The Orbea Orca Aero was already a rapid bike. Its design was inspired by the Basque brand's Ordu time trial bike and the 2026 redesign builds on that fast base with some geometry revisions and a drop in weight.
The previous Orca Aero frameset tipped the scales at a claimed 1.153kg (53cm), while Orbea claims the new frame drops to a claimed 900g, losing more than a quarter of a kilo.
My complete bike in this pure superbike specification weighs in at 7.3kg. The previous bike we tested in a comparable spec weighed 8.25kg (including the 168g under-down-tube storage case).
With a classic long, low ride position, it’s an unashamedly racy bike that’s a blast to ride fast. However, in this specification, the tyre clearance isn’t utilised as well as it could be – so be prepared for a firm ride unless you’re willing to upgrade the tyres.
Orbea Orca Aero M10i LTD performance
The fact that the bike is 3/4kg lighter certainly makes a difference on the road. That's not surprising when you consider elements such as the RA57 LTD CS (carbon spoke) wheelset, which has a 57mm-deep rim (23mm internal) and weighs only 1,373g a pair.
Combine those wheels with the very quick Vittoria Corsa Speed (29mm) tyres and it’s a bike that loves to accelerate, responding to big efforts with vigour.
Being light is also a boon on ascents, especially the low weight of the wheel package. The Orca Aero feels flighty both seated and standing when climbing. It rewards your efforts well thanks to the efficiently stiff frame, from the bottom bracket through to the rear wheel.
It’s also a noticeably stable ride. The geometry revisions have lowered the bottom bracket to account for the very generous 37mm tyre compatibility. That has the effect of lowering the bike's centre, which brings a straight-line stability that’s very welcome.
The aerodynamic improvements seen through a slimmer front end and narrower aero seatpost give the bike great visual appeal without affecting the dynamic feel of the bike.
The slimmed-down aero post means Orbea has relocated the Di2 battery to near the bottom bracket, and this subtle shift in weight distribution will also aid that stable, speedy feel the Orca Aero exudes.
| | 47 | 49 | 51 | 53 | 55 | 57 | 60 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat Tube (mm) | 459 | 474 | 499 | 524 | 545 | 565 | 592 |
| Top Tube (mm) | 505 | 518 | 530 | 543 | 555 | 571 | 584 |
| Head tube (mm) | 84 | 92 | 107 | 122 | 145 | 163 | 190 |
| Chainstay (mm) | 408 | 408 | 408 | 408 | 408 | 408 | 408 |
| BB drop (mm) | 78 | 78 | 78 | 78 | 76 | 76 | 76 |
| Wheelbase (mm) | 966 | 971 | 973 | 974 | 985 | 995 | 1009 |
| Head angle (degrees) | 70,8 | 71,3 | 72,2 | 72,8 | 73 | 73,2 | 73,2 |
| Seat angle (degrees) | 74,5 | 74 | 73,7 | 73,5 | 73,5 | 73,2 | 73,2 |
| Rake (mm) | 48 | 48 | 48 | 43 | 43 | 43 | 43 |
| Standover (mm) | 723 | 734 | 754 | 776 | 798 | 816 | 842 |
| Reach (mm) | 370 | 375 | 380 | 385 | 390 | 397 | 404 |
| Stack (mm) | 495 | 504 | 520 | 540 | 560 | 578 | 604 |
| Fork Length (mm) | 368 | 368 | 368 | 368 | 368 | 368 | 368 |
| Trail (mm) | 68.6 | 65.4 | 59.7 | 61.2 | 59.9 | 58.6 | 58.6 |
My 57cm bike came with a very low stack of 578mm and a reach of 397mm. Paired with the short 995mm wheelbase, the Orca Aero doesn’t stray too far from the norm.
I like the ride position – it’s aggressive without being extreme – but I didn’t find it as accommodating as race bikes with more progressive geometry, such as the Merckx 525R, which has a steeper seat angle and raised stack to achieve an aero position that’s easier to hold for longer.
With the Orca, my natural position was up on the hoods for most of the time – down in the drops was more of a stretch and so limited to descents and sprint efforts. I think more lithe racers are more likely to be able hold such positions for longer, though.
It handles well, steering inputs are met with quick reactions, yet it doesn’t veer into feeling twitchy. A lot of that is down to Orbea offering a huge range of cockpit combinations: 13 in all, and it meant I wasn’t saddled with the sort of fashionably narrow bar I’m not a fan of.
I opted for a 400mm-wide bar (measured centre-to-centre) with the equivalent of a 110mm stem, making use of Orbea’s MyO builder programme. If you are a fan of narrower bars, you are catered for here with plenty of choice.
The drivetrain is unashamedly race-oriented, as it should be, with a 52/36-tooth crankset and 11-34 tooth cassette. It’s all Dura-Ace Di2 R9200 components, of course. Orbea also supplies a Shimano Dura-Ace FC-R9200-P power meter with this spec.
On smooth roads, the Orca Aero is flawlessly fast, and it holds its pace well. It is, however, a firm bike and when you stray onto poorly maintained roads, that firmness can become somewhat wearing. The front end copes better with choppy vibrations than the rear, given equal tyre sizes.
I appreciate that on smooth, well-maintained roads in Europe, the Orca Aero in this guise would be epic. On my home roads, where the surfaces have suffered in recent years, I felt I needed more compliance.
Happily, the Orca Aero can accommodate that with its 37mm tyre clearance. I switched out the wheels for the non-carbon spoke iteration of the Oquo RA57, set up with Continental’s 35mm GP5000 tubeless tyres, and the improvement was marked. Vibrations at the rear reduced and the overall smoothness of the ride was improved hugely.
With Orbea’s MyO customisation available when ordering the Orca Aero, I’d love to see it offer a few wider tyre options than the lightweight 29mm Corsa Speeds fitted here.
At £9,999 / $12,127 / €10,999, the Orca Aero M10i LTD certainly isn’t cheap, but it compares well to its rivals – and remember you can modify the specification within reason.
A Cervélo S5 with SRAM Red AXS, dual-sided power meter and Reserve wheels is £2,750 / $2,373 / €3,000 more at £12,750 / $14,500 / €13,999. Trek’s Madone SLR 9 Gen 8 with Dura Ace Di2 and Bontrager carbon wheels is comparable at £10,000 / $12,899 / €11,499, although you’re missing a power meter there.
Giant’s super-light Propel Advanced SL 0 with Dura-Ace Di2 is £9,999 / $12,500 / €12,000, which comes close, but again the Propel doesn’t feature a power meter as standard.
Orbea Orca Aero M10i LTD bottom line
The Orca Aero M10i LTD is a brilliant example of a modern aero race bike; the handling is fun and its keenness for speed is addictive. If you’re lucky enough to ride on smooth roads most of the time, the Orca Aero would be a fine choice as a highly capable aero-oriented all-round racer.
If not, you'll be looking to add tyres with a little more volume to take advantage of the Orca's class-leading 37mm clearances.
It’s bullet-fast on the flat, more than light enough for challenging climbs and has superb stability when descending. The MyO programme also gives you plenty of choice, and you can even downgrade components if the price of this stock model is beyond your budget.
The bottom line is this is one of the best aero race bikes you can buy.
