As XC race courses have grown more technical, most manufacturers have responded by slackening geometries and increasing frame travel. While these changes have helped from a descending and endurance perspective, many purists lament the effect they've had on raw speed.



Rather than following these trends, Orbea's latest crop of XC race bikes continues to be thoroughbred race machines. While they have made some minor concessions for improved handling, their focus remains on all out speed.

The new Alma is lighter, stiffer, and more capable than ever before.

The new Alma is lighter, stiffer, and more capable than ever before.​

Their newest bike, which embraces this philosophy wholeheartedly, is the Alma. The frame of this fully rigid race bike weighs 950g in race trim. It's claimed to be 25% stiffer and 10% more compliant than the previous version and ships with an all new carbon fork that hits the scales at 575 g.

The biggest changes from a geometry perspective include a slacker head tube angle, steeper seat angle, lower stack height and BB, and shorter chainstays. The head tube now sits at 69.3/69.5 degrees, which is over one degree slacker than previously, yet is still one of the steepest in the class. The stack has been reduced by up to 11mm depending on frame size and the stays have shrunk by 10mm.

Switching from a 135QR to Boost 148 spacing helped Orbea stiffen up the rear triangle, shorten the stays, and improve tire clearance.

Switching from a 135QR to Boost 148 spacing helped Orbea stiffen up the rear triangle, shorten the stays, and improve tire clearance.​

Orbea was able to reduce the chainstay length by increasing the axle spacing from 135mm to the new Boost 148mm standard. This also improved tire clearance from 2.25" to 2.4" and increased rear end stiffness by a claimed 15%.

Continue to page 2 for more on the Orbea Alma, geometry and a full photo gallery »

The Orbea is available in five different sizes and two different wheel sizes.

The Orbea is available in five different sizes and two different wheel sizes.​

These geometry changes vary slightly between frame sizes due to Orbea's Big Wheels Concept. Rather than trying to squeeze riders of varying heights onto the same wheel size, the Alma is available in two different wheel sizes . The small and medium frames roll on 27.5" wheels, while the medium, large, and XL use 29" wheels. This allows each frame to have the appropriate stack and reach, without running into issues like toe overlap on the smaller sizes.

The Alma is available in two different carbon trims.

The Alma is available in two different carbon trims.​

In addition to the two different wheel sizes, the frames also ship in two different carbon trims. The OMR (Orbea Monocoque Race) is lighter and slightly stiffer due to a construction process that uses less material and requires more preforming. The OMP (Orbea Monoque Performance) carbon frame weighs a touch more, but also retails for less.

A small bend in the top tube helps damp rough sections of trail.

A small bend in the top tube helps damp rough sections of trail.​

All iterations of the Alma share subtle tube shaping that is intended to improve performance. Some highlights include thinner seat stay cross sections and a flex point on the top tube to help smoothen out rough terrain.

These features are complemented by the new Spirit Fork, which is compatible with both boost and traditional 100mm spacing. It is available for either 27.5" or 29" wheels and has clearance for up to 2.8" tires. The axle-to-crown is designed to replicate the geometry of a 100mm suspension fork at 25% sag.

The Spirit fork mimics a 100mm travel suspension fork setup with 25% and is available aftermarket.

The Spirit fork mimics a 100mm travel suspension fork setup with 25% and is available aftermarket.​

This fork, which is available aftermarket, and the Alma can be ordered through Orbea's MyO customization process. This program allows you to choose custom paint, colors, and even get your name on the top tube, for no additional cost. The only caveat is that bike delivery through the MyO program takes an average of four weeks.

Prices for a complete bike start at $2,899 and top out at $6,999.

For more information, visit www.orbea.com.