What We're Riding - Jake's Orbea Rallon
Frame: Orbea Rallon
Rear Shock: Fox X2
Fork: Fox Factory 36 160mm
Brakes: Shimano XTR Trail
Drivetrain: Shimano XTR Di2
Pedals: Shimano XTR Trail
Wheels: M730 with Industry 9 Hydra Hubs
Tires: Maxxis
Stem: M7 50mm
Handlebar: M7 40mm Rise
Grips: Ergon GE1 Evo Slim
Dropper Lever: Wolf Tooth ReMote
Seatpost: Fox Factory Transfer
Complete Bike Weight: 31lbs.
It’s that time of the year here in the Intermountain West when high-alpine trail riding missions literally become a race against Old Man Winter. Last weekend marked the official victory for winter as a storm front moved across the West laying down a blanket of snow that ended our high-alpine trail riding for the season.
But, before the race against the old man ended, we joined ENVE’s own Jake Pantone, for the last high-alpine ride of the season to check out his custom Orbea Rallon.
This is what he had to say about his bike.
“When the new Orbea Rallon launched in 2018, I was immediately impressed by the progressive lines and updated aesthetic, not to mention you could get it in any color combo, but wasn’t seriously considering it as my next ride until some feedback from a few trusted friends in the industry came through with claims like, “The new Rallon might be the most playful mountain bike I’ve ever ridden,” and “Despite the angles and travel, the Rallon pedals like a short travel trail bike.” Then, as a matter of coincidence, Orbea came knocking on our door for wheel and component sponsorship of what is now the Orbea/ENVE EWS Team. I didn’t need anymore excuses to commit to the Rallon.”
“As a rider, based in Northern Utah, there is always a certain attraction to the concept of a one-bike-quiver because within any given week you can ride buff singletrack, brutal sandstone, and maybe a smattering of bike park or shuttle laps. So the quest for a do it all shred sled is ongoing. On paper and on the trail, the Rallon is the best tool I’ve found for this job to date.”
“Given that our best rides include 2-4K of vertical, to get the best descents, I wanted my Rallon to be as light as possible without sacrificing reliability. For drivetrain I opted for a full Shimano XTR Di2 groupset which has just been incredible, as it shifts flawlessly regardless of weather and trail conditions. For the cockpit, I paired the ENVE M7 carbon stem in 50mm length with our ENVE M7 40mm rise handlebar to maximize weight savings without sacrificing control and confidence when the going gets steep and rough.”
“When it comes to wheels, I opted for a pair of M6 and M7 wheels. The M6 wheelset consists of an M635 front wheel paired with a Maxxis DHF 2.5 WT EXO tire and an M630 on the back paired with a Maxxis 2.3 Agressor EXO. I like to mix the inner rim widths to better match the volume of each tire respectively. This wheelset is my Northern Utah wheelset where weight savings trumps the need for impact and pinch-flat protection. For more gravity oriented and rough riding, I swap out the M635/630 wheelset for a pair of M735/730 wheels that feature ENVE’s integrated Protective Rim Strip guaranteeing that I can confidently ride the roughest terrain found in the Wasatch, Southern Utah, or Whistler without a worry of pinch flatting.”
“All said, the Rallon lives up to the hype and I can honestly say that it’s been my favorite mountain bike yet.”
As always, you can follow along for more ENVE’d out bike photos – @ENVEComposites #iRideENVE
