Orro Bikes adds new models for 2016

Orro is expanding its range massively for 2016, adding new models, new materials, and entering the disc brake road bike, gravel road bike and commuting markets. There’s a new women’s model too.

Sussex-based Orro designs all of its bikes in-house essentially for UK conditions, and owns its own moulds in the case of the carbon-fibre frames, so you’re not going to find any of the models badged up under different names elsewhere. The bikes are assembled over here too.

All of the bikes are specced with complete groupsets right down to the cassette and chain. Many (not all) other brands sneak downgraded parts on here and there to save a few quid, but you get the whole shebang with Orro.

Orro is part of the same group as distribution company i-ride so the frames are generally built up with components from brands that i-ride handles: Fulcrum, 3T, Prologo and Token. Even the cheaper bikes in the range come with branded finishing kit – handlebars, stems, seatposts and saddles – rather than generic options that’ll just get you by until you can get something better.

Although the bikes are offered in built up options, you can really have any spec that you want.

Orro launched about 18 months ago with two road models, the Gold and the Oxygen, but the range is much, much bigger for 2016. We went visiting yesterday to see all the new bikes. Here are the highlights:

Orro Gold STC

Gold STC is a new addition to the range featuring novel technology, the STC standing for ’spread tow carbon’. 

First things first: what the hell is spread tow carbon? Well, it’s a material that uses unidirectional tapes that are much thinner than conventional tows (bundles of continuous filaments).

“By arranging the fibres in the woven structure in the straightest orientation possible, the fibre properties are used in the most effective way to carry load, both in tensile and compression,” says Orro. “We were able to create a frame that is lighter, stiffer and more comfortable than the original Gold. 

“In addition to this, we have exposed the carbon on parts of the frame giving a fantastic and unique look.”

The STC is the distinctive chessboard weave pattern that you can see here.

The material that Orro uses comes from carbon specialist  Sigmatex , whose work is used in many other sectors including the automotive, defence, space and aerospace industries. 

The Gold STC comes out of the existing Gold’s mould, so you get the same gran fondo/sportive geometry, designed to be relaxed but not too relaxed, if you know what I mean. The idea is that you can still ride fast, but in comfort.

Check out our review of the Orro Gold Limited Edition from earlier in the year for more details on the geometry. 

The Gold STC comes with an oversized BB30 bottom bracket for stiffness through the middle of the bike, and a tapered head tube for accurate steering.

The non-disc version of the Gold STC is built up with a complete Shimano Ultegra Di2 electronic groupset, Fulcrum Racing 3 wheels, 3T handlebar, stem and seatpost, and a Prologo saddle, it’s priced £2,599.99.

A disc version (pictured) of the Gold STC is on the way too, flat mount standard – that seems to be the way the market is going – with fully internal cabling. Like all Golds, it’ll come with 25mm tyres, although there’s enough space to fit 28s if you like. 

It’ll be built up with a full Shimano Ultegra groupset, Fulcrum Racing 5 DB wheels, and branded finishing kit from 3T and Prologo. Orro will spec 140mm Shimano Freeza disc rotors, although you can swap to 160s if you like. 

It’ll be priced at £2,099, which looks very competitive indeed.

Orro Gold Signature Edition

The Gold Signature Edition bikes, made with the STC material (above), are hand-painted in the UK, and the quality of the finishes looks stunning. They really are something special. 

There are standard colour options or you can opt for a custom paint job and have the frame colour matched to anything you like – clothing, shoes, your favourite Teletubby, whatever. You can even have your own signature on the chainstay.

A complete bike Gold Signature Edition built up with Shimano’s top-level Dura-Ace mechanical groupset and Token’s C50 carbon clinchers is priced at £3,299.99.

The disc version of the Gold will be available in a Signature Edition too. This Red Gold model will be available in very limited numbers.

The price on this model built up with a Shimano Ultegra Di2 groupset and Fulcrum Racing Quattros wheels has yet to be set.

That little light on the back of the seat clamp is part of the package, by the way. It has flashing and constant modes and is kept in place by a spring-loaded mechanism so you can fit or remove it in a couple of seconds. It’s a really neat addition that Orro is making across the range and it’ll be available aftermarket at some stage.

Pyro

The Pyro is another new model in the Orro range, also a gran fondo-type model that comes in both disc and non-disc versions, but at more affordable prices than any of the Gold options. 

The Pyro’s frame is made from 20T, 40T and 60T carbon-fibre and comes with oversized chainstays and a BB30 bottom bracket. 

“The geometry of the Pyro has been specifically designed to provide all day performance with best in class stability, comfort and agility,” according to Orro.. 

Again, the paint job is excellent. It’s black but when the light catches it you see little flecks of red in there. I guess that could look a bit glitzy, but it really doesn’t, it just adds an extra depth to the finish.

The two different versions of the Pyro are as similar as they can be given that one has disc brakes and one doesn’t. Each is built up with Shimano’s mid-level 105 groupset, Fulcrum Racing Sport wheels (the disc version in the case of the disc bike, obviously), 3T finishing kit and Continental tyres, the disc model coming with TRP Spyre mechanical disc brakes.

Interestingly, the two models are priced exactly the same: £1,349.99. That looks like great value.

Yara

The Yara is a women’s performance road bike with disc brakes; essentially the women’s version of the Pyro Disc. The geometry is female-specific – Orro hasn’t just gone down the ‘pink it and shrink it’ route.

Like the Pyro, it’s built up with a Shimano 105 groupset, Fulcrum Racing Sport Disc wheels, and TRP Spyre mechanical disc brakes, and it’s priced the same too: £1,349.99.

Orro Terra

Orro is just taking delivery of its new Terra alloy bikes with ball burnished finishes. Designed as a go-anywhere option, the Terra gravel road bike is made from 6061 aluminium that’s been triple-butted (the wall thickness is varied to keep the weight down while retaining strength where it’s most needed) and smooth welded.

Both the frame and the full-carbon fork come with eyelets for mudguards, and you get rack mounts at the back too. There’s clearance for tyres up to 35mm without ’guards, although 28mm Vittoria Zaffiros are fitted as standard.

The Terra Gravel is built up with a Shimano 105 groupset, TRP Spyre brakes, Fulcrum Racing Sport Disc wheels, and 3T finishing kit. It’s priced keenly at £999.99. 

Orro Terra Via

The Terra Via is also made from triple-butted aluminium with a full-carbon monocoque fork but it’s a road bike as opposed to a gravel road bike so it’s built to a completely different geometry. It comes with oversized chainstays and a tapered head tube for stiffness. 

The Terra Via is designed with year-round commuting in mind, hence reflective paint on the seatstays for additional visibility, although Orro think this is a bike that’s capable of much more. 

It’s available in two different builds: a Shimano 105 version at £999.99 and a Shimano Tiagra model at £849.99. Bearing in mind that both come with Fulcrum Racing Sport wheels and 3T finishing kit, they look killer value.

Orro FE

The FE is a cromo steel street bike that has been around for a few months now. Double-butted tubing keeps the weight down to a claimed full-bike total of 8.8kg, and the smoothed welds look pretty neat.

Reflective details on the paintwork are designed to help get you seen at night, and you get reflective cable outers too. The rear wheel has a flip-flop hub so you can ride it fixed or singlespeed. This one is priced £474.99.

For more info go to www.orrobikes.com