Orbea’s Optimisation Lab has upped the ante in its relationship with Shimano to develop the next breed of eMTBs.
With help from speedsters like Damien Oton and Edgar Caballo, Orbea and its Optimisation Lab will work closer with Shimano on the next generation of their class-leading ebikes.
Find out more on the OOLab site here.
Orbea Optimization Lab (OOLab), the brand’s product innovation and development initiative,
has expanded thanks to its alliance with Shimano. The project’s goal is to take electric
technology to the extreme, improve performance and lead the category with the
development of future-forward ebikes.
The new project, built on a team of riders, mechanics and engineers, aims to deepen the
brands’ knowledge of ebike systems while pushing the limits of the sport. Although they will
have their sights on winning, the product testing carries the greatest weight of this project on
a daily basis.
High-level racing is a fundamental part for both Orbea and Shimano as a space to generate
knowledge and test material under the most extreme conditions.
“We’re taking a new step in our synergy with a partner like Shimano and we’re doing it by
proposing something different. For our brand, it is essential to work as closely as possible
with our partners and suppliers in different areas,” says Orbea’s Director of Brand and
Communications, Ander Olariaga.
“Shimano is proud to partner up with Orbea on this ambitious project, which will allow our
latest technologies to be tested in the most extreme conditions by expert and skillful riders.
We believe that OOLab will be a fundamental asset for the evolution of e-MTB for both
brands”, says Dennis Weijers, Marketing Director of Shimano Europe.
The project and schedule
Orbea and Shimano will have a powerful engineering team to lead the various tests. Two
expert riders with extensive experience in racing will be the most visible faces of this
initiative and will participate in elite ebike races with their Rise equipped with Shimano’s
EP801 motor and DEORE XT Di2 drivetrain, featuring AUTO SHIFT and FREE SHIFT
technologies.
Those two riders are Damien Oton and Gabi Torralba. They’ll be responsible for pushing the
materials and designs to the limit, as well as sharing all their feedback to the respective
engineering teams. Julien Brugeas, a lover of technology and its development, will be the
project’s Manager and will ensure the correct evolution and reporting of all the tests.
The calendar includes races such as the UCI e-EDR, the World E-Bike Series and other
events like Megavalanche and Maxiavalanche. It is possible that they will participate in
additional races, although they will not necessarily share details about every race.
An exclusive communications team will generate and distribute content on a daily basis,
found on the websites and social channels of both the OOLAB and the riders.
Orbea Optimization Lab
OOLab is Orbea’s flagship innovation project without limits, where new ideas are tested,
knowledge is developed and future solutions are created beyond the usual product
development cycle. OOLab encourages creativity and improvement throughout the process
of creating new brand solutions.
In the project, Orbea collaborates with key brand partners that share its determination for
continuous improvement. Together, they can test shared ideas and advance technologies in
line with that vision. OOLab is not always affiliated with a specific project, but rather is
focused on generating knowledge that moves ideas forward and shapes the future.
