Orro is one of a number of newish outfits trying to crack the British bike market. It is part of i-Ride, which distributes De Rosa, Fulcrum and Northwave among numerous other big brands, so it should know its stuff. But, at the risk of making a terrible pun, is it enough to turn us all into Pyro-maniacs?
Racier than you might think
Orro’s latest creation is aimed squarely at the endurance rider, but that doesn’t mean the Pyro is a big, lazy barge of a bike. Yes, it’s a little higher at the front – the 200mm head-tube on our XL/58cm makes it around 1cm taller than a typical race bike – but the reach is pretty much race-machine standard.
When you’re riding on the hoods the position is still reasonably aggressive, but without stretching you out and putting pressure on your lower back. Get down on the drops, however, and the Pyro feels every inch the racer.
The frame mixes various grades of carbon
It looks every inch the speed machine, too, and Orro’s designers have also done their homework when it comes to the quality of the ride. The frame is made from different grades of carbon. It concentrates stiffer 40- and 60-ton fibres in the bottom bracket shell, chainstays, down-tube, and head-tube, which gives the Pyro a solid underpinning, and makes it highly responsive when you really start pounding the pedals.
Other areas such as the top tube and seat tube, and the slender seatstays, use more flexible 20-ton fibres. That combination ensures a chassis that feels firm and efficient but which also manages to damp out vibration and chatter over poor surfaces.
Assured handling
The Pyro’s assured handling is another positive. The wheelbase – slightly longer than a true race bike’s – ensures excellent high-speed stability, the wide tyres offer plenty of grip at the limit, and the TRP Spyre brakes are as good as cable discs get, giving you plenty of feel at the lever and ample power. Thanks to the brakes’ dual-sided calliper action there wasn’t a touch of rotor rub, and we picked up only the occasional note of anger when braking in the wet.
On rolling terrain, the Pyro feels suitably sharp, and on descents it’s a real winner. When you hit the climbs its slightly weighty – albeit smooth-running – wheels mean it isn’t the most sprightly of climbers, which was compounded by our test bike’s 12-25 cassette.
The Pyro keeps up Orro’s reputation for producing great value road bikes
Orro’s i-Ride background ensures that there are no shortcuts when it comes to fittings, and you get a seriously loaded spec for the money. Good quality Continental Ultra Sport rubber is paired with Fulcrum’s new wider Racing Sport Disc Brake wheelset, which is a very good start. And there’s a matching bar, stem and seatpost from 3T’s Pro range, the latter topped with a high-quality Prologo Kappa Evo saddle.
The performance of the 105 drivetrain is as sharp and smooth as we’d expect, with the 12-25 cassette the only downside. This doesn’t offer quite the range we’d like for longer, steeper climbs.
But if you purchase the Pyro from your local bike shop you can select a different cassette or change the length and width of the bar and stem – provided it’s a like-for-like swap you won’t be charged. An 11-28 cassette would offer more range at both ends of the block, with slightly bigger jumps between gears the only penalty.
The Pyro delivers a ride that’s just the right side of smooth over stiff, with handling that’s compellingly good. The components are outstanding for the price, and the fact that you can tailor the kit at no extra cost makes the Pyro a strong – even potentially class-leading – contender in its price range.
