Orbea Orca 2020

[DanielNorway]

Looks really nice! Regarding frameset weight, i dont think 980g is that bad, 833g is one size down and Im guessing without any paint.

[Maddie]

Stendhal, thanks a lot for that!

I find it difficult to choose the colors in MyO based on what I see on my screen. What were the exact colors that you chose? I like them both a lot.

How long did it take from order to delivery?

[eric01]

Love that paint job! Happy to see fades coming back into style

[Stendhal]

Stendhal, thanks a lot for that!

I find it difficult to choose the colors in MyO based on what I see on my screen. What were the exact colors that you chose? I like them both a lot.

How long did it take from order to delivery?

Hi Maddie. The colors are purple main frame color, metallic navy blue secondary frame color, purple fork details (the top of the fork), purple main fork, Titan fork design, metallic silver Orbea logo (it really stands out), miscellaneous logos (Orca, OMX) = pur red, metallic silver name (Audere Est Facere -- anyone know what that means and why??)

The main frame colors are kind of the reverse of the ones on the Orca OMX reviewed by the Gran Fondo Cycling site. That was part of my inspiration. Main is the Fuji bike I had as a teenage that was stolen

I ordered the frame on February 17. The estimated ship date was May 27, then May 25, and it actually shipped April 27 and arrived April 29. Wow.

[Stendhal]

Looks really nice! Regarding frameset weight, i dont think 980g is that bad, 833g is one size down and Im guessing without any paint.

You're right, and I have new information to be fair to Orbea here. I weighed a spare derailleur hanger supplied with the frame today and it was 30g. The .98kg frame weight also includes the front derailleur hanger, another metal part that surely weighs at least 20g. The frame also includes four bottle cage bolts; at Fairwheel Bikes, the US weight weenie part leader, the light titanium bottle cage bolts are 1.8g each (1.9g for T25 torx), so a set of four standard bolts surely weighs 10g. Thus, the frame alone, painted (and with a gloss coat rather than matte), weighs 920g by a legitimate industry standard method.

[Stendhal]

NEW BIKE DAY -- no idea why the pictures are upside down, they are in correct view when you double click. I must have been routed through the site's Australia server

Orbea Orca OMX size 55 custom build
Purchased from Mikes Bikes, built by Palo Alto Bicycles (both tip-top)

Total weight as pictured: 7.33kg = 16.17 lbs (at midpoint of third decimal place)
My official weight (subtract the computer mount, which I consider an accessory): 7298g = 16.09 lbs

Key components:
Frame = 980g (with hangers, bolts)
Fork = 380g before cut

Orbea 110m stem = 215g (!!) + 4 underside stem cover
Haero H.145RR SL semi-aero bars = 156 g (weight weenie part thanks to STARBIKE!)
Acros headset = 57g
Orbea cable guide, headset cap, 8% angle spacer = 17g, 94, 11g
Expander plug = 32g
10mm spacer = about 8g (went up from 5mm at the last minute)
SRAM Red bar tape = about 34g (guess, did not use it all)
Supacaz oil slick bar ends = 29g
Supacaz oil slick star cap = 6g
[Supacaz oil slick cage at 24g is coming. Bike shop found and installed Supacaz oil slick valve covers too]

SRAM Red shifters and brakes (around 750g but some estimation here)
SRAM centerlock rotors = 262g (heavier than advertised)
Shimano Ultegra lock rings = 11g
Orbea thru axles = 71g (may replace with Mavic at about 84g, with levers at end)

Easton EC90SL crank arms (172.5mm) and spindle = 359g (same parts on my other bike were a bit lighter)
Easton 47\32 gravel shifting rings = 197g (weight weenie move, plus I don't need gear help on the flats, I need it on the climbs)
SRAM Red front derailleur = 76g (without chain catcher)
SRAM Red rear derailleur (medium cage) = 167g. These mechanical parts replace the eTap on prior bike for weight reasons.
KMC DLC 11 chain = 238g (YBN chain at 217g ordered but did not arrive on time)
SRAM Red cassette 11-28 = 168g (IMO essential to any weight conscious build)
Favero Assioma UNO pedals = 284g (thus could have saved 51g using my existing Look Keo Carbon blades)

Orbea seatpost including saddle mount = 235g (like the stem, a required heavy part)
Orbea seatpost bolt into frame = 26g
Orbea rubber seatpost seal = 3g

November CGR 36mm deep Industry Nine hub wheels = 1480g
Goodyear Eagle F1 tires size 32 = 494g (far less than advertised)
BikeTube Butane Performance 25-32 tubes = 170g

First ride (15 miles) review
It was important to this project that the bike allow for wider tires and the Orca easily fits the Goodyear 32s as represented. Score one for Orbea for truth in advertising. That had not always been true for me (I'm looking at you Lapierre, you and your Pulsium).

James Huang's review on CyclingTips of the prior generation Orca OMR opined that it was competent but bemoaned that Orbea supposedly had lost its unique road feel of the second generation Orca (the one with the strangely sculpted, quirky tubes) and was now more European \ German (stiff, almost impersonal). I test rode the current OMR (not the OMX) earlier this year and see his point -- although I also tested the prior generation Orca in 2008 and found that pretty stiff too.

The Orca OMX has those qualities too -- see the massive chainstay.

And that's a Good Thing. It means the bike is stiff and will punch above (really below!) its weight on climbs, which I have not yet tried. It's more communicative of the road surface than the Tarmac SL6 it replaced...road comfort, at least for this first ride, was not as smooth with my new size 32 tire Orca as the prior size 28 tire Tarmac. (That may be due to sorting out the tire pressure, I am having technical issues there). I can take that and I want that so long as it's not oppressive, which so far it is not. The prior generation Tarmac SL5 was so deadening of the road that it was depressing to ride.

It took only one weight weenie part (the Haero bars) to get this to a true 16 lb with pedals, despite the massive weight handicaps of the mandatory anchor stem and hefty seatpost. For a good sized frame (55), disc brakes, size 32 tires, and a pedal-based power meter, that's impressive and I hope it will be light enough (given its stiffness) to use its light weight as a weapon on punchy climbs.

Or, as my football (soccer) team advises....

[g32ecs]

Wow very nice. Was the paint custom? How long did it take from ordering to delivery?

[Stendhal]

Wow very nice. Was the paint custom? How long did it take from ordering to delivery?

Yes, Orbea offers custom paint for no extra charge on most bikes. It was 2 months + 9 days from order to delivery.

[g32ecs]

And hows the finish on the paint job?

[Stendhal]

And hows the finish on the paint job?

Yowza! Top rate. Also, Orbea added thoughtful very thin clear protective patches on the drive side chainstay and a few other places (you can see them if you squint in the pictures).

[wheelbuilder]

And hows the finish on the paint job?

Unless something has drastically changed, there is nothing to worry about when it comes to Orbea Paint Shop. They do really, really, good work.

[Junior Varsity]

Nice tires, Stendhal. Hopefully you enjoy them.

[Stendhal]

Nice tires, Stendhal. Hopefully you enjoy them.

Very proud to ride the winged boot. So far so good.

[boots2000]

Be careful- In my experience, Orbea paint looks great but scratches and chips quite easily. It is very thin.

And hows the finish on the paint job?

Unless something has drastically changed, there is nothing to worry about when it comes to Orbea Paint Shop. They do really, really, good work.

[wheelbuilder]

Be careful- In my experience, Orbea paint looks great but scratches and chips quite easily. It is very thin.

And hows the finish on the paint job?

Unless something has drastically changed, there is nothing to worry about when it comes to Orbea Paint Shop. They do really, really, good work.

Not my experience at all. At least with gloss finish. This frame is four years old, and short of a couple of downtube/bb shell rock chips, remains brand new looking. The paintwork on the gloss frames is the opposite of thin.