New for 2017, the redesigned, black and white Orbea Terra is now a disc brake-equipped carbon steed and seeks to be a lightweight option for ’cross and gravel riders. The new model from one of Spain’s best-known bike brands caught our eye at Interbike 2016, and we take a closer look at this new bike today.
2017 Orbea Terra Disc ’Cross / Gravel Bike:
We last saw the Orbea Terra in 2013 as a traditional cantilever brake carbon cyclocross bike raced to many victories by the Luna team. In the ensuing years, the Luna women’s cyclocross team has been racing Orbea-branded Ibis Hakkalugi bikes, and were racing these same bikes at CrossVegas and Jingle Cross this year.
Orbea’s racing Zebra – the new 2017 Terra – not yet released – but ready to earn its stripes. © Cliff Lee
The new 2017 Orbea Terra, coming late this year, is a completely redesigned, all carbon disc brake bike aimed at the cyclocross and gravel crowd. The new Terra now sports all the buzzword-worthy technologies available today including flat mount disc brakes, BB386EVO, 40mm tire clearance, 12mm thru-axles front and rear and hidden fender mounts.
Nice internal cable routing keeps the lines clean © Cliff Lee
According to Orbea’s Matthew Smith, the new Terra will be “unusually light” for a gravel and cross bike. It has provisions for internal control line routing whether it be electronic, hydraulic or mechanical, and includes an integrated chain-watcher mount at the base of the seat tube.
Shown with 38mm Schwalbe G-One tires, there is room to spare. There’s a small “mud shelf” behind the bottom bracket. © Cliff Lee
Orbea used technologies developed for its flagship road bikes like the Orca in designing the new Terra, such as the thin seatstays that form a continuous structure with the top tube for a smoother ride.
Unlike the new Orca, the seatpost on the display bike is held in place with a traditional clamp instead of an internal wedge. Without being specific, Smith said the geometry is to be an integration of new cyclocross and gravel designs.
The top tube is continuous with the thin bridgeless seatstays © Cliff Lee
The bike on display has a unique paint scheme similar to that seen on the prototype Orbea Orca in the Tour de France. The random crisscrossing tape perhaps is designed to camouflage the bike a bit as the motor industry does with prototypes, or capture attention, or both. We like the unique look, but if you feel similarly, don’t get your hopes up. Smith said this scheme on display will not be available in production.
12mm rear TA, note the hidden fender mount at the seatstay junction just above the RD cable exit © Cliff Lee
The display bike was set up with a full SRAM Force 1 HRD group with 160mm rotors front and rear. Schwalbe G-One tires (700 X 38) were mounted on Vision 40 Carbon clincher disc wheels. There’s plenty of tire clearance with this setup even at the tightest junction at the chainstays. By visual inspection, we estimated that a 42mm tire might fit in this prototype.
Provisions for an e-front derailleur or a bottom pull mechanical © Cliff Lee
Availability is said to be December 2016. Three models will be available starting at around $3000 USD, with the Force 1 HRD model equipped similarly to the display model will be more than that.
Flat mount rear brake, note the fender stay mount on the rear seatstay junction © Cliff Lee
Although the company did not have final geometry available and didn’t pigeonhole the bike as a cyclocross or gravel bike, we’re curious whether we might see the new bike ridden by Orbea-sponsored cyclocross racers. In Iowa City, after her Sunday C1 win, we asked Katerina Nash whether there was any chance she’d make an in-season switch to the new Terra bike. Nash knew about the bike and said she’d be taking a closer look at it, but did comment she thought it was leaning more towards the gravel side than pure cyclocross. Labels be dammed, do-it-all bikes are certainly seen on the UCI circuit, as the Maxxis-Shimano team has ridden stock gravel-oriented Parlee Chebacca bikes to podiums this season.
12mm TA front fork. note the hidden fender mount at the B in Orbea © Cliff Lee
We’re anxious to throw a leg over one of these Spanish beasts, with or without the stripes. Stay tuned.
More info: orbea.com
See our ever-growing collection of new product news from Interbike 2016 here.
