There is a strong tradition of cooperative ownership in the Basque country and Orbea, on the brink of collapse in 1969, was bought out by its workers and has remained as a cooperative ever since.
It is perhaps because every employee gets something back for their efforts that everyone we spoke to at Orbea exudes a genuine enthusiasm for the brand and truly believes in what they produce.
And whilst me and a gaggle of other journalists shuffled about between veiled bikes before our presentation, there was a palpable sense of excitement from the Orbea team as they prepared to show off their updated Orca, the flagship model of the brand.
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While I may have left the presentation impressed, it was time to see if the bike would perform as promised...
Orbea Orca highlights
We covered the features of the updated Orca in our first look, but just to keep things fresh, here are the highlights;
- Stiff frameset with an aggressive, racing stance
- Claimed weight of 795g for the frame and 315g for the fork
- Clearance for 28mm tyres
- Adoption of 'Freeflow', aero technology from Ordu triathlon bike
- Integrated seatpost binder
Orbea Orca spec overview — as tested
- Frame: Orbea Orca OMR
- Fork: Orbea Orca OMR
- Seatpost: FSA K-Force Light SB25
- Handlebar: FSA Energy Compact
- Stem: FSA OS-99 CSI
- Levers: SRAM Red eTap
- Rear derailleur: SRAM Red eTap
- Brakes: SRAM Red
- Cranks: Power2Max FSA K-Force Light BB386EVO
- Cassette: SRAM Red eTap 11-28
- Chain: SRAM Red
- Wheels: FULCRUM Racing Quattro Carbon
- Tyres: Vittoria Corsa 25c
- Saddle: Selle Italia SLR Kit Carbonio
Orbea Orca frame and equipment
If you’re looking for an aggressive, racy fitting bike, the Orca’s geometry numbers should tickle your fancy. The bike comes in odd-numbered sizes however and looking at the stack and reach alone, my 57cm test bike came out both longer and lower than a 58cm Trek Emonda, a similarly spirited race bike. So pay attention before you take the usual ‘take a size down, slam the stem’ route if you’re after a bum up, head down position.
Orbea Orca ride impression
Orbea Orca early verdict
Orbea Orca pricing and availability
You can read more at BikeRadar.com
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