The New Orbea Orca - The Ultimate Climbing Machine
Welcome to the world of Orbea Orca race bikes; the pinnacle of cycling engineering for climbers and racing enthusiasts. As a premier line within the esteemed Orbea family, the Orca Orbea range boasts unparalleled performance, cutting-edge technology, and a legacy of victories.
Crafted to conquer the most demanding terrains, the Orca Orbea series is specifically designed to excel in climbing challenges. With precision engineering and meticulous attention to detail, these climbing bikes offer a symphony of speed, agility, and efficiency, ensuring riders reach new heights with every pedal stroke.
The Orbea Orca range is a testament to the brand's commitment to pushing boundaries. These race bikes feature state-of-the-art materials, including lightweight carbon fiber frames, providing a winning advantage during challenging ascents. The integration of advanced technologies ensures optimal power transfer and aerodynamic superiority, enhancing your performance on the toughest of races.
When you choose an Orca Orbea, you're choosing a bike that has been battle-tested by professional riders and has a proven track record of dominating the most prestigious races around the globe. It's a trusted companion that propels you to the forefront of the peloton, bringing you closer to your ultimate cycling aspirations.
The 7th Generation
The latest iteration of the Orca builds on it's reputation as a performance orientated road race bike, providing the agile handling and road-smoothing vibration damping as it's predecessors, with the lightest frame yet.
The collection comprises of 13 models, with the lightest model weighing only 6.7kg / 14.8lbs - that's 100g lower than the UCI weight limit!
Orbea continue to keep their distinction between the Orca and Orca Aero clear, claiming that a true aero bike can't be as efficient at climbing because they are designed to excel at different things. An Aero road bike is designed to be fast at very high speeds, being most proficient at carving through the air, whereas a climbing focused bike conducts its battle againt gravity, not air resistance.
The new Orbea Orca has been designed to be faster on a slope than its competitors, saving watts on a gradient rather than on a flat plain.
The Figures
As mentioned previously, an aero road bike gains its advantage by reducing wind resistance through aerodynamic profiles. This means that at around 30kpm an aero bike would save in the region of 12W over a non-aero road bike, with that Watt saving increasing as the speeds get higher.
A climbing bike is unlikely to be ridden at significantly higher speeds than 30 kph for the majority of its time, and os it doesn't make sense to add aero features to its design.
The omission of aero features allows Orbea to focus on making the frame and fork as light as possible, to maximise these Wattage savings. The latest release sees the Orca tipping the scales at just 750g for the 53cm frame and 360g for the forks on the OMX versions, and 1030g and 410g respectively for the OMR version.
The new Orca saves 3W on average over an aero bike on a 5% gradient, which climbs to around 6W on a 10% gradient for the average rider.
The Collection
Lets take a look at some of the key models that make up the new Orbea Orca collection.
Orca M30i
The Orca M30i is budget on price but not on features. A full OMR Carbon frame and fork is joined by Shimano hydraulic disc brakes and a 105 Di2 electronic groupset. A Carbon seatpost is also fitted as standard and a Fi'zi:k Aliante R5 saddle provides the comfort without compromising the lightweight nature of the bike.
Orca M35i
The Orca M35i is aimed towards a more performance orientated rider. It uses the same OMR carbon frame and fork as the M30i and is also equipped with the Shimano 105 Di2 electronic groupset, but this time rolls on Oquo RP35 Team carbon wheels to reduce rolling resistance and weight.
Orca M21e Team PWR
This model is equipped with Sram's Force AXS electronic groupset, providing smooth, crisp, reliable shifting that is also customisable. Carbon wheels and a powermeter are also fitted as standard, firmly placing this bike in the sights of the more serious roadie.
Orca M11e LTD PWR
No key model line-up would be complete without the top-of-the-range model, and here it is in the form of the Orca M11e LTD PWR. A high grade OMX carbon frame and fork form the base of this ultra-performance based version, along with carbon wheels, bars, seatpost and saddle rails. Electronic Sram shifting and a powermeter are naturally also found as standard.
The Verdict
Whether you're a seasoned pro or an ambitious amateur, the Orbea Orca range caters to every racer's needs and preferences. With a variety of models tailored to different skill levels and disciplines, there's an Orca Orbea for everyone, ready to unleash their potential on the road.
The Orca Orbea race bikes are more than just two wheels and a frame – they embody a legacy of excellence, precision, and performance. Engineered to outperform on the steepest climbs and fastest sprints, these climbing bikes are the ultimate choice for riders seeking the thrill of competition and the satisfaction of conquering the mountains. Get ready to experience the ride of your life with the Orbea Orca, where every pedal stroke propels you closer to victory.
