At a first glance, the all-new Urta Hybrid from Italian brand Wilier just looks like a regular downcountry mountain bike, but beyond its minimalist carbon fiber design lies the latest Fazua Ride60 e-MTB drive unit. The drive unit itself looks to be super compact and Wilier claims it delivers 450W of power and 60NM of torque, all with a completely silent operation. But does the Urta Hybrid have what it takes to one up the best downcountry bikes in 2022?
The boxy downtube is home to the Fazua 430WH battery which can be further extended to 640WH with a bottle cage mounted 210WH battery, which with the Urta Hybrid’s low weight should provide a healthy range.
And it’s that low weight is the Urta Hybrid’s stand-out feature on paper – Wilier claims the top spec bike hits the scales at sub 16kg, which doesn’t only make it the lightest bike in its category, but it also rivals some of the best regular mountain bikes. We haven’t had chance to ride the Urta Hybrid yet, but due to its exceptionally low weight and punchy motor stats, we are expecting an interesting and highly efficient ride.
Wilier states the Ulta Hybrid’s DNA stems from their Urta SLR, the XC bike Simone Avondetto rode to victory at the 2022 XCO U23 World Championship in Les Gets earlier this year. Through closely mirroring the race version, Wilier has tweaked the suspension kinematics to deliver 120mm of travel and better suit the additional weight of the motor and battery.
The geometry numbers are in line with current downcountry standards, with reach numbers that should provide stability and a suitably slack 66.5 degree head angle. We can’t help but feel the 75-degree seat angle is too slack by today's standards though.
All models come standard with a KS Ragei dropper post which shows the Urta Hybrid's athletic intention.
While we don’t have exact detailed specifications just yet, we do know the Urta Hybrid will be available in four build options – two SRAM GX AXS versions, one Shimano XT 12-speed model, and a flagship SRAM XX1 AXS edition.
All build options ship with Miche wheels and RockShox dampers delivering 120mm of travel front and rear. Certain models of the Urta Hybrid will also be available with Wilier’s Urta Bar monocoque handlebar – a one-price carbon bar that’s available in 60, 75, and 90mm lengths. Wilier states the bar upgrade adds steering precision and reduces weight by around 150grams.
Pricing ranges from €7000 to €12500 and Wilier states bikes will be available from spring 2023 on a pre-order only basis. More information is available on Wilier.com right now.
Wilier Urta Hybrid prices
- Urta Hybrid Shimano XT 1x12: €7000
- Urta Hybrid Sram GX AXS 1x12: €7900
- Urta Hybrid Sram GX AXS 1x12 + Urta bar: €8200
- Urta Hybrid Sram XX1 AXS 1x12 + Urta bar: €12500
