Orbea Orca

The Basque brand’s flagship gets a complete refit for 2017.

As they say, age is of no consequence, unless you are a cheese. Or indeed a bicycle company. Orbea is one such brand that will proudly tell you it’s been around since 1830. Bianchi (established 1885) might have a few words to say about which is the older bike brand given Orbea didn’t start making bikes until the 1930s – before then it manufactured a curious mix of handguns and prams – but what isn’t up for debate are the lengths Orbea has gone to in reinvigorating its top-level Orca.