Santa Cruz and Orbea both make excellent e-MTBs and have a full lineup with multiple options for different riding styles. In this post we'll go through their lineups with side-by-side comparisons.
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Santa Cruz e-MTBs are known for being extremely well built and about the only negative feedback we ever hear is around the price tag. They use the latest Bosch motors, get consistently strong reviews, and have a solid warranty. The Santa Cruz e-lineup includes the Bullit, Vala, and Heckler SL. Santa Cruz ebikes are available for demo/rental at our Phoenix shop.
Orbea is a 100+ year old European brand that’s been gaining a lot of traction in the US. Their e-MTBs tend to be lighter, very well finished, and feel natural on the trail. Their main electric mountain bike models are the Wild, the Rise LT, and the Rise SL.
Big Enduro e-MTBs: Bullit vs Wild
Wild on left, Bullit on right
If your riding involves steep terrain, big descents, and riding hard, the Santa Cruz Bullit and the Orbea Wild are what you should look at.
These bikes are both big enduro bikes with a lot of similarities. Both use Bosch motors, both have big travel, and both are built to handle aggressive riding. They climb incredibly well and make it easy to get back to the top for another lap, which is why people often describe them as having your own shuttle.
- The Bullit is MX only; the Wild has MX and 29" wheel options
- The Bullit is built with SRAM groupsets while the Wild uses primarily Shimano
- The Bullit has 600 Wh battery size only, while the Wild has a base 600Wh battery with a 750Wh battery option and a 250Wh range extender available by custom order (contact us)
All-Rounders: Vala vs Rise LT
Rise LT on left, Vala on right
Both of these bikes have the exact same travel, 150mm rear and 160mm front. Both bikes have enough travel to ride the majority of our rocky, cactusy Arizona stuff at high speeds.
The Santa Cruz Vala is essentially an electrified Bronson, which is one of Santa Cruz’s most popular bikes for a reason. Like the Bronson, the Vala is playful and fun, but still has enough travel to handle big terrain. It’s a great do-everything option and feels right at home on a wide range of trails.
Santa Cruz also just released the Vala in an aluminum frame at a lower price point, which will be their only aluminum-framed model. We don't have these in yet at the time of publishing this post, but hit reply and ask for timelines if you're interested.
The Orbea Rise LT (for "Long Travel") is similar to the Vala. It’s a bit lighter, coming in at 38-43 lbs depending on build and size. It also has a more modern, edgy frame design and is priced lower than the Vala. It's also available in either carbon or aluminum.
The Rise motor can be used in either RS mode for longer range, or RS+ mode for higher max torque.
- The Vala uses a Bosch motor, while the Rise LT uses a Shimano motor
- The Vala is MX only, while the Rise LT uses 29ers
- The Vala is built with SRAM components primarily, while Orbea chose Shimano and e*thirteen for the Rise
- Vala comes with a 600Wh battery, while the Rise LT has 420Wh and 630Wh options
Lightweight Trail Bikes
Rise SL on left, Heckler SL on right
Finally in the trail category, both Santa Cruz and Orbea have an "SL," or "Super Light," model.
The Orbea Rise SL is a completely different bike from the Rise LT, despite the confusing overlap in the model name. It’s great for flow-type singletrack and very capable on smaller jumps/obstacles.
The Santa Cruz Heckler SL follows the same idea from the Santa Cruz side, a lighter e-MTB that still feels like a proper trail bike, just with some extra help on the climbs.
The Rise SL is built with a Shimano EP8 RS mid-motor with up to 85 Nm torque; the Heckler SL has a Fazua Ride 60 with up to 60 Nm torque. Both motors provide smooth, natural power delivery.
The Bonus: An E-Gravel Bike
Santa Cruz Skitch going a bit offroad
On the gravel side, Santa Cruz has the very impressive, but lesser known Skitch. It's a carbon-frame gravel bike with an ultra-efficient Fazua Ride 60 motor that provides power up to 28mph. The Skitch is designed to be ultra-lightweight (about 30lbs in CC carbon) and agile for a mix of road, gravel and smooth singletrack riding. The geometry is slacker and with a more upright riding position than most gravel bikes, and the carbon fork is designed so you can swap it for a 40mm suspension fork.