Somehow managing to keep it a secret throughout the trade show season, Orbea just unveiled their newest mountain bike – the 27.5″ wheeled Rallon R4. As the successor to the mighty Rallon R3 the new bike has bigger wheels, longer travel, and a revised Enduro focused geometry because like Orbea’s tagline for the new bike: “We may not be racing, but that doesn’t mean I am not trying to beat you.”
See what puts the Enduro in Orbea’s longest travel bike after the break!
Built around 160mm of rear travel, the new Tricone Alloy frame has grown by 10mm over the R3. The hydroformed and triple butted 7000 series aluminum frame comes in at 6.95 bls (3.15kg) for a medium frame and shock and includes features like a new hollow rocker arm. In order to be on top of the podium or first among your friends, the geometry has evolved with a lower bottom bracket, shorter chainstays, a longer cockpit and reach, a longer wheel base, a better pedaling position (75º/74.5º), and short 420mm chainstays. To cap it all off, those numbers are all adjustable by rotating the shock mount pin which drops the BB by 7mm and slackens the head tube angle by 5º (66.5º/66º).
The suspension of the new Rallon has a linear curve that ramps up at the very end with 10% progression to prevent bottom out. It’s built to be as sensitive as possible allowing for excellent small bump compliance, traction in turns and so forth.
In addition to the new rocker arm which mounts to the down tube instead of the top tube, there is also a new C9-12 concentric pivot around the rear axle. Hinting to the intended use of the bike, the Rallon is equipped with 180mm post mount rear brakes.
Simply flipping the shock mount pin at the front of the BOS or Fox shock changes the geometry based on your needs. Cables and hoses are neatly channeled down the back of the downtube, and there is a spot for a stealth dropper post to enter into the seat tube just behind the rocker link. Removable ISCG 05 tab allow you to run a bash guard, chain guide, or nothing at all.
Working in collaboration with BOS and Fox, the Rallon’s shocks have seen extensive tuning for what Orbea calls “Next Level Suspensions.”
The Rallon R4 will be available in January – in the mean time check out the Rallon Minisite for more information.
