2019 Gear of the Year: Orbea Gain E-Bike

Each year we put dozens of road bikes through their paces at our annual test. And after a week of cycling on the smooth pavement and scenic gravel trails of Grand Junction, Colorado, the Orbea Gain e-bike rose to the top. You read that right: an e-bike is the best model of 2019.

[imreplica]

The "e roadbike = cheat" comment has me scratching my head. Who are they cheating?
I presently ride a 2018 Defy Advanced Pro 0 which I thoroughly enjoy. Having said that, my next road bike will be an e-bike. At 67 years of age I don't have to prove anything to anyone and those damn hills aren't getting any easier.

[paulcollins]

Just bought my second Orbea Gain after 4000km on my D40 I have bought a carbon M20. At nearly the same price just love the Gain

[paulcollins]

Bought a Orbea d40 back in 2018 (2019) model done over 4500km with few issues (needs stronger spokes that fit the rear hub as it’s designed for 2.5mm spokes epic cycles replaced all of mine after I broke 6 )

Great bike with good handling and great brakes, here in the U.K. the assist level is 15.5 mph. So riding normally I only get help on the hills makes riding a bit less of a sufferfest but my fitness has increased 15% because I’m riding more the carbon model is nice but the aluminium framed D40 has all you need

[luxorion]

I don't know how you can ride an e-bike. I rode 2500 km in the last 5 months. I compared a VTC Cube Kathmandu Hybrid Pro 625 (75 Nm) with a Orbea Gain M30 (40 Nm ?) on the same 70 km on open roads in the country. Autonomy : 70 km max because ~50% on the road were > 6-10%. The average speed were 27 km/h for the VTC (without much pain) and only 26.8 km/h for the Orbea Gain (but I feel much more pain)... The VTC climbs all roads, even over 20% at ease. I am not an athletic biker, but the Orbea had much more difficulties to ride steep roads (10-20%) compared to the VTC. At 10%, its speeds slow down to ~10 km/h where the VTC continues over 20 km/h. There are even steep tracks over 15-20% that the Orbea Gain (and me) was unable to climb when the battery was at only 6% because the torque is too low... Then the position of the bike is hawful for me. My head is too low and I have neck pain. At last, the suspension is great on the Cube with the Schwalbe Marathon+ tires where you do not feel much the road unevennesses. But on the Orbea Gain with its slick tires it is horrible, you have no suspension and unevennesses are really very hard to support. At last, on wet roads (or under some rain), without protection on tires, your jersey and the back of the bike are dirty. It is not funny. It is really a pity. My future choice ? An e-bike with straight handlebar, motor of at least 500W, torque 50-70 Nm, protection on tires and lights.

[pt]

Its just human ego bullshit talking when all this 'cheating' surfaces regarding eBikes. Most riders arent racers so if having an eBike helps them so what? Its not like im competing against you or you with me on any given day, and who cares a frig about Strava and PB's when average speeds can be out across different bike computers and Strava itself. Who cares!
If you're racing the Tour de France then yeah, its cheating. But for everyone else its not.
People talk like the bike pedals itself, you still have to put effort in, it won't just move uphill on its own.
Get a fekin grip.

[solitaryrefinement]

I get what he's saying here and it makes sense; It's like getting that last little assistance when bench pressing one's max weight by a spotter. It will literally squeeze out every last bit of strength one has and get them to their limit.

However, for me personally, it handicaps the individual to not do that on their own (just like having a spotter in a gym). I'm not making a judgement call either way. To each his/her own, but for me, it defeats the purpose of using a bike for fitness.

They sound like great rigs for touring though.