2025 Orbea Wild M-LTD E-Bike

Orbea depicts Wild as the “yes” machine, an enduro eMTB without compromises. An acclaimed favorite in the full-power eMTB category since its reinvention in 2022, the Wild now receives updates that focus on refinement rather than reinvention: more rear suspension travel with mullet compatibility, Bosch’s updated CX Performance motor, and a larger-capacity battery option. We spent a full season of shredding on the new Wild to see if it still stacks up to the fanfare in a category evolving at race speed.

Wild Highlights

• OMR Carbon frame with 29-inch wheels (mullet compatible)
• 170mm (6.7 inches) of rear wheel travel // 170mm (6.7 inches) fork travel
• 64-degree head angle
• 77.5-degree effective seat tube angle
• 12x148mm rear hub spacing
• Internal cable routing
• SIC System Cockpit
• Bosch Performance CX System with 100Nm torque
• 600Wh (tested) and 750Wh integrated battery options
• Sizes: S-XL
• Measured weight (size M, 600wh battery, with pedals): 49 pounds (22.2kg)
• MSRP: $11,999 USD as tested

What’s New

Two and a half years ago we visited the Spanish Basque Country for the unveiling of Orbea’s modernized Wild — a long-travel, full-power eMTB designed for enduro racing. The new Wild was one of the first full-power eMTBs to weigh in under 50 lbs., setting a standard with its stiff frame, potent power, and uncompromising geometry capable of technical climbs and descents.

Appearing in Orbea’s catalog since 2016 — originally as a hardtail — the current Wild leaves few hints of its inception nearly a decade ago. With several seasons of World Cup Enduro racing under its belt (or shall we say drivetrain?), and an appearance on the World Cup DH series under Martin Maes sans motor, Orbea has wasted no time in rolling out updates to Wild. If only its predecessors could see it now.

The latest Wild sees a move from 160mm to 170mm of rear suspension travel, mullet compatibility, an upgrade to Bosch’s CX Performance Line with 100Nm of torque, and two integrated battery options.

Frame Details

Wild’s carbon frame is built with Orbea’s premium OMR carbon, striking a balance between stiffness and weight. Feedback on the previous Wild noted excessive frame stiffness, which reduced compliance and comfort (something we noticed as well). Orbea responded by dialing back stiffness in the new frame, striking a better balance between precision and ride feel.

Cables are routed via Orbea's integrated cable guidance system, SIC System, where the rear brake cable and seat post cable are routed through the headset for a cleaner cable aesthetic and a shorter cable length. The system allows for the stem and handlebar to be changed without disconnecting cables, but at the expense of using only Orbea’s in-house stem and split spacers.

Orbea now offers the Wild in a mullet (27.5-inch rear) wheel configuration, made possible by swapping the shock linkage. Changing the rear wheel size does not affect the geometry.

Wild incorporates Orbea’s Steep’N’Deep seat tube concept, where every frame size can fully accommodate at least a 200mm dropper post into the seat tube, going as long as 230mm on sizes Large and XL.

The frame employs sealed Enduro bearings in all pivots to prevent water intake and increase durability.

Geometry

The Wild’s geometry remains mostly unchanged except for a slight slackening of the head angle from 64 to 63.5 degrees. The chainstay length is consistent at 448mm across all sizes. The Wild maintains its long wheelbase, 1252mm on our size medium. The stack height sits rather high at 634mm for our size medium, with a 120mm head tube length. The mullet configuration maintains the same geometry, affecting only the bottom bracket drop by 2mm.

eMTB Motor and Battery Details

Powered by Bosch’s Performance Line CX motor, Wild now joins the triple-digit torque club thanks to the recent Bosch software update, bumping torque from 85Nm to 100Nm. Peak power output is 750 watts, with a maximum assistance factor of 400% of rider input.

The system offers four ride assist modes: Eco, Tour+, eMTB, and Turbo, plus a walk-assist mode. Each mode is tunable via Bosch’s Flow app for torque, support level, and dynamic output. Control comes via a handlebar-mounted Bluetooth remote, while an integrated top tube display shows battery life. Since our test concluded, Orbea updated Wild with 2026 specs, including Bosch’s new integrated top tube display, which provides real-time data and more specific information, such as exact battery life. The new display can be retrofitted on the previous Bosch-equipped Wild models.

Orbea offers two Bocsh Powertube battery options for Wild: 600Wh (tested) and 750Wh. Bosch’s PowerMore 250Wh range extender is an optional add-on. Slotting into the water bottle cage, PowerMore brings Wild’s total possible battery capacity to 1000Wh.

The charge port is located on the left side of the frame above the motor, sealed by a durable cover that rotates upwards, flush with the frame.

Suspension Design

While increasing Wild’s rear travel from 160mm to 170mm to match the front suspension, Orbea also adjusted the suspension kinematics, most notably by increasing the progressivity rate to 40%. By straightening the suspension curve, Wild has more bottom-out support, enhancing its ability to manage big hits. Smaller adjustments were made across Anti-Squat and Anti-Rise, keeping suspension movement low under pedaling forces yet active when braking.

Build Kits

Orbea’s unique MyO online customization program offers the ability to choose specific components and a personalized frame with more paint combinations than we can count. Orbea claims that 50% of its orders are now MyO. Still, Orbea offers several factory-built kits, all of which are still customizable.

Since our long-term test concluded, Wild has been updated with 2026 build kits, which swap our SRAM AXS drivetrain for the new Shimano XT and XTR electronic options and utilize Bosch’s new integrated top tube display.

The new top-level M-LTD build for 2026 comprises a FOX Factory 38 Grip2 fork and X2 rear shock, a 600Wh battery, carbon Oquo wheels, and Shimano XTR components for $12,999. The M-Team build trades carbon wheels for alloy, and XTR for XT at $9,999. The M-10 build uses FOX Performance suspension with a Float X shock, and XT/SLX components for $8,499 and the M-20 build features the RockShox Zeb up front, Shimano SLX components, and Raceface wheels for $7,299. There are two alloy frame builds named Hydro from $6,499-$6,999.

Orbea also offers a Wild ST, a shorter travel, alloy version, which shares many of Wild’s features but in a more trail-friendly package for riders who desire full-power but don’t need the capabilities of an enduro race bike.

Where the Wild Things Are: Long-Term Takeaways

Our long-term test was conducted in the Reno/Lake Tahoe region of the Sierra Nevada mountains on a wide variety of terrain from chunky, loose steeps to bike park flow and technical jump lines.

We tested the 2025 M-LTD build, but with alloy Oquo wheels. On the trail, our first impressions were a planted, predictable ride, but the tall stack height made the bike feel slow to corner. Removing some headset spacers reduced the ride height and corrected the sluggish cornering, but not without the hassle of Orbea’s integrated headset, which requires Orbea’s split headset spacers that inevitably disappear on the garage floor.

On the previous Wild, we struggled with the stiff chassis affecting ride feel. The updates to the Wild’s frame stiffness and suspension eliminate the feedback and fatigue we experienced in the past. The additional 10mm of rear travel and adjusted suspension kinematics are welcome, resulting in a balanced front-to-rear feel and a more supple, compliant ride on rugged terrain and successive hits.

Despite the increase in progressivity, the new Wild has a more muted trail feel, for better or worse. While the FOX suspension soaks up chatter very effectively, the Wild leans more efficient than lively. Effort is required to unweight or pump the bike and pop over trail obstacles. The upside is that traction is never lacking, and predictability, especially in technical terrain, reigns supreme.

Where Wild comes most alive is on faster, technical trails. 

But where Wild comes most alive is on faster, technical trails. The faster the trail, the bigger the reward to the rider. After all, the Wild is a big bike. Its 170mm travel and long wheelbase are at home on steeper, rugged terrain, making smooth work of nasty rock gardens, square-edge bumps, and any wide-open section of trail. When more speed is possible, Wild is truly at home.

Wild’s stability and balanced configuration also work well in the air once you get it there. One of our test trails features a series of consecutive technical gap jumps ranging in size. The Wild handled the line with ease, not so different than a normal mountain bike.

There’s no denying Wild prefers momentum over meandering.

Conversely, these characteristics offer some trade-offs in slower speed terrain. When quick side-to-side motions are required to navigate tighter sections of trail, the Wild requires more effort to muscle through. It’s manageable, but there’s no denying Wild prefers momentum over meandering. We’re curious if riding the Wild with a mullet setup would remedy some of this. Furthermore, riders with less technical terrain who may not require a full power motor would be best served to give Orbea’s all-mountain Rise LT a hard look before committing.

But what makes Wild stand out is that it’s not just about the descents. One of the major benefits of its hard-hitting package is its uphill capabilities. The geometry and planted suspension work wonders when the trail turns up, transforming climbs into a new source of fun rather than simply a means to a descent. With the Bosch motor on tap, testing the limits of technical climbs was often as fun as the descents that followed.

eMTB Performance

Bosch’s Performance Line CX motor has been one of our favorites among the full-power eMTB options since its release. The Bosch system is user-friendly, adjustable via app, and its ability to deliver the right amount of assistance where needed while maintaining excellent traction is second to none. The Bosch system relies heavily on sensors that detect input, steepness, cadence, and other factors. The system interprets this data to automatically adjust the assistance level, regardless of the mode or rider’s cadence, allowing the rider to stay seated and maintain traction. This is particularly helpful on steep, technical climbs where traction is key. The rider’s pedal cadence can drop quite low, but the motor provides enough assistance to crawl up tricky sections of trail with an impressive amount of traction on the rear wheel.

Interestingly, the recent software updates in torque and assistance offered a varied experience. Where the previous factory settings were generally on target for most applications, 100Nm torque and 400% assistance proved to be excessive for most technical climbing scenarios. Fortunately, most of this is tunable with Bosch’s Flow app.

We found that aside from long road climbs, the 85Nm torque setting was plenty for most rides. Even so, we dialed the assist and dynamic response down to –3 or –4 from the factory “neutral” settings in most of the assist modes for a more natural feel, as the default settings were often too punchy and aggressive on technical climbs. Despite these adjustments, the motor’s overrun remained noticeable—still a bit much for slow, technical climbing maneuvers where precision matters.

Our test bike was equipped with the 600Wh battery, which held up well under mixed use but drained more quickly in eMTB or Turbo modes, especially when paired with the 100Nm torque setting. Riders planning bigger days will want to consider the PowerMore range extender for longer rides, or the 750Wh battery option, which adds a couple of pounds.

As is typical with Bosch motors, the noise is minimal, with no noticeable rattling while disengaged or descending. Only a slight hum is present when assist is engaged.

Long Term Durability

Throughout our testing, neither the Wild nor its components raised concerns for durability or long-term reliability. Orbea’s paint and finish are among the best in class, and every component on our build remained trouble-free.

Most impressive, though, was the Wild’s near-silent operation. From the Bosch motor to the drivetrain, the bike stayed remarkably quiet throughout the season—just as smooth and noise-free months later as it was on day one. For an eMTB, where motor and drivetrain noise often stand out, that level of refinement is rare.

What's The Bottom Line?

While Wild remains an enduro race bike at heart, the latest refinements make it more versatile for a wide range of riders and terrain. Its preference for fast, technical terrain remains, but it’s sure to be no slouch for any big mountain rider. A skilled rider will unlock its potential, but a less experienced rider will benefit from its consistent traction, predictability, and all-around capability.

Is Wild truly a bike without compromises? Not entirely, but it comes close. For riders who want a full-power enduro machine that climbs as well as it descends, Wild earns its reputation as Orbea’s “yes” bike. Add in Orbea’s MyO customization offerings, and it’s clear why Wild again sits at the top tier of full-power eMTBs.

View key specs, compare e-bikes, and review the latest Orbea Wild models in the Vital MTB Product section.

About the Tester

Rick Reed - Age: 42 // Years Riding MTB: Who's counting? // Height: 5' 9" (1.75m) // Weight: 142 pounds (64.4kg)

A veteran of the bike industry, Rick "E" Reed is a regular contributor to Vital. Rick enjoys riding fast tech, backcountry singletrack, and bike parks, occasionally sharing his chocolate with a select human being or two (you know who you are). He resides in Reno, Nevada, with his terror dog, Zuul.