Orbea Rise Size small for 5-foot (152cm) rider?

Jeffsy29

Member
May 6, 2020
191
85
Rockville MD
Any riders out there on an Orbea Rise size Small?
If so, what's your height (or "RAD" if you have it)?
How do you feel on the bike?

My wife is 5-foot (152cm) and rides an XS Giant Anthem X1W from a decade ago. The Rise has +24mm longer TT and +69mm longer reach.

Her "RAD" calculation is about 72cm, which in theory, splits the difference between her old bike (XS) and the Rise (SM).
She test rode a small Stumpjumper that was the closest we could get to the Levo SL (small) which seemed to work for her size-wise.
 

Gyre

Well-known member
Jan 25, 2021
630
422
Pasadena, CA
I have a similar problem. My wife is 5'1". She fits on a small Ibis Mojo HD3. I thought a Rise could be perfect for her, but a small Rise is substantially bigger than her current bike, so it's not likely to work.
 

Ducman71

Member
Apr 8, 2021
97
67
Orange County, CA
I also guess the Rise will be too big in a Small. The Rise runs big when comparing like for like sizing with other comparable models. I have a good friend who is about your wife's height (just slightly taller actually), and she is on an aluminum Levo SL Comp precisely because they made it in a size XS. Size S in the Levo SL would be too big for her, and the Rise in S would be bigger still.
 

Jeffsy29

Member
May 6, 2020
191
85
Rockville MD
@Ducman71 - That's concerning. I know height isn't all that (we just recently discovered the "RAD" measurement) some depends on arms, torso and personal taste. But my wife felt plenty comfortable on the Small Stumpjumper (same Geo as Levo SL). She even test-rode the Medium (!) Levo SL and managed to do some parking lot blocks, grassy climbs/downs without difficulty. I ran some geo numbers below and they're not incredibly far off from what she's ridden and feels comfortable on.
  • Reach looks like a wash (Rise uses 35mm stem, Levo SL uses 45mm).
  • Effective top-tube is slightly shorter on the Rise (my guess given the 1.2 degree steeper seat angle)
  • Standover is way lower...good for short folks.
She's never ridden a Rise Small, but she's also never ridden a Levo SL (XS), so not sure the XS would be right for her either. Both are risks.

We may just take the risk on Rise...with the market the way it is these days we can probably sell it without too much of a hit. The value on M10 is incredible for the build vs. Levo SL. LBS is forecasting Oct-Nov 2020 ETA on Levo SL's, which doesn't help.

Screen Shot 2021-04-26 at 6.16.46 PM.png
 

Ducman71

Member
Apr 8, 2021
97
67
Orange County, CA
@Jeffsy29 If she was good on the small Stumpy and Levo SL, she may be fine with the small Rise then. If your LBS has an Orbea Occam in small, she could try that. Size is of course really personal preference, and depends not only on height or RAD, but proportion of inseam to tosro length (which impacts the RAD angle, or RAAD), as well as the riding style and types of terrain you enjoy. Something sized based on the RAD method fits really well if you like jumping and moving the bike around below you a lot, but something larger than RAD sizing would likely feel more natural if you keep the bike on the ground more and spend more time pedaling and upright on the bike rather than throwing it around.

Sizing aside, I agree the build and spec on the Rise look better than that of the Levo SL, and that's why I have one on order (though either would be great). If my wife (also around the same height as your wife, and my friend with the XS Levo SL) felt comfortable on something the size of the Rise in small, I'd probably get her one, but it's clearly too big for her preference based on her current bikes.

Anyway, bottom line, it sounds like you are ordering a small Rise M10!
 

BobR

Member
Apr 14, 2021
167
74
Florida
My wife is 5’4” and has a long trunk, she test road an M10 medium and loved it and could stand over it with short legs... I had her Canyon LUX 8.0 with us which is a small as they run larger and she really like the Rise medium when switching back and forth between the two.
 

GMLS

Active member
Jun 22, 2020
336
209
Surrey
@Ducman71 - That's concerning. I know height isn't all that (we just recently discovered the "RAD" measurement) some depends on arms, torso and personal taste. But my wife felt plenty comfortable on the Small Stumpjumper (same Geo as Levo SL). She even test-rode the Medium (!) Levo SL and managed to do some parking lot blocks, grassy climbs/downs without difficulty. I ran some geo numbers below and they're not incredibly far off from what she's ridden and feels comfortable on.
  • Reach looks like a wash (Rise uses 35mm stem, Levo SL uses 45mm).
  • Effective top-tube is slightly shorter on the Rise (my guess given the 1.2 degree steeper seat angle)
  • Standover is way lower...good for short folks.
She's never ridden a Rise Small, but she's also never ridden a Levo SL (XS), so not sure the XS would be right for her either. Both are risks.

We may just take the risk on Rise...with the market the way it is these days we can probably sell it without too much of a hit. The value on M10 is incredible for the build vs. Levo SL. LBS is forecasting Oct-Nov 2020 ETA on Levo SL's, which doesn't help.

View attachment 59921
Would you mind sharing that website please
 

Jeffsy29

Member
May 6, 2020
191
85
Rockville MD
Would you mind sharing that website please

Sure, I ran across this randomly using google and some combo of 'bike' 'geometry', etc.
I used to make my own excel spreadsheet to do the same, and would always botch a number transferring - human error.

 

Cavi

Active member
Jun 15, 2020
376
123
California, usa
take a look at the Giat Liv bikes they come in a XS, my wife is 5 foot nothing and has an issue with stand over height. Even the levo xs was too tall for her, but the live Embolden E is awesome, good bike and inexpensive to boot. Just hard to find
 

Jeffsy29

Member
May 6, 2020
191
85
Rockville MD
@Cavi - thanks for the Liv tip. Interestingly, Giant's size chart puts the Embolden (XS) as 5'0" - 5'4". While Orbea puts the Rise (S) as 4'11" to 5'6". I think Specialized and YT do it better with 5-6 size options.

Liv products do tend to cut the reach down a bit. But my wife is coming off a XS Giant Anthem X1-W (it's certainly small enough), which she really doesn't feel comfortable on. She can't explain why very well only that she feels 'perched' on-top rather than down in the bike. She says she preferred her 13.5" Spesh Stumpy hardtail from the 90s!

So, I think she's looking to steer away from Giant. AND they don't make a lightweight yet. A large part of her interest in the Levo SL and Orb Rise is the 40lbs vs. 50+ lbs. Just handling the bike on/off trail.
 

BobR

Member
Apr 14, 2021
167
74
Florida
@Cavi - thanks for the Liv tip. Interestingly, Giant's size chart puts the Embolden (XS) as 5'0" - 5'4". While Orbea puts the Rise (S) as 4'11" to 5'6". I think Specialized and YT do it better with 5-6 size options.

Liv products do tend to cut the reach down a bit. But my wife is coming off a XS Giant Anthem X1-W (it's certainly small enough), which she really doesn't feel comfortable on. She can't explain why very well only that she feels 'perched' on-top rather than down in the bike. She says she preferred her 13.5" Spesh Stumpy hardtail from the 90s!

So, I think she's looking to steer away from Giant. AND they don't make a lightweight yet. A large part of her interest in the Levo SL and Orb Rise is the 40lbs vs. 50+ lbs. Just handling the bike on/off trail.
When my wife was on a small 29” she said it felt that way too... what about 27.5” wheeled or mullet?
 

Jeffsy29

Member
May 6, 2020
191
85
Rockville MD
When my wife was on a small 29” she said it felt that way too... what about 27.5” wheeled or mullet?

@BobR - her old bike (Anthem) is actually a 26" circa 2012. So it wasn't the wheels. She loved the Stumpy Small which is 27.5, and felt passable on the Levo SL (Med) that they had though it was clearly too long.

I actually put an order in yesterday for the Orbea Small, so we'll see what happens. Worst case I suppose we could Mulletize the Rise, but not sure she'd need it if the frame fits.
 

BobR

Member
Apr 14, 2021
167
74
Florida
@BobR - her old bike (Anthem) is actually a 26" circa 2012. So it wasn't the wheels. She loved the Stumpy Small which is 27.5, and felt passable on the Levo SL (Med) that they had though it was clearly too long.

I actually put an order in yesterday for the Orbea Small, so we'll see what happens. Worst case I suppose we could Mulletize the Rise, but not sure she'd need it if the frame fits.
As I mentioned earlier my wife has short legs for 5’4” and she could stand over a medium M10...
 

DanMcDan

Active member
Mar 18, 2021
159
111
Torquay
My wife is 5’4” and has short legs/long body and we share a Med Rise and she’s fits it perfectly, good job really or I’d have to find a new wife....
 

urastus

⚡The Whippet⚡
May 4, 2020
1,548
995
Tasmania
@Cavi - thanks for the Liv tip. Interestingly, Giant's size chart puts the Embolden (XS) as 5'0" - 5'4". While Orbea puts the Rise (S) as 4'11" to 5'6". I think Specialized and YT do it better with 5-6 size options.

Liv products do tend to cut the reach down a bit. But my wife is coming off a XS Giant Anthem X1-W (it's certainly small enough), which she really doesn't feel comfortable on. She can't explain why very well only that she feels 'perched' on-top rather than down in the bike. She says she preferred her 13.5" Spesh Stumpy hardtail from the 90s!

So, I think she's looking to steer away from Giant. AND they don't make a lightweight yet. A large part of her interest in the Levo SL and Orb Rise is the 40lbs vs. 50+ lbs. Just handling the bike on/off trail.
small people need bikes with smaller wheels because of the stack height. Manufacturers will try to tell you their bikes are for a wide range of heights, whether they are or not. I see many do this while using 27.5 and 29" wheels, the big common problem is handlebars that are high above the seat. There's also the height of the top tube and how far the seat can drop.

My partner is 4'11" and has a full suspension with 24" wheels. She is all over that and rides the bike like she owns it. It fits her well - she isn't compromising anywhere with fit, even smaller crank arms (155mm). You can only do so much with the frame using bigger wheels. Size is a great reason for keeping 26" wheels around. Incidentally; the bb might be a bit lower but because the wheelbase is so short her bike has better clearance than my size L mullet.
 
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