Nicola Rutzou
We recently rode the gravel roads of Mudgee, including the Dirty Mudgee course on Orbea Terras.
We put the Orbea Terra gravel bikes through their paces on the gravel roads of Mudgee and found them comfortable, stable and responsive on both smooth and rocky gravel.
I rode the Terra M20iTeam while my partner tested the Terra M30Team. Neither of us had ridden much on gravel before, save for the occasional gravel driveway on our road bikes, but after a few days, we were hooked.
One of the things that struck us about gravel riding is the quietness of the country roads. Very little traffic passed us in either direction over the four days as we explored the back roads of Mudgee (see destination article). We are both used to riding in Sydney’s busy inner west, so it was a nice break from the hustle and bustle, which we swapped for views of sweeping vistas, farm animals, vineyards, and a huge mob of kangaroos.
There is something very comforting about looking down on a chunky tyre with lots of grippy material when you’re about to launch yourself onto a gravel road. The tyres I was gazing at were a generous 38mm wide, a full 10mm wider than my road bike tyres, and they make a huge difference for a comfortable and safe ride on unsealed roads. Both the Terra models we rode can be fitted with up to 45mm tyres or 650b x 50 treads (mountain bike tyres) for extra durability and comfort if you need more traction.
Of course, there’s way more to a gravel bike than fat tyres, like frame geometry, build quality, dedicated gearing, suitable handlebars, comfortable saddle and more. Read on…
First impressions
Straight up, we enjoyed the gravel bikes’ more relaxed geometry compared to our more race-style road bikes, even on the bitumen. Plus, the wider tyres that absorb vibrations and help maintain control on loose surfaces were a game changer on the dirt roads. After a few days on the Terra, I found myself riding up and down gutters, something I rarely do on my road bike.
Neither of us had ever ridden an Orbea bike before, and the first thing we noticed was the build quality of the bikes, which had flawless paint jobs and aesthetically pleasing styling. Overall, both bikes were great to ride and looked good, too.
I rode the Orbea Terra M20iTM in cosmic carbon view/metallic olive green colourway with Shimano GRX RX825 Di2, 2 x 12 transmission and OQUO RC 25Team Wheels.
My partner Phil rode the Orbea Terra M30TM in the ivory white/spicy lime colourway with Shimano GRX RX610 2 x 12.
Frame and geometry
Gravel bikes are designed to be comfortable on rough terrain, absorb vibrations and maintain control on loose surfaces, and the Orbea Terras delivered on this promise.
We both found the Terra’s geometry comfortable to ride. The longer wheelbase and chain stay, along with a lower bottom bracket, ensured stability on various terrain. This, coupled with the longer top tube and shorter stem, made steering precise and comfortable. Not once did I feel like I was going to fall off!
Orbea says using a shorter seat tube with a more relaxed angle allows the seat post to flex more. Plus, Orbea has removed material from the seat tube near the bottom bracket to tune the rigidity. Both these designs aim to optimise vibration absorption and vertical compliance.
One nifty feature of both bikes is the storage area inside the downtube, hidden behind the bottle cage. There is space for the tube, pump, or CO2 cartridge and a selection of tools. I found it a bit clunky to get the items in and out, but I’m sure it would be easier with practice. As a road cyclist, I’m also used to keeping my spares in a small bag under my seat, so I would usually revert to this system. However, the downtube compartment is a great solution when space is minimal, and the environment is dusty and sometimes muddy.
All Terra models also have mounting points for fenders and three water bottles.
From a purely aesthetic point of view, and yes, it does matter what your bike looks like! … we both preferred the colourway of the bike I was riding. It’s officially called ‘cosmic carbon view/metallic olive green’ but is essentially black with matte and gloss sections and dark gold upper forks and highlights. It also has copper-coloured sparkles on the top tube! After a few days of riding, it had a nice coating of dust but still looked good. This is an off-the-shelf colourway offered by Orbea, but you can choose a wide range of custom colours at no additional cost, an included option on all Orbea road bikes.
Wheels & components
Since the advent of gravel bike riding and the plethora of models released by all the major bike manufacturers, the component manufacturers have also joined in with specific gravel bike groupsets designed for riding off-road.
These groupsets have gearing that provides lower ratios than road bike groupos, to enable easier progress over steep, loose and muddy terrain on a bike that may be loaded up for self-sufficiency.
The Shimano GRX Di2 RX825 groupset on my bike was flawless off-road. Shimano launched this new groupset last year, specifically for gravel bikes with its generous gearing for climbing and cruising. It included a 48/31 crankset and 11-34T cassette on the rear, making climbing comfortable and ensuring I didn’t run out of gears on the road on my way into town.
The GRX610, on the other hand, offers more affordable 12-speed components than the GRX820 series. However, it is not a complete groupset because it lacks derailleurs and only comprises shift levers and cranksets. Instead, the bike was fitted with Shimano GRX RX820 front and rear derailleurs.
Both bikes were fitted with Shimano hydraulic disc brakes to match the groupset level. My road bike has hydraulic disc brakes, so I felt reassured by the firm and reliable feeling I got when braking. Phil rides a rim brake road bike, so he enjoyed his introduction to disc brakes.
The Oquo RC25TEAM carbon wheels made by Orbea, specifically for gravel and endurance, also performed well and looked good, too. Phil’s bike had alloy wheels that also performed well.
Both bikes were fitted with a gravel-specific cockpit, which proved comfortable and aesthetically pleasing. For gravel riding, Orbea has elevated the tops and drops of the traditional road bar so your neck and shoulders can relax more, focusing on the road ahead. Flared drop bars give more control when descending and more leverage for climbing.
My bike was fitted with a Prologo Akero 155mm wide saddle, which felt comfortable and quite similar to my road bike saddle, which is the same width.
One of the things I like about Orbea is the ability to swap components when you place your order for a new bike. Some component swaps are the same price, but there are also a plethora of upgrade options for handlebars, wheels, saddles, tyres, stems, seat posts, and axles.
Summing up
The Orbea Terra bike is a comfortable, versatile adventure road bike that looks good too. Perhaps its only shortcoming is that it feels slower on the bitumen, but as it’s designed for gravel, I shouldn’t mark it down for that. I’d certainly put it high on my shortlist if I were in the market for a gravel bike.
More info www.orbea.com/au-en/bicycles/road/terra/
