Orbea Orca OMX Custom SRAM Red AXS Build Review

The Orbea Orca remains one of my favorite all-time bikes, so I was particularly stoked to get aboard the latest Orbea Orca with the new SRAM Red AXS and Zipp 303 Wheels. This lightweight mountain-eater has been quick to settle into the local climbs along the Wasatch Front and Orbea’s special sauce is readily-apparent with every pedal stroke.

2024 Orbea Orca OMX – SRAM/Zipp Custom Build Spec:

• Orbea OMX carbon frame
• 32mm tire clearance
• Press fit BB386EVO bottom bracket
• Compatible with Mavic Speed Release thru axles (ships with standard axles)
• Uses a standard 27.2 round seatpost
• Orbea OC integrated stem for semi-internal cable routing
• Latest SRAM Red AXS groupset
• Zipp 303 Firecrest Wheelset
• Weight: 15.7 lbs (55cm, as shown) — 750 g frame weight, 53cm stated
• MSRP: $11,599 (stock build, tested build would differ)

Setup and custom SRAM/Zipp build

Back in 2015, I rode and loved the Orbea Orca M-Team. The geometry suited me perfectly and the bike ate up mountain roads like that’s what it was born to do. Now, 10 years later, the 2024 Orbea Orca OMX remains true to the way I remember that bike feeling — only updated in almost every way. The Orca is unabashedly a climbing bike, with no aerodynamic touches. Every inch of the frame is optimized for power transfer and confidence both ascending and descending the most demanding mountains in the world. Thankfully, that WorldTour performance doesn’t prevent this bike from feeling comfortable on even the most demanding rides.

Orbea’s OMX-level carbon is their lightest and stiffest available and the 53cm frame has a stated weight of 750 grams (wowzers!). As tested, the 15.7 lb. custom build feels incredibly light and fast and is the lightest disc road bike I’ve ridden. This particular bike was used by the SRAM marketing team as part of the new SRAM Red AXS launch. Because of that, it isn’t quite the exact build you can buy, but is close to the Orca M11ELTD PWR build you’ll find for $11,599.  

The only hiccups I had with the setup were around the seatpost and the seatpost wedge. The wedge went missing for a few days (it is a small, fiddly part) and while sorting that out, I had to cut about 2″ off the end of the seatpost to allow for my 30″ saddle height. Some have dubbed this the Orbea version of the Specialized Ethos and it is definitely along those lines, but the Orca is better-suited for the rigors of racing.

Orca es inmediatamente increíble

It’s difficult to put to words the feeling you have when pedaling a fine-tuned road bike. All I can say is the latest Orca feels incredible, right from the garage. Everything feels cohesive, tight and calculated. After a few neighborhood laps, the game was on.

That first descent from the house was all it took for the memories to come flooding back into my body. Handling response is immediate without ever feeling twitchy and confidence is off-the-charts. Darting in/out of turns feels like the Orca is reading my mind and I knew we were going to get along like besties.

Climbing is in the Orca’s DNA, so that’s where I tried to spend the most time. Luckily, living in Utah has a ton of benefits and climbing is one of them. Pointing to the steepest and longest climbs around, the Orca tackles them with panache. It’s easy to see why this is a World Tour bike because every pedal stroke is met with instant power transfer and forward momentum. Nothing is lost in translation and I can hammer up any climb.

A unique characteristic of climbing bikes is their inherent liveliness. Seated climbs and especially standing climbs are met with a certain zip. The Orca feels like an extension of me and every pedal stroke pushes me forward and uphill. The lightness and stiffness of the frame really shine the steeper and longer the climbs get.

One of my favorite local climbs is almost 3 miles with 800 ft. elevation gain at 5.5% average grade with several extended pitches between 10-15% that can put the hurt on anyone. Without going all-out, I was able to log a time within 45 seconds of my Strava PR. With a little more effort, I don’t have a doubt I could easily challenge my PR.

The test bike had 48/35T chainrings with 10-33t cassette — not quite 1:1. Looking at the stock builds, you’ll have to be even stronger because it’s the new 10-30t cassette. If it were my own bike, I’d check my ego at the door and go with the 10-36t cassette for lower gearing and higher uphill cadence.

When descending, the Orca feels like an extension of my body and mind. The second I even think about the line to take, it’s like a mind-reader and the bike just follows. Every rider input results in immediate response, but it’s anything but twitchy. Old-school race bikes did suffer from oversteer, but while it handles like a race bike should, it remains as calm as a summer morning — even at the highest speeds. Speaking of speed, the faster I descended, the more confident it felt.

If twisty mountain descents are your jam, the Orca will be one of the most adept dance partners you’ll find. I’m splitting hairs here, but it’s definitely among the best descenders I’ve ridden. In fact, when I pick a line, the Orca sticks to it like it’s on rails. It’s a thing of beauty to push this bike hard and have it hold a line on a curve with the panache of a sports car.

The balanced ride feel instills confidence on all roads. And, it’s clearly-intentional that both the fork and rear end feel cohesive and equally-comfortable and taut at the same time — there’s no front/rear imbalance. There’s no perceptible flex under load while sprinting or on standing climbs — no matter how hard I’m pushing it. For roadie purists, it does all that without dropped seat stays for a more traditional look. The other lightweight climbing bike I’ve tested this year is the Ari Suncrest, which is a great bike but lacks the little refinements that make this bike an Orca.

Final bits and pieces

I appreciate that Orbea ships the bike with added clear protection ahead of the bottom bracket. And, the semi-internal cable routing with the OC stem is also a great choice. Full internal routing is limiting and a challenge to wrench.  While this isn’t perfect, it’s a good combo of sleek design and compatibility. But, if you have an integrated bar/stem, it will be fully-internal. As tested, the OC ST-RP10 stem and Zipp SL80 Race bars were a great combination for nearly-invisible cables. However, that particular stem features a -8 degree angle, which is a bit more aggressive than the typical -6 degree stems and would have given me a little more stack (which I wanted). With some adapters, a standard stem can be used for further fit preferences.

The out front computer mount integrates with the OC stem and offers inserts for Wahoo, Garmin and a few others. However, the half-circle insert does rattle unless you slip something under it or grab some electrical tape and wrap it tight. Rattles drive me nuts and I was glad to find a simple solution.

As far as tire clearance goes, the stated 32mm clearance is actually sufficient for 33 or 34mm width tires (as measured). Swapped out the Zipp 303 Firecrest with Goodyear Vector R Z30 SW tires (30mm as measured) for a set of Forge+Bond CR 45’s with Pirelli P Zero Race TLR RS 30 tires (33mm width as measured) and there is still 6mm to spare on the fork and plenty in the rear. I then took it for one last joy ride with those wider tires and the result was buttery-smooth ride feel, monster grip and I also nabbed a longstanding climbing PR. So, go wider, be more comfortable and actually ride faster.

Fit: I’m 5’11” and 175 lbs, riding the size 55cm, which is my correct size with a zero setback post, but ideally, I would have about 10mm more stack for my proper fit. I tilted the bars up as a stopgap, but more stack would have been preferred and would have allowed more long-term comfort.

Buy Now: Visit Contender Bicycles