OOLab teams up with Shimano to push the limits of eBikes

Orbea allies with Shimano to create a structure dedicated to the development of eBike technology. The alliance will serve as a testing ground for improving performance and testing the latest innovations. The team will be supported by Damien Oton and Gabi Torralba, who will participate in several races during the season.

OOLab and Shimano join forces to take the lead in the eBike segment

The Orbea Optimization Lab, better known as OOLab, is the place where the Basque brand designs, tests, makes and unmakes ideas. All to decide if it is convenient to introduce them in the market. Now, Orbea is releasing a statement to inform that the OOLab will work side by side with Japanese giant Shimano.

The collaboration between OOLab and Shimano is framed in the development and testing of the latest eBikes. Specifically, they define it as a way to "push the limits" to "take to the extreme" the newest technology and thus become the benchmark for electric bikes.

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The team will be composed of mechanics, engineers and riders who, although they will take part in some races, will leave victory in the background: the main focus will be on product testing and development.

Internationally renowned competitions become challenges for the mechanics of any bike, which are subjected to conditions that demand precise and fine-tuned behavior of all components. It is therefore a great opportunity to extract a lot of information about the technology they are testing.

The pros entrusted with this task are Damien Oton —2018 EWS runner-up with eleven podiums throughout his career and four-time winner of the Megavalanche—  and Gabi Torralba —current Enduro national champion. For his part, the role of Team Manager will go to Julien Brugeas.

OOLab and Shimano show their enthusiasm for the start of a calendar that is already well defined

The weapons available to Oton and Torralba will be the Orbea Rise equipped with the new EP801 motor, the DEORE XT Di2 groupset (which comes with AUTO SHIFT and FREE SHIFT technologies).

As for the calendar, they have reported that they will be in the UCI e-EDR, the World E-Bikes Series, the Megavalanche and the Maxiavalanche. However, Orbea recognizes that this is only part of the calendar, and that it is possible that they will compete in other races although they will not announce it publicly.

Orbea's Brand and Communication Director, Ander Olariaga, said that "we take a new step in our synergy with a partner like Shimano and this time we do it with a different proposal. For our brand it is key to work as closely as possible with our partners and suppliers in different areas".

For his part, Shimano Europe Marketing Director Dennis Weijers says they are proud to have established this alliance "which will allow our innovative technologies to be put to the test in the most extreme conditions by skilled and experienced riders. We believe OOLab will be a key asset to the evolution of e-MTB for both brands."