Wilier Urta Hybrid, ¿una e-bike para bike-marathon?

La Wilier Urta Hybrid no puede negar que es hermana de la Wilier Urta SLR que ha conquistado carreras de XCO y XCM por todo el mundo. Pesa solo 16 kg y permite hacer rutas largas a pesar de su relativamente pequeña batería.

0:00 Introducción
0:40 Cuadro
3:40 Motor Fazua Ride 60
6:04 Geometría
7:02 Precio
8:18 En marcha
11:38 Conclusiones

If you needed confirmation that the world of e-bikes is fully consolidated, here you have it. The Wilier Urta Hybrid is a clear demonstration of how the world of e-bikes is so large that there is room for specialization of its models. His last name is a declaration of intentions. It takes its name from its World Cup double suspension and what is one of the most successful bikes in the world bike-marathon. And it honors its origin. The main question with it is, is there an e-bike user who considers an electric bicycle of this type attractive? This is what we are going to try to find out in this video. The Wilier Urta Hybrid expresses the concept of a lightweight e-bike to be an electric bicycle with a down country character in its most rugged sense. It is an electric bicycle that fits with Wilier’s philosophy and, in fact, its starting point was the conventional Wilier Urta. Visually it is very similar to the Wilier Urta SLR that we tested a few months ago, especially because of the way the link integrates with the shapes of the frame in the area where the seat tube and top tube join. It is an aesthetic inherited from the 100 mm travel model and from which it is differentiated by the larger size of the diagonal tube, but within proportions that continue to maintain a fairly stylized line. We remind you that Wilier has also launched the Wilier URTA Max SLR, with 120 mm of rear travel and with a somewhat different aesthetic. The entire frame, except for the two-piece link itself, is made of carbon. And it couldn’t be any other way to achieve low weight, which is a determining factor in this type of bicycle. The treatment and construction process of this frame is the same as that used in the Wilier Urta SLR. Another identical feature between both is the cable entry, which is on the front of the head tube. On the swingarm we find a connecting bridge between the stays, also present in the conventional version. This reduces the wheel clearance somewhat but has enough space for 2.4” tires, which would be the maximum usable size for the type of use for which it is intended. It has 120 mm of rear travel, with a 210×55 shock absorber and uses the same mono- pivot suspension system that takes advantage of the carbon flex at the rear to eliminate a pivot point. It is something very rare to see on an e-bike. But we already tell you that this is not just another e-bike. Behind the bottom bracket there is a rubber protector that is screwed to the frame to prevent dirt from entering between the swingarm and the front triangle. It has the Wilier logo and, like the chainstay protector, is very well executed and has finishes up to what you expect from a bike at this price. The derailleur hanger is SRAM UDH and, unlike its non-motorized sister, here the support for the flat mount brake caliper is not used and a post mount is used, a logical move. Perhaps the only aspect that disconcerts us a little is seeing that they have chosen a 27.2 mm seat post for which there are fewer options to choose from on the market when we look at telescopic post models. And something very important, almost more important than in the version without an engine. It has space for two bottle cages in their usual positions. This means that we can carry two cans with drinks or mount the extender to increase the battery capacity and still have space for a can with drinks. It is a bike for doing routes in which we also pedal and that point is more important than in other types of e-bikes. Fazua Ride 60 Engine To equip the Wilier Urta Hybrid it was mandatory to use one of the light engines on the market and they have opted for the Fazua Ride 60. It is an engine with 60 Nm of maximum torque and 450 W of power beak. The weight of the motor is 1.9 kg and the complete set with battery is 4.2 kg. The battery, which weighs 2.3 kg, is 430 Wh and is installed inside the diagonal tube, fixed with screws, so it is not a quick-release battery. In fact, very few lightweight e-bikes offer the possibility of removing the battery manually. We find the charging port integrated under the bottle cage of the diagonal tube. It supports 3A chargers, is easy to access and its lid is secure. A full charge time took us just over 3 and a half hours. The only element to visually control the engine is the minimalist display that is integrated into the diagonal tube. They do not have any screen and only use a series of LEDs to indicate both the battery level through 5 points and the mode in which we roll through different colors on the LEDs. And it integrates a USB-C charging port to be able to charge external devices using the bicycle battery. It has ANT+ and Bluetooth connectivity. The user of this type of e-bike is likely to have their own GPS device. The Fazua system can connect to external GPS and display information such as the power we use when pedaling, the power provided by the motor, the battery level or the assistance mode. We can also connect its mobile application, which is very simple and intuitive and allows us to customize the assistance modes. In total it has 3 assistance modes that they have named “Breeze” (with green LED), River (blue) and Rocket ( pink). And it has a 4th surprise mode. The Boost, which is activated by pressing the control for 2 seconds and which gives the maximum power of the motor, 450 W, for 12 seconds if we activate it while running or 4 seconds if we activate it when stopped. It also has Walk mode. All of this is controlled from its remote control on the handlebar, which is shaped like a ring and is very minimalist. The Wilier Urta Hybrid is a down country bike so, although aesthetically it looks more like the 100 mm Wilier Urta SLR, we are going to buy it with the more recent Wilier Urta Max SLR, with which it shares 120 mm travel. Here you have the comparison between both. As you can see, the chainstays are slightly longer on the e-bike, as is normal and forced by the space that the motor takes up, but they are still tight within the canons of ebikes. The seat tube is not as vertical as in the new Urta Max SLR and remains at 74º. Of course, the steering angle is slightly more relaxed at 66.7º. Perhaps the only figure that doesn’t suit us so much is that the reach is smaller, with 1.1 cm less in size M. It is available in 4 sizes, including size S, which is good news, and these are their numbers complete. As we have told you, weight is a key factor in the Wilier Urta Hybrid and that is why it is logical that all its assemblies are high-end. The starting price of its range of 4 models is € 7,000 for assembly with Shimano Carbon and the SRAM Eagle XX1 AXS groupset. The first model with SRAM GX AXS costs €7,900 and the same assembly but with integrated handlebars has a price of €8,200. That integrated handlebar made of Wilier’s own carbon is the component that gives the bike more character. It is 760 mm wide and depending on the size of the bicycle it has a power size of 60, 75 or 90 mm. There is nothing to object to our setup. The fork is the RockShox SID Ultimate with 35 mm bars and we have a locking control on the handlebar which, however, only acts on the fork and not on the shock absorber. All this left the weight of our assembly at just 16 kg without pedals but with 2.4” tires as powerful as the Pirelli Scorpion M. The time has come to ride with it and the truth is that if you come from an XC bike or bike-marathon, the adaptation will be quick and without problems. The position is very similar and seeing that integrated handlebar makes you think that you are on any of their conventional competition bikes. It is certainly not the position we have had with any other electric bike we have tested. Regarding the controls, on the left side we had a bit of an overdose of controls. We had the fork lock one, the telescopic post one and the engine mode change one. All well distributed and without overlapping, but it takes some time to be able to operate them intuitively while running. Regarding the engine mode change command, sometimes we change the mode unintentionally because it is quite sensitive and is located very close to the hand. It’s nothing serious, but it happened to us on several occasions and can be annoying in some situations. Going up, the position invites us to continue pedaling even if we have the thrust of the engine. The Wilier Urta Hybrid is a bicycle that motivates you to continue pedaling and not leave everything to the engine itself. With the fork lock we can pedal standing up without feeling like we are wasting a lot of energy with the movement of the front suspension, which tends to be the most uncomfortable. The rear is quite active and moves when pedaling and perhaps it would have been a good idea if it could also be locked like on their conventional bikes. The contained weight and light wheels make us feel like our strength can really contribute a lot to the advancement of the bicycle. And that’s a feeling that’s hard to find on an e-bike. The rigidity of the frame is good for the weight of the bike. It is not the most rigid double e-bike on the market if we compare it with full-power enduro e-bikes, but its battle is not competing with them in any section. On the flat it is easy to pass the 25 km/h barrier and that gives a lot of life when doing long-distance routes. And speaking of distance, you may wonder… What autonomy does it have with a relatively small battery? Well more than you can imagine. We were doing regular outings of 2 to 3 hours with between 1,000 and up to 1,400 meters of elevation gain without exhausting it 100%. But we insist again, it is an e-bike that asks you to pedal. Not with the intensity that you have to do on a conventional bicycle, but you do have to be an active biker to get the most out of it. Lowering the position is not the best and the suspensions have the expected limits of any bike with 120 mm of travel. But the low weight is a plus point that makes it easy to move and does not require much effort when driving. That weight gives it a touch of agility that full power e-bikes don’t have. Regarding the engine, its assistance is quite natural and it is quite silent, perhaps not at the level of the TQ but in very close terms. The Boost mode is a very good extra point and the customization options are very complete. A good point is that the Q-Factor is quite small, at only 176 mm, very close to a conventional bike, which adds points to its natural pedaling feeling. Who is a light down country ebike like this for? Well, those who come from a conventional bicycle, are used to doing routes without extremely technical trails and like to continue feeling like they are pedaling will have a great option in the Wilier Urta Hybrid. Its autonomy is greater than its numbers might make you think and with it you will continue to feel that you are simply riding a bicycle.