after 1000 miles, it is slightly annoying but technique can get you part way around the problem but it is still a problem. ;)
 

Rod B.

Well-known member
Aug 18, 2021
530
924
USA, Orange County Ca.
Is it worth going for second hand parts so you can get more bang for your buck or just for new parts for warranties and piece of mind
It's perfectly acceptable to buy used parts. I have used second hand parts on many occasions. I urge one bit of caution if you do this. You should only buy second hand from somebody you trust or has a proven track record of honesty.

I once bought a used fork off of eBay. The seller claimed the fork was a like new "Take Off." When I got the fork, I noticed it would not reach full travel. I took the fork apart and discovered it was a mish mash of parts from various model year forks that were not compatible. The seller took the fork back and refunded my money.

Buying parts from friends works. If the part is junk, well then they are not your friend. Buying "Take Off" parts from your local bike shop works. They have a reputation within the community to maintain. Buying used parts from sellers on Pink Bike or eMTB forum works. They have a reputation/user name that they don't want to burn.

You can buy used parts, i.e. brakes, rotors, drivetrain, etc., on eBay as long as the description of use is thorough and there are many detailed pictures. I would not buy any suspension components on eBay. I learned my lesson.

Lastly, I will say this. Sometimes you will come across a website that has a smoking deal on a bike part. The deal may be legit or it may not....When I encounter this type of "Smoking" deal, I do two things. I first check and see if the vendor lists a "Business Address" on their website. If they do not list a business address and provide only an email contact address, then the vendor should be avoided. One of two things is happening, they are not legit, or you'll play hell trying to contact them in regards to returning a defective part and getting your money back. I automatically consider the business suspect if no physical business address is provided. If an address is offered, I do a Google Map search using the address and see what type of business it is, i.e. a bike shop, a vacant lot, a residential home, etc. Doing this will often reveal if the business is legit.

Be safe,
Rod
 

beanzz

Member
Feb 7, 2023
331
276
United Kingdom
Buying used parts from sellers on Pink Bike or eMTB forum works. They have a reputation/user name that they don't want to burn.
Fantastic, thank you so much for all the tips, I can't explain quite how grateful I am for such a comprehensive and in depth answer to my noob question
 

Jdz

Member
Jan 2, 2022
22
15
LHC
Upgrade Two: Replace the crank arms
Rod what brand/model crank arms did you go to? Thanks
 

Rod B.

Well-known member
Aug 18, 2021
530
924
USA, Orange County Ca.
Upgrade Two: Replace the crank arms
Rod what brand/model crank arms did you go to? Thanks
I went back with E13 alloy crank arms. E13 is usually sold out of the shorter crank arms, however, if you monitor E13’s website, you’ll see they will become in stock for a period of time before selling out again. I think one of the frustrating issues is that Shimano has only licensed a few vendors such as E13 to manufacture and sell EP8 specified crank arms, thus supply is always limited.

On an interesting side note, it’s been my experience that with a shorter crank arm, I can generate more power than I can with a longer crank arm like the 170mm that comes stock on the M20. An example of this is a short, punchy and extremely steep section of trail I like to ride near my home. I struggled to clear the section with 170 cranks. However, when I switched to a shorter crank arm I could clear the section. I don’t have a scientific reason for this. but suspect it may be attributed to the shorter crank arm offering a shorter cranking radius and thus I can generate a higher cadence which the EP8 motors likes. It could be I’m full of poo…..and it’s all in my mind.. On the other hand, many eBikes now come with 160 or 165 cranks, so maybe there’s something to it.
 
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WestCoastRider

New Member
Feb 10, 2023
29
23
Manhattan Beach, CA
Great advice, I have taken most of it so far and wow, what an improvement. The stock brakes are actually dangerous if you plan to do steep downhills, so definitely go with some 4 piston ones. I did "Shigura" which is Magura calipers and Shimano levers and am pretty happy. I also put a Fox Float X2 rear shock and have some 160mm Manitou Mezzer forks that will go on once a 9point5 angleset arrives (to slacken it out). I had a set of carbon wheels around so swapped those in, but not before putting a few wobbles in the stock wheelset on a 22 mile maiden ride ;-) The core of the bike, the motor and battery and its light weight were the ride foundation for me to build on. I had not thought about the crank arms but to date havent had any pedal strikes, mostly because we have not technical climbs and it's only the downhill rides where we have rocks and roots (and feet are parallel and elevated).
 

beanzz

Member
Feb 7, 2023
331
276
United Kingdom
I had not thought about the crank arms but to date havent had any pedal strikes, mostly because we have not technical climbs and it's only the downhill rides where we have rocks and roots (and feet are parallel and elevated).
Good to know, I think I'm going to wait to do the cranks and prioritise the breaks
 

Rod B.

Well-known member
Aug 18, 2021
530
924
USA, Orange County Ca.
Great advice, I have taken most of it so far and wow, what an improvement. The stock brakes are actually dangerous if you plan to do steep downhills, so definitely go with some 4 piston ones. I did "Shigura" which is Magura calipers and Shimano levers and am pretty happy. I also put a Fox Float X2 rear shock and have some 160mm Manitou Mezzer forks that will go on once a 9point5 angleset arrives (to slacken it out). I had a set of carbon wheels around so swapped those in, but not before putting a few wobbles in the stock wheelset on a 22 mile maiden ride ;-) The core of the bike, the motor and battery and its light weight were the ride foundation for me to build on. I had not thought about the crank arms but to date havent had any pedal strikes, mostly because we have not technical climbs and it's only the downhill rides where we have rocks and roots (and feet are parallel and elevated
Which of these is right? From what I understand the top is with the chain ring and bottom without. Is it hard to attach the chainring?

View attachment 106445
Which of these is right? From what I understand the top is with the chain ring and bottom without. Is it hard to attach the chainring?


Which of these is right? From what I understand the top is with the chain ring and bottom without. Is it hard to attach the chainring?

View attachment 106445

View attachment 106445
Which of these is right? From what I understand the top is with the chain ring and bottom without. Is it hard to attach the chainring?

View attachment 106445
Good to know, I think I'm going to wait to do the cranks and prioritise the breaks

Which of these is right? From what I understand the top is with the chain ring and bottom without. Is it hard to attach the chainring?

View attachment 106445
Beanzz,

You want to buy the eThirteen, "e*Spec Plus Cranks" for Shimano. The eThirteen chainring for the EP8 motor is not included with the e*Spec Plus Cranks. All you get are two alloy crank arms, no rubber boots, no chain ring, nada.....

Screenshot 2023-02-10 14.24.04.jpg


When you visit the eThirteen website and click on the link for the e*Spec Plus Cranks, you will be taken to the configuration page. eThirteen offers eBike crank arms for various motor systems, i.e. Bosch, Brose, etc. In the "Motor" drop down menu you will need to select "Shimano." Then select the size of the crank arm you want. The website will let you know if the crank arm in that length is available or sold out. I checked the U.S.A. website and it shows 160mm cranks for the Shimano EP8 are in stock. The 165mm is sold out.

Screenshot 2023-02-10 14.24.36.jpg

I saw you posted a question on the Orbea forum concerning "Steerer Tube" length for the Rise XL frame.

Here was your question:
So I've just been trying to figure out how long of a steerer tube I would need on a pair of forks.

So far I've discovered the xl frame is 140mm but I can't seem to find the height of the stem unless it's just 35mm

I'm assuming you are considering buying a used fork? A used fork will typically have a cut steerer tube. You want to know how long the steerer tube needs to be in order to fit the Rise XL?

I can sort of help with this if this is what you are asking about. My Rise was a size Large and my friends all have M series size large frames. Each of our size large bikes came with a "Cut" steerer tube length of 7.50 inches, or 190.50 millimeters.


Screenshot 2023-02-10 15.26.33.jpg

The Rise M series large has a 120mm head tube length, whereas the extra large size frame has a head tube length of 140mm. The difference in size between the two headtube lengths is 3/4 inch or 20mm.

Add 20mm to the 7.50 inch or 190.50 millimeter steerer tube used on the size large frame and you get a length of 210.50 millimeters, or roughly 8.25 inches. You need a minimum cut steerer tube length of 210.50 Millimeters or 8.25 Inches for a Rise M Series, Extra Large frame.

Note, this is an estimate and I do not have access to an extra large Rise to confirm the above. I would verify the above by asking somebody in the forum to measure the steerer tube length on their extra large Rise. You can obtain this measurement by measuring from the top of the crown where it meets the bottom of the head tube, to the top of the stem.

Screenshot 2023-02-10 15.17.11.ajpg.jpg


I hope this helps,
Cheers
Rod
 
Last edited:

beanzz

Member
Feb 7, 2023
331
276
United Kingdom
160mm cranks for the Shimano EP8 are in stock
Ah perfect I had a look and I thought that it looked right but I wasn't sure
need a minimum cut steerer tube length of 236.00 Millimeters or 9.25 Inches for a Rise M Series, Extra Large frame
Woahh I think I'm gonna hold off on the fork then, seeing as the best Streerer I could find was 190
I hope this helps,
Very much so thank you
 

Stanley

Member
Jan 15, 2019
30
26
Stockport
Great advice, I have taken most of it so far and wow, what an improvement. The stock brakes are actually dangerous if you plan to do steep downhills, so definitely go with some 4 piston ones. I did "Shigura" which is Magura calipers and Shimano levers and am pretty happy. I also put a Fox Float X2 rear shock and have some 160mm Manitou Mezzer forks that will go on once a 9point5 angleset arrives (to slacken it out). I had a set of carbon wheels around so swapped those in, but not before putting a few wobbles in the stock wheelset on a 22 mile maiden ride ;-) The core of the bike, the motor and battery and its light weight were the ride foundation for me to build on. I had not thought about the crank arms but to date havent had any pedal strikes, mostly because we have not technical climbs and it's only the downhill rides where we have rocks and roots (and feet are parallel and elevated).
Fox X2?
What size frame do you have? Does it fit ok, as I thought the X2 was too wide for the Rise?
I'd really like an X2 for my size large Hydro... But worried it won't fit
 

Rod B.

Well-known member
Aug 18, 2021
530
924
USA, Orange County Ca.
Ah perfect I had a look and I thought that it looked right but I wasn't sure

Woahh I think I'm gonna hold off on the fork then, seeing as the best Streerer I could find was 190

Very much so thank you
Beanzz,
I'm sorry, I made a mistake on the steerer tube length you need for a Rise M series extra large frame. I've corrected my previous post to reflect the correct size you need.

Screenshot 2023-02-10 15.26.33.jpg

I originally told you the Rise M Series size "Large" frame uses a steerer tube length of 8.50 inches. This was incorrect. The length is actually 7.50 Inches, or 190.50 Millimeters.

According to the Orbea Geometry Chart, The Rise M Series "Extra Large" frame head tube is 20 millimeters or 3/4 Inch longer than the size Large frame. Therefore, for a Rise M Series extra large frame, you will need a steerer tube length of 210.50 Millimeters or 8.25 Inches.

Note, if you are a taller person, you may want to consider going slightly longer on steerer tube length. I'd suggest something around 213mm to 215mm (8 3/8" to 8.50"). The longer steerer tube will give you more stem height adjustability. You can always shorten the stem with a file if need be.
 

beanzz

Member
Feb 7, 2023
331
276
United Kingdom
Beanzz,
I'm sorry, I made a mistake on the steerer tube length you need for a Rise M series extra large frame. I've corrected my previous post to reflect the correct size you need.

View attachment 106492
I originally told you the Rise M Series size "Large" frame uses a steerer tube length of 8.50 inches. This was incorrect. The length is actually 7.50 Inches, or 190.50 Millimeters.

According to the Orbea Geometry Chart, The Rise M Series "Extra Large" frame head tube is 20 millimeters or 3/4 Inch longer than the size Large frame. Therefore, for a Rise M Series extra large frame, you will need a steerer tube length of 210.50 Millimeters or 8.25 Inches.

Note, if you are a taller person, you may want to consider going slightly longer on steerer tube length. I'd suggest something around 213mm to 215mm (8 3/8" to 8.50"). The longer steerer tube will give you more stem height adjustability. You can always shorten the stem with a file if need be.
Ohhh ok that makes a lot more sense thank you :D I have to say I do have a minor seed of doubt in my mind as to what bike to get as the yt decoy 29 is looking very tempting.
I have test rides booked on both this week so I will let you know how it goes.

In any case your advice has been fantastic and I'm always blown away by how friendly and helpful this community is.
 

R2thek

Member
Apr 10, 2022
83
25
Colorado
Beanzz,

You want to buy the eThirteen, "e*Spec Plus Cranks" for Shimano. The eThirteen chainring for the EP8 motor is not included with the e*Spec Plus Cranks. All you get are two alloy crank arms, no rubber boots, no chain ring, nada.....

View attachment 106453

When you visit the eThirteen website and click on the link for the e*Spec Plus Cranks, you will be taken to the configuration page. eThirteen offers eBike crank arms for various motor systems, i.e. Bosch, Brose, etc. In the "Motor" drop down menu you will need to select "Shimano." Then select the size of the crank arm you want. The website will let you know if the crank arm in that length is available or sold out. I checked the U.S.A. website and it shows 160mm cranks for the Shimano EP8 are in stock. The 165mm is sold out.

View attachment 106454
I saw you posted a question on the Orbea forum concerning "Steerer Tube" length for the Rise XL frame.

Here was your question:
So I've just been trying to figure out how long of a steerer tube I would need on a pair of forks.

So far I've discovered the xl frame is 140mm but I can't seem to find the height of the stem unless it's just 35mm

I'm assuming you are considering buying a used fork? A used fork will typically have a cut steerer tube. You want to know how long the steerer tube needs to be in order to fit the Rise XL?

I can sort of help with this if this is what you are asking about. My Rise was a size Large and my friends all have M series size large frames. Each of our size large bikes came with a "Cut" steerer tube length of 7.50 inches, or 190.50 millimeters.


View attachment 106456
The Rise M series large has a 120mm head tube length, whereas the extra large size frame has a head tube length of 140mm. The difference in size between the two headtube lengths is 3/4 inch or 20mm.

Add 20mm to the 7.50 inch or 190.50 millimeter steerer tube used on the size large frame and you get a length of 210.50 millimeters, or roughly 8.25 inches. You need a minimum cut steerer tube length of 210.50 Millimeters or 8.25 Inches for a Rise M Series, Extra Large frame.

Note, this is an estimate and I do not have access to an extra large Rise to confirm the above. I would verify the above by asking somebody in the forum to measure the steerer tube length on their extra large Rise. You can obtain this measurement by measuring from the top of the crown where it meets the bottom of the head tube, to the top of the stem.

View attachment 106490

I hope this helps,
Cheers
Rod
 

R2thek

Member
Apr 10, 2022
83
25
Colorado
The was an issue with e13 cranks on the orbea rise last year so it was recommended to switch to shimano. Has that issue been resolved?
 

Rod B.

Well-known member
Aug 18, 2021
530
924
USA, Orange County Ca.
Ohhh ok that makes a lot more sense thank you :D I have to say I do have a minor seed of doubt in my mind as to what bike to get as the yt decoy 29 is looking very tempting.
I have test rides booked on both this week so I will let you know how it goes.

In any case your advice has been fantastic and I'm always blown away by how friendly and helpful this community is.
I recently sold my Rise to my brother and bought a Specialized Levo. My Rise had 3,200 miles/5150Km on it at the time of sale. My Rise has performed nicely with no malfunctions other than maintenance of the upper pivot linkage. The only reason why I sold my Rise was I wanted to try something different. Life's too short for one bike.

in Late December, I purchased a Pivot Shuttle SL with Fazua drive system. The Pivot Shuttle SL bike itself is badass and wicked fast. However, the Fazua drive system was rushed to fast to market and not fully developed for durability. After my fifth ride the motor and the mode controller broke. Fazua could not provide a timeline for a warranty replacement motor (It took almost two months to get a new motor). After waiting two weeks, I said the hell with this and asked the bike shop to take the bike back.

I bought a Specialized Levo Carbon Comp. I upgraded the fork to a ZEB 170 Ultimate and the rear shock to a Fox X2. I absolutely love the bike. It's about 10 pounds heavier than my Rise with it's 60nm motor and 360wh battery. The Levo's 90nm motor and 700wh battery gives me a lot of ride options. Interestingly, I don't really feel the weight when riding, the bike handles really well. The interesting thing about the bike is that the harder you push it, the better it handles.

I've always gravitated towards lightweight eBikes. The Levo is my first full power eBike. I doubt I'll ever go back to a lightweight minimal power eBike. There are so many benefits to a full power bike. My buddy has a saying "If you're going to buy an eBike, THEN buy a fucking eBike."

I've never had a YT bike. I do know they offer nice component levels with their bikes. You get a lot of bang for your buck. The Decoy has a 540wh battery with Shimano full power EP8. You should get decent range and power. My buddy has a Santa Cruz Heckler with similar spec to the Decoy. He can easily cover a 20 plus mile ride.

Another option you should look at is the new Orbea Wild. If I were to buy an Orbea today, I'd consider buying the Wild over the Rise. The Wild is light, comes with a Bosch power system and 625wh battery.

Cheers,
Rod
 

beanzz

Member
Feb 7, 2023
331
276
United Kingdom
I recently sold my Rise to my brother and bought a Specialized Levo. My Rise had 3,200 miles/5150Km on it at the time of sale. My Rise has performed nicely with no malfunctions other than maintenance of the upper pivot linkage. The only reason why I sold my Rise was I wanted to try something different. Life's too short for one bike.

in Late December, I purchased a Pivot Shuttle SL with Fazua drive system. The Pivot Shuttle SL bike itself is badass and wicked fast. However, the Fazua drive system was rushed to fast to market and not fully developed for durability. After my fifth ride the motor and the mode controller broke. Fazua could not provide a timeline for a warranty replacement motor (It took almost two months to get a new motor). After waiting two weeks, I said the hell with this and asked the bike shop to take the bike back.

I bought a Specialized Levo Carbon Comp. I upgraded the fork to a ZEB 170 Ultimate and the rear shock to a Fox X2. I absolutely love the bike. It's about 10 pounds heavier than my Rise with it's 60nm motor and 360wh battery. The Levo's 90nm motor and 700wh battery gives me a lot of ride options. Interestingly, I don't really feel the weight when riding, the bike handles really well. The interesting thing about the bike is that the harder you push it, the better it handles.

I've always gravitated towards lightweight eBikes. The Levo is my first full power eBike. I doubt I'll ever go back to a lightweight minimal power eBike. There are so many benefits to a full power bike. My buddy has a saying "If you're going to buy an eBike, THEN buy a fucking eBike."

I've never had a YT bike. I do know they offer nice component levels with their bikes. You get a lot of bang for your buck. The Decoy has a 540wh battery with Shimano full power EP8. You should get decent range and power. My buddy has a Santa Cruz Heckler with similar spec to the Decoy. He can easily cover a 20 plus mile ride.

Another option you should look at is the new Orbea Wild. If I were to buy an Orbea today, I'd consider buying the Wild over the Rise. The Wild is light, comes with a Bosch power system and 625wh battery.

Cheers,
Rod
That info is actually so helpful, the general consensus is that ff ebikes are more worth it but we shall see after the test ride.
Again thank you so much for all your in depth advice it's more than I could ever ask for and it's blooming fantastic
Josh
 

R2thek

Member
Apr 10, 2022
83
25
Colorado
Wow. That was well done. Thx. I have a Rise ltd with 2 piston xtr. It seems like the best/easiest change would be to Devore 4 piston and not deal with conversion to bingo and adapters. And keep the brake levers. thoughts?
 

Rod B.

Well-known member
Aug 18, 2021
530
924
USA, Orange County Ca.
The was an issue with e13 cranks on the orbea rise last year so it was recommended to switch to shimano. Has that issue been resolved?
ethirteen crank arms are perfectly acceptable.

There were several issues related to crank arms when the Rise first came out. eThirteen was the crank supplier for the Rise. The higher end models of the Rise came with carbon fiber crank arms. There were issues with the carbon fiber crank arm. eThirteen recalled the carbon fiber crank arms and issued warranty alloy crank arms as replacement.

There has never been as issue with the eThirteen alloy crank arm design itself. They are solid and dependable. I've taken some big hits with the cranks and they've held up.

There were issues with the eThirteen alloy crank arms being installed incorrectly by dealers when the first batch of 2020/2021 Rises were sold. I recall the issue had something to do with a rubber spacer being used when it should not have been used. The incorrect installation caused the pedals to eventually loosen up. The matter was resolved long before I bought my Rise in September 2021.

My Rise has 3,200 miles/5150Km on it. The eThirteen alloy crank arms on my Rise have never loosened up, bent, or malfunctioned.

The big issue was stress cracks occurring in the EP8 motor spindle which caused the spindle to fail. Shimano crank arms utilize a safety clip which fastens to the two crank arm pinch bolts. The clip has a pin which inserts into the hole in the EP8 spindle and prevents the crank arm from falling off the spindle when riding.
Screenshot 2023-02-11 08.07.09.jpg


Screenshot 2023-02-11 08.09.13.jpg


Unfortunately the safety retention hole creates a weakness in the EP8 motor spindle. A stress crack can develop as a result of the hole.

Screenshot 2023-02-11 08.05.45.jpg

When the Rise and EP8 motor first came out, some owners began to experience motor spindle failures which were attributed to stress cracks at the spindle hole. People began to blame the cause of the failure on eThirteen crank arms and suggested Shimano crank arms should be used instead. There was nothing wrong with the eThirteen crank arms. EP8 motor spindles were failing just as frequently when Shimano crank arms were used.

This was a design issue with the EP8 motor spindle. eThirteen published a technical service bulletin to address the issue. I'm not a big fan of eThirteen components. However, this was not their fault. Shimano should have stepped up and shouldered the blame. Changes to the spindle have since been implemented to strengthen the spindle.

 

Rod B.

Well-known member
Aug 18, 2021
530
924
USA, Orange County Ca.
Wow. That was well done. Thx. I have a Rise ltd with 2 piston xtr. It seems like the best/easiest change would be to Devore 4 piston and not deal with conversion to bingo and adapters. And keep the brake levers. thoughts?
The Deore brake levers work perfectly well. I would upgrade the brake rotors to 203mm front and rear. I would replace the Deore two piston calipers with Deore four piston calipers. You'll have an awesome brake system.

You will have to pull a slight amount of slack in the rear brake hose to accommodate for the new four piston caliper and caliper adapter height if you go with a 203mm rotor. You should have enough excess brake line at the handlebar which you can pull to the rear.

If you have a moment, check out MTX brake pads. MTX makes a Kevlar and ceramic mountain bike brake pad that costs about the same as Shimano metallic pads. I really like MTX brake pads. I prefer to use the MTX red label pads. The red brake pad series offers an exceptional brake lever feathering feel which I've never quite experienced using Shimano brake pads. If you are a heavier rider, the MTX gold series doesn't have the same feathering feel, but the pads last for an extremely long time.

 

CrunchBytes

Member
Subscriber
Oct 7, 2021
39
20
Warwick, UK
All excellent tips from Rod B. Another tip: use the Shimano app and change the Rise to Profile 2. The default profile 1 doesn’t seem to make much difference when compared to a normal bike!
Also, using the Shimano app you can adjust the settings for power etc. in each mode. I tweaked my ‘Eco’ up a little, to try and keep me out of trail quite so much. Which works well unless I’m out with a mate who has derestricted his bike… :mad:

The other tip: depending on the length of your rides. You might want to consider the range extender. It’s expensive, but for a full day of up/down (esp. if with a bunch of full-fats), or an extended weekend with no way of charging, it’s really useful! (Oh, it’s also useful when SWMBO takes her tow rope for us to use on the ups… lol )
 

CrunchBytes

Member
Subscriber
Oct 7, 2021
39
20
Warwick, UK
All excellent tips from Rod B. Another tip: use the Shimano app and change the Rise to Profile 2. The default profile 1 doesn’t seem to make much difference when compared to a normal bike!
Also, using the Shimano app you can adjust the settings for power etc. in each mode. I tweaked my ‘Eco’ up a little, to try and keep me out of trail quite so much. Which works well unless I’m out with a mate who has derestricted his bike… :mad:

The other tip: depending on the length of your rides. You might want to consider the range extender. It’s expensive, but for a full day of up/down (esp. if with a bunch of full-fats), or an extended weekend with no way of charging, it’s really useful! (Oh, it’s also useful when SWMBO takes her tow rope for us to use on the ups… lol )

And finally… get a Garmin Fenix/530 or similar and load the Orbea RS toolkit so battery percentage can be easily monitored.
 

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