# Orbea Orca - 13.49 lbs



## Pierre (Jan 29, 2004)

I've just put together a reasonably light Orbea Orca, to see how it feels to be on a light bike. I was looking for a Scott CR1, didn't see any at a low price, and I found a good deal on this Orca on ebay, so I went with this. I used parts that I had lying around, the only part I bought specifically for this project was the zeroG brakes. 

Conclusion: it's a good bike and accelerates nicely, but you notice that it's light mostly when you carry it down the stairs. I'll ride it a bit and sell it on ebay. Or if it doesn't sell well like this, I'll take it apart and sell piece by piece.

Here are the components, any advice to lighten it is welcome. I do not want to
- put Record on it - sure, it would be something like 60g lighter.
- use downtube shifters
- use hard-to-find, crazy expensive components.

So, I have on it:
- Reynolds Cirro KOM wheels
- Full D/A 10spd, 12/27 cassette. It's a climbing bike after all.
- Kestrel EMS SL carbon (oversized, 200g), Ritchey WCS stem.
- FSA SLK Megaexo compact cranks. I might put FSA compact carbon pro/Am classic bottom bracket instead. Same kind of price and a bit lighter (how much weight would I save ? sounds like ~80g)
- ZeroG Ti brakes.
- Use Alien seatpost, Selle Italia SLR seat.
- with Speedplay X1 pedals it weighs 13.8 lbs

Pierre

PS: by the way, yes I'm cheating, it doesn't have bar tape or bottle cages.


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## Pierre (Jan 29, 2004)

*more pics*

some more pics


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## Pierre (Jan 29, 2004)

*more pics*

some more


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## b987654 (Aug 18, 2005)

*watt size is that?*

Watt size is that frame, and are those tubular tires?(sorry I'm new)


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## moose8500 (Jun 18, 2005)

dang, your seat looks really far forward.... I don't really understand why someone would build up such a nice bike just becuz'... Otherwise, nice bike!


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## Pierre (Jan 29, 2004)

well why not - I had almost everything lying around, 'xept for the brakes, which I was interested in giving a try anyway. The only reason for not doing it would be that putting it together wasted 2 hours that I could have spent biking  Plus 10 minutes snapping pictures.

No comment will be taken on the position of the seat, I like it that way  I put it full forward on all my bikes, and have done up to 600K brevets with no major issue.

Pierre




moose8500 said:


> dang, your seat looks really far forward.... I don't really understand why someone would build up such a nice bike just becuz'... Otherwise, nice bike!


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## moose8500 (Jun 18, 2005)

well, yea, I guess that's cool, all I was saying is that if i had bikes like that just lying around I would ride them more, not just sell them... If you like to put the seat forward like that, why not consider many shorter-toptube, steeper geometry bikes, like triathlon bikes??? They would put you in that same position with the seat in the middle of the rails. Look at cervelo, kestrel, bmc etc triathlon bikes...


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## stihl (Oct 27, 2005)

-lighter tires (maybe Tufo's)
-lighter cable set
-M2 Racer skewers and pedals
-maybe a lighter fork (Easton SLX or Alpha Q)
-lose weight (just kidding)

How light are those wheels? Stiff enough?


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## homebrew (Oct 28, 2004)

Pierre said:


> I've just put together a reasonably light Orbea Orca, to see how it feels to be on a light bike. I was looking for a Scott CR1, didn't see any at a low price, and I found a good deal on this Orca on ebay, so I went with this. I used parts that I had lying around, the only part I bought specifically for this project was the zeroG brakes.
> 
> Conclusion: it's a good bike and accelerates nicely, but you notice that it's light mostly when you carry it down the stairs. I'll ride it a bit and sell it on ebay. Or if it doesn't sell well like this, I'll take it apart and sell piece by piece.
> 
> ...


Your weights are weigh off, but you know that don't you. example Krestrel fork at 200 grams LOL . Your bike is in the 17lb class .


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## TACSTS (Feb 4, 2004)

The Kestrel item in question is actually a HANDLEBAR and not a FORK. This would make it entirely likely that it does in fact weigh 200g. Also the total bike is hanging from an Ultimate (Alpine) scale which is accurate to 0.005lb. The bike weighs 13.49 lbs. 

geez...


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## alienator (Jun 11, 2004)

TACSTS said:


> The Kestrel item in question is actually a HANDLEBAR and not a FORK. This would make it entirely likely that it does in fact weigh 200g. Also the total bike is hanging from an Ultimate (Alpine) scale which is accurate to 0.005lb. The bike weighs 13.49 lbs.
> 
> geez...


Yeah, it helps to be able to read the OP's original post. As for the accuracy of the scale, that accuracy is dependent on it being properly calibrated and maintained. It could be that the scale is off, but it certainly isn't off 3 lbs or probably even one. It's prolly worth having a reference weight or two around to check for drift in the instrument's calibration.

Nice bike.


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## stihl (Oct 27, 2005)

moose8500 said:


> If you like to put the seat forward like that, why not consider many shorter-toptube, steeper geometry bikes, like triathlon bikes??? They would put you in that same position with the seat in the middle of the rails...


Maybe he has short legs?? Ever think of that? What if he only put the seat forward like that because he needed to align his kneecaps to the spindle of the pedals? Tri bikes will most likely put you in a much more aggressive position than this..You might want to think first before you type  
Maybe you should have told him to get a no setback post so that you'll be happy..


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## estone2 (Sep 25, 2005)

stella azzura guizzo carbon crank? that could lose you some weight
either that or like, a stronglight pulsion CT, both would drop weight off the FSA crank, which, if im correct, actually weighs more than the normal DA crank... (and i think that stella makes a compact if you want a compact, i think it might be like ... rapido or something? oh heck i dont know... www.bikesomewhere.com has it i think.)


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## Lotek (Aug 3, 2004)

$300+ is alot to pay for a set of brakes, did u get a deal? and how much does the frame weigh? 1000 grams?


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## CFBlue (Jun 28, 1999)

Zipp bars, M2 Racer seat post, and Stronglight cranks, that would save you about a pound. I HATED my SLK MegaExo cranks. The finish was iffy and they weigh 220 grams MORE than the new Stronglight/AC BB I installed, the Pulsions are simply amazing. With my new bars, post and if I used those wheels that would put me at roughly 12.8 lbs (that includes everything I leave the house with except bottles). Best of luck!

K


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## sitzpickel (Nov 10, 2003)

*Cranks & Brifters*

Pierre,
good job at putting together a lightweight, RIDEABLE bike.
The anchor on your bike is the crankset w/ integrated BB at ~800gr whereas the FSA Compact Pro Elite + AC BB run about 655 gr. (The new stuff is a big step back for the weight weenies)
Also, you could swap the Brifters w/ Record (theirs are now actually cheaper then DA), quite a bit lighter, which is offset by the J-tek shiftmate to convert gear ratios (~30gr). Works like a charm, and the Record Brifters are just nicer (more carbon too).

Again, nice job, oh, and don't listen to the Spreadsheet guys too much ;-) Just ride it uphill, and stop crashing ;-)

Michael
---------------------------
Ride, rinse, repeat.


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## Chocolate Monkey (Dec 29, 2005)

Pierre said:


> some more pics


Hmmm... that frame in that size typically weighs around 1200g... and the fork around 420g, neither especially superlight... so with those components I'm sorta questioning that total weight... and looking at the picture of the full bike hanging on the scale the front wheel is resting on the leg of the workstand so I think that's affecting what the scale is reading.


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## Pierre (Jan 29, 2004)

the front wheel thing is a perspective effect, it was well above the leg of the stand. I checked the weight of frame / fork before building. The frame is 1130g, the fork is 290g. Surprising that so many people doubt about my measurement instead of giving recommendations. I know, this frame is not as light as a Dragonfly or a CR1, but I got it for $900...

Going to change the crankset/bb, I'll post new pics afterwards.

Pierre





Chocolate Monkey said:


> Hmmm... that frame in that size typically weighs around 1200g... and the fork around 420g, neither especially superlight... so with those components I'm sorta questioning that total weight... and looking at the picture of the full bike hanging on the scale the front wheel is resting on the leg of the workstand so I think that's affecting what the scale is reading.


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## Chocolate Monkey (Dec 29, 2005)

Pierre said:


> the front wheel thing is a perspective effect, it was well above the leg of the stand. I checked the weight of frame / fork before building. The frame is 1130g, the fork is 290g. Surprising that so many people doubt about my measurement instead of giving recommendations. I know, this frame is not as light as a Dragonfly or a CR1, but I got it for $900...
> 
> Going to change the crankset/bb, I'll post new pics afterwards.
> 
> Pierre


I guess because it seems too light for the build. You weighed the frame and fork... did you weigh all the components? I'd be curious to see the components weights.


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## Pierre (Jan 29, 2004)

didn't weigh all the components, I'm not all that serious of a weight-weenie. I'm cheating because it doesn't have pedals / bottle cage / bar tape. Also, the wheels are Reynolds Cirro KOM, not your average Ksyrium SL. The Reynolds are more than 1 lb lighter than the Mavics... I think they are specd at 1020g / pair. Look on the main rbr page, there's a link to a page where Francois reviewed all these carbon wheels.

Pierre





Chocolate Monkey said:


> I guess because it seems too light for the build. You weighed the frame and fork... did you weigh all the components? I'd be curious to see the components weights.


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## jhbeeton (Dec 8, 2004)

*weights for this class ...*

My wife has a 54cm onix ( arguably a 1/4 lb heavier frame and 1/4lb heavier fork) with a Dura-ace drivetrain , topolino clinchers, ultegra brakes and she's using a Specialized Jett saddle mounted on a Bontrager X-Lite seatpost. Her bike is a hair under 17 lbs with Time RXS carbon pedals and (2) profile nylon cages ... at first I thought that the claim was way off but now that I look at it ...

1/2 lb savings on the frame and fork
1 lb on the wheels
1/2 lb on the seat and post
1/4 lb on the brakes

There may be another 1/2 lb in there on misc +- weights 



homebrew said:


> Your weights are weigh off, but you know that don't you. example Krestrel fork at 200 grams LOL . Your bike is in the 17lb class .


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## jimcav (Jun 15, 2003)

*not sure but agree on cranks and then*

if you are against downtube shifters get modolo and go to a 9 speed rear.
not sure on the lightest campy compatible BB--maybe a phil wood ti/mag

i will be watching ebay

also i have my saddles forward on a zero setback post--it is because i have long legs and short torso and as the post goes up up up it has to go forward forward forward for me

could go custom but have had no issues on most builders 56-58 
jim


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## Mdeth1313 (Nov 1, 2001)

You could also try finding a kcnc, token or xrp cassette on ebay- they'll drop 50g pretty quick.


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