ORBEA ORCA BRONZE/SHIMANO ULTEGRA COMPLETE BIKE

The Orbea Orca Bronze/Shimano Ultegra 6700 Complete Bike combines the smooth ride of the Orca Bronze with the flawless shifting of Shimano's Ultegra component group. And as much as we gush about the new electronic version of this group, this mechanical version is about as good as it gets. Sure, you could opt for Dura-Ace, but the performance difference is tough to distinguish. And Ultegra saves you a bundle of cash. You won't find a better blend of practicality and function.

The Orca Bronze frame and fork are made with Orbea's Bronze grade carbon, and it's a blend of intermediate modulus fibers that have a touch more elasticity than the higher modulus fibers in the Gold and Silver Orcas. That the intermediate fibers also create a more durable frame is an added bonus for those looking at their first carbon fiber bicycle. The real benefit of carbon fiber is the silky smooth ride. It absorbs high frequency vibrations from coarse road surfaces better than aluminum or steel frames.

Like the Gold and Silver, Orbea molds the Orca Bronze frame and fork as a monocoque. Each of these is a homogenous structure with fibers running continuously along the length of the tubes and through the intersections. This increases the total strength of the bike along with the durability. There are a few structural differences that separate the Orca Bronze. It uses alloy dropouts, and the seat tube here is round where the Gold and Silver have a more sculpted, aero shape. This allows the use of a less expensive, standard round seatpost and conventional clamp assembly.

Otherwise the front triangle uses the same planar styling as the other Orca models. And the tube shaping isn't all about good looks. The angular tube shapes and sometimes pronounced edges are the result of FEA (finite element analysis) and their intent to create resistance to flex in critical areas like the bottom bracket, seat tube, and head tube junction. Orbea uses what they term as SSN (size specific nerve) technology to produce frames that offer the same comfort and performance characteristics across the size range. More specifically, each frame size has specific carbon lay-ups and tube dimensions.

The Orca Bronze also employs a tapered head tube that allows the use of a 1.5" lower bearing. The increased inside diameter of the bearing allows the carbon fiber steerer tube to be oversized as well. This increases the torsional and bending stiffness. This is a big part of what makes the Orca feel rock solid on high speed descents and through tight corners.

The build kit consists of a complete set of Shimano's Ultegra parts, including their stellar brakes. The Ultegra compact crankset and 11/25 10-speed cassette offer a wide gear range with plenty of room on the bottom end to help you get over steep climbs. Orbea provides the alloy steering components and cork bar tape as well as the carbon seatpost that supports a Selle Italia SL Flow Saddle. And finally, Mavic Aksium wheels and Aksion clincher tires round out the package. You'd be hard pressed to find a smoother rolling or more durable wheelset for day-in/day-out riding in all weather conditions.

The Orbea Orca Bronze/Shimano Ultegra 6700 Complete Bike is available in Anthracite/carbon or White/carbon/red and comes in six tailored sizes from 48cm to 60cm. It comes with a matching Orca tapered monocoque carbon fork and integrated FSA headset. All Orbea bicycle frames come with a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defect.