# Why No Orbea Love?



## Stealthrider1 (28 Jul 2016)

I have an Orbea Avant and love it but I never see any others out and about. I see all the usual big names and plenty of boardman's, cubes,canyons and Scotts but am yet to see another Orbea. I never even see them get a mention in online forums and a search for anything orbea, particularly avant related even on Google reveals minimal results on other forums etc. Despite the fact that they are one of the eldest bike companies in the world and are widely used and highly regarded by the fantastic GCN channel. 

So are they just very unfashionable, a very well kept secret or something else? 

Does anyone else on here own one?


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## TVC (28 Jul 2016)

I have an Orbea, very nice bike. They just don't have so many outlets in this country. I went through the now defunct Skinnywheels and had the bike built to a custom spec for me. Just be proud that you have a bike not everyone has heard of. As it happens I'm off to Bilbao in the autumn so I may have to go and pay homage.


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## Levo-Lon (28 Jul 2016)

You get a few around my area but there are orbea dealers here


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## ianrauk (28 Jul 2016)

Don't see many out and about on my commute. Every now and again but not widespread as much as Trek or Spesh.
Nice bikes though. Very nice.


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## Lee_M (28 Jul 2016)

having read this thread I went on their website.
I couldn't possibly buy a bike from a company that builds a websiteso badly and tells you nothing about their bikes other than the price :-)


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## vickster (28 Jul 2016)

See if their Spanish site is better, they may not have bothered with their English offer

Cyclesurgery sell Orbea


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## Stealthrider1 (28 Jul 2016)

Lee_M said:


> having read this thread I went on their website.
> I couldn't possibly buy a bike from a company that builds a websiteso badly and tells you nothing about their bikes other than the price :-)



All the info is on there , click on a bike and it has the specs, geometry et al


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## AndyRM (28 Jul 2016)

First bike I clicked on the Orbea website, not sure what more info you need?

https://www.orbea.com/gb-en/bicycles/range-2016/orca-m-team


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## ianrauk (28 Jul 2016)

Lee_M said:


> having read this thread I went on their website.
> I couldn't possibly buy a bike from a company that builds a websiteso badly and tells you nothing about their bikes other than the price :-)



They are a world renowned brand with bikes ridden by Pro-Tour teams


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## Lee_M (28 Jul 2016)

i like to know abut the brand and what their philosophy is, and then the types of bike they make in general. What I don't want to do is try to fight through lots of "cool" website features that get in the way, and then have to click on each bike individually to find out about it.
YOMV of cours


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## ianrauk (28 Jul 2016)

Not sure which Orbea website Lee is looking at but the one I have just been perusing has more info about the bikes, the brand and the history of Orbea then you can shake a hand pump at.


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## goody (28 Jul 2016)

I hired one on my first trip to Majorca, seemed like a nice bike, brakes were the wrong way round though.


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## ianrauk (28 Jul 2016)

goody said:


> I hired one on my first trip to Majorca, seemed like a nice bike, brakes were the wrong way round though.




All European and US bikes have the brakes opposite to the UK.


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## MarquisMatsugae (28 Jul 2016)

Well I tend to go off the beaten track,and not see anyone.
But there is a moors road a few miles away,and in the last few years I have saw 2 Orbea's.
So yeah,not popular.But I see that as a bonus 
Think of it as being a bit different,a bit exclusive to everyone else.
In my lifetime I have saw 1 Orbea MTB,at the Cathkin Braes Commonwealth tracks.
"Why No Orbea Love ?"
Plenty of Orbea love .
Just not plenty of Orbea's.
There should be,I love the look of them .


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## Lee_M (28 Jul 2016)

i dont think my laptop likes it.


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## Firestorm (28 Jul 2016)

I know what you mean, The only KTMs I have seen in the past 6 months are mine and my brothers...


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## Salty seadog (29 Jul 2016)

we have a lbs which stocks them....

granted a small presence in this country.


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## rideswithmoobs (29 Jul 2016)

Lee_M said:


> i like to know abut the brand and what their philosophy is, and then the types of bike they make in general. What I don't want to do is try to fight through lots of "cool" website features that get in the way, and then have to click on each bike individually to find out about it.
> YOMV of cours



Every manufacturers website then, shop website and online retailer too


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## Lee_M (29 Jul 2016)

rideswithmoobs said:


> Every manufacturers website then, shop website and online retailer too



As I said YOMV. I just found the Orbea site more difficult to navigate than most.


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## Levo-Lon (29 Jul 2016)

User13710 said:


> I didn't look online, I just went to a shop that sold them.



the yoof of today wont understand that concept @User13710


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## coffeejo (29 Jul 2016)

User13710 said:


> I didn't look online, I just went to a shop that sold them.


Ditto. My LBS stocks them and most of the staff own at least one. I bought mine after a test ride. Never regretted it.


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## BrumJim (29 Jul 2016)

Good solid Socialist choice - Orbea is a Co-operative. Will use this to justify the next bike purchase to my wife.

For me, being a quality bike with race pedigree, but not often seen on these shores, chosing an Orbea is a sign of discernment and intelligence - shows you have thought about your purchase, rather than just going for what the bike magazine or your mate tells you what to do - the antithesis of a Volkswagen Golf.


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## MiK1138 (29 Jul 2016)

I like them, my next Roadie will probably be an Obrea. i have my brakes set up in the Euro style so had no issue abroad, of course I forgot to warn Mrs Mik and Miss Mik jnr oops


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## MiK1138 (29 Jul 2016)

Think GO Outdoors are stocking them these days


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## Stephenite (29 Jul 2016)

ianrauk said:


> All European and US bikes have the brakes opposite to the UK.


Mine aren't!  Well, two are and two aren't. Can be confusing.


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## mythste (29 Jul 2016)

For someone like myself who's relatively new to the cycling world (2 years-ish?) I had always presumed they were cycle surgerys in-house brand as that's the only place I'd seen them! That devalued them in my mind a bit and I still can't get over it!


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## marknotgeorge (29 Jul 2016)

MiK1138 said:


> Think GO Outdoors are stocking them these days


That's where I've seen them.


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## Deleted member 23692 (29 Jul 2016)

The only one I've ever seen had a paint job so nasty I assumed it was a supermarket special. Only on closer inspection did I notice it was carbon with Durace Di2 groupset and other very nice bits. I've never really given them much thought due to that experience

I've noticed that CGN have been giving Orbea a fait bit ofexposure with regular usage of an Orca, .. which is a very nice bike. Hopefully if Orbea's graphics dept can lay off the psychodelic drugs long enough they might get a few more sales


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## T4tomo (29 Jul 2016)

I'm not sure selling them in go outdoors is going to help brand image. I've always quite liked the look of them. Confidis ride them now don't they, whereas they used to the preserve of fellow Basque-ists euskatel euskadi, which I've probably spelt wrong


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## Stealthrider1 (29 Jul 2016)

I think the go outdoors ones are their entry level hybrid type bikes though


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## smutchin (29 Jul 2016)

Stealthrider1 said:


> I have an Orbea Avant and love it but I never see any others out and about.



I borrowed an Avant M20D for extended testing last year (I did just shy of 1,000km on it, including a 400km audax, so I think that's enough to form a meaningful opinion). Absolutely bloody loved it. Fantastic bike. I was very reluctant to give it back at the end of the testing period, and if I'd had a couple of grand spare...

The main reason you don't see them is simply that they're just not widely available in the UK (which is possibly because they go direct to market rather than through one of the big mainstream distributors). It's certainly not because they're not good bikes.


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## Mrs M (29 Jul 2016)

The bike shop I use for repairs and service (not the closest but the best so far) now stocks Orbea. 
Mainly sell Cube and have chosen to also stock another less common brand, like their style 
Very smart bikes and the had a lovely Orbea fat bike  on display last time I was there.


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## Hip Priest (30 Jul 2016)

Like @User13710 I have an Aqua, and I also got it from my LBS because they had a few bikes within my budget and it was the one I liked best. I see quite a few Orbeas knocking about. I'd say they were roughly as common as Bianchi in these parts.


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## coffeejo (30 Jul 2016)

Hip Priest said:


> Like @User13710 I have an Aqua, and I also got it from my LBS because they had a few bikes within my budget and it was the one I liked best. I see quite a few Orbeas knocking about. I'd say they were roughly as common as Bianchi in these parts.


Seems like every other road bike around here is an Orbea. It's how you tell where people shop.


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## MarquisMatsugae (30 Jul 2016)

After seeing a total of 3 in the past 4 years,I saw TWO Orbea MTB's in the space of 10 mins .I don't usually see anyone on my trails,and lo and behold the two I do bump into have bikes that are very rare round here.
I was drooling over one in particular ,which was a Graphite colour with black decals.Real stealth and real lovely.


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## jamma (30 Jul 2016)

Stealthrider1 said:


> I think the go outdoors ones are their entry level hybrid type bikes though



I've seen a avant m20 in my local go outdoors but it was bright green


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## jamma (30 Jul 2016)

I know my LBS has started to stock orbea bikes apart from their merida range but it isn't a big range due to opening a new store and ordering 2017 models


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## coffeejo (31 Jul 2016)

User said:


> If they're sold in the UK then they're obliged to have their brakes changed to the UK layout...


All my bikes are foreigners and they've all assimilated to the British way of doing things.


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## Deleted member 23692 (1 Aug 2016)

GCN continue their Orbea love with a ride on the new Orca....


View: https://youtu.be/gS2GG1rDoZw


Very nice bike, but very bland looking


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## Beebo (1 Aug 2016)

Lee_M said:


> As I said YOMV. I just found the Orbea site more difficult to navigate than most.


my computer doesn't like the web site either.
My LBS is a stockist, but you can get a bigger bang for your buck elsewhere.


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## Elybazza61 (3 Aug 2016)

Very nearly bought an Aqua as my first bike;in fact I probably should have as it would have been fitted by the LBS rather than the too big one I ended up buying.

Really nice bikes,obv see a few around here as the LBS stocks them and I think there is a shop in Bury St Edmunds that does them too so see the odd one when out that way.

Nice to have something a bit different like my Ridleys;only saw a couple more Ridleys at Ride London and not many Orbeas either,lots of Treks,Specializeds,etc.

Nicest bike I saw was a custom Independent which looked like a Ti/carbon mix.


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## huggy (3 Aug 2016)

On a holiday park at the moment and there are 2 nice looking Orbea kids bikes, locked up where as most others are left free.


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## RoubaixCube (3 Aug 2016)

Seen a few nice orbea's around where i work. I dont think they were new bikes though. Cannondales, Specialized & boardman bikes seem to be what i mainly see on the roads where i work, though i have seen a few dawes steelies and absolutely lush planet-x and fuji bikes around. B'Twin Tribans have also gained popularity in a huge way and are becoming more and more common. I see a lot of B'Twin hybrids and 500se's fly past, seen a fair few deliveroo cyclists on Tribans . Its like 4 out of 10 bikes seem to be a Triban of some sort. Ive never seen anyone apart from myself on a 540 though


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## Hutch118 (21 Aug 2016)

I have an Orbea Avant H50 as my first bike and I have to say it's excellent. From looking at other specs it's probably entry level parts but I've had no problems with it, it's comfortable and easy to use.

I'd certainly look at higher spec models when it comes to change it but overall it's a very nice bike.


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## JtB (21 Aug 2016)

User said:


> If they're sold in the UK then they're obliged to have their brakes changed to the UK layout...


Both my wife's and my Bianchi have the brakes the wrong way round and after many years I've finally got used to it (I think).

I've always secretly liked Orbeas, would be nice to see a few more members' pictures of them on the forum.


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## the_mikey (21 Aug 2016)

The LBS near me used to sell the Orbea Orca in Euskadi Euskatel colours with optional Euskadi Euskatel full kit


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## Diz (24 Jan 2017)

I recently purchased an Orbea as liked the look of it and wanted a change from Trek. Looking forward to losing the Christmas pounds and finally taking it out!


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## Jon George (24 Jan 2017)

I've had an Orca for a few years. I didn't realise the make is apparently rare - may explain some of the looks (and thumbs up) I get when I go for a spin on it.


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## Chrisz (24 Jan 2017)

I have an Orbea Knox - bought in 2009 as a frameset and chosen mainly because it wasn't one of the big names! Mitts out mostly in Campag Super Record 11 but the frame has just been replaced by a De Rosa and relegated to a winter bike (when I can get a suitable groupset on her!)


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## MissyR (31 Jan 2017)

I love my Orbea Orca!





and my partner loves her Orbea Avant too.


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## Mrs M (31 Jan 2017)

MissyR said:


> I love my Orbea Orca!
> 
> 
> View attachment 335634
> ...


Think the horse likes it too


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## Hill Wimp (1 Feb 2017)

User said:


> Damn @Fab Foodie and @Hill Wimp.... I'm getting Orbea lust:
> 
> View attachment 335763
> 
> ...


They are fab. I think we will end up losing one each to get one.

Have you had a test ride yet ?


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## Hill Wimp (1 Feb 2017)

Hoping to get mine before the start of Spring


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## Hill Wimp (1 Feb 2017)

User said:


> Bring it with you on 1 April...


If I have it I will.


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## Gravity Aided (1 Feb 2017)

User said:


> Damn @Fab Foodie and @Hill Wimp.... I'm getting Orbea lust:
> 
> View attachment 335763
> 
> ...


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## Fab Foodie (1 Feb 2017)

Hill Wimp said:


> They are fab. I think we will end up losing one each to get one.
> 
> Have you had a test ride yet ?


@User












More fun than a barrel of monkeys....and the bike's not bad either x


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## Fab Foodie (1 Feb 2017)

Gravity Aided said:


> View attachment 335777


Perfect!


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## Grant Fondo (1 Feb 2017)

Loads of Orbea love here 
Tredz are even doing a £5 off voucher so now only £6494.99


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## Gravity Aided (2 Feb 2017)

Grant Fondo said:


> Loads of Orbea love here
> Tredz are even doing a £5 off voucher so now only £6494.99
> View attachment 335817


That seems like a lot.


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