Orbea

Aqua TPX/Sram Apex Complete Road Bike - 2013

If you're putting in the miles, you'll need a bike that's lightweight, comfortable, and most importantly, reliable. Luckily, the Orbea Aqua TPX Complete Road Bike checks off all of those boxes. So, whether you're dabbling in racing, or just riding for fitness and fun, you'll find that the Aqua's responsive aluminum frame and SRAM drivetrain are up to the task.

Sure, carbon fiber may be the frame material du jour of choice, but experience tells us that a well-built aluminum frame also provides an excellent ride quality. Orbea knows this, and accordingly, it built the Aqua out of 7005 aluminum alloy for its blend of light weight and durability. After the material selection, Orbea then went to great lengths to build-in comfort without sacrificing aluminum's natural rigidity. Along these lines, the seatstays and top tube have been hydroformed, which enables them to flex slightly more than a round tube. Adding to this design ideology is the same carbon fiber fork that's used on the Orca Bronze.

The fork's carbon fiber construction removes much of the vibration and bite that's associated with aluminum, while also increasing the stiffness and responsiveness of the Aqua's front triangle. in other words, the combination of the hydroformed tubes and carbon fork means that there's plenty of compliance to keep you comfortable on long rides. And since stiffness is key, the custom-formed down tube and large diameter chainstays resist flex under hard efforts. That means that none of your energy is wasted when it's time to ride out of the saddle. And, in terms of stability, the relaxed angles of the Aqua's frame bolster its handling at speed.

SRAM gets the nod for the drivetrain with its Apex group set. And while it may lack the titanium and carbon fiber bits that make SRAM's Red and Force components so drool-worthy, Apex sees technological trickle-down that results in crisp, precise shifting. The same DoubleTap shift actuation used in the Red shifters makes the Apex shifters instinctive to use. There's also a compact crankset and an 11-32t cassette to take the sting out of the steepest of climbs. And when you get to top, Orbea's house-brand brakes will keep you in control for the ride down.

The remainder of the build kit consists primarily of Orbea items, such as the handlebar, stem, and seatpost. The wheelset is another Orbea item with 32 spokes, which keeps the weight down, while still providing the strength and stiffness that you need. Vittoria's Zaffiro tires grip the road, and are hard-wearing for logging the miles. And lastly, the Selle Italia X1 Flow saddle provides a comfortable perch, no matter where the ride takes you.

The Orbea Aqua TPX Complete Road Bike is available in the color White/grey and in five sizes from 48 to 60cm.