When electric bikes first started entering the scene, they were met with rather lukewarm reception, with some people seeing them as a lazy alternative to actually riding a bicycle. These days, e-bikes have transcended the bounds of leisure and sport, and have very much integrated themselves into the mainstream mobility markets of several countries across the world.
Sure, a lot of the technology we see on present-day utility-focused e-bikes find their roots in the performance cycling world. This is undoubtedly a good thing, as the high tech components fitted onto top-shelf road and mountain bikes make city commuting easier and enjoyable. Such is the case with the newest electric bike offering from Orbea, the Keram 30. At a glance, the Keram 30 resembles a standard hardtail electric mountain bike. However, Orbea has designed it to be so much more.
You see, the Keram 30 is designed to blur the lines between utility and leisure—meaning you can take it to the trails for a fun time on the weekend, and ride it to work on the daily. It can be customized and accessorized with a bunch of accessories to suit your specific needs. It can be fitted with luggage racks to haul your stuff around during the week. Once the weekend approaches, you can easily remove all those accessories and hit the trails like a standard e-MTB would.
Orbea has equipped the Keram 30 with a hydroformed aluminum frame. The battery, consisting of a 400Wh lithium-ion unit, is integrated into the downtube, and can be removed and swapped out, allowing the rider to carry a spare battery and double their range. The battery supplies power to a Bosch Active Line electric motor, with a claimed output of 40Nm, and an assisted top speed of 20 miles per hour. Of course, should you have the leg strength to do so, the Keram would be more than willing to travel faster than 20 miles per hour.
The Orbea Keram gets rather decent componentry from Shimano, with a Deore 10-speed drivetrain with an 11-46T cassette allowing for a decently wide gear range. Suspension duties out of the box are handled by an SR Suntour X1 fork with 100 millimeters of travel, suggesting that the bike is intended for lighter trails and cross-country applications. As for pricing, the Keram 30 is by no means a budget bike, retailing for the equivalent of $3,000 USD per current exchange rates.
