Orbea feedback

[Walter]

A riding buddy (not a member of this forum) is looking for a new bike and is close to getting an Orbea.

Do any of you folks have any experience with these bikes?

Thanks!

[benitosan1972]

Specifics? Kind? Model?

Is he getting road, cyclocross, track, mountain?

Orbea makes good bikes, aluminum & carbon.

I'm sure he/she will be happy.

[Walter]

He is looking for a carbon road bike...model to be determined.

[benitosan1972]

I have the Orca, I like it.
My friend has the Opal, he likes it.
They are good climbing frames, comfy on the longer rides,
and I think they look pretty sharp. Of course, there's alot of competition
in this market, so people choose based on price, service, brand-name reputation, warranty, availability, and yes, looks or performance.

[beercan]

i really like BH bikes over the orbeas, the G5 is quite the looker!

[benitosan1972]

^isnt the point of this thread feedback on Orbeas? :confused:

anyhoo... I have (or have had) their road, track, cross.
and I've always wanted to try their mountain bikes.

personal opinion, but I think Orbea looks fantastic vs other brands,
as well as performs pretty well. price point falls between Cannondale-Cervelo.

[Fishbike]

I have a 2008 Orbea Orca with 6700 Ultegra and Mavic K Elite wheels.

It is light. It is very responsive. When I ride it after riding my other bikes one could say it feels twitchy, but I soon get used to it. It is ceratinly stiff enough for me and comfortable over a long haul. I do find it a little noisy / creaky. Supposedly Orbea admitted that this iteration of the Orca vibrated and supposedly it improved the issue in the post 2009 Orcas. I must say that the 6700 is noisier on this bike than on a steel bike I have with the same drivetrain. Not sure why. I drove the LBS mechanics crazy trying the get rid of far too much chain rub too.

The design, paint and finish on the bike are excellent. Orbeas usually get high marks for aethetics. I generally like metal bikes, but I must admit I was drawn to the bike because of its looks. I really like the bike, but I don't love it. I much prefer my carbon Calfee Luna Pro.

The new Orbeas are quite a bit different so this report may not be relevant.

The company itself is a collective in the Basque region of Spain. I think the hi-end frames are made in Asia and painted in Spain. My Orca was designed by a woman.

[DRietz]

If it's a 2011/2012 Orca, be prepared for a flexy front end.

Nature of the beast - Orbea geometry and ride quality is half way between endurance and race.

[saab2000]

If it's a 2011/2012 Orca, be prepared for a flexy front end.

Nature of the beast - Orbea geometry and ride quality is half way between endurance and race.


I did a several hour test ride one one about 18 months ago at a buddy's shop. It was their Di2 test bike and he sent me out to check out the Di2. I enjoyed the Shimano Di2 stuff but was not really impressed at all with the Orbea. In fact, I was rather taken aback by the lack of torsional rigidity.

I'm hardly a world class sprinter or whatever but it was flexible. My Look 381 was at least as stiff and it was 10 years older technology.

Nice bike, but you can do a whole lot better methinks.

I hate to dis anyone or any legit bike but based on my experience you can really do much better than that Orbea and it was one of their high models, though I don't remember which one. My Look 585 is a much more satisfying bike to ride.

Just my $.02

[TimD]

I have a very affordable Orbea F/F/HS posted in the Classifieds section. 54cm. Al/C with C seat stays and a C fork.

Tim

[DRietz]

I did a several hour test ride one one about 18 months ago at a buddy's shop. It was their Di2 test bike and he sent me out to check out the Di2. I enjoyed the Shimano Di2 stuff but was not really impressed at all with the Orbea. In fact, I was rather taken aback by the lack of torsional rigidity.

I'm hardly a world class sprinter or whatever but it was flexible. My Look 381 was at least as stiff and it was 10 years older technology.

Nice bike, but you can do a whole lot better methinks.

I hate to dis anyone or any legit bike but based on my experience you can really do much better than that Orbea and it was one of their high models, though I don't remember which one. My Look 585 is a much more satisfying bike to ride.

Just my $.02

http://th16.photobucket.com/albums/b45/nburney12/th_Wordkitty.jpg

[jlwdm]

A LBS sells a lot of them to a wide range of riders and they seem to like them. All kinds of them in the group rides.

Jeff

[benitosan1972]

I don't feel my Orca flexing.
It's a 2008. I'm primarily a climber.
But then again, I weigh around 140# and
I'll assume that you guys do not, haha! :banana:

[DRietz]

I weigh 125pounds soaking wet, am also primarily a climber, and when I can feel brake dive on a brand new bike I just built, I tend to stay away.

The older models did have a stiffer layup, though.

[jonnyBgood]

If it's a 2011/2012 Orca, be prepared for a flexy front end.

Nature of the beast - Orbea geometry and ride quality is half way between endurance and race.

WOW! I don't know which model you were riding but...I have a 2011 Orca Gold and it's pretty stiff. I weigh 190 lbs and would consider myself more of a sprinter (raced Pro Downhill and Dual Slalom for 5 years) and have no issues with the frame what so ever not being stiff enough.

A friend of mine is the local Orbea Rep and he wouldn't let me get one of the frames until this year (2011) knowing what I have been riding and what I ride like. Now if we are talking about the last generation of the Orca it is known to be a very soft frame.

I have been riding a Specialized SL3 Tarmac and a Trek Madone 6.9 the last few years and both of these bikes are known for being stiff but yet a good ride. The Orca Gold seems to me to be pretty damn similar. The Orbea has pretty much the same Geo as a Tarmac (73.5 headtube and 7.2 seat) not in between at all so not sure which bike you were riding.

Orbea is the third oldest cycling company in the world behind Fuji and Bianchi. They are much more popular oversees and in Europe but have become much bigger player in the States the last few years.

[tiretrax]

I have an 08/09 Orca and no problem with lack of rigidity. It's stiff enough without being a boneshaker. I understand the newer model's rear triangle is more compliant, but I'm comfortable on long rides, including centuries. It's a great climber, and it accelerates very fast. I tried a lot of high end bikes when buying it, and it felt the most stable, too. I am surprised to read that someone felt it was whippy. I found that to be the case on a Scott and Pinarello.

[cfox]

I must say that the 6700 is noisier on this bike than on a steel bike I have with the same drivetrain.
It's because the frame is a hollow monocoque made of very thin, large diameter tubes. I used to have a carbon Pinarello that was like an echo chamber. The drivetrain was way louder and you could hear every grain of sand or pebble pinging and resonating through the thing. I found it a bit distracting at times.

[Walter]

Thanks for the feedback folks!

[SteveFrench]

I had an Orbea briefly. It looked pretty rad and rode nice enough.

http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=85992&stc=1
http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=85996&stc=1

[Bob Loblaw]

I borrowed an Orca a couple years ago. Very flexy. On steep downhill corners, it dog-tracks under hard front braking, over-steers bigtime.

BL

[benitosan1972]

You're not supposed to hit the front brakes that hard while downhill cornering anyways. Feather the front, drag the rear, and lean the bike to steer. Yeah, maybe my '08 model is better, cuz I've never had any problems with flex or steering, in fact, I took it off-road for 50-miles this weekend on choppy singletrack and it impressed me. I guess everyone here has had different experiences with Orbea, but I stand content with mine, though I do have my eye on a new Super Six Hi-Mod/Evo or S-Works/Venge... now if only I could win the lottery! :crap:

[keithreynolds]

a friend of mine (light woman) had an orbea carbon mtb. the seat stay cracked within 90 days of ownership; no hucking or crashing. Warranty denied. I can safely say I would avoid... but I've also seen the same response from Specialized.

[benb]

i really like BH bikes over the orbeas, the G5 is quite the looker!

Really not relevant to a discussion about Orbea unless the OP is just interested in Spanish bikes but I have one of these and it rides better then it looks! No flexy front end on the G5...

Do Orbeas have anything funky in their geo like BH? BH seems to really go for relaxed seat tube angles.

[rice rocket]

BH seems to really go for relaxed seat tube angles.

Ooh that's good to know. I like slack ST angles.

[tiretrax]

I was talking with a pro at a ride last year. He said the redesigned Orca had one of the stiffest front ends he'd ever ridden.

[nannon]

There nice bikes I used to have a orca gold. A Little pricey. I really like my focus. They Cato evo with di2 for 4200 is hard to beat

[SteveFrench]

I borrowed an Orca a couple years ago. Very flexy. On steep downhill corners, it dog-tracks under hard front braking, over-steers bigtime.

BL



Over-steer as in the back wheel breaks loose and goes sideways? I wish my bike did that on fast corners!

[oldpotatoe]

There nice bikes I used to have a orca gold. A Little pricey. I really like my focus. They Cato evo with di2 for 4200 is hard to beat


Free frame!!

$4200 with Di2.......