BORELLI CONSULTING: Recreational Equipment Reviews

Orbea Orca Bicycle
21 November 2005
By: Chuck Bennett

For those of you interested in the cutting edge, top of the line, full-tilt boogie of bicycles…I'm been in the market for a new road bike for a few months now. Since I'm not in any kind of hurry, I have availed myself of local bicycle shops all over the country to test ride everything I could get my hands on, (one of the benefits of traveling for a living). One of the most spectacular bikes I've have the pleasure of riding is the Orbea Orca. The Orca is a full carbon fiber framed bike and is the flagship of the Orbea line. If you haven't been a bike nut for the past few years you probably haven't heard of Orbea. They are produced in Northern Spain, an area that is home to some 1,500 cycling clubs. If you were watching the Tour de France this year (Yeah, Lance won again…) you saw these bicycles under the Euskaltel-Euskadi Team. Obviously these aren't your Costco bikes assembled by some high school kid.

Before I get into the details of the bike a little background may be in order. I'm in my late 30's and have been an "avid" bicyclist since high school. I raced for a few years in college and have been on and off the bike ever since. My previous bikes have included steel and aluminum bikes from far too many manufacturers to mention. A few years ago I was riding a Canondale (full aluminum) frame and during a century (100 mile ride) and the frame started to beat me up (they were VERY stiff back then). Although a stiff frame transmits all your power to the pedals, it generally isn't compliant enough to be comfortable for long periods. This started my search for a bicycle frame that was light, stiff AND comfortable enough not to make me scream in pain after a half a day.

With these criteria in mind I went bike store to bike store in search of the perfect ride. This particular bike was equipped with Shimano's top of the line Dura Ace component Group. Shifting was smooth and flawless and the brakes were light and responsive without being too sensitive. The cranks on this bike were FSA (Full Speed Ahead) Carbon with 53 and 39 tooth chain rings. Wheel set was Shimano WH-7801. This being a top-drawer bike, there really isn't anything negative to say about the componentry. Well, I did change the seat out after 15 miles to my standard seat, but that's more of a personal choice. Everyone's posterior is different and I wanted to evaluate the bike, not the seat.

Overall size of frame and all components were about right for me (I ride a 56 cm frame). The fit and finish of the frame and components were superb. Again, when you are paying from $4,000 to just over $6,000 for a bicycle (depending on component selection)…it damn well better be flawless. Even non-bike people stop and stared and this sucker. It just oozes money, looks great standing still and makes you want to go find a hill to conquer.

Okay, now for the ride. I put 58 miles on this bicycle (after my seat change) and was initially shocked at how efficient it was, considering the frame weighs only 2.4 pounds (on my scale). I made a point to hit as many lousy roads as possible (not really a problem) and was greeted with a ride that, although far from plush, absorbed the worst the road had to offer. Climbing out of the saddle showed where the real strength of this bike lies. Grab the bars, get up and start cranking. Even shift while climbing, nothing seemed to bother this bike. At the end of my ride I wasn't screaming in pain. I didn't have to walk around for an hour before I was able to sit in the car. I thoroughly loved it! Even more notable, several well to do type people stopped and asked questions about the bike. The most often asked question? "How much?" Usually I answered that it cost ten times as much as my first car. I didn't want to shock them silly saying, "Oh, not much…about $5K."

Now, I understand that not everyone has the disposable income to run/ride out and purchase a bicycle of the magnitude. In fact, I have an all steel bike that I ride when I'm on the road (I throw it in the back of the car) that does everything this bike does. Does it do it as efficiently? No. Is it as comfortable up long hills? No. Do people stop and gawk at stoplights? Well…No. So, I guess this bike is a Lamborghini and my regular bike is a VW. They both get the job done, but you really do get what you pay for.

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For a listing of reviews in chronological order, GO HERE.

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