Orbea Is Looking To Define a New Class of E-Bikes With the Do-It-All Kemen SUV Lineup

Folks, with the introduction of electric drivetrains on bicycles, a new age of cycling has begun. No longer are we limited to only the power of our legs, but we are now assisted with motors, battery packs, and an array of other electronics designed to help you adventure like never before.

Such is the case with Orbea's newly announced Kemen SUV 10 bikes, two machines, once classic, one step-through, built for nothing more than being the sort of machine you use to explore lands where your actual SUVs wouldn't dare enter or simply can't because of their size.

To achieve this sort of machine, it appears like Orbea decided to blend an array of components and geometries from different classes of bicycles and beautifully integrated them into a do-it-all bike. Sure, I wouldn't recommend dropping down a mountainside with this bugger, but your classic single-track and gravel road are all in the day's work for the SUV 10. There's really no need to point out the apparent applications this bike is suitable for in our day-to-day lives.

In order for me to give you an idea of what your life may be like with the SUV, I want you to pretend that you just dropped $5,500 (€5,100 at current exchange rates) on one. With that said, you wake up on Monday, and after completing our daily rituals, you're ready to get to work. Because Orbea has called up the minds at Shimano and equips the SUV with a Shimano EP8 motor offering an assist up to 20 mph (32 kph) and a 540-Watt-hour battery, you should have no trouble riding to work even if you work 30 miles (48 kilometers) away from home. Just be sure to bring a towel.

While that may not sound like the most pleasant way to start your week or even carry through like that to Friday, some folks live that very life. Nonetheless, once the weekend rolls around, you'll be happy that your machine can carry you as far as you may want to go. With a 252-Watt-hour range extender, you should be able to travel further than we may have thought. It's not clear how far you'll be able to explore as this depends on many factors.

Speaking of factors that can affect your bike's range, what Orbea did with this line is offer an integrated rear carrier built from aluminum and just perfect for those weekend cycling adventures that require you to camp out overnight. This feature proves priceless even around town, giving you a place to store your briefcase and groceries.

Looking closer at these bikes, their capabilities shine through even more. As you're riding along, you're bound to hit rocks, cracks, roots, and other debris, and reducing some of that shock will be a Fox 34 Float AWL fork with 100 mm (3.9 in) of travel. If that's not enough to catch your eye, how about a dropper post, also with 100 mm (3.9 in) of travel? Oh, there are fenders, too, covering a pair of 29-inch Schwalbe Johnny Watts tires with a 2.35-inch cross-section.

What's all that amount to? Well, Orbea doesn't mention the exact weight of the SUV, but sources state that they stand around 22 kilograms (48.5 pounds). Still, this depends on the features found on the bike and its size. The best way to find out precisely what you're looking for is to go down to a local dealership and check out an SUV for yourself. But, be warned, you may be leaving with a new bike.

At the end of the day, I'm starting to understand just what it means for a bike to be considered an SUV: it has to go far, fast, carry a bunch of goods, and cover as many types of terrains as possible while keeping you comfortable. Hey, that doesn't sound very different from four-wheeled SUVs.