Here is my 2005 Orbea Orca, size 60cm. Weight is 16.5 pounds stock. The bike was spec'ced to be light and stiff enough for a 6'1" ish 180 pound rider to race on. Given that three wheels perished under me last year, no stupid light parts were used. For the bars and stems I went with ITM Carbon units, as I have been pleased with their Al parts. The Handlebar is an oversized flat-top carbon bar which rides really nice. Specialized Bar Phat tape helps with the very nice ride quality of the bike. Orbea supplies the all carbon fork and the carbon one bolt seatpost. FSA SLK Mega Exo carbon cranks with the external bearings provide a stiff crank/bb interface. Speedplay Zero stainless pedals and Fisik Aliante carbon railed saddle are personal favorites. Shifting and braking are handled with 2005 Campy Record. 2005 Mavic Ksyruim SSC SL's provide the stiff, non-breakable wheelset. Don't worry I will trim the steerer tube this weekend. . .

:)

First off, that is one nice bike!

Have you had a chance to put some miles on the Orca yet? Can you compare the ride quality and lateral stiffness to other high-end bikes that you have ridden? What do you think of the FSA crankset so far?

Yummy.

Here is my 2005 Orbea Orca, size 60cm. Weight is 16.5 pounds stock. The bike was spec'ced to be light and stiff enough for a 6'1" ish 180 pound rider to race on. Given that three wheels perished under me last year, no stupid light parts were used. For the bars and stems I went with ITM Carbon units, as I have been pleased with their Al parts. The Handlebar is an oversized flat-top carbon bar which rides really nice. Specialized Bar Phat tape helps with the very nice ride quality of the bike. Orbea supplies the all carbon fork and the carbon one bolt seatpost. FSA SLK Mega Exo carbon cranks with the external bearings provide a stiff crank/bb interface. Speedplay Zero stainless pedals and Fisik Aliante carbon railed saddle are personal favorites. Shifting and braking are handled with 2005 Campy Record. 2005 Mavic Ksyruim SSC SL's provide the stiff, non-breakable wheelset. Don't worry I will trim the steerer tube this weekend. . .

:)
I have been trying to decide between an Orca and an Onyx. I could not find an Orca in your colors but after seeing your earlier post I decided that the Orca was the bike I wanted. When I finally found a dealer who had one in stock I was dissappointed because the red and yellow was not as bright as your picture. Is your bike really as brightly colored as your picture or is the picture somhow enhancing the colors. Is it possible that Orbea's painting varies from one bike to another? Really want one that looks like yours.
Thanks, Lee

I have been trying to decide between an Orca and an Onyx. I could not find an Orca in your colors but after seeing your earlier post I decided that the Orca was the bike I wanted. When I finally found a dealer who had one in stock I was dissappointed because the red and yellow was not as bright as your picture. Is your bike really as brightly colored as your picture or is the picture somhow enhancing the colors. Is it possible that Orbea's painting varies from one bike to another? Really want one that looks like yours.
Thanks, Lee

Lee, the flash may have effected the color a bit and made it a bit brighter. Orbea's paint seems the same on all the models I have seen. I heard the blue/white one is pretty striking, but red and black are our teams colors.

As far as the bike. I have been riding it for a bit, and with the Mega-Exo FSA crank/bb the drivetrain stiffness is very good- and I am coming off of a 2004 Cannondale Team Replica which had the Hollowgram SI oversized crank and BB- so I was spoiled in that regard.

The head tube is a bit longer then normal, so you usually run a spacer or two less.

The ride quality of the bike is amazing- even with the stiff Mavic K's, the bike is very comfortable- even at speed.

The geometry is a little racier then the Cannondale, so it loves to corner but I have to keep a closer eye on it while I adjust.

The only OEM part I ditched was the Selle Italia saddle- my butt doesn't like them.

The frame and fork is light enough to built a very light bike, but I used the low weight to spec some stronger (and heavier) race quality parts.

You said you're gonna race this baby. I just laid down a starship aluminum orbea this weekend and put a big dent in it. I'm worried about it's structural integrity and think I may have to replace it. Do you have any fear racing a bike this costly? If you lay it down in a race are you pretty confident the frame will survive? I'm leaning toward the Onyx but my wife wants a 5 year guarantee I won't wreck another frame or if I get this carbon frame it will stand up to basically anything I will give it. Bottom line if I lay it down in 2 months, crack the frame, I'm looking at no bike for a year or 2 or getting a divorce.

Bottom line if I lay it down in 2 months, crack the frame, I'm looking at no bike for a year or 2 or getting a divorce.

Grow a pair and tell your wife you're doing what you want--would she rather have you cranky becasue you're not getting your riding/racing fix? Or would she want you to turn into a couch potato fatass?

you gotta keep a happy home. when you're not made of money and two years in a row I've had to come home and tell her I plan on dropping another 2 Gs outside of the rest of the money on races, travel, gear I can see her point wanting to have some idea this ain't gonna happen again next year since this time it's all credit card.

You said you're gonna race this baby. I just laid down a starship aluminum orbea this weekend and put a big dent in it. I'm worried about it's structural integrity and think I may have to replace it. Do you have any fear racing a bike this costly? If you lay it down in a race are you pretty confident the frame will survive? I'm leaning toward the Onyx but my wife wants a 5 year guarantee I won't wreck another frame or if I get this carbon frame it will stand up to basically anything I will give it. Bottom line if I lay it down in 2 months, crack the frame, I'm looking at no bike for a year or 2 or getting a divorce.

Thanks.

Can't guaruntee that I won't crash and destroy the bike on a training ride or a group ride either. I can afford to replace the bike/frame if need be. If you can't then go for a Lobular frame and lower end parts (that set-up is my training bike).

The Orca is a race bike, so I am going to race it. If its too nice to ride fast and hard for fear of dinging it- what's the point IMHO.


:)

Here is my 2005 Orbea Orca, size 60cm. Weight is 16.5 pounds stock. The bike was spec'ced to be light and stiff enough for a 6'1" ish 180 pound rider to race on. Given that three wheels perished under me last year, no stupid light parts were used. For the bars and stems I went with ITM Carbon units, as I have been pleased with their Al parts. The Handlebar is an oversized flat-top carbon bar which rides really nice. Specialized Bar Phat tape helps with the very nice ride quality of the bike. Orbea supplies the all carbon fork and the carbon one bolt seatpost. FSA SLK Mega Exo carbon cranks with the external bearings provide a stiff crank/bb interface. Speedplay Zero stainless pedals and Fisik Aliante carbon railed saddle are personal favorites. Shifting and braking are handled with 2005 Campy Record. 2005 Mavic Ksyruim SSC SL's provide the stiff, non-breakable wheelset. Don't worry I will trim the steerer tube this weekend. . .

:)

Hey Coolhand,

What a nice machine, Are there any improvements as far as your performance is concerned using your new bike? Any short reviews . . . I noticed a pair of JBL speakers and a small monitor in the background, are you into fine music too. . just curious if there are others who share the same passion for bikes and audio stuff like myself..

ride, enjoy and win . .

Hey Coolhand,

What a nice machine, Are there any improvements as far as your performance is concerned using your new bike? Any short reviews . . . I noticed a pair of JBL speakers and a small monitor in the background, are you into fine music too. . just curious if there are others who share the same passion for bikes and audio stuff like myself..

ride, enjoy and win . .

Thanks- the major improvements came from the improvement in the ride quality, and the less tempremental nature of the FSA crankset over the Cannondale SI Hollowgram which tended to need a decent amount of TLC to keep happy. Another plus is the higher headtube, which allowed me to go with the no spacer fit, rather then the two spacers I needed on my Team Replica. The downside is the Selle Italia saddle (an SLR- meh), and the Zeus one bolt carbon seatpost which doesn't have a lot of fine adjustment to it.

A big plus is the "Pro" method of kit ordering with the high-end Orbeas which allow you to spec stem and bar size (and pick between Zeus and ITM), crank length (and FSA/Shimano or Campy) and wheels (Am Classic, Mavics or Campy wheelsets).




:)

you gotta keep a happy home. when you're not made of money and two years in a row I've had to come home and tell her I plan on dropping another 2 Gs outside of the rest of the money on races, travel, gear I can see her point wanting to have some idea this ain't gonna happen again next year since this time it's all credit card.
Why don't you just insure the bike?

Hey I see you have a 60cm Orca. Could you give me a ballpark on standover height at the midpoint of the top tube? Orbea doesn't list standover on the website. Its kinda of important to me as I have a long torso and short legs. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks.

Hey Coolhand,

What a nice machine, Are there any improvements as far as your performance is concerned using your new bike? Any short reviews . . . I noticed a pair of JBL speakers and a small monitor in the background, are you into fine music too. . just curious if there are others who share the same passion for bikes and audio stuff like myself..

ride, enjoy and win . .

Yes there are others with these same hobbies (obsessions), including moi. Probably Coolcat ;) is too but I'm not sure how far into audiophile-dom he is, and then other's on RBR like boneman, firstrax, rw badley, Girchy Girchy, etc.

Go start an audio thread on Non-Politics, like tubes vs. SS, analog vs. digital, e-stat's vs. dynamic vs. ribbon speakers or such. You'll get quite a few responses.

Noice 'whale, Coolio! I want a Spirit with the Mitis' "Alpha Orange/Black" or Lobular 50 "Pro Red" paint scheme something wicked.