Orbea Terra Race: test of a gravel bike launched to ride fast

The Orbea Terra Race is one of those recent gravel bikes that fully embraces its performance focus. Built around an OMX carbon frame, the top-of-the-range offering from the Basque brand, and equipped here with a SRAM Rival AXS XPLR electronic drivetrain and 50mm Oquo carbon wheels, it promises an experience close to that of a professional gravel bike. routeWith more tire clearance and a geometry capable of handling rough terrain, the equation is appealing on paper. But let's see how this new-generation bike performs in the field under intensive use.

By Guillaume Judas – Photos: ©3bikes.fr

The gravel market has changed profoundly in recent years.On one hand, there are bikes designed for adventure and travel, capable of handling hours of bumpy trails with luggage and accessories. On the other hand, a racing trend is emerginginspired by cyclo-cross and the route, and above all a competition format under the UCI label which is refined over the years, and which favours speed, efficiency and lightness. The Orbea Terra Race clearly falls into this second category.And that's why we were eager to be able to do it. testst.

A bike designed to go straight and fast

While some managers are adopting more versatile approaches, The Orbea Terra Race boasts an offensive approach : profiled tubes, careful integration, assumed structural rigidity, aerodynamic rims, pilot's seattagIt's narrow and very low, and the riding position is relatively stretched out. One spontaneously thinks of a comparison with bikes like the Cervélo Áspero or the Factor Ostro Gravel in their sportier versions. With this bike, Orbea has chosen to speak to a specific audience. : riders who want a fast gravel bike, designed for racing, dynamic rides with friends, and rolling or mixed terrain. That's perfect, I'm in that target audience, or at least I identify as such. This choice is consistent, but it inevitably implies some concessions for those who seek moretagflexibility, comfort, or ease of use.

Listed at 910g, The OMX carbon frame is Orbea's high-end technological signature.It's not just about using a specific grade of carbon fiber, but about an entire manufacturing process designed to optimize stiffness and low weight—in other words, high efficiency. Combined with a similarly crafted carbon fork, the Orbea Terra Race frame forms a system clearly designed to transmit the rider's power without any loss of efficiency.

Construction and integration: pure Orbea

With a silhouette visually quite similar to the bicycle of route lightweight from the brand – the famous Orca – the Terra Race also incorporates some of its features – the famous Orca – the very clean integration of the brake hoses, which run entirely within the pilot's stationtagThe frame is perfectly aerodynamic. In the same vein, the frame features an internal seatpost clamp and profiled rear stays. The rear triangle, in general, is designed to absorb (some) vibrations, but above all to keep the wheel planted to improve traction on uneven surfaces. The derailleur hanger is UDH type, meaning that the frame, in addition to gaining stiffness at this point for precise shifting, could be compatible with a cassette with even more sprockets.

The only compromise to optimal wind resistance is the tire width, theoretically permitted up to 45 mm, even though on the bike of test 40-inch tires (measured at 42 mm) just pass with a little mud, sand or dead leaves stuck on the tread.

The geometry of the Orbea Terra Race adopts the codes of sporty gravel bikes for 2025-2026: a reach relatively long, a pilot's stationtagwhich encourages engagement and a perceptible nervousness in the follow-ups. The handlebars, in particular, are symptomatic of this new trend of moving away from the wide, flared handlebars of gravel bikes designed for exploration.Here, the integrated streamlined hanger route It's narrow, with a width of 38 cm center-to-center at the brake levers (and 40 cm at the bottom) and an ergonomic design that favors a forearm-supported riding position. Needless to say, riding with mountain bike pedals on this machine is almost inconceivable. You put on your cycling shoes. route ultra-rigid carbon, and we clench our buttocks to avoid having to put our foot down in the middle of a mud pit or in the middle of a scree slope.

The Right Price

The Orbea Terra Race M31 ELTD testThis bike is equipped with the SRAM Rival AXS XPLR groupset in a single chainring and 13 speedsA smooth and logical electronic transmission with excellent gear management, combined with top-quality braking in all conditions, rivals even the higher-end Red and Force AXS versions. The single 40-tooth chainring is paired with a 10-46 tooth cassette, designed to offer ample gearing for both fast and challenging sections.

But honestly, I don't think a 40-tooth chainring is a very wise choice on a bike designed for competition.Even on gravel. With a 44 or 46-tooth chainring, the pedaling feel would be better, and you'd use the larger sprockets more often, which also offer better efficiency. It's all the more unfortunate that on Orbea's MyO customization platform (which allows you to choose color details, different wheels, or a different saddle, for example), the chainring selection option isn't available for this model.

On the wheel side, Orbea has chosen aerodynamic wheels from its sister brand Oquo.With the RP50 LTD tires featuring a 50mm profile, a 25mm internal width, and weighing 1420g, the Vittoria Terreno tires are versatile and perform perfectly on mixed surfaces. Unfortunately, when mounted with inner tubes, they are a bit heavier and sluggish than when set up tubeless.

On the technical specifications sheet, It's difficult to find fault with the Orbea Terra Race M31 ELTD. The integration is clean, the aesthetics sleek, the construction meticulous. The wheels are high-performance, the cockpit perfectly reflects the bike's character, and the groupset is fully up to the demands of the terrain. And it all looks great. at 5534 €, a highly competitive price given the machine's performance level, which weighs 8,650 kg in size XS.

The downside of performance

From the first turns of the wheels, The Orbea Terra Race impresses with its rigidityThe acceleration is crisp, the lack of frame flex is striking, and you immediately get the feeling of riding a bike closer to a racing machine. route than a traditional gravel bike. On tarmac, the bike rolls well, and it allows you to maintain a good cruising speed with ease. This is all the more evident when using a relatively high inflation pressure of 3 bar for 40mm tires. In this situation, you feel relatively little rolling resistance compared to tires of route In terms of endurance riding, and when standing up to pedal, the bike doesn't collapse laterally due to the sagging of the sides. Only the narrowness of the handlebars is a bit surprising at first. At just 38 cm wide, you don't have much leverage when standing, and consequently, the steering feels a little heavy. But it must also be said that on this XS-sized bike, the 70° head angle prioritizes stability over maneuverability.

On the rolling and well-compacted gravel sections, The Orbea Terra Race gives this exhilarating feeling of speed, of maintaining a high pace without even thinking about it.The position is very close to that of a bicycle. route with an aerodynamic aim, and we find ourselves bending our arms and lowering our heads, which adds an unusual speed when passing through certain paths.

This rigidity, pleasant on smooth terrain, becomes punishing when the surface deteriorates.The vibrations are clearly transmitted through the steering, without the frame offering any real natural damping solution. You gain in sporty feel what you lose in endurance. And even though the seat stays are designed to dampen vibrations, the rear wheel bounces and seems to search for traction. After several hours, this firmness takes its toll, and it becomes difficult to maintain a relaxed riding position.

Appropriate pressure

obviously, Things are significantly better off-road after lowering the pressure to 2 barsAn essential choice for me from the second ride with the Orbea Terra Race, if only to cope with the changing weather conditions, with much muddier terrain. And indeed, the Vittoria Terreno tires perform well on slippery surfaces, as long as it's not downright sticky mud. The bike never surprises you when changing direction and becomes significantly more manageable in rocky sections and in the undergrowth over roots. However, going back to route With such reduced pressure, it feels floaty when standing up and gives the impression of sagging a bit on false flats during hard accelerations. It's hard to have it all.

In a straight line, The narrow cockpit promotes aerodynamics and provides a feeling of precision on fast trajectories.But in technical sections, on tight turns or in rooty areas, this choice limits maneuverability. You find yourself correcting, repositioning your hands, sometimes anticipating what's coming next.tage than on a wider handlebar. The bike isn't unstable, but it requires vigilance. The Orbea Terra Race isn't a bike designed for technical riding or gymkhana in the singletracks. It's a fast bike designed for all surfaces, but it needs to be fast..

A true racing gravel bike

The Orbea Terra Race is an exciting bike because it takes a clear stanceIts domain is speed, spirited rides, fast roads, and gravel races. It's a real pleasure to push this bike to its limits, as it responds instantly to every input. But this identity comes at a price. Comfort is limited, handling could be improved, and the gearing isn't geared enough towards pure racing.

The Orbea Terra Race is a remarkable bike for going fast, but it needs to be chosen with full knowledge of its capabilities.To such an extent that one could almost choose it as a bicycle. route, just by changing the tires and – again – the platform.

Clear, If you're looking for a gravel racing bike, go for it! ; if you want to explore, forget it, or head towards another, more versatile version of the Terra.

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