Orbea have updated the flagship Orca in time for the 2017 Tour de France, launching the Orbea Orca Aero – the first dedicated aero iteration of the Basque firm’s race bike.
Eagle-eyed Tour fans will have spotted the new bike being used by some of Cofidis’ fast-men at the Tour, with the French team looking to guide sprinter Nacer Bouhanni to stage wins.
The Orca has already undergone several transformations in the near-decade since Orbea first launched the race bike, and having already been made lighter and stiffer in that time, this latest aero update adds another new dimension.
![](https://storage.googleapis.com/fm-coresites-assets/rcuk/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/orbea-orca-aero.jpg)
Orbea say they have taken advantage of the relaxation of the UCI’s 3:1 ruling, regarding the length and width of tube profiles, with the fork the most striking new addition to the bike.
A wider fork opening and an increased depth to the fork blades contribute to a claimed four-watt saving over the previous fork, while direct-mount brakes keep things aero-focussed. The Orca Aero’s tubes also have a truncated profile to reduce drag.
![](https://storage.googleapis.com/fm-coresites-assets/rcuk/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/1-orbea-orca-aero-2018-1.jpg)