ITALIAN MASTERPIECES FROM COLNAGO, BIANCHI & CINELLI
THE UK’S BEST-SELLING CYCLING MAGAZINE Issue 331 + September 2017 ROAD TESTED TOUGHEST TEST EVER! FRESH wrecked FAST & rated!
HOW TO Recover faster with milk & FUN Get ready for cyclo-cross Climb out of the saddle BIKES MAKING THEIR like Simon Yates 6 DEBUTS THIS SUMMER WHY WE LOVE THIS LOOK 765! P20
REVEALED SEVEN INSPIRATIONAL PERFORMANCE READERS’ STORIES ENHANCERS...... you don’t need a doctor’s note to use! THEN YOU’LL LOVE THIS MONTH’S BIG RIDE IN THE FAROES LOVE ISLANDS? NEW LINES
Below Despite a gravel-friendly chainset and cassette, the Terra still impressed on the road Bottom Shimano BR-RS805 disc brakes keep you in control
Orbea has built something that’s more about ORBEA TERRA M20-D 17 the fun of riding £2799 › All-roader first from the Basque race brand
istorically Orbea has claim with a lifetime warranty. The of the tyres when cornering and the been a race-focused bike’s versatility comes to the fore SPECIFICATION slightly sluggish acceleration, H brand with a long when you see the mudguard and rack Weight 9.18kg (L) compared to racing slicks, the Terra association with mounts included in the frame’s Frame Terra OMP is a great companion for road riding. carbon professional cycling, construction, allowing it to just as The traditionally shaped frame Fork Terra carbon and numerous world and Olympic easily take on bike-packing duties, Gears FSA means a solid basis, and the stiffness champs piloting its bikes. The new daily commuting or gravel riding and Gossamer 48/32, through the drivetrain makes for a Terra is somewhat of a departure, racing. With the right tyres you could 11-32 responsive ride. Up front the slightly Brakes being every inch a gravel bike. With even consider cyclo-cross. Shimano longer fork is designed to offer flex in only a handful of events in Europe to The Terra’s tyre clearances have BR-RS805 its lower two-thirds, taking the sting suit this type of bike, Orbea has built been optimised for a 40mm gravel Wheels out of rough roads and heavily rutted Mavic Aksium disc something that’s more about the fun tyre down to 28mm for road duties. Finishing kit trails. Orbea has concentrated on of riding, and that’s fine by us. Even though our test bike is running FSA Energy bar small sections of the frame to help Orbea claims an 1190g frame fat Schwalbe G-Ones and a very and stem, FSA absorb vibrations, with a special Gossamer chainset, weight for the Terra. As this one’s gravel-friendly 48/32 chainset with Prologo Nago layup, using its ‘Dynamic Structure’ built for toughness not lightness an 11-32 cassette we were hugely Space saddle, design, at the head-tube, seat-tube/ that’s a decent compromise weight impressed with the way the Terra 1.5in Schwalbe top-tube joint, above the rear G-One tyres wise. Orbea backs up that toughness covers tarmac. Aside from the buzz dropouts and at the fork dropouts to
CYCLING PLUS | September 2017 | 55 ROAD TEST
With a switch of tyres you would also have a superior on-road machine
HIGHS Rapid off road, sweet handling and smooth on it smooth things as you bounce along. happily forgive the down-spec LOWS We can’t vouch for the slightly to FSA’s Gossamer chainset as Some component secretive design, but on broken and Shimano doesn’t yet offer a gravel- compromises rougher dirt surfaces the Terra is mean less value friendly 48/32 option, the entry- impressive. It doesn’t jar or jolt but for money level FSA Energy bar and stem and doesn’t feel soft either. than some Mavic’s highly competent yet still The Terra is part of Orbea’s BUY IF entry-level Aksium disc wheels do FOR A LITTLE MORE MyO program so you can choose You want to come across as a little below the options on some of the finishing cover grit and otherwise highly impressive Terra’s ORBEA TERRA M21-D £3099 components, gear ratios and, more gravel fast and pay grade. That said, the Terra does Sharing the same frame but stepping interestingly, the paint scheme. We don’t want to meet the needs of the fastest gravel up to SRAM’s cyclo-cross racing-bred compromise your Force 1 groupset and matching love the ’90s-inspired fluoro touches riders, and with a switch of tyres you road rides too hydraulic brakes. on our Terra, but if you have more much either would also have a superior on-road modest tastes there are plenty of machine. With the current fad for options for you. looking for a single bike for all Ride-wise there is a lot to like solutions the Terra should be on about the Terra, and as a gravel- everyone’s shortlist. based machine it’s one of the best we’ve tried for covering grit and gravel quickly, and it’s impressively THE VERDICT FOR A LITTLE LESS light for a bike of this type at just ORBEA TERRA M31-D £2399 over 9kg, but in terms of value we do A very welcome departure from Orbea that’s The same frame but driven by have some reservations. smooth, sweet handling and speedy SRAM’s Rival 1 single chainring setup At just under £2800 we’d have and rolling on Fulcrum’s wide Racing expected Ultegra, and while we can Sport DB wheels.
56 | September 2017 | CYCLING PLUS ROAD TEST
On the road it feels endurance bike-fast and endurance event-ready
W I N N E R Orbea Terra › A gravel master that isn’t compromised by road work
t’s hard to pick a street races that are the signature of Chapter 2 only launched its first NEXT MONTH winner from such a the company’s Belgian heartland. bike on July 1 this year, and we were It may be disparate bunch. If you like your bikes sharp and the first magazine to get our hands I considered an Pitting steel, explosively quick, the Capella is a on a test bike. The Tere is so on the old-school frame titanium and carbon compelling choice. money for a state-of-the-art road material, but we’re against each other is one thing, but Holland’s Pilot adds to a growing bike. It’s beautifully finished, great keeping things throw in all-road, gravel, endurance, world of titanium disc-equipped fun to ride and, in this spec, pretty real with steel in next issue’s bike race and aero and it’s a wider mix road bikes. With a beautiful frame flawless in its performance. test. Condor’s all- than most. and ride to match, this slice of That leaves Orbea’s Terra. Off- rounder Acciaio, Ironbridge’s steel chassis is five- rarefied metal is worth consideration road it feels as nimble as a pro-level Ritchey’s Road star, and its handling impressive, if you can swallow the price. ’cross bike, on long gravel drives it’s Logic, Salsa’s touring bike but there are some niggles in the Evo2Max was the big surprise, accomplished in its cushioning, but o ering Vaya, drivetrain and brake performance, an unknown quantity and with a lot on the road it feels endurance bike- Specialized’s and those flashy components add of aero design work the Nebular fast and endurance event-ready. Sequoia Expert, to the price, but sadly not to the had the hallmarks of a worrying We’d be more than happy to switch the hand-built Holdsworth ride experience. machine. The fact that it rides out the gravel tyres for a set of Conti Strada and Reilly Thompson’s race-bred Capella so nicely and is priced so keenly GP4000S IIs or Schwalbe S-Ones and Cycleworks battle can only have come from the tight is great. run the Terra on a hilly 100-miler. it out.
68 | September 2017 | CYCLING PLUS NEW LINES
EVO2MAX ORBEA TERRA THOMPSON IRONBRIDGE PILOT VETURI CHAPTER 2 TERE NEBULAR R9 M20-D 17 CAPELLA BICYCLES 1851 £5187 £5999 £2799 £2799 £3999.99 £4025
Size tested 56cm L L 57cm 57cm 56cm
Sizes available 49, 52, 54, 56, 59cm XS, S, M, L, XL XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL 47-62cm 47-62cm 51, 53, 55, 56, 58cm
Weight 7.75kg 9.18kg 7.68kg 9.8kg 8.65kg 6.8kg
Frame High modulus Terra OMP carbon High-modulus carbon Reynolds 853 steel Double-butted Grade 9 Carbon Toray carbon titanium alloy
Fork High modulus Terra carbon Carbon Reynolds 853 steel Carbon Carbon Toray carbon
Frame alignment Head-tube good, rear Head-tube, rear Head-tube and rear Head-tube, rear Head-tube good, rear Head-tube and fork dropouts, fork dropouts, fork dropouts good, fork dropouts good, fork dropouts and fork dropouts perfect, rear dropouts perfect dropouts perfect dropouts poor dropouts perfect dropouts perfect dropouts good
TRANSMISSION
Chainset Shimano Ultegra FSA Gossamer Shimano Ultegra Di2 SRAM Rival 1 38 Shimano Ultegra SRAM Red eTap 52/36 52-36 48/32 50/34 50/34
Bottom bracket BB86 FSA BB30, BB386 BB86 Hope BSA C-Bear ceramic bearing BB86 adaptor
Cassette Shimano Ultegra, Shimano Ultegra, Shimano Ultegra Di2, Hope, 10-44 Shimano Ultegra, SRAM Red eTap 11-25 11-28 11-32 11-25 11-28
Chain Shimano FSA Team Issue Shimano Ultegra Di2 SRAM Shimano SRAM
Derailleurs Shimano Ultegra Shimano Ultegra Shimano Ultegra Di2 SRAM Rival 1 Shimano Ultegra, SRAM Red eTap Fouriers carbon cage and jockey wheels
Gear levers Shimano Ultegra Shimano RS805 Shimano Ultegra Di2 SRAM Rival 1 Shimano STRS685 SRAM Red eTap
WHEELS
Front and rear Evo Momentum R1 Mavic Aksium Disc Thompson TRC Hope 20Five 9th Wave D38-C Zipp 404 NSW FCC040 carbon
Tyres 25mm Continental 1.5in Schwalbe G-One 25mm Schwalbe One 30mm Schwalbe 25mm Schwalbe 25mm Continental GP4000 S II G-One Speed Pro One GP4000 S II
Wheel weight F 1.13kg R 1.51kg F 1.65kg R 2.01kg F 1.1kg R 1.52kg F 1.43kg R 1.83kg F 1.09kg R 1.45xkg F 1.05kg R 1.35kg
COMPONENTS
Stem Zipp Service Course SL FSA Energy Thompson TRC Evo Deda Zero 2 3T Team Stealth Chapter 2
Handlebar Zipp Service Course SL FSA Energy Thompson TRC Evo Deda Superzero 3T Team Stealth Chapter 2 carbon wingbar
Headset Evo2Max FSA Thompson Hope Pilot FSA No 42 ACB
Saddle Fabric Scoop Prologo Nago Evo Fizik Arione Kium Brooks Cambium Selle Italia SLR Fizik Arione Space
Seatpost Carbon FSA SL-K Di2, 27.2mm Thompson TRC carbon Hope 3T Team Stealth Chapter 2 D-pro le carbon
Brakes Shimano Ultegra Shimano BR-RS805 Shimano Ultegra Hope X2 disc, Shimano BR-RS785 SRAM Red direct mount hydraulic disc 160mm rotors (r), BR-RS805 (f), Magura rotors
Evo2Max Orbea Thompson 58.5cm 58.5cm 57cm Cockpit 70cm Cockpit 71cm Cockpit 72cm Standover 82.5cm 73˚ Standover 85.5cm 72˚ Standover 82.5cm 73˚ BB height 27.5cm 73.5˚ BB height 28.5cm 73˚ BB height 27.5cm 73˚ Fork o set 4.5cm Fork o set 5cm Fork o set 4.25cm Trail 5.7cm Trail 5.9cm Trail 5.6cm 55cm 56.5cm 56.5cm
40.5cm 43cm 43cm
99.5cm 106.5cm 99.5cm
Ironbridge Pilot Chapter 2 54.5cm 55.5cm 57.5cm Cockpit 66.5cm Cockpit 68.5cm Cockpit 72cm Standover 80cm Standover 81cm Standover 82.5cm 72˚ 72.5˚ 73.5˚ BB height 27cm 73˚ BB height 27.5cm 74˚ BB height 28cm 73˚ Fork o set 4cm Fork o set 4.25cm Fork o set 4cm Trail 6cm Trail 6.4cm Trail 6.2m 51cm 50cm 54cm
43cm 41.5cm 41cm
100.5cm 101cm 98cm
CYCLING PLUS | September 2017 | 69