I know the Orca is not a tri bike, but, TgR has always commented on road bikes for a few reasons, including:  (1) many triathletes ride road geometry bikes – especially long course athletes; (2) riding in groups on a road bike is fun and the primary method of training for many triathletes; (3) road bike racing is fun and a great way to get strong on a bike; and (4) we like road bikes.

Once again, there is an all-new, fabulous super bike – this time it’s the 2007 Orbea Orca.  I’ve spent more than 500 miles on a SRAM Force equipped Orca and can tell you that there is little I don’t like about it.  It is stiff in all the right places.  Power goes strait to the ground and you feel as if you’re being pushed along.  The Orca climbs like it is filled with helium and sprints like a finish line seeking missile.  The bottom bracket area is massive as are the chain stays.  As I stare at them I can almost hear a V-8 engine humming, daring me to accelerate.  If only I was a worthy power plant for such an efficient chassis.

This bike is comfortable.  Stiff and comfortable are not mutually exclusive and the Orca is proof of this concept.  While laterally and torsionally very rigid, the Orca’s vertical compliance is remarkable. 

Perhaps the most unique feature of the Orca is a head badge that doubles as an integrated cable stop for the shift cable housing.  This eliminates stops in the down tube and cable rub on the head tube.  This is a very elegant design that completes the evolution from down tube shifters to the shift/brake lever combinations we all take for granted these days.  However, this design also holds the only negative for me by eliminating the familiar barrel adjusters that are normally located on the down tube cable stops.  The only option for on-the-fly derailleur adjustments is to install in-line barrel adjusters which I despise.  Not only are they far too hideous to install on such a beautiful bike, I believe they generally do more harm than good.  I consider this a minor issue as I realize only a few cyclists would ever attempt to adjust a derailleur while riding.  The coolness of the head badge cable stop combo far outweighs the absence of barrel adjusters.

For years, we’ve expected bike frames in the upper price range to give us everything without compromise.  They should be stiff yet comfortable, sprint and climb well, roll fast on the flats, corner on rails and look gorgeous. The Orca does all of this at a price well below other European super-bikes.

The Orca comes in four color choices; white, blue, orange and bronze.  I’ve seen all but the orange in person, but I’ve seen many orange Orbeas.  Orbea definitely does orange better than anyone else, but I would definitely see one in person before ordering it. The blue looks nothing like the pictures, leaning more towards aquamarine than light blue, but it looks better in person than on the web.  I personally like the bronze but it is difficult to coordinate with other bike components.  It’s one of those love it or hate it colors with most people falling on the hate it side.  Finally, while I typically don’t like white bikes, the white Orca is one of the most attractive bikes I’ve ever seen. 

Orbea also builds a women’s geometry Orca (which it refers to as “Dama Geometry”) called the Diva.  Orbea has been very successfully making women’s specific bikes since 2001.  The Diva uses different carbon than the Orca and comes in blue, orange and pistachio (green – very green!).

Orbea’s Made to Order program allows you to build up your dream bike on-line.  You choose model, size, color, components and wheels and your local dealer can have your custom build to you in no time (as long as what you want is available).  Made to Order is unique in the industry in that it allows you to choose from many builds instead of taking the one or two offered by most companies and avoid having to retro-fit parts for issues like crank length or handle bar width.  Orca’s can be built up for prices ranging from around $3,500 - $7,000.

Mark

P. S.  After Mark received his Orca, I couldn’t resist and ordered a white one with Campy Record and Topolino’s new VX4.0 wheels with ceramic bearings as my personal road bike (see pic on right).  I’ve never been on anything that performs like this bike.  The frameset is damn near perfect except I don’t think it’s as comfortable as Mark found it (he rides a 57cm and I ride a 51cm).  It’s certainly not as comfortable as the old Orca and it’s about the same as the Opal and many other super-stiff carbon road bikes.  Don’t buy this bike thinking it’s a stiff and comfortable bike like the Specialized Roubaix.  However, if you want to go as fast as your legs will take you on a road bike, then the Orca is definitely the ticket.  By the way, the ’07 Campy Record is brilliant; I plan to post an article comparing and contrasting Dura Ace, Sram Force and Campy Record ASAP.  I’m also working on a new review for the Topolino’s but for now I can tell you to definitely spend the extra $200 and buy the ceramic bearing versions.

KDG