Orbea Laufey H-LTD review: a fun and capable hardtail that doesn't offer value for money

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Orbea’s Laufey H-LTD is the brand's top-tier trail hardtail, its 140mm travel paired with 29in wheels, and designed to be the master of fun.

If you want a hardtail mountain bike that performs well at most things, the Laufey is a good shout.

Trail riding: check. Off-piste woodland: check. Jump lines: check. Cruising with the family: check.

Sure, it might not be the quickest, or the best at any one thing, but it’s fun and capable at nearly everything.

Still, it’s not perfect, a spec change here or there could help certain riders, and the price of £2,699 is a little steep.

Orbea Laufey H-LTD frame

The Laufey is constructed from triple-butted 6061 aluminium to balance its strength-to-weight ratio.

The frame's tubing is hydroformed into shapes that help control the stiffness and compliance.

Orbea says it stiffened up the head tube, down tube and bottom bracket to give the bike precise handling and improve responsiveness on the trail.

The slender-profile seatstays, chainstays and top tube are said to add some compliance and vibration absorption.

This sleek design sure makes the Laufey a smart-looking bike and it also has a few neat features.

First up is Orbea’s Lockr – a down-tube storage compartment for stashing spares and tools. Mounted to this is a bottle cage, and there are additional mounts under the top tube.

The chainstay yoke is forged to give plenty of tyre clearance for 2.6in tyres.

Orbea Laufey H-LTD geometry

As for the geometry, Orbea has balanced contemporary hardtail figures with tried-and-tested trail bike numbers.

The two main talking points are the Laufey’s 77-degree effective seat tube angle, which is more representative of modern full-suspension bikes than hardtails.

The 440mm chainstay length is in excess of what most hardtails sport, in order to increase stability.

The head tube angle is a trail-friendly 64.5 degrees, although I feel it could be a bit slacker for a bike of this ilk.

The reach on my large test bike is 475mm and the tall 642mm stack height should give a confident position on the descents.

Orbea Laufey H-LTD specifications

While the frame looks good, the spec is where the Laufey H-LTD comes unstuck a little.

While it's decent, when you consider the spec you get for the Laufey’s £2,699 asking price, it doesn’t represent the best value for money.

You get a 140mm Fox 34 Performance fork with the three-position GRIP damper – a good fork.

While there's a Shimano 12-speed XT rear derailleur, the rest of the drivetrain is Shimano SLX, with a Race Face Aeffect crankset.

The brakes, while functional, are Shimano’s Deore M6120s with 180mm rotors.

The bike rolls on Race Face AR30 wheels, fitted with lower-spec, dual-compound 29x2.6in Maxxis Dissector EXO tyres.

There’s an Ergon saddle and grips, with OC (Orbea’s in-house components brand) supplying the cockpit and dropper post.

Orbea Laufey H-LTD ride impressions

My testing took place around the south-west of England, taking in smooth trail centres, natural singletrack and various bike-park runs to get to grips with this do-it-all hardtail.

The steep 77-degree effective seat tube angle and 625mm effective top tube length put you in an upright seated position, akin to a modern enduro bike or aggressive full-suspension trail bike.

This is pushed further by the tall 642mm stack height.

This upright position makes riding for extended periods comfortable and doesn’t stretch you out into a crunched-over cross-country posture.

Still, the 440mm chainstays and 77-degree seat angle plant you centrally between the wheels.

This means there’s plenty of grip on the rear wheel, while balancing front-end weight so the front wheel isn’t trying to lift on steep climbs or wander vaguely across the trail when you're seated and pedalling hard.

The Laufey’s control on climbs is good, handling hairpins, steep punches, technical steps, roots and rocks admirably.

Granted, it’s not an XC speed machine, but it’s capable enough on climbs.

The 2.6in Maxxis Dissector tyre helps grip on rocks and roots, and delivers good traction, but becomes overwhelmed in greasy mud.

Orbea has hit the nail on the head when it comes to descending.

The tall 642mm stack height and low bottom bracket (65mm drop) place you in a commanding position, rather than feeling you’re perched up high.

The sensible blend of the 475mm reach and 64.5-degree head tube angle helps you feel confident to attack trails from the get-go.

You don’t need to muscle the bike around when you’re linking turns – the Laufey is quick and intuitive, with confident cornering and easy line selection.

The long 440mm chainstays play a key role here. Since it's a hardtail, there are instances on steeper trails where the fork compresses, which steepens the head angle more compared to a full-suspension bike.

You learn to ride around this once you’ve got used to the bike, but steep chutes into tight catch berms take a little more care and finesse than on a full-suspension bike.

This is where I’d like to see the Laufey’s head tube a touch slacker.

The frame’s tube profiles and 2.6in Maxxis tyres do an admirable job of blunting harsh bumps.

The Laufey certainly doesn’t feel like a full-suspension bike, but there is something about the frame design that helps mute the trail.

It’s not as forgiving as a tall, steel-frame hardtail, but the frame’s compliance helps it feel comfortable enough to push the pace.

However, push hard, especially through high-speed berms or deep compressions, and the 2.6in-wide, flexible Maxxis EXO-casing tyres squirm and give a vague feeling that hinders confidence.

The Laufey is capable of being ridden fast, and isn’t shy of tackling jumps, drops and higher-graded trails.

If that’s your idea of mountain biking, I’d recommend upgrading to sturdier tyres.

Still, the large tyre volume has its benefits, helping to smooth the trail and find grip if you’re not looking to hammer the bike constantly.

On more meandering terrain, the Laufey doesn’t feel sluggish or bored.

Orbea Laufey H-LTD bottom line

The Orbea Laufey will happily charge along most trails and provide an engaging ride, whether that’s a blue trail-centre loop or a more challenging trail to get back to the car park.

Orbea has done a great job here. The latest Laufey will suit plenty of people, even if its value isn’t the best and you’ll want to swap the tyres out if you’re a hard charger.

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