Viewing 19 posts - 1 through 19 (of 19 total)
  • Orbea Occum 29er
  • iomnigel
    Free Member

    http://reviews.mtbr.com/2013-orbea-occam-revealed

    So here I was quite happily planning a new bike centred around the Santa Cruz TallBoy, and along comes this baby.

    No experience of Orbea.

    Using Competitive Cyclist they build to the same weight for the same money (give or take).

    Advantages as I see it are all to Orbea –

    Lifetime frame warranty. (SC 2 year).
    Better “looks”
    Suspension has Fox CTD lever

    Disadvantage –

    never heard of Orbea in the MTB world

    Err thats it.

    Anyone any experience of Orbea or offer a different opinion.

    Currently riding Niner Air 9 Carbon, rigid… So its all about face.

    Intended usage – The “10” No Fuss Events, Big Days Out in the hills, 24hr MTB events and such like. (based Isle of Man)

    Nigel

    flange
    Free Member

    My road club is sponsored by Orbea and a couple of lads have Orbea MTB’s.

    Firstly, Orbea make their own carbon frames onsite in Spain. They’ve got a pretty big plant out there and its all top notch stuff. Not out of a factory in China if that sort of thing bothers you. They never really seem to sell that well over here (in the MTB world, the road bikes including the Orca are very popular) but my mate has a top spec Rallon and its a nice (if heavy) bit of kit.

    Normally kit wise they aren’t too hot – it won’t compare to the likes of Canyon/Rose for the money. My mates Orbea 29er (his training bike – his race bike hasn’t turned up yet!) is bloody heavy for an XC race bike as well.

    If you’re having a look around, check out the new KTM bikes as well. The review on PinkBike says they’re pretty good….

    The-Swedish-Chef
    Free Member

    Julian Absalon won OS gold on an Orbrea in 2008

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    iomnigel
    Free Member

    Hmmm.

    Weights aren’t bad – under 23lb fully built versus under 23lb fully built for the SC TB. So weights are ball park and robust & light enough.

    Kit wise – no worries – frame only and then spec myself. That is for either build.

    klunky
    Free Member

    FYI Orbea bikes (carbon anyway but assume all) are not built in spain.
    Assembled perhaps some even painted but made in spain they are not.

    http://www.bicyclingnewsasia.com/en/features/38-general/1189-china-orbea-bicycle-factory-tour-kunshan

    Costa del china

    Would let that swing your opinion though. Base it on ride and dealer support….

    flange
    Free Member

    FYI Orbea bikes (carbon anyway but assume all) are not built in spain.

    Do they only build the carbon road bikes there then? The things you learn….

    My mates 29er Orbea was spec’d in the brochure as 22lbs, in reality its 25.5lbs.

    mattjg
    Free Member

    My gf has an Orbea road bike, she enjoys riding it but the odd shaped tubes (seat tube too) are a PITA for putting it on a stand and mounting lights etc.

    bikebouy
    Free Member

    I’ve had 2 Orcas (carbon top end road bikes) both brilliant and light and make you look like Sammy Sanchez.. Would buy another roadie, but MTB’s all look a bit “odd”

    stunned
    Free Member

    Evening all,
    Seeing as I work for Orbea, thought I’d try and set the record straight! Orbea have been around for about 130 years.. They still assemble and paint in their factory in the Pyreneese in Spain.

    They have the biggest market share of all the bike brands in Spain.

    Carbon is made in their own factory in China, they do not buy from a third party but have full control over what is produced.(due to economic reasons like most bicycle manuafacturers)
    The reason we are not that well known in the UK is because we don’t do agressive marketing like a lot of other brands. Rightly or wrongly, they are so confident in the product (lifetime warranty on carbon) they don’t see the need to do a great deal of marketing!?

    Also because they are built up in Spain you can do a certain amount of spec changing.. wheels, forks, brakes saddles etc which is all listed and priced on the website

    phil56
    Full Member

    You might want to get in touch with Doug at Basque MTB – when I was out there last month he was guiding a bunch of journo’s all test riding next years Occum 29er – they do look fantastic in the flesh, so to speak.

    Feedback I overheard was the bike was very special, but ‘stiff’ – something you probably want to check out if you’re thinking of it as a 24 HR bike.

    One other thing about Orbea, the business is 100% employee owned, which might make no difference to some, but I quite like.

    Edit – sorry. I hadn’t read the link you posted, but now I see the writer would have been in the group I saw and he already mentions Doug.

    donsimon
    Free Member

    I’ve had an Alma for a few years and love it. Simple as that. It’s one of the few brands that I’d buy into, next road bike will be an Orbea and I can’t see any reason that my next mtb won’t be another Orbea. Very popular in Spain, oh yes Shelock, and quite popular with Absalon.
    Where are you at stunned, just in case I have any frame issues in the future?
    EDIT:

    Lifetime frame warranty. (SC 2 year).

    I could point you in the direction of people who’ve had problems with Orbea and the lifetime warranty. I think we all know that people are more vocal when negative news is on offer and less forthcoming when it’s positive. Positives and negatives for all framebuilders.

    stunned
    Free Member

    North of England,

    doug_basqueMTB.com
    Full Member

    Hey Phil! Nice riding with you the other week.

    Hi Guys, I rode the Occam 29’er on my local trails the other week with a bunch of journo’s from around the world. Orbea are well known and respected in Spain, my personal take is that they have a strong history in road and bikes for off-roadies / XC racers. THat’s changing and the new bikes are gettting a really strong reputation out here amongst more enduro / trail riders. I haven’t ridden all the bikes just the 29’er Occam. I thought it was one of the best bikes I’ve ridden this year. I didn’t expect to like it to be honest, it’s light weight and only has 100mm of travel… not my type of bike. I liked it so much because the geometry is spot on, the suspension works fantastically and it’s so stupidly stiff laterally. All that just made it so precise, and that was a lot of fun. That seemed to be the take from all the guys I was riding with. FWIW I was guiding the fast pack and we were hammering it. There was the guy from MTBR, a Bike Radar journo and a semi pro DH/FR guy from Germany.

    I think it’d make a great 24hr marathon bike. Alternatively i think it would be a good trail bike or even a light enduro bike for skilled riders. I liked it and would happily have one. I even asked for a long term test bike and I don’t do that lightly… life’s too short to ride rubbish bikes.

    I wrote about it on bike rumor: Orbea Occam
    I’ll write something about it on my website in the next day or so, with more pictures.

    It was slightly dissapointing to see how many UK bike magazines turned up to test the bike. There was one guy from Bike Radar. Your information on new bikes is so shaped by the media and if they’re not riding them then… well anyway.

    iomnigel
    Free Member

    Doug – how would you compare it (if you can) to the Santa cruz tall boy as thats the other bike on my short list ?

    doug_basqueMTB.com
    Full Member

    I’m afraid it’s one bike I’ve not ridden. Hopefully the bearings will last longer on the Occam though! I’d need a longer test ride to tell you that though. I’ve had a few guys out on the tallboy this year and they were loving them, they look like fun bikes.

    iomnigel
    Free Member

    Not helping now :). Thanks for reply

    weeksy
    Full Member

    Mate of mine bought an Alba29. Frame is nice, although component spec is pretty low for the money. My GIant has much better specs for the cash.

    phil56
    Full Member

    Just to ‘not help’ you a little more – have you looked at the BMC FS01 29er? They had one on their stand at the PPD’S and it looked absolutely stunning!

    BMC FS01 29er

    iomnigel
    Free Member

    Shock placement looks all wrong to me for standard uk weather – ie shed loads of mud. too busy down the bb area.

Viewing 19 posts - 1 through 19 (of 19 total)

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