Behind an unmarked, locked door at the trade-only Core Bike Show in February we were given a sneak peek at a new brand – and now it’s time to lift the lid on Orro Bikes.
Orro is the house brand of i-ride, a UK distributor which imports leading marques including De Rosa, Argon 18, Fulcrum, Northwave and Catlike. There are two bikes in the launch range – the Gold and the Oxygen, named after elements of the periodic table.
The Gold is Orro’s debut flagship model, designed as a “real world performance bike” for training rides, long events and sportives. It’s based around a 995g frame (claimed weight), with a tapered headtube (with a 1-1/2″ lower bearing), internal cable routing and oversized BB30 bottom bracket.
The Gold has a relaxed geometry, with a medium frame (five sizes are available from extra small to extra large) featuring a 554mm effective toptube, 174mm headtube, 1,005mm wheelbase, and 71.4 and 73.3 degree head and seattube angles. That should make for a fairly upright riding position and stable handling.
Orro say the low frame weight combines with the oversized bottom bracket and chainstays to convert power on the pedals into forward momentum. A 20-Ton carbon fibre has been used on the seatstays and seattube to improve comfort, while 40 and 60-Ton carbon fibre has been added to the headtube, downtube, bottom bracket and chainstays to improve stiffness.
Two builds are available and they both look, on paper at least, to offer a competitive spec for the outlay. The first is based around a Shimano Ultegra groupset and Fulcrum Racing 3 wheels for £1,999.99, while the second gets an upgraded Shimano Ultegra Di2 groupset (the frame is compatible with both mechanical and electronic setups) and the same Fulcrum hoops for £2,599.99. Both bikes also come with a 3T Ergonova handlebar, stem and seatpost, Continental Grand Prix tyres and a Prologo Kappa saddle and ‘bar tape.
Meanwhile, the Oxygen is the more affordable of Orro’s two debut frames and is pitched as an all-rounder. Anything from “the rough roads of the city to country lanes, from the office to the Alps and back again,” according to Orro. Like the Gold, the frame is made from a blend of 20, 40 and 60-Ton carbon fibres.
The Oxygen’s geometry is a little racier than the Gold’s. While the toptube is a touch shorter on a medium frame (546mm), the headtube is significantly shorter (140mm) and the wheelbase tighter (974mm), while the headtube and seattube angles are steeper at 73 and 74 degrees respectively.
The frame weight is a claimed 999g, while there’s also a BB30 bottom bracket, tapered headtube (this time with a 1-1/4″ lower bearing) and internal cable routing. The frame and fork have been designed to accommodate tyres up to 28mm-wide, which follows the trend towards wider, plusher and grippier rubber.
Like the Gold, the Oxygen is available in two builds, both with a Shimano 105 groupset. The first is equipped with Fulcrum Racing Sport wheels for £1,299.99, while the second comes with 3T Accelero Pro 40 hoops for an extra £100 at £1,399.99. Both use a 3T Ergonova handlebar, 3T Arx stem and seatpost, Prologo saddle and ‘bar tape, and Continental Ultra Sport tyres.
Both the Gold and Oxygen will be available through Orro dealers later this month.
Website: Orro Bikes
