Test long life of the new Orbea Orca

Last summer we were able to carry out A first look at the new Orbea Orca, in its most high-end version, as well as in a more affordable version. On the occasion of the test long duration of the new Sram Red AXS groupset, we covered nearly 5000 km with this versatile OMX carbon fiber frame this spring. Enough to get a much more precise idea of ​​the bike's possibilities.

By Guillaume Peephole – Photos: ©Different Media Productions / Orbea / NVCR

With this new Orca, the seventh of its name, Orbea wanted to return to the original philosophy of its emblematic model., seeking to design a lightweight, dynamic and easy-to-handle chassis, comfortable and ideal for erasing high percentagestages. A model that perfectly complements theOrca Aero, the other racing frame from the Basque brand, a very high-performance bike on rolling courses. Most potential customers will obviously not be able to afford both bikes. Fortunately, The Orca is more than just a climber's bike as we have been able to see during this test spread over a little over two months, mainly on slightly hilly and windy courses, a playground that is not normally favorable to this machine. Note that in a version equipped with the Shimano Ultegra Di2 group, the Orca OMX has just been elected Cycling route of the year by Le Cycle magazine.

Montagand specific

To get a detailed look at the design of the Orca, we invite you to reread the presentation and the first test of the bike, in its high-end OMX carbon version with a Shimano Dura-Ace groupset and Oquo RP35 LTD wheels.

It is on the occasion of test long duration of the new Sram Red AXS groupset that I was able to recover again an Orca OMX, in a version that is not currently marketed as such, assembled and adjusted by Sram. Around the high-end group, wheels Zipp 353 NSW were replaced in exchange for the Oquo I had already ridden. A Zipp handlebar (subsequently replaced during the test by a Most), a Fizik saddle (later replaced by a Specialized Power Expert Mirror for the duration of the test), Zipp carbon bottle cages and Shimano Dura-Ace pedals completed the montage final, from a frame, fork, seatpost and stem identical to the one you can find on any Orca OMX in the range. I weighed the bike at 7,130 kg in size 51, complete ready to ride, which is consistent with the 6,64 kg without pedals or bottle cages announced for the Dura-Ace version with Oquo RP35 LTD.

It is impossible to end this brief presentation without talking about color: this orange cloud – stone blue does not usually leave you indifferent. You either like it or you hate it.teste. This color is one of four options offered when ordering a standard Orca OMX, and it is not the happiest version in our opinion. This satin orange ("salmon" as my daughter would say) is also difficult to clean. However, we must not forget that at Orbea, everything is customizable thanks to the MyO program, which allows you to choose a unique color combination and opt for specific arrangements (stem or crank lengths, chainrings, cassette, minor or major wheel options, tires or pilot station)tage). In short, It is still entirely possible to make an Orbea Orca your own, down to the smallest details., even starting from a model equipped with Shimano 105.

On route and in the wind with the Orbea Orca OMX

Between early March and early May, I didn't have the opportunity to ride the Orca in high altitude.tagne. I got to know the bike mounted with the new Sram groupset at the beginning of March in Italy, while riding for a few days in the Prosecco hills.. On the program, a bit of flat, but above all varied climbs of 2 to 4 km at 6 or 7% average gradient, and even some steeper climbs with passages at 15%. Enough to complete my first experience with this Orca OMX frame on Pyrenean passes in early summer 2023. Climbs, but also descents, where the chassis was able to demonstrate its capabilities on mountain courses.tagnew.

Comfortable, lively, reptilian, the bike offers easy behavior which makes steep slopes relatively easy to tackle., as long as you have the right gear ratio. The bottom bracket seems rigid enough not to see the power transmitted to the pedals disappear, but the slightly more flexible front part and especially a more elastic rear triangle allow you to benefit from excellent nervousness when you stand on the pedals, and even to erase a little the development errors, by allowing you to pedal a little more on the torque when you waddles around the bike. In short, the frame is not excessively stiff and prevents you from hitting your muscles by accompanying your movements, and it is always easy to restart, even if you get tired. Nevertheless, it remains precise and reassuring on the descent, and allows you to chain the difference in altitude in complete safety.

But unlike the first Orca I tried, this one in Sram Red is equipped with Zipp 353 NSW wheels, with wavy rims whose height varies from 42 to 46 mm. Taller wheels than the Oquo 35 LTD mounted on the first bike I tried, but also wider (optimized for 28/30 mm tires), hookless, and curiously a little lighter. They are also from my point of view a little stiffer too. While the Zipps only slightly change the bike's behavior on the uphill sections, it is on the flat and rolling sections that they bring a noticeable benefit. compared to the Oquo 35, providing a little more aerodynamics and inertia.

So it was on my usual playground that I was waiting for the Orca OMX to turn the corner, especially during a winter that had decided to play overtime. Flat, false flats, steep climbs and small bumps, wind (a lot of wind) were on the menu for most of my outings., especially in March and April.

Overall, The Orca isn't the most capable bike on the market when it comes to tackling long, exposed stretches. It's still easy to ride, but still seems to struggle a little when the wind is blowing hard or the speed increases. It's a bike that handles better in successive bursts than when riding at a steady pace. The Zipp wheels do however bring a clear benefit here and make the bike more versatile than with the 35mm deep wheels.

Before facing the routes in the open, I already have to navigate in town for about ten kilometers, in the middle of light traffic, but with many lights, stops, restarts, or false flats, which still add up to about 150 meters of elevation before arriving at routes more open. In these conditions, the Orca's nervousness works wonders and immediately distinguishes it from the bike I usually ride in winter (a Gravel Factor LS transformed into a route). Thanks to a good kilo less on the scale, and mainly to the tolerant behavior of the frame. The steering seems particularly precise and flexible to handle., which also contributes to the ease felt in its conditions. I found these characteristics throughout this test long duration.

If the frame does not appear excessively stiff laterally, it should not be seen as the slightest sign of weakness or fragility.. I had the opportunity during this test long-term strength training, i.e. riding at a low cadence with the maximum gear on certain hills. I did not notice any drift in the bottom bracket under these high stresses, nor any friction in the front derailleur, which shows that the bottom bracket of the frame does not move. The bike, however, always turns out to be a little more flexible at the front during powerful sprints on the flat. Compared to other machines more suited to this type of exercise, you feel a slight flexion at the front when you stand up violently on the pedals at the start of the sprint.

In the (short) bumps of the Chevreuse Valley, the machine always seems airy as soon as you get into the dance position. The frame is not locked laterally, and as a result, you can be just as comfortable in full effort at a cadence of 90 rpm as when riding hard at 60. As I had already written during the first test of the bike, It is easy to maneuver and does not require perfect gestural coordination to be mishandled during the effort. This is what also makes it so accessible to almost all levels of practice. Even for cyclists with little training or who ride occasionally, its behavior reptilian seems to fit perfectly with the mood (or form) of the moment.

In terms of comfort, as I had already noted during the first test, the Orca does not make you pay for its low weight with multiple bounces that could ultimately prove tiring. The machine seems well balanced on bad surfaces, and above all it accepts large section tires. With the Zipp 353 NSW rims (25 mm internal width), the two successive tubeless tires mounted on this bike (Goodyear Vector and Specialized S-Works Turbo 2BR) were measured at 31 mm of actual width. With an inflation pressure around 4,5/5 bar, The traction, grip and vibration absorption are superb..

The results after nearly 5000 km with the Orbea Orca

This latest version of the Orca is a worthy heir to the first model of the name, launched more than 20 years ago, offering easy and accessible behavior, comfort and appreciable nervousness on a daily basis. With the Zipp 353 NSW wheels, the machine is in my opinion even more versatile than the first bike. testand in summer 2023. The Orca loses nothing on climbs, while being a little more efficient on rolling sections.

The Orca OMX is therefore one of the most interesting all-round bikes of the moment.. And if Orbea doesn't offer exactly this bike testé to its catalog, you can still choose your wheels from the Oquo range according to the terrain on which you usually ride, as well as the color details or the dimensions of the accessories thanks to the MyO program. A high-end offer that you should not miss if you want to fully enjoy this exceptional bike..

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