# 2007 Orca ride



## rollinrob (Dec 8, 2002)

Hi All
I am looking for some input as to what to expect from the ride of the 2007 Orca. I am looking to pick one up soon and would like to know how you feel it rides. I have had the 05 Orca which was very smooth and the am currently riding the 06 Opal which I am finding to harsh and stiff. I am hoping the 07 Orca will have a nice balance of stiffness and smoothness. Is the ride dead? Do you get a good road feel? thanks for any replys
Rob


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## Stratmosphere (Feb 28, 2007)

Sounds like you have access to a shop with Orbea bikes with all the bikes you have. The answer is the ride it. If you can't, my sense is that the bike is 1/2 race and 1/2 comfort. I have an '07 Orca and and '07 Roubaix (new style). The Roubaix is defintely more calm but is full of tricks like damping and special tires, etc. I think the Orca is more frisky and seems to go faster for me on my rides.


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## skepticman (Dec 25, 2005)

I also have a 2006 Opal I got last spring. I find the ride a bit stiff on cracked roads, particularly the fork. There are things you can do to make it ride smoother like reducing the tire pressure, using wider tires, using thicker bar tape or gloves, and using a carbon stem and bars.

I test rode the new Orca about a month ago. I thought the ride was similar to the Opal, very firm and stiff, maybe slightly more comfortable on rough roads. They both have a silent, dead, isolated feel compared to the Litespeed titanium bikes I've ridden in the past.

I just got a Moots Vamoots, which I find to be a perfect combination of stiffness and comfort and it has a livelier feel than my Opal. But the silent ride of a stiff carbon frame is sometimes appealing, so I plan to ride whichever one I feel like.


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## jmess (Aug 24, 2006)

I would 2nd the 50% race 50% comfort ratio for the Orca. Compared to my 04 Specialized Roubaix the ratio is more like 75% race and 25% comfort. The 04 Roubaix frame has more flex than some of the later versions. After riding the Orca for a couple of months the Roubaix feels almost too plush. I miss the more direct feeling you get riding the Orca.


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## Stratmosphere (Feb 28, 2007)

jmess, you are probably right. The Orca is pretty stiff over bumps but more times than not the shock isn't as bad as you think it would be. I had a Colnago Christallo last season. THAT was torture.


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## rollinrob (Dec 8, 2002)

Hi All
Thanks for the replys, you have given me some good insight. I am tryin to pare down my "stable" to one bike. Right now I have an Opal and a Look 565. I love the geometry of the Opal and the ride of the Look. I was hoping that the new Orca would have the same ride charecteristics as the Look. Sounds like it will be closer to the opal but is less stiff, which is fine since I do not want to beat myself up anymore. I think I will be picking a ORCA soon.


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## JAG MN (Jan 10, 2006)

*07 Orca*

Hi,

I have test ridden an 07 Orca on two occasions and just bought one (not built up yet) and I think it is wonderful blend of road feel, direct power transfer (much better than '06 in my opinion), and superb handling. Oh yeah, the styling ain't bad either! 

I think the Onix is too harsh, but I think that tire choice and wheel choice contributes the most to ride quality and riding lesser dished (23-28mm) carbon tubulars can make all the difference. Campy Hyperon's are the best, in my opinion. Just my .02 worth. I rate the ride quality with my alu clinchers as marginal on anything but smooth roads, that's why I am selling them. 

JG


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## drumdog (Feb 26, 2006)

Rollinrob,

I have had my 2007 Orca for about six weeks and am very pleased. I was riding a Schwinn Fastback Al bike before and the carbon is much more comfortable but it is very stiff on the power transfer end of things. I understand from multiple sources that it is stiffer and less compliant than the 2006 version. Another thing to think about: my LBS recommended DT Swiss mon chasseral wheels partly for the looks (my Orca is white and black and the wheels are white) but also because they don't have the bladed spokes of the Ksyriums I was looking at. The round spokes also tend to give a bit more compliance to the ride per his input; important to keep in mind what your weight is for the effect here: I'm 160lb. I'm very happy with the whole setup, have ridden in the mountains with it as well and it's great for climbing as well as the local group ride. I give it a unreserved recommendation.


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