budget trailmachine
Orbea Laufey Review

Trail hardtails are known for being lightweight, affordable, and tough. But riding one often comes with a sense of imperfection. Armed with modern features and a radical spec, the new Orbea Laufey aims to shatter this stereotype.

The Orbea Laufey is sleek, modern, and strives to achieve a blend that’s seemingly contradictory. This new Spanish trail hardtail aims to provide full-on downhill thrills at an affordable price point. Although €2499 is still a significant sum, the MSRP of our test bike is considerably lower than that of similarly specced full-suspension rigs.

For comparison, the Occam SL H20 has a similar spec but comes with a €1000 premium. The Occam SL H30 is priced in the same ballpark as our Laufey but makes noticeable compromises in its components, particularly with the fork and brakes where the full-suspension model falls short of the hardtail.

The comparison reveals the vision Orbea has for the Laufey. This bike is designed to open up the joy of riding rugged trails to everyone with a budget of under $3,000 for a new bike. But can the Laufey deliver on the promise of affordable ride fun on serious trails in our real-world test?

Those on the hunt for a trail hardtail with 130 to 140 millimeters of travel, priced under the $3,000 mark, will find no less than 50 bikes to choose from. The vast array of options revealed by our comprehensive market overview signals one thing: competition in this segment is fierce. Nukeproof, Rose, Radon, Canyon, and Giant – all the big players are on the prowl for customers in this bracket. To stand out from the scrum, Orbea imbues its frame with several distinctive features.

The storage compartment in the downtube offers enough space for a spare tube and the essential tools needed for rides. The cover beneath the bottle cage seamlessly integrates with the frame and boasts a high-quality locking mechanism. A feature that you’d be hard-pressed to find in the trail hardtail segment from other manufacturers.

The sleek design, which smoothly transitions the top tube into the seat stays and the option of up to three different color varieties, also sets this bike apart in the market.

The ISCG tabs for a chain guide, internally routed cables, and the threaded BSA bottom bracket are, however, standards that are also met by other manufacturers. A perusal of the entire market reveals that the geometries of trail hardtails are quite similar across the board.

Our comparison feature on bike-test.com reveals that trail hardtail geometries now differ only in subtle nuances. You can expect a head angle of 65° +/- 0.5° on models like the Rose Bonero , the Canyon Stoic 4 or the Orbea Laufey. Moreover, reach measurements for a size M frame are hovering around the 450 mm mark.

However, two key metrics set the Orbea Laufey apart from its competitors:

The burning question remains: Can you actually feel these nuances out on the trail?

To put the Orbea Laufey through its natural paces, we didn’t just ride it on our local trails in the Altmühltal, but we also put it to a hardcore test on the Enduro trails of Finale Ligure. The demanding and rugged trails along the Italian Riviera are tough on gear, but the Orbea is up for the challenge.

Thanks to its low bottom bracket and slack head angle, it provides a confident ride on rough terrain. Coupled with Shimano’s sturdy 4-piston brake setup and beefy 2.6″ tires, the rider’s trust in the bike is significantly boosted.

Thanks to the large volume in the tires, the lack of rear suspension compared to a full-suspension bike can’t be fully compensated. However, these plush tires do offer more reserves in aggressive riding conditions than their narrower counterparts, such as those found on the Rose Bonero. Additionally, the risk of flats decreases with the increased tire volume. Aggressive riders will appreciate being able to fine-tune their fork’s compression damping with the slightly coarse Grip lever on the Fox fork for added support during high-speed impacts.

Riding rough trails like the famed Roller Coaster Trail in Finale Ligure is a blast on the Orbea Laufey. Despite its descent-focused setup, the rigid rear of the Orbea Laufey demands a tailored riding style on the downhills. Riders who twist the throttle as wide open as they would on a full-suspension quickly realize: a hardtail is still a hardtail!

As the pace picks up, not even the slickest riding skills can fully absorb the bashes to the rear wheel. The consequence: the rear wheel increasingly loses contact with the ground. This reduces the control you have over the bike. On our moderate local trails in the Altmühltal, however, this effect was still within limits.

The trails of Finale Ligure, sculpted by human hands to induce a speed high in riders, push trail hardtails to their limits. Even though the Laufey is undoubtedly one of the most descent-focused trail hardtails out there, it reaches its limits more quickly than a comparable full-suspension bike when dealing with a mix of speed and rugged terrain. As long as you understand this and modulate your pace in critical sections, the thrill of the ride remains unimpeded.

One undeniable advantage of hardtails over full-suspension bikes is their lower weight. Weighing in at 13.75 kilograms, the Orbea Laufey is approximately 2 kilograms lighter than a full-suspension bike at the same price point. The benefit: Climbing becomes significantly easier. Thus, you won’t run out of steam as quickly on lengthy rides.

Even though the tires contribute a noticeable rolling resistance and there are lighter trail hardtails available, ascending with the Laufey remains comfortable. The reason: The contact points with the body are very pleasant thanks to high-quality components. The premium Ergon saddle and grips pamper the human body. Thanks to the steep seat angle, the riding position is very upright.

The Laufey may not be winning any marathon races, but it certainly makes tackling long climbs of over 1000 vertical meters a breeze.

As always, we’re delivering not just in-depth insights into the particulars of a bike, but also info on the entire model range. Apart from the flagship model, the Orbea Laufey comes in two more affordable variants. And of course, for those interested in a bike with a stiffer rear end, we’ve tackled the topic of Trail hardtails – the superior budget Enduro bikes as well.