2025 Orbea Wild eMTB

The Orbea Wild has been one of the most well received eMTBs released in recent years. Riders praise the simple setup, the easy to get along with suspension layout, the dazzling performance and, of course, the Bosch drive unit. This 2025 version has a few updates over the previous model, with 10mm more rear travel, the option to run a mullet set up (you can choose between 275 rear and dual 29 when you purchase the bike or you can purchase the appropriate rocker link later if you change your mind) and the much-heralded Gen. 5 Bosch Performance CX Motor. Now that many consumers are shopping for motor brands as much as bike brands, the new Bosch is high on most riders' lists.

Bosch Gen. 5

I wrote about the upcoming software updates for the newest Performance CX motor, and I've been riding it for several weeks on the Wild. I've been playing around with whether to use all the Newton metres in the Turbo mode or in EMTB+, which has an "Extended Boost" feature that continues to propel your bike for about a second after you stop pedalling. This can be really useful in some situations but it takes some getting used to, and I've had a couple of close calls. I almost planted my foot in front of my pedal and had the bike ride through me, but I managed to unweight it just in time. It's not that hazardous, and it can be turned off I believe, but you're going to want to pay attention when you first start using it in tech terrain.

Otherwise, the predictability and usability of the motor on the trail is unchanged, but a little more powerful. I don't think most users will find the difference dramatic. To me, when I want to use the full 100Nm and 750 watts, it just feels like more of a good thing. If you think it's a bit much you can turn down the amount of assist, torque, power and initial torque in the app. There is a lot of flexibility and I have yet to decide on where I want each setting, and it can be situation dependent as well.

Suspension Design and Performance

The Wild rolls on a single pivot plus rocker linkage design with a pivot that moves concentric with the rear wheel, muting much of your brake's influence on suspension perrformance. Around sag, there is a significant amount of anti-squat for pedalling performance and a highly progressive shock curve for good support and the trademark bottomless feel. Despite this, I know of several riders who tried coil shocks on the Wild who were unable to get the performance they were hoping for. It seems air is the way togo here.

Trail Manners

The Wild was one of the easiest bikes I've set up recently. I've heard others say that it rides pretty well at several sag levels so that's likely a factor but it was also very easy to get along with on the trail. Handling is quite neutral so you don't get the feeling that the bike is riding you or that you need to exaggerate your inputs to move the bike around. It reacts quite intuitively without being skittish or unpredictable. On my first ride I was already able to push my limits on the bike, and that usually takes some time.

There's something about the Wild that just quietly goes about its business. Other bikes seem to more flamboyantly let you know the rear suspension is working (I get this impression from high pivot bikes like the Norco Range VLT) but the Wild gives a little more trail feedback without slowing you down or bouncing you off the trail. You'll hit a decent sized drop and, while it's not like landing on a pillow, you land in control and composed without feeling like the suspension did all the work. It's almost like, rather than resting on its laurels, the bike is ready to tackle whatever is coming next. It's a more active and less sedate riding experience, but without any loss of pace and lots of engagement.

The Wild gives the impression of slightly less travel until you really need it, likely because of the solid mid stroke support and highly progressive leverage curve. This also gives you a nice platform to launch off when that is the appropriate response to the terrain.

MyO Customization Program

Orbea offers riders the opportunity to customize the paint colour of their bike, right down to individual logos as well as things like rear tire casing (from DD to DH for 40 CAD), handlebar rise, stem length and Seatpost drop. You can even get custom decal colours on your fork and shock. Finally, you can choose custom text, like your name or whatever you are going to call your bike, if you are into that.

You can also add a wired in light from Lezyne for 140 CAD front and rear and a PowerMore Range Extender for 700 CAD. Upgrading the battery to the 750Wh version costs 350 CAD and swapping in the new Bosch Kiox display is 210. You can even downgrade the wheels from Orbea's house brand carbon and save yourself 1115 CAD. This also seems to be the only point where there is the option to swap between 29 and 275, with the mullet only offered (at least when running through the MyO system) in the alloy wheels.

The amazing thing about this program is that, aside from the tire upgrade and added features like the range extender, it doesn't cost a penny. Orbea paints and assembles their bikes in their facility in Mallabia, Spain so this isn't a major pivot for them. Orbea states that you should expect to wait 5-7 weeks if you decide to customize your bike but at Obsession: Bikes, our local Orbea dealer, they have seen bikes arrive much sooner than that. If you'd like a bike that reflects your (undoubtedly impeccable) tastes, this is a great avenue.

When I first heard about MyO, I was under the impression you could choose individual components (like a fork, or brakes) so I went in with unrealistic expectations but I'm still very impressed with this program. I'd like to see a bar width option so those of us who ride narrower than 800mm don't end up with bars that are stiffer than they need to be.

Component Spec.

The selection of parts on this bike reminds me of the good old days of complete bikes, before SRAM became so dominant, when product managers could surprise you with their creative and thoughtful choices. The Wild has a SRAM drivetrain but it's paired with Shimano XTR brakes and Galfer rotors. Otherwise it's Orbea-branded bars stem and wheels, Fox suspension and seat post and SRAM XX drivetrain. Everything has worked well up until this point and while I like XTR brakes, I have been spoiled by the power of both Hope and SRAM's Mavens. On steep, sustained descents with the XTRs, my hands get more fatigued, I have less sensitivity at the top end, and there have been times, in very steep circumstances, where I was squeezing my front brake as hard as I could without slowing down as much as I hoped. I've yet to have this experience on Mavens, despite running only 200/180mm rotors. Maxxis tire choice was great, with the DH upgrade option chosen for the rear (more on that below), and Double Down up front.

A Few Gripes

Like everyone who works on their own bikes, I detest through-the-headset cable routing. I can't see any purpose it serves and it turns many simple jobs into horror shows. That might be hyperbolic, but I can't for the life of me figure out why the industry would try to ram this down our throats. Swapping brakes? Great! Start with disassembling your cockpit and headset as a warm up! Sure, this set up means there are fewer holes in your frame, but those holes (ahem!) have served me very well until this point. Banish this idea forever. Incinerate it with napalm. Toss it the volcano. Pretty please.

I mentioned the decent, but not stellar, power of the otherwise-excellent XTR brakes. How about pushing those rotors to 220mm? Shimano doesn't supply them yet but Orbea is already using Galfer discs, so Let's ramp that leverage. Or just slap on some Mavens. At least for the North Shore.

I have outlined my gripes about Bosch's plug arrangement before, but I'm still a little annoyed. For a system that is so well thought out and user-friendly, the interface between battery and motor sucks. The plug's male and female ends are so complex and convoluted that looking at them gives you little idea of how they should mate. If the light is at all challenging, you're screwed. A simple triangular collar on the male end, and a corresponding triangular recess on the female side would solve this easily. You could do it with your eyes closed and you should be able to! Can we end the fumbling please?

Closing

I've had a few rides on the Wild where I felt loose, rowdy and able to accomplish moves that normally elude me.* This doesn't happen on just any bike and is pretty much the highest praise I can give. The bike hasn't necessarily encouraged me to tackle larger moves than usual or ride a tick faster, at least not yet. It has however allowed me to tackle my normal terrain with more vigour, fun and freedom. Maybe like the sort of approach angle you might adopt if you were just released from a stint of incarceration. I guess that could be where the name came from.

*"Loose and rowdy" not in any global sense; only in my personal race against myself

The version I have been riding retails for an eye-watering 17,400 CAD/12,000 USD. Fortunately there are 7 models in the Wild range, with a bottom price of 5400 CAD/7800 USD.

2025 Orbea Wild M-Ltd