The traditional Basque brand Orbea is not the first company to try its hand at an all-round bike that is aerodynamic, stiff, light and relatively comfortable. The 1150 gram frame is made from OMX carbon fibre, the lightest material currently available from Orbea. The newly designed unit comprising aero handlebars, stem and seat post should reduce drag by 2 per cent, according to the manufacturer. Thanks to the improved flow angle of the tubes, Orbea claims that the gain from the frame set, which is specially adapted for each size, is as much as 15 watts at a speed of 40 kilometres per hour.
In terms of tyre width, the aero racer follows the trend: there is room for tyres up to 30 millimetres wide. Even more striking is the storage space under the down tube, which, according to Orbea, is even aerodynamically advantageous - just like the water bottle that is customised to the frame. The customisable handlebar/stem combination also contributes to comfort - a feature that some competitors lack. The handlebars can be rotated by 15 degrees and the stem can be mounted in seven lengths from 70 to 130 millimetres.
Thanks to the "MyO" (My Orbea) system, the bike can also be customised in terms of equipment and appearance. So it's quite possible that your own Orbeo Orca will never be ridden a second time. Numerous combinations are possible by customising the frame finish. Seven sizes between 47 and 60 centimetres frame height are available.
One frame - six equipment variants with numerous customisation options
It starts with the ORCA AERO M20 LTD for € 3,999. The entry-level model is even available with 8000 Ultegra and 2x11 drivetrain. It continues with SRAM Rival equipment for €4,799. The line with the new 2x12 Ultegra Di2 costs €5,799, the same as the version with SRAM's Force eTap. With SRAM's Red eTap, the bike will cost 8,299 euros - for the top model with 2x12 Dura Ace, 9,599 euros will have to be paid over the counter. This most expensive version has already been extensively tested by the Basque team Euskadi during the 2021 Vuelta.
Chainring and sprocket gradations, tyres, saddles and tyres can be customised. Every bike can be equipped with a power meter ex works or tuned with faster wheels from Vision or Fulcrum ex works.
Technical data
- Area of application: RACE
- Price: from 3,999 to 9,599 euros
- Material: OMX Carbon
- Frame weight: 1150 g
- Frame sizes: 7 sizes from 47-60
- Personalisation via myO online configurator
- More: https://www.orbea.com/de-de/fahrrader/rennrader/orca-aero/
