Any Orca owners out there who recently swapped for an Opal or perhaps added an Opal to the stable who could tell me what - if any- difference there was in ride quality and performance?

I have an Orca. The manager of the LBS where I bought it says that the Opal is a much stiffer, almost too stiff bike that is more suited for crits. LBS is selling more Opals and he finds the Orca a "harder" sell. At 140# I find my 51 cm Orca just perfect.

I switched and prefer the Opal, it's stiffer and seems to handle better.

:)

Any Orca owners out there who recently swapped for an Opal or perhaps added an Opal to the stable who could tell me what - if any- difference there was in ride quality and performance?

I like the stiffness of the Opal much better, and it is noticeable. I also added an external-bearing crank which I'm sure added even more stiffness. Having ridden the Orca for a year and a half, I can safely say that the Opal is more direct in sprints and climbing hills; I really like the feel; the fork on the Opal is a little heavier and stiffer as well. The Orca felt a little sloppy in comparison, but the Opal is not so stiff that you can feel the lines between tiles on a linoleum floor.

I agreed, the Opal stiffness is being overrated. I admit I just rode it for 15' and it felt stiffer than the Orca, true but a more performance feel than the Orca again. Let's not forget that "comfortable" ride is very subjective,to the weight of the rider, the wheesl you have, the quality of your tires and pressure of the same. I'll report after I take it on a 100 miles ride. I rode steel before, and the potholes felt harsh, not so with the Opal.

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