Escapapresents the newOrbea Orca M30I 24 Bike, a bike for cyclists who love climbing and want the best bike to conquer mountain passes. It is also ideal for those seeking the acceleration, agility, and responsiveness that only a truly lightweight bike can offer.
The newOrbea Orca M30I 24 bike is not just lightweight. It is designed to change the way you reach the summit. A bike so light and efficient that it produces an unbeatable sensation: instant acceleration, vibration absorption, and great responsiveness, made possible by a frame that feels light or stiff when needed. Its design is geared towards high performance and is timeless; never before has so little achieved such aesthetics and such extraordinary sensations. Orbea invites you to welcome the ultimate climber: "Praise the light!"
PRAISE THE LIGHT: ORBEA UNVEILS THE NEW ORCA
● Orbea's new road flagship is weight-oriented and offers the best possible climbing performance: instant acceleration, very agile handling, vibration absorption, and excellent power transfer.
The 7th generation Orca is a lightweight bike for climbers, with a high-performance design.
What sets Orca apart from the rest?
● Orbea Racing Philosophy
Orbea always follows its own path and, in the road category, advocates specialization with specific bikes for specific uses. They argue that the most efficient aerodynamic bikes can never be truly lightweight and, similarly, the lightest bikes can never be super aerodynamic.
"A super aero bike needs fewer watts at high speeds. But as the gradient increases and speed decreases, the effect of gravity overpowers air resistance and the lightweight bike gains an advantage. To prove this, we have conducted efficiency tests at low and high speeds. Low-speed efficiency tests measure the number of watts needed to maintain a certain speed on a steep climb. This test removes aerodynamics from the equation. To perform well, bikes need to be lightweight and efficiently transfer power from the cranks to the wheels," says Joseba Arizaga, Road Product Manager at Orbea.
The other side of the equation is the high-speed efficiency test. At the velodrome, we measure the watts needed to maintain a high speed, where aerodynamics dominate. To perform well, bikes must minimize aerodynamic drag. Reducing weight by 500 g on a 5% slope saves about 3 W. If the slope is increased to 10%, the savings increase to about 6 W. At higher speeds, aerodynamics take over. Thus, at 30 km/h, a super-aerodynamic bike saves about 12 watts; at 40 km/h, 15 watts; and at 50 km/h, about 28 watts. Therefore, increasing the weight of a lightweight bike in exchange for aerodynamic performance makes no sense. On climbs, the lighter the bike, the better; and at high speeds, the more aerodynamic, the better. The average-weight bike with aerodynamic features doesn't win anywhere," explains Arizaga.
Orbea claims that the Orca is about 3W faster than an aero bike with an average rider on a 5% gradient, and about 6W faster on a 10% gradient. Adding partial aerodynamic features, and therefore more weight, would jeopardize those advantages and reduce that special feeling of lightness, agility, and responsiveness.
● Pure Light
Orbea has taken care of every detail to achieve the necessary lightness. The lighter the frame, the more complicated it is to eliminate weight without sacrificing anything. Taking the Orca project to the maximum lightness level required an obsession with details. All this work has resulted in a 750g OMX frame in size 53 and a 360g fork. The OMR frame weighs 1030g, while the fork tips the scales at 410g.
Eliminating overlaps
A carbon frame is made up of precisely cut carbon pieces arranged in a specific pattern before being sealed with epoxy resin. Due to the construction, there can be no gaps between the carbon pieces, which means that they all have to overlap slightly. Therefore, if larger pieces are used but we try to reduce the quantity, as in Orca, we have fewer overlaps, which saves grams. Of course, this adds work, which means that the lamination process has to be more precise and takes longer, but in this way our carbon OMX uses 90 fewer pieces of carbon.
Focus on shapes
The epoxy needed to hold the carbon pieces together must also be precisely controlled. Excess epoxy can accumulate in corners or sharp edges. By carefully designing the frame to prevent excess epoxy from accumulating, Orbea eliminates unnecessary material and saves grams.
Total Control
By working from the outset with Oquo wheels and its own OC components, Orbea can design the complete bike, balancing weight and saving grams. Oquo wheels are lightweight and high-performance.
Paint and hardware
Paint and hardware, i.e., the parts, are also key. Orbea frames are painted at its headquarters in the Basque Country. This allows Orbea to strictly control the process and further reduce weight. The brand claims that the paint weighs about 25 g and all the frame parts weigh about 40 g.
● Weight/stiffness ratio
Orbea explains that it is possible to manufacture very light bicycles, but it would not make sense to lose efficiency when pedaling due to a lack of stiffness. When they designed Orca, they started with a stiffness goal to ensure that even the strongest climbers could be confident of efficient power transmission. They then designed Orca to be as light as possible without compromising that goal.
A key feature is the Powerspine design. With this design, the lower part of the frame supports the vast majority of the torsional and lateral loads from pedaling. The head tube, down tube, and chainstays resist twisting forces and transmit power to the rear wheel, as well as adding precision to the steering. All of this allows Orbea to save weight in other parts of the frame without compromising stiffness.
● Lightness when riding
The feeling of riding a lightweight bike is unbeatable: it's that combination of instant response and agility. On climbs, the new Orca is undeniably fast, but the lightness is also noticeable in the agility of handling and the feeling of acceleration when pedaling.
Much of this agility is due to the Orca's geometry, which remains virtually unchanged. Shorter chainstays and, consequently, a shorter wheelbase are the only modifications. This gives the bike the responsiveness and agility we demand from a climbing bike. The more rounded sections of the frame help reduce vibration, saving energy on longer rides. The larger wheel clearance allows for tires up to 32 mm, maximizing traction and comfort while also reducing rolling resistance.
● Aerodynamics
Although aerodynamic characteristics are not key on this bike, Orbea has not wanted to overlook the marginal gains that can be obtained. They maintain that they choose the most aerodynamic solution whenever it does not compromise weight or handling feel. An example of this is the ICR internal cabling, carefully designed to reduce aerodynamic drag. The new seatpost clamp mechanism, in addition to being simple and effective, is carefully designed to reduce surface area and improve aerodynamics. And although the fork is designed to minimize weight, its shape also helps reduce aerodynamic drag. In addition, Orbea offers more options to prioritize aerodynamics through the MyO program, where you can customize the ergonomics or choose more aerodynamic wheels and handlebars.
● Top-quality components
OC components: The updated range of OC components allows Orbea to offer better integration. The high-performance seatposts in the range offer a universal, easy-to-use clamp system that works with carbon or aluminum rails, round or oval. The new handlebars offer the latest ergonomics, and Orbea will be one of the first brands to offer flared road handlebars across the entire range.
Orca uses the new Oquo wheel range, available in carbon or aluminum with three different levels: LTD, Team, and Pro. There are three different profiles that will allow each cyclist to choose between the lightest 35 mm rim, the most aerodynamic 57 mm profile, or a balanced performance with the 45 mm profile. The 21 mm inner width allows you to choose from a wide range of tires.
● High-performance design
The new Orca is based on Orbea's idea of performance and design, reflecting its belief that bikes should look incredible and ride even better. The Orca's minimalist and timeless lines give it an unmistakable style, combined with the latest technology.
● Models and specifications
Orca offers the highest-end carbon, OMX, for those seeking the lightest weight. It also offers OMR for cyclists who are willing to accept a few extra grams in exchange for the best price.
Orca comes in seven different sizes: 47, 49, 51, 53, 55, 57, and 60.
. This year's range offers three different color combinations in the OMR version and two in the OMX version.
● MyO will allow you to further customize your bike.
