Orbea Gain

[Storck]

I concur with what Storck said, most people need the size down from what they normally ride. I have always ridden medium frames my alloy Gain is a small.

Nah, lets be honest Scaley? We've shrunk.

 

[JRTemple]

I concur with what Storck said, most people need the size down from what they normally ride. I have always ridden medium frames my alloy Gain is a small.

how tall are you?

 

[Storck]

how tall are you?

Six feet, in socks.

 

[NickWi]

I'm also exactly 6 feet tall and find my Large 2018 model D20 just the right size when I ride it. It does look quite tall as it's a traditional rather than compact fram design but put next to my 23 1/2" tourer and my 59cm road bike, all looks pretty similar.

 

[TouchingCloth]

The Gain I have just purchased is Carbon. The sizing chart has me as a medium as I'm 5ft 8in tall. I spoke to the dealer who was pretty sure medium would be fine. However I mentioneed that I have really short inside leg. He then said, well you may need a small alloy frame but the medium in the carbon would be ok as there is a slight difference in the geometry.
When I did order I went for a small, as my Merlin carbon was a small and I had been and sat on that before buying.
Its a lot easier to make a small frame a bit bigger, than make the big one smaller, especially if your right on the cusp of both sizes.

 

[Storck]

The Gain I have just purchased is Carbon. The sizing chart has me as a medium as I'm 5ft 8in tall. I spoke to the dealer who was pretty sure medium would be fine. However I mentioneed that I have really short inside leg. He then said, well you may need a small alloy frame but the medium in the carbon would be ok as there is a slight difference in the geometry.
When I did order I went for a small, as my Merlin carbon was a small and I had been and sat on that before buying.
Its a lot easier to make a small frame a bit bigger, than make the big one smaller, especially if your right on the cusp of both sizes.

The carbon Gain is more compact than the 'D' Shorter head tube and reach. On my carbon Gain the seat is setback with my alloy Gain, it's pushed forward sitting on a no setback pin. Of course you are correct, easier placing longer stem and setback seat pin.

 

[TouchingCloth]

So the M30 arrived, 2019 model as it was instock and delivered in 3 days, rather than not knowing how long a 2020 in my size might take, especially under yhe current circumstances. Bike looks even better in the flesh than I imagined, the only thing I would change about the looks, is reduce the clearances. Far too much clearance on road tyres at the forks, especially with no brake calipers to fill the void. I probably won't be saying that when I pop in some 40mm wide tires to go gravel tracking, but why not make two seperate frames or at least fork options.
As you may have read elsewhere, at 5ft 8in tall I just fall in to the medium sized frame, however with inside leg measurements of only 28in I plumped for a small and it feels very good. I would certainly have struggled on a medium.
I suffer with blocked illiac arteries that give me cramps when the leg muscles are asking for more oxgen than can be delivered. After a couple of rides I'm delighted with the assistance it gives me, its opened up so many more local rides and loops, now I can defeat some of the short sharp hills that have previously caged me in. It gives me exactly what I want, a good workout but the help I need l, to not over stress the muscles. Still giving me a damn good work out to increase the muscle strength, as I can choose the level of assistance and when I decide to ask for it. Th good bits are very good indeed, I am frustrated with a few things though.
I have no problem with the iwoc controller, even if it does drop from level 3 to no assistance, rather than back through the gears so to speak. My problem is the drag that appears, when you do this, as if someone has put the brakes on.
After climbing some steep ascents on level 3 and the road levels out or starts to descend, I have pressed the button to switch to no help, and the bike appears to have applied brakes. I will frantically press the button to apply assistance, but I seem to get nothing for 5 or 6 seconds. I know my legs are tired, but even if I try and put more effort in, it feels like an un natrual resistance. Can anyone suggest what I'm suffering here or how to ride around it?
Only other issue is the ebike motion app. The bike never connects to the app, I always have to look for the bike from within the app. If I use it as a speedo/sat nav/electrics monitor, it eats the battery on my moble. Its ok if I have it running in the background, in the darkness of my pocket.
Finding the detailed info is a pain as you have to log into the website not the app. The strava integration has worked once but I cant get it to do it again.
Other than that, this bike has changed my life and made cycling fun again.

 

[Storck]

So the M30 arrived, 2019 model as it was instock and delivered in 3 days, rather than not knowing how long a 2020 in my size might take, especially under yhe current circumstances. Bike looks even better in the flesh than I imagined, the only thing I would change about the looks, is reduce the clearances. Far too much clearance on road tyres at the forks, especially with no brake calipers to fill the void. I probably won't be saying that when I pop in some 40mm wide tires to go gravel tracking, but why not make two seperate frames or at least fork options.
As you may have read elsewhere, at 5ft 8in tall I just fall in to the medium sized frame, however with inside leg measurements of only 28in I plumped for a small and it feels very good. I would certainly have struggled on a medium.
I suffer with blocked illiac arteries that give me cramps when the leg muscles are asking for more oxgen than can be delivered. After a couple of rides I'm delighted with the assistance it gives me, its opened up so many more local rides and loops, now I can defeat some of the short sharp hills that have previously caged me in. It gives me exactly what I want, a good workout but the help I need l, to not over stress the muscles. Still giving me a damn good work out to increase the muscle strength, as I can choose the level of assistance and when I decide to ask for it. Th good bits are very good indeed, I am frustrated with a few things though.
I have no problem with the iwoc controller, even if it does drop from level 3 to no assistance, rather than back through the gears so to speak. My problem is the drag that appears, when you do this, as if someone has put the brakes on.
After climbing some steep ascents on level 3 and the road levels out or starts to descend, I have pressed the button to switch to no help, and the bike appears to have applied brakes. I will frantically press the button to apply assistance, but I seem to get nothing for 5 or 6 seconds. I know my legs are tired, but even if I try and put more effort in, it feels like an un natrual resistance. Can anyone suggest what I'm suffering here or how to ride around it?
Only other issue is the ebike motion app. The bike never connects to the app, I always have to look for the bike from within the app. If I use it as a speedo/sat nav/electrics monitor, it eats the battery on my moble. Its ok if I have it running in the background, in the darkness of my pocket.
Finding the detailed info is a pain as you have to log into the website not the app. The strava integration has worked once but I cant get it to do it again.
Other than that, this bike has changed my life and made cycling fun again.

That's not drag you're experiencing, that's reality. You are riding in assist, probably using a bigger gear because it's easier. Switch off assist the weight of the bike takes on a new meaning. Carry on a few hundred yards, and you ride through it.
Ps. Have never got Strava to sync.

 

[TouchingCloth]

Hi Storck,
I have to say that was my initial thoughts and may be tha case in certain situations.
However when the peak of a climb is followed immediately by a decent, I have been changing from red..level 3... striaght to white.. no assistance, wanting to coast down the hill and the bike appears to be putting the brakes on. I change down the gears to try and built up some momentum to overcome it, but it appears to take several seconds for to realise no assistance is required.
Lets say I hit the crest of the hill using maximum assist at 8mph, no matter what level I switch to, apart from back to max, or what gear I select, the motor does not want to spin faster than 8mph. So I feel like I'm fighting the motor.
It only clears immediately if I press and hold to switch the power off totally. Then any connection with the emotion app is cut, so not the best option.
It's very early days in the learning curve, and I suspect I will find particular time/cadence/gears I should be in at particular points to get the best from it.
Already read in this thread, higher cadence appears to give best results when climbing.
Thanks for your feedback... anything at this point is a gem of wisdom

 

[NickWi]

I also experience the drag problem when dropping down the power levels, but the 'cure' is quite simple, pedal backward for half or whole rotation. Don't know why it works but it does.

 

[Storck]

Hi Storck,
I have to say that was my initial thoughts and may be tha case in certain situations.
However when the peak of a climb is followed immediately by a decent, I have been changing from red..level 3... striaght to white.. no assistance, wanting to coast down the hill and the bike appears to be putting the brakes on. I change down the gears to try and built up some momentum to overcome it, but it appears to take several seconds for to realise no assistance is required.
Lets say I hit the crest of the hill using maximum assist at 8mph, no matter what level I switch to, apart from back to max, or what gear I select, the motor does not want to spin faster than 8mph. So I feel like I'm fighting the motor.
It only clears immediately if I press and hold to switch the power off totally. Then any connection with the emotion app is cut, so not the best option.
It's very early days in the learning curve, and I suspect I will find particular time/cadence/gears I should be in at particular points to get the best from it.
Already read in this thread, higher cadence appears to give best results when climbing.
Thanks for your feedback... anything at this point is a gem of wisdom

Yes, a higher cadence makes the motor assist more efficient. I'm a bigger gear rider, however having done many trials in the hills, the sweet spot seems to around 75-80rpm for the motor. Push a bigger gear up hill and you can end up with no assist at all.

 

[youngoldbloke]

Hi Storck,
I have to say that was my initial thoughts and may be tha case in certain situations.
However when the peak of a climb is followed immediately by a decent, I have been changing from red..level 3... striaght to white.. no assistance, wanting to coast down the hill and the bike appears to be putting the brakes on. I change down the gears to try and built up some momentum to overcome it, but it appears to take several seconds for to realise no assistance is required.
Lets say I hit the crest of the hill using maximum assist at 8mph, no matter what level I switch to, apart from back to max, or what gear I select, the motor does not want to spin faster than 8mph. So I feel like I'm fighting the motor.
It only clears immediately if I press and hold to switch the power off totally. Then any connection with the emotion app is cut, so not the best option.
It's very early days in the learning curve, and I suspect I will find particular time/cadence/gears I should be in at particular points to get the best from it.
Already read in this thread, higher cadence appears to give best results when climbing.
Thanks for your feedback... anything at this point is a gem of wisdom

- not my experience. I tend to leave the level as required to ascend the hill until I've crested the top and then drop to the first level, even if I'm initially getting 'too much' help, otherwise as Storck suggests I experience the weight-drag of the bike. (Mine is an alloy version, but exactly twice the weight of the Carbon fibre Rose I had been used to riding!) I don't feel any motor drag, or when coasting, Do you get that drag when you stop pedalling on the flat, or go to '0'? Perhaps I'm just used to the bike now after riding it exclusively for almost 3 years. BTW I understand it's not good practice to ride with the motor actually switched off. I had a lot of trouble with the app originally, but more recently it has become much more stable, though I tried to renew my £3.99 map subs earlier this year and although the download failed completely EBM kept the money, and my appeal to PayPal was unsuccessful! I have to link the bike every time I use it, and it is very battery hungry, Good review of your experiences so far.
Interested that your reasons for getting a Gain sounds very similar to mine - vascular disease. Femoral and iliac arteries in both my legs are restricted, I was finding that even just 2 or 3 miles on my Rose could induce severe pain, particularly on any incline, however slight.

 

[Storck]

- not my experience. I tend to leave the level as required to ascend the hill until I've crested the top and then drop to the first level, even if I'm initially getting 'too much' help, otherwise as Storck suggests I experience the weight-drag of the bike. (Mine is an alloy version, but exactly twice the weight of the Carbon fibre Rose I had been used to riding!) I don't feel any motor drag, or when coasting, Do you get that drag when you stop pedalling on the flat, or go to '0'? Perhaps I'm just used to the bike now after riding it exclusively for almost 3 years. BTW I understand it's not good practice to ride with the motor actually switched off. I had a lot of trouble with the app originally, but more recently it has become much more stable, though I tried to renew my £3.99 map subs earlier this year and although the download failed completely EBM kept the money, and my appeal to PayPal was unsuccessful! I have to link the bike every time I use it, and it is very battery hungry, Good review of your experiences so far.
Interested that your reasons for getting a Gain sounds very similar to mine - vascular disease. Femoral and iliac arteries in both my legs are restricted, I was finding that even just 2 or 3 miles on my Rose could induce severe pain, particularly on any incline, however slight.

Your correct Young. If I require no assist I still ride the bike switched on in mode 0. I've never experienced the drag, that some others describe, be it dropping down assist or freewheeling downhill. Also have a Samsung Edge 7, after connecting to bike I put phone in standby mode, rides of 3 hours have little impact on battery.

 

[TouchingCloth]

I also experience the drag problem when dropping down the power levels, but the 'cure' is quite simple, pedal backward for half or whole rotation. Don't know why it works but it does.

Hi NickWi,
I must have read one of your earlier posts about this method. I did try it but it did not work for me. Reminded me of my old sturmy archer 3 speed hubs. I think you had to pedal backwards when changing gear on some of those.

 

[TouchingCloth]

- not my experience. I tend to leave the level as required to ascend the hill until I've crested the top and then drop to the first level, even if I'm initially getting 'too much' help, otherwise as Storck suggests I experience the weight-drag of the bike. (Mine is an alloy version, but exactly twice the weight of the Carbon fibre Rose I had been used to riding!) I don't feel any motor drag, or when coasting, Do you get that drag when you stop pedalling on the flat, or go to '0'? Perhaps I'm just used to the bike now after riding it exclusively for almost 3 years. BTW I understand it's not good practice to ride with the motor actually switched off. I had a lot of trouble with the app originally, but more recently it has become much more stable, though I tried to renew my £3.99 map subs earlier this year and although the download failed completely EBM kept the money, and my appeal to PayPal was unsuccessful! I have to link the bike every time I use it, and it is very battery hungry, Good review of your experiences so far.
Interested that your reasons for getting a Gain sounds very similar to mine - vascular disease. Femoral and iliac arteries in both my legs are restricted, I was finding that even just 2 or 3 miles on my Rose could induce severe pain, particularly on any incline, however slight.

Hi Youngoldbloke,
I have had two kissing stents inserted where my illiac arteries split. At one point I could not walk up even the slightest incline without severe pain in my buttocks and thighs. It was as a miracle cure for several years, but one of the stents has collapsed and I'm beginning to suffer again. Like you anything less than flat was almost impossible. I was driving over to the river to ride along the flood plain, but it became tedious due to same old couple of loops.

I don't have any drag when riding on the flat in any of the modes. The only time it kicks in is when I drop from level 3 max assistance, after climbing longer/steeper hills and gradually slowing and dropping down the gears as I get tired. If I only use level 1 or 2 assistance on a climb I dont get any noticeable drag when I crest the summit at all.
I initially thought it was as Storck mentioned, me suddenly having to take on the weight of the bike and my tired limbs when I suddenly had no assistance at all. Especially as I tend to almost stop pedaling once the adrenaline of reaching the top is over. However it really caught me out when it took several second to sort itself out when there was and immediate drop after the crest. On both occasions on my ride where this happend, I'd peddle over the crest in level 3, begin to pick up speed, and press once to go into no assist mode. However the bike slowed and despite now going down hill, peddling was very difficult. I had to flick through to level 2 assistance to release the drag. One that was done I could flick through to no assistance and freewheel down as normal.
I did try the pedal backwards tip but this didn't seem to work for me.
Maybe I will stay in maximum assist for a little while longer after cresting hills and see how that is. I think its my natrual reaction to try and go to the lowest assist as quickly as possible, 1 to save the battery and 2 to prove to myself I'm only using the max assist when absolutely necessary.
Any way, great to be a member of the community. So many questions already answered while reading this and a few other threads. It's early days but in all honesty its far better than I ever expected already.